What Does a Front End Developer Do?
Front-end developers are computer programmers who optimize web pages and mobile apps for maximum efficiency by creating designs that meet user requirements. Typical duties of a front-end developer include determining what the structure and design of a web page should be, creating a functional yet aesthetically pleasing design, and maximizing efficiency. Front-end developers must be conscious of maintaining brand consistency across all web pages. They work closely with back-end developers, graphic designers, and user experience (UX) designers to ensure the consistency of web designs. As such, a front-end developer needs to have strong communication and interpersonal skills.
A front-end web developer should be able to create seamless UX for a wide range of platforms, including mobile games, digital menus, rich video, and more. They must adhere to brand standards while observing development best practices. A solid background in search engine optimization (SEO) is also extremely helpful.
A front-end developer should be fluent with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and have experience with libraries and frameworks like jQuery and AngularJS. They also need to be proficient in using graphic design applications like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. Essential skills for this role include a deep understanding of programming principles, working knowledge of responsive and adaptive design, and excellent problem-solving skills.
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National Average Salary
Front end developer salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. To explore salary ranges by local market, please visit our sister site zengig.com.
The average U.S. salary for a Front End Developer is:
$105,200
Front End Developer Job Descriptions
Example 1
Responsibilities
- Work with a team of project managers, designers, strategists, and developers to build brand new experiences with VueJS/Nuxt
- Use client work to refine our tools and tech with each build
- Collaborate with designers early in the production process to help them understand tech capabilities
- Share learnings with our team and help mentor less experienced teammates
- Review teammate’s code and help maintain high code quality
Qualifications
- 3+ years of applied experience with ES6+ JavaScript
- 2+ years of applied experience with modern SPA frameworks (React, Vue, Nuxt, etc.)
- Experience or a deep understanding of statically rendered websites, their benefits, and drawbacks
- Provide confidently clean code in with HTML, CSS & JS
- Focus on the readability & maintainability of code
- Implement cross-browser compatible features as a baseline
- Strategically choose solutions that support efficiency in rendering, loading, and painting of the page on the full spectrum of devices and networks without sacrificing accessibility or UX
- Familiarity with WCAG success criteria and generalized experience in building accessible, intuitive websites
- Balance design aesthetics with accessibility, keeping WCAG guidelines front-of-mind while seeking opportunities to push the boundaries of the web as a medium
- Comfortable with Git
- Take personal responsibility for deadlines, code quality, and tasks
- Experience collaborating with and mentoring other developers
- Communicate effectively & often
- Adept at creating and maintaining your development environment
Example 2
This person will be responsible for bridging the gap between graphic design and the technical implementation of new features and functionalities. They will need to balance between the functional and aesthetic design, while ensuring the experiences are optimized for all devices.
Organizational structure
The Front-End Developer reports to the Director of Digital Experience
Responsibilities
- Build, validate, and maintain web page templates from supplied wireframe layouts
- Translate UI/UX wireframes to code
- Use mobile first strategy to determine code structure and functionality
- Support and implement best practices for layouts, navigation, architecture, and site speed
- Partner with back-end developers, product managers and business users
- Assist in user acceptance testing prior to code releases and launches
- Monitor site performance to identify and fix usability issues
- Stay up to date on the latest technologies supporting usability and design
Qualifications
- Degree in computer science or related field
- Salesforce Certification preferred
- Proficiency in HTML, CSS and JavaScript
- Familiarity with browser testing and debugging
- Understanding of web development process from design to development and deployment
- Ability to translate current state business into future state recommendations
- Must be able to prioritize and meet deadlines
- Good problem-solving skills
- Excellent verbal, communication, and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work well in a teamwork-oriented environment
Example 3
We are looking for a self-starter that can excel in a hybrid work environment. A successful candidate will have effective communication skills, a focus on meeting client expectations and attention to detail. We are seeking an individual who has a positive attitude and who is looking to be a part of our collaborative team.
Required qualifications and skills
- At least 2 years of front-end web site development experience using HTML, CSS and JavaScript
- Experience with responsive frameworks, cross-browser and multi-platform
- Familiarity of version control systems such as Git
- Detail-oriented with a commitment to producing quality work
- Excellent verbal and written communication
Additional skills
- Applied understanding of web analytics
- A good eye for user interface design, typography, and user experience
- Experience creating HTML emails and managing campaigns
- Experience with the Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator and Photoshop
- Comfortable developing on a Macintosh platform or willingness to learn
Sample Interview Questions
- When did you first start programming?
- How well do you know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript?
- What are your best practices for front-end development?
- What is your approach to building responsive and accessible web applications?
- What is the best way to optimize the performance of your web pages and ensure that they load quickly?
- Have you ever had to troubleshoot and debug a complex front-end issue?
- What do you do to make sure your code is maintainable, scalable, and easy to work with?
- What are some examples of web applications you have developed and what role did you play in each?
- Are you able to work with designers and developers to ensure a cohesive and effective user experience?
- What are your methods for incorporating user feedback and analytics data into your development process?