A Junior Front End Developer position is a fast and sure way for a newbie to start a career in IT. You’ll come to this conclusion if you analyze job and salary statistics for IT professionals in 2023.
But to pass the interview, pass the test, and get a job, Front End Developers need specific hard and soft skills. We’ll discuss them below so you can create a checklist for starting a career in IT.
What a Junior Front End Developer Does
The job of a Junior Front End Developer is to design the visible portion of the website in a way that accurately reflects the web designer’s intent and allows users to interact with the web page. Also, they set up the client side so that the latter interact smoothly with the Back End and database, third-party add-ons, and all sorts of services.
So, what should a Junior Front End Developer know and be able to accomplish to skillfully perform the tasks that his employer or client sets for him?
Top 5 Technical Skills of Junior Front-End Developer
Once you get these 5 Tech Skills for a Front End Developer, you’ll get freelance work effortlessly and be welcome at every job interview.
1. HTML + CSS
HTML (an acronym for HyperText Markup Language) is a hypertext markup language. Front End Developers use it to build the “skeleton” of a website or web page. And with the help of HTML tags, specialists create a “layout” that displays:
- Text content,
- Bulleted and numbered lists;
- Pictures
- Media content
CSS (an acronym for Cascading Style Sheets) is a page-style language that forms a logically correct external layout of a website or page, making it visually beautiful.
Using CSS properties, Front-End specialists modify the page output according to the user’s needs – from the usually printed representation to voice reading and even the display of Braille on specialized devices.
- Set up your workspace and do your scheduled activities efficiently;
- Postpone social media while busy with work;
- Stay motivated throughout the work day.
HTML and CSS are the basis. A Front End Developer needs it as much as an artist needs the skill to create sketches of future paintings. So if you want to get off to a good start in your Junior Front End career, take the first step and register for HTML/CSS layout marathon, where you will:
- Make your first resume-website;
- Learn basic HTML tags and CSS properties you’ll use to create websites and web pages in the future;
- Try your hand in IT.
Sign up for an HTML/CSS marathon
2. JavaScript
JavaScript is a must-have for Front-end developers! This programming language lets you add dynamic elements to initially static HTML pages. For example, with JavaScript, the developer makes it so that:
- Correct animation shown,
- Right windows popped up,
- Necessary effects appeared when the user acts.
Out of 83,052 respondents to the Stack Overflow Developer Survey for 2022, 64.995% create JavaScript projects. Therefore, this makes JS the most popular programming language and opens new perspectives for beginners.
3. JQuery and JavaScript, CSS frameworks
JQuery is a JS library that simplifies writing and reduces the repetition of code required for JavaScript and HTML to interact.
In addition, JQuery includes an extensive collection of pre-built UI elements that make it easy to create and customize galleries, modal windows, and forms.
JavaScript and CSS frameworks are libraries that contain a set of “standard” styles and dynamic elements. To get away from boring terms and explain what they’re, here’s an example. Imagine you’re a Junior Front End Developer. Your task is to create a “blueprint” for a website, web page, or application, and you will receive inputs that will serve as the foundation for any project. You have two choices:
- Starting a project from scratch and spending a dozen hours creating the basics is excellent practice for the beginner if deadlines are not tight.
- Taking advantage of the JS and CSS frameworks and making the basics in an hour or two is a great way to quickly “deploy” a project from scratch without requiring lengthy coding.
It’s useful for a beginner to know how to do both, as you can choose depending on the availability (lack) of time.
4. Version control system
During the project development phase, the Front End Developer interacts with the development team, web designers, and testers. To make communication convenient for everyone, you need to be able to work with a version control system. For example, let’s explore Git. Here’s what you need to know:
- How to install Git on your computer.
- How to send changes to Git so the team can see them.
- How to view changes and roll back to earlier versions.
The version control system will help the novice Front End Developer to revise projects and, instead of rewriting the code from scratch, go back to the working version and “rewrite” the required part.
5. Adaptive Design
When creating websites and web pages, it’s important to remember that users will view them on different devices:
- computers;
- tablets;
- smartphones.
A Junior Front End developer should know adaptive layout techniques to make pages that will adapt for viewing on any device.
Soft Skills for Front-End Developers
A novice Front End developer should have not only Tech but Soft Skills as well. We told you everything about “agile” skills in the GoIT Journal Blog article with the same name.
The top 5 Soft Skills a beginner needs:
- Ability to work in a team – completing your tasks effectively affects the project, so you must meet deadlines and do the work well.
- Discipline – if you commit to presenting the work, do it even if it’s not 100% done.
- Proper communication – master Git, ask questions and participate in discussions.
- Creativity – try to do tasks “with heart”, solve difficulties in unusual ways, and then you’ll create unique pages.
- Solve problems yourself – Google more instead of asking your colleagues.
If you want to become a Junior Front End Developer – GoIT has already created a course that will make you one from scratch. In 183 days, you will:
- Gain the necessary knowledge and skills required for employment and freelance work;
- Acquire and improve Soft Skills;
- Learn how to create Front End Developer resumes and find out where to post them to get recruiters interested;
- Learn how to communicate with HR professionals and recruiters to “present” your skills and portfolio at its best.
You can get an individual Front End development plan by enrolling in the Front End course.
