Front End Development

Front-end web development, also known as client-side development is the practice of producing HTML, CSS and JavaScript for a website or Web Application so that a user can see and interact with them directly. The challenge associated with front end development is that the tools and techniques used to create the front end of a website change constantly and so the developer needs to constantly be aware of how the field is developing.

The objective of designing a site is to ensure that when the users open up the site they see the information in a format that is easy to read and relevant. This is further complicated by the fact that users now use a large variety of devices with varying screen sizes and resolutions thus forcing the designer to take into consideration these aspects when designing the site. They need to ensure that their site comes up correctly in different browsers (cross-browser), different operating systems (cross-platform) and different devices (cross-device), which requires careful planning on the side of the developer.

Today, in general, one can't go to college and expect to graduate with a degree in front-end engineering. And, I rarely hear of or meet front-end developers who suffered through what is likely a deprecated computer science degree or graphic design degree to end up writing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript professionally. From my perspective, most of the people working on the front-end today generally seem to be self-taught from the ground up or cross over into the front-end space from design or computer science fields.

If you were to set out today to become a front-end developer, I would loosely strive to follow the process outlined below.

Learn, roughly, how the web platform works. Make sure you know the "what" and "where" of HTML, CSS, DOM, JavaScript, Domains, DNS, URLs, HTTP, browsers, and servers/hosting. Don't dive deep on anything just yet, just aim to understand the parts at play and how they loosely fit together. Start by building simple web pages.

Learn HTML

Learn CSS

Learn JavaScript

Learn DOM

Learn the fundamentals of user interface design (i.e. UI patterns, interaction design, user experience design, and usability).

Learn CLI/command line

Learn the practice of software engineering (i.e., Application design/architecture, templates, Git, testing, monitoring, automating, code quality, development methodologies).

Get opinionated and customize your tool box with whatever makes sense to your brain (e.g. Webpack, React, and Mobx).

Learn Node.js

A short word of advice on learning. Learn the actual underlying technologies, before learning abstractions. Don't learn jQuery, learn the DOM. Don't learn SASS, learn CSS. Don't learn JSX, learn HTML. Don't learn Typescript, learn JavaScript. Don't learn Handlebars, learn JavaScript ES6 templates. Don't just use Bootstrap, learn UI patterns.

Lately a lot of non-accredited, expensive, front-end code schools/boot camps have emerged. These avenues of becoming a front-end developer are typically teacher directed courses, that follow a more traditional style of learning, from an official instructor (i.e., syllabus, test, quizzes, projects, team projects, grades, etc.).

Keep in mind, if you are considering an expensive training program, this is the web! Everything you need to learn is on the web for the taking, costing little to nothing. However, if you need someone to tell you how to take and learn what is low cost to free, and hold you accountable for learning it, you should consider a traditional instructor lead class room setting. Otherwise, I am not aware of any other profession that is practically free for the taking with an internet connection, a couple of dollars a month for screen casting memberships, and a burning desire for knowledge.