Front-End Development
Front-end development focuses on the user-facing side of a website. Front-end developers ensure that visitors can easily interact with and navigate sites by using programming languages, design skills, and other tools. They produce the drop-down menus, layouts, and designs for websites.
Front-end devs use computer programming languages like JavaScript, HyperText Markup Language (HTML), and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to design websites. Each language serves a unique purpose. HTML lays out the site's content and structure, CSS adds design features, and JavaScript creates advanced interactive features. Less commonly, front-end devs know other programming languages like Python, PHP, or Ruby.
These developers need expertise using frameworks and libraries like jQuery, Bootstrap, AngularJS, and EmberJS. Frameworks ensure that content appears correctly on all devices, while libraries condense code into smaller, time-saving packages. Front-end devs may also use graphic design programs like Photoshop or Sketch, along with code editing tools like Notepad or Eclipse.
Front-end development requires technical expertise and creativity to ensure websites' user interfaces look correct and function properly. Front-end devs work with back-end developers, designers, and user experience analysts.
A front-end developer typically needs a bachelor's degree in web design, programming, computer science, or graphic design. Some individuals develop these skills through previous work, coding bootcamps, or projects to find employment without pursuing formal education.
Below, we describe key front-end developer skills and explain why they need these abilities
Front-End Developer Skills
HTML
HTML is the standard programming language for implementing a webpage's general content and structure.
CSS
Front-end developers use CSS to create a webpage's colors, style, layout, and fonts. These devs may use CSS preprocessors like SASS or LESS to speed up the development process.
JavaScript
Front-end developers use JavaScript for sites that use interactive features like videos, audio, animations, and games. JavaScript includes libraries with extensions and plugins to run faster on websites.
Communication Skills
Effective communication skills help front-end developers work effectively with clients and back-end developers on web projects. Developers may need to explain design issues to clients who may not have technical backgrounds.
Creativity
Creative front-end developers improve the look, feel, and usability of websites. They help to ensure that a site is visually pleasing and easy to navigate beyond functionality alone.
Back-End Development
Back-end developers focus on the server side of websites. They use technical skills to perform the behind-the-scenes work that creates a website's structure and overall functionality, allowing a site's front end to exist. These professionals create a site's operations, databases, and application programming interface (API).
The back end includes an application, server, and database. Computer users often do not see the elements of back-end development, which remain below the hood of a website.
Back-end developers need advanced experience in server-side programming languages like Java, Python, and Ruby to build applications. Students can learn or brush up on specific computer programming languages by completing bootcamps. For example, see our page on the best Python bootcamps.
Back-end devs use tools like SQL Server and Oracle to store, organize, and change data. Employers often require expertise with PHP frameworks, version control software, and debugging back-end systems and applications. Back-end devs collaborate with front-end developers, management, and business stakeholders to understand each project's goals.
Most employers require back-end devs to hold bachelor's degrees in computer science, programming, or web development. Some back-end devs can find employment without earning four-year degrees by learning through relevant work experience or bootcamps.
With additional training, education, or certifications, some back-end developers can translate their experience into higher-paying careers as software engineers. Below, we explain some skills that back-end developers usually possess.
Back-End Developer Skills
Python
Back-end devs use the Python programming language to write data structures and algorithms to create websites. They also use Python libraries and frameworks, like Flask, Django, and NumPy.
Java
Developers on the back end use this programming language, created for compatibility with other platforms, to build applications.
Ruby
Ruby is a free, open-source, back-end programming language. Back-end devs can use it to quickly create new applications. Ruby includes everything a site needs to run, so full-stack developers also often use the language. Ruby works especially well for high-traffic websites.
Problem-Solving Skills
Back-end development often requires problem-solving skills to fix technical problems in the website creation process. These tasks may include debugging and testing back-end systems and applications.
Communication Skills
Back-end developers need strong communication skills to complete projects effectively. Developers may need to explain technical web design issues to stakeholders that may not have tech knowledge.
Top comments (0)