DEV Community

Cover image for Good Frontend Dev !== Good coder
Prathamesh Patil
Prathamesh Patil

Posted on

Good Frontend Dev !== Good coder

Hi Everyone, From last 3+ years working as a Frontend developer I realised that being good at coding is just not enough to deliver a high quality and robust feature. When it comes to development it involves proper planning and execution at every step. There are few do's and dont's that I follow to ace in this process:

DO'S

1. Feature Planning:

  • Understand the requirement thoroughly.
  • Discuss with designers, backend developers, and stakeholders to align on expectations.

2. Understand the User:

  • Identify the target audience for the feature.
  • Always picture yourself in place of a user while developing the feature, this helps to provide good UX going ahead.

3. Effective Communication:

  • Regularly update the team about progress or potential blockers.
  • Ensure alignment with designers and backend developers before starting.

4. Plan & Prioritize:

  • Break down the feature into smaller, manageable tasks.
  • Prioritize tasks based on dependencies and deadlines.
  • Allocate sufficient time for testing and iterations.

5. Think Long term:

  • Even if the feature is has minimal requirements, always build a system which can be made scalable and mantainable going ahead.

6. Stay organised:

  • Document decisions made during planning.
  • Keep track of changes, deadlines, and dependencies using tools like Trello, Jira, or Notion.

7. Focus on accessibility:

  • Think about how users with disabilities might interact with the feature.
  • Advocate for inclusive design even if it’s not explicitly requested.

DONT'S

1. Rush the planning phase:

  • Don’t skip or rush through the requirement analysis and planning stages. Poor planning leads to rework and delays.

2. Be overprotective of your ideas:

  • Avoid resisting suggestions or feedback.
  • Features are a team effort, and other perspectives can improve the end result.

3. Overpromise deadlines:

  • Don’t commit to unrealistic timelines under pressure. Be transparent about what’s feasible within the given time frame.

4. Underestimate testing importance:

  • Don’t assume the QA team or end-users will catch all issues. Prioritize thorough testing during development.
  • Always write unit test cases for a safer side.

5. Ignoring personal well-being:

  • Don’t overwork yourself to meet deadlines. Take breaks and maintain a healthy work-life balance to stay productive and creative.

Final Thought

A well-developed feature isn’t just about clean code—it’s about understanding user needs, effective collaboration, and balancing priorities. Focusing on these non-technical aspects ensures the feature aligns with business goals and delivers a seamless experience for the end user.

Top comments (0)

Sentry image

See why 4M developers consider Sentry, “not bad.”

Fixing code doesn’t have to be the worst part of your day. Learn how Sentry can help.

Learn more