As a front-end developer with two years of industry experience, I’ve come to realize that jumping straight into frameworks without understanding the fundamentals was one of the biggest mistakes I made early in my career. Many developers rush to complete tasks, but skipping the foundational concepts often leads to struggles down the line.
What We'll Discuss
What I did wrong in my initial days.
How I coped with it.
What is JavaScript?
Conclusion.
What Went Wrong
After graduating college, I was desperate to land a job, just like everyone else around me. I wanted to be part of the rat race, but I wasn’t prepared. During my 4 years in college, I didn’t achieve anything extraordinary that would make me stand out in the job market. To make things worse, I only attended in-person classes for about 1.5 years due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Frankly, I was addicted to the routine of online classes, binge-watching Netflix, and then sleeping. This went on for far too long, and when placement season arrived, I started panicking. Fortunately, my strong grasp of DSA concepts from high school was enough for me to crack a position at a low-to-mid-level company.
After weeks of applying and pestering my college placement coordinator, I finally secured a job as a front-end React developer.
However, the first 6 months of my professional life were incredibly tough. I joined a vendor-based company where we worked as a team of hirable developers for major companies like Accenture and Wipro. While I had completed several online courses, I’d never worked on actual website development projects.
When I was assigned my first task—to create a helper function to define custom columns and handle different data types using the Ant Design (AntD) library—I quickly realized how little I actually knew. Most front-end developers would recognize what I’m talking about, but my struggle wasn’t with the library itself. It was with JavaScript.
I hadn’t built a solid foundation in JavaScript before joining, so I found myself scrambling. My routine involved watching JavaScript tutorials in the first half of the day and struggling to apply what I learned after 12 PM. What should’ve been a simple task took me two to three times longer than it should have. This not only slowed me down but also felt personally embarrassing.
How I Turned Things Around
To address my weaknesses, I started my mornings by reading one article daily on Medium.com. I subscribed to JavaScript and React topics to tailor my recommendations. These articles helped me retain critical information about JavaScript, discover new concepts, and identify areas where I lacked understanding.
I also completed the freeCodeCamp JavaScript with Data Structures certification course, which I highly recommend for beginners. It was a game-changer for me.
Within two months, I began noticing improvements. As my knowledge grew, my confidence in tackling UI challenges also increased. I worked on implementing features like drag-and-drop interfaces, dynamic chatting modules, push notifications, and Google Maps hotel integrations.
After one year at my first job, I switched to a new company. This time, the transition was smooth because of the strong foundation I had built. I didn’t face the same struggles I had during my first six months.
Why Core Concepts Matter
As a front-end developer, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript form the core of everything you build.
HTML defines the structure of your application.
CSS makes it visually appealing.
JavaScript adds interactivity and functionality.
With a solid grasp of these three, you can build anything. I hope this motivates you to strengthen your core skills if you haven’t already.
What is JavaScript?
JavaScript is a versatile programming language used to make web pages interactive. From simple animations to complex applications, JavaScript powers the dynamic behavior of the web. It’s essential for front-end development, and every day, you’ll learn something new about it.
Conclusion
If you’re new to front-end development, don’t skip the fundamentals. While frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue are powerful, they’re built on JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Mastering these core technologies will make your development journey smoother and more rewarding.
Reflecting on my own struggles, I can confidently say that investing time in foundational concepts pays off in the long run. Start small, stay consistent, and embrace the challenges.
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