Frontend Development 101: Essential Skills and Tools

#webdev #beginners #career #frontend

Frontend just as the name implies, is the end or interface that the user sees in front of them and they interact with. The act of developing softwares that renders an elegant interface while also maintaining engagements with users and ensures the experience of the user is seamless. There is also the backend which is the opposite end, that supports the frontend with resources.

In the above image, a user fills the form’s input fields for registration on a webpage and submits it. The form is the frontend resource he/she interacts with. The process of manipulating, storing the data is handled in the backend part of the application which is invisible to the user but is responsible for all the logical aspects.
Frontend development mainly focuses on the functional aspects of creating user interfaces. The demand for frontend developers is on the rise as the need to have an efficient interface that users can be comfortable navigating through is crucial in the world today.

SKILLS
There are numerous skills that are needed in frontend development. So, in this section we will be taking a sneak peek into these important skills.

HTML
Known as HyperText Markup Language. This is the main structure that serves as a building block for all webpages. It can also be referred to as the skeletal backbone of frontend web development. Html elements consist of resources visible on a web page such as buttons, forms, links etc.

CSS
Known as Cascading Style Sheet. It is used to design the layout of a webpage for elegant presentation and gives the developer the ability to customize as he/she wishes. CSS gives the Html elements styles and improves the interactivity with users. Animations are also achievable with CSS.

JAVASCRIPT
Is a frontend programming language that adds dynamism to the interactivity of a web page to the users. Javascript can make Html elements behave in a way that is customizable by the developer. For example, a button can be given a particular function or behavior when a certain event is triggered which can be a click, double click etc. With Javascript embedded in a webpage, it can be refreshed dynamically while responding to users actions.
Also, Javascript is capable of handling operations that takes time to execute without blocking the other tasks from executing. This comes in handy if you want an operation to carry on and not wait for some tasks to reach completion.

FRONTEND DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORKS
In recent times, there has been an increase of highly functional collections of pre-written codes and tools for web development that improves efficiency and increases flexibility. They also come with features such as state management, responsive design capabilities and components. Popular frontend frameworks are React, Svelte, Angular, Vue.js etc

VERSION CONTROL
This is an extremely important skill in software development as it helps developers track and manage changes to codes and files. The most used version control system is Git. It is necessary to be able to use git efficiently in today’s Tech world and it also helps in collaboration on projects.

RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN
This is a very important part of modern web development that takes into consideration various devices and screen sizes. Websites and applications are meant to adjust dynamically to corresponding devices and screen sizes to allow users to access contents and navigate seamlessly. Optimal user experience is the goal in making a responsive web design. Zooming and struggling with elements that are unresponsive can lead to frustrating and bad user experience which doesn't bode well for the developers of the application or website. To achieve a good responsive site, developers should use the following: flexbox, media queries, flexible layouts and grids. Fixed and layouts set to arbitrary values should not be integrated to achieve a fluid and responsive layout.

BASIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES
To build maintainable and effective frontend code, it is important to follow some fundamental design principles guiding frontend development. They are:
Responsive web design:Which is about embedding adaptation to different devices and screen sizes to keep consistent user experience across different platforms.
Mobile first approach:Is also essential due to the ever increasing use of mobile devices. Hence, priority must be given to mobile devices.
Simplicity: It is good practice to keep the interface simple so as to avoid overwhelming users with needless complexities.
Consistency: keeping a consistent layout, interaction pattern and design throughout the creation of an application is good practice.
Performance optimization: To get the best performance in the frontend, it is advisable to minimize file sizes and use lazy image loading. When applied, an application or website’s frontend loads faster which improves user experience and SEO ranking.
Scalability: Is all about organizing the codebase into modules and using scalable ways, that involves using components and modules to break down complex user interfaces.
Cross-browser compatibility: Testing the frontend across different web browsers to check if it maintains a good layout across web browsers is also very important.
Performance testing: Regularly testing the frontend to check for loopholes that should be improved on helps in upscaling overall application performance. Tools like Pagespeed Insights and Lighthouse perform these tests.

TOOLS

There are various tools used in building interactive frontend and they are:
Code Editors: These play significant roles in software development as they provide an environment for writing of Html, CSS and Javascript codes. They provide other features such as syntax highlighting, code completion, code formatting, error checking and integration with version control. Most code editors allow the integration of extensions that perform specific tasks on codes. Examples of Code editors are Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, Atoms etc.
Package Managers: Due to the use of external libraries, frameworks and dependencies employed in an application, there is a need to use tools that help manage and organize them and that is where package managers come in handy. They help ease the process of installing, updating and removing these external packages. Examples are NPM known as Node Package Manager and Yarn.
Version Control Clients: These are software tools that provide a user an interface to interact with version control systems. They make the operation of version control easier for developers and manage repositories without the use of command line interfaces. Examples of version control clients are: GitKraken, Github Desktop, SmartGit etc.
Design Collaboration Tools: These tools play a vital role as it bridges the gap between designers and developers in streamlining the entire development process. Designers create prototypes and design mockups of the frontend with developers. The interaction can be mocked up and demonstrated on how the frontend will behave.

In conclusion, frontend development is a crucial part of software development which is also constantly evolving and plays a vital role in users’ interactivity with websites and applications. In this article, we have explored some essential skills and tools that every aspiring frontend developer should be familiar with to succeed in this field.