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Front-end developers work for a variety of different companies. Today, you can find someone with that sort of responsibilities in pretty much every type of organization. But what makes front-end developer search special is a highly specialized skill set he/she needs to possess.
In must be acknowledged that requirements for the front-end job position are one level above the average do-it-all web developer. So, if your business truly needs one (and you don’t want to waste money) you’d better understand the purpose of this role in a team, its power sides, and responsibilities.
Who is a Front-end Developer?
Fundamentally, Front-end developers are associated with website design, its production, maintenance, and modification of website look. In essence, front-end developer possesses all the technical skills and knowledge, which the ideal web developer should have.
However, what makes front-end specialist different is its deep expertise in tools and technologies required to deliver their work – development of presentational side of your project.
If you care about the appearance of your business and the look of your project is one of the main success criteria in your industry, then a front-end developer (in couple with a designer) is the person you need.
We’ve already covered some of the nuances of front-end development in this article. Also, you can get the understanding by comparing front-end developer with its co-pilot – back-end developer.
Instances when you need a Front-end developer instead of Web developer:
- You need a tailor-made website, that would ‘sell’ with its appearance.
- You need a pixel-perfect matching with the website mockup you have.
- Your future website features a lot of visual effects and graphics.
- You operate in top-echelon industries (luxury resorts, real estate, VIP parties, limos, jet-rentals, etc).
- You deliver several websites/landing pages a month and need a team player who can maintain such a high pace.
- You need a functional web application rather than a simple website.
This is the basic list of business needs that power the demand for front-end developers.
What skills should a Front-end developer possess?
Obviously, in order to serve those goals, front-end developer have to bring a range of talent to the table, from a knack for technical detail to a broad understanding of UI/UX. The specialist should also be a good team player because his performance is highly dependable on the people around him: designer, back-end developer, project manager, and a client.
Simply glancing in a portfolio isn’t going to help you find front-end developers. You have to evaluate both their technical skills and their ability to communicate well with different stakeholders from your designer, to the executive team. Hopefully, if you going to outsource development process you’ll get a full-package of specialists. At least a project manager who will oversee your front-end development.
The set of skills you need to look at also depends on kind of product you need to build: a website or a web app.
There is a lot of overlap here between web developer and front-end developer in terms of technologies one should be familiar with. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, any JS framework (React, Angular, Ember) – this technologies take care of user interface interactions on customer-facing website. Both web developer and front-end developer should know them to develop a website.
There is a lot of overlap here between web developer and front-end developer in terms of technologies one should be familiar with.
In addition, there are special skills that required if you need to build web application rather than a website. Exceptional knowledge of any framework, knowledge of databases, know how to make dom manipulation, Ajax, understanding of what is RESTfull API and how to communicate with it.
How to find a Front-end developer?
There is a number of ways to find a front-end or any other sort of developer. We’ve covered this topic numerous times.
- Hire a freelancer.
- Build an in-house team.
- Find a business partner with that sort of skills.
- Outsource development works.
All the pros and cons of these options are covered in this article. We would advise choosing from two options: build an in-house team or outsource (for a front-end developer hire only).
The reason we advise two options comes out of the specific of front-end developer job. It is unlikely that a freelancing specialist would possess such a high level of technical specialization in such a narrow field. On the other hand, you don’t want a business partner spending all his spare time coding instead of solving business problems.
Bottom Line
Finding a good front-end developer is like finding an artist in a room full of craftsmen. And you really need to decide whether to look him:
- Do you really have a project that emphasize and value the user interface?
- Are you ready to pay extra for a captivating initial impression of your website?
- Decide whether you need to enhance trust and confidence in a website?
- Or maybe you need a firm and good performing web application?
Look for a front-end engineer based on your decision. And no matter which one you need don’t hesitate to contact us, we’ll get you covered.
