What’s a Front-End Developer?
A Front-End developer develops the parts of a site that can be interacted with. They are needed at both the design and development levels. On Malt, you can search for freelance Front-End Developers by skill: HTML5, CSS3, Javascript or jQuery.
All you need to know about Front-End Developers
What does a Front-End Developer do?
There are two main types of web developers: back-end and front-end. Put simply, Back-End Developers are responsible for everything that’s not visible to the end-user, whereas Front-End Developers focus on that which is visible and which allows users to interact with a web product.
They thus work on what is called the client side of a website and use the main languages in this field, namely HTML, CSS, and most importantly, Javascript.
HTML and CSS can be used to build a site’s interface while Javascript, which is the preferred language of freelance Front-End Developers, is used by web browsers to define all the interactions that the user may have with this interface.
How does a Front-End Developer work?
The main tool of a freelance Front-End Developer, and of developers in general for that matter, is their IDE: Integrated Development Environment. This software can be likened to an enhanced text editor that aims to help the developer write tested, comprehensible and maintainable code.
Although they can work mostly remotely, it is often a good idea for a freelance Front-End Developer to begin a project with an in-depth discussion with different branches of the product team if they are in place.
They often work closely alongside Back-End Developers, Web Developers, Project Managers, Web Designers, etc.
They must have knowledge of the technologies and languages used on the back-end and of the APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that can be used to retrieve the data needed to build the required features.
Furthermore, given their unique relationship with the visible part of the product, a Front-End Developer is often required to collaborate with the design team in order to refine some of the UI (User Interface) choices with them and suggest improvements (animations, visual feedback, etc.).
Beyond these often- needed adjustments, freelance Front-End Developers are quite autonomous. Depending on the organizationalorganisational method chosen by the client (Scrum, Agile, etc.), they’ll be able to provide progress reports in relation to a roadmap that may have been established at the beginning of the project.
What services can freelance Front-End Developers offer?
Deliverables are harder to define for a developer than for a Graphic Designer. Nonetheless, freelance Front-End Developers are responsible for several aspects of the code they produce during a project.
First and foremost, a Front-End Developer must be able to code all the features indicated in the specifications.
They are also responsible for ensuring that all the front-end resources (styles, images, javascript) of a page are well presented and optimized (reduced in size and using as little few files as possible for quicker loading times).
They must also be able to write automated tests to prevent possible regressions when making subsequent modifications to their code.
Lastly, though not mandatory, it is recommended they document the code, especially in the context of a large-scale project. This allows the whole development team to better understand the work and choices made and facilitates the inclusion of other developers in the project later on.
How to brief a Front-End Developer?
With front-end development being a rapidly expanding field in recent years, there are a number of solutions available for carrying out a project. It is therefore important to set out your requirements and answer a few key questions that can guide the freelance Front-End Developer in their technological choices.
What type of product do I want to develop (website, web application, portfolio…)?
Who are my users and which browsers should my product support?
Do I have specific needs (push notifications, real-time rendering…)?
Does my product have strong SEO (Search Engine Optimization) needs?
Following these questions, a freelance Front-End Developer will be able to select the right technological solutions. They’ll be able to know, for example, if the use of a front-end framework is necessary and if so which one (ReactJs, Angular, VueJs, etc.).
How to choose a freelance Front-End Developer?
If you’ve already got a clear idea of the technologies that’ll be needed for the implementation of your project, you can easily organizeorganise your search around them (Angular Developer, ReactJS Developer, etc.…).
On the other hand, if you need their help to define your technological scope with them, opt for a freelance Front-End Developer who is already proficient in the main language of the profession:, Javascript. A good Front-End Developer must understand javascript to be able to master a framework derived from it.
Be sure to also take a look at their previous experience: perhaps you’ll find similarities to your project?
