If one wants to be a front-end developer, what should one need to learn most of all, in addition to mastering HTML, CSS, and JavaScript? And how much of the rest -- back-end coding and graphic design -- does one need to have a grasp of?

 

Thanks.

It depends on what the prefered tools at the place you work. The 3 main areas of front-end development are HTML, CSS and JS. But for all 3 areas there are extensions, tools and frameworks that you might need to be familiar with. With JS there are tools like jQuery and angularJS that extends js with a lot of useful methods. For CSS you have preprocessors like SASS and LESS and template systems like Bootstrap. A lot of agencies also use tools for task automation versioncontrol and to minimize production code. The list of front end tools is endless. And you will have to learn what ever is required where you find work.

Thanks!

Also, buy these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Web-Design-HTML-JavaScript-jQuery/dp/1118907442/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1427925401&sr=8-2&keywords=html+css

 

I've been told they're amazing.

Amazing!! I saw that book today in the bookshop at Manchester University!

I'd recommend mastering the basics first. Play about with HTML 5 + CSS. Practice creating different layouts and responsive designs. Test your designs in different browsers and try to make your design work in all of them.

 

Keep practising - I'd focus just on that for a while, THEN come to Javascript. Javascript is a strange beast - lots of people around the world use it without ever really understanding it. It's been called "The World's most misunderstood language" in the past. I'd recommend doing a codeschool type course on Javascript and just keep building things and playing with it.

 

Once you've focused on these core elements, THEN take a look at some of the stuff around that ecosystem - so sass for your css, jquery and angularjs/reactjs that kinda stuff.

 

Get the core stuff down first, and hopefully you'll have many frustrating moments ahead of you (because it's conquering those frustrations and learning from them that will turn you into a great developer over time).

 

Good luck!

Thanks! All good advice!

I have firmly decided to make front-end development my profession. How much of graphic design and back-end do I have to learn though?

Stephen, Treehouse has a front-end career path, it covers everything you need to to know to get an entry level job as a Front-end developer. I can vouch for it because it's what I did before I got my first dev job. Front-end goes far beyond this though but that's where you'd be making the transition from junior to senior.

 

For a Junior role you need to have a good understanding of:

• JavaScript fundamentals, data-types, loops, conditions, functions, arrays, object literals. Nothing too advanced
• jQuery. Most agencies especially at jiunior level rely heavily on jQuery, and why not. It's a great API for the DOM. Practice this a lot.
• HTML5. Know how all the tags work, understand how to code HTML for acessability and SEO.
• CSS master the box model and positioning, be able to create a grid w/o a framework. learn CSS transitions, the cascade, specificity, responsive design is a must.
• SASS/LESS. learn the basics, nesting and why it can be bad, variables, importing files. At this stage knowing how to write loops, conditionals etc is unecessary.
• Git - Learn the basics here (In the terminal) commands for cloning, pulling, pushing, committing git add and basic branching. Again not diving in too deep here.
• knowledge of basic command line is good, how to move around the filesystem, create folders, delete files, just enough to cover the basics.
• Photoshop: basics, you shouldn't be expected to design in Photoshop as a FED, but you may be asked to design in the browser. Either way if a design IS being done PS then it will most likely be a designer creating it and handing it over to you. Agencies that do design in the browser typically have a designer sitting with the developer and they work together to build in the browser.

Biggest of all: Desmonstrate a willingness and desire to learn and better your skills as the stuff above will get you in most places but it's only really scratching the surface of front-end

Edited April 2, 201511 yr by rbrtsmith

Thank you Robert, as always! Very helpful!

Stephen, Treehouse has a front-end career path, it covers everything you need to to know to get an entry level job as a Front-end developer. I can vouch for it because it's what I did before I got my first dev job. Front-end goes far beyond this though but that's where you'd be making the transition from junior to senior.

 

For a Junior role you need to have a good understanding of:

• JavaScript fundamentals, data-types, loops, conditions, functions, arrays, object literals. Nothing too advanced
• jQuery. Most agencies especially at jiunior level rely heavily on jQuery, and why not. It's a great API for the DOM. Practice this a lot.
• HTML5. Know how all the tags work, understand how to code HTML for acessability and SEO.
• CSS master the box model and positioning, be able to create a grid w/o a framework. learn CSS transitions, the cascade, specificity, responsive design is a must.
• SASS/LESS. learn the basics, nesting and why it can be bad, variables, importing files. At this stage knowing how to write loops, conditionals etc is unecessary.
• Git - Learn the basics here (In the terminal) commands for cloning, pulling, pushing, committing git add and basic branching. Again not diving in too deep here.
• knowledge of basic command line is good, how to move around the filesystem, create folders, delete files, just enough to cover the basics.
• Photoshop: basics, you shouldn't be expected to design in Photoshop as a FED, but you may be asked to design in the browser. Either way if a design IS being done PS then it will most likely be a designer creating it and handing it over to you. Agencies that do design in the browser typically have a designer sitting with the developer and they work together to build in the browser.

Biggest of all: Desmonstrate a willingness and desire to learn and better your skills as the stuff above will get you in most places but it's only really scratching the surface of front-end

 

Really helpful post, thanks.