When you were 5-years-old, you probably didn’t dream of being a front-end developer. Yet here you are, developing websites for people to use and enjoy.

Web development is an exciting career path that is constantly changing. To be successful, you must be open-minded and willing to accept most challenges. But, success in web development doesn’t fall into your lap. It’s a rapidly changing industry that requires specialized skill sets.

In this post, we share with you the most important things to know to be an effective front-end developer. Even as the trends change, these skills will continue to serve as the backbone of your efforts.

Let’s begin!

HTML and CSS

HTML and CSS are the building blocks of web code. Without them, websites wouldn’t exist! Before you begin working on front-end development, you’ll need to get comfortable with HTML and CSS. This should only take a few weeks.

Javascript

Another key piece to web building is Javascript, which allows you to create user-friendly websites with all the bells and whistles. For example, you can add maps that update in real time and include online games for visitors to play. Also, familiarize yourself with Javascript frameworks to speed up development.

Front End Frameworks

Speaking of frameworks, get comfortable with front-end frameworks like Bootstrap and Foundation. This knowledge will save you time and qualify you for more web development jobs. Another benefit to CSS frameworks is that you know the code works as it’s pre-tested and functional.

jQuery

jQuery is an assortment of plugins and extensions for Javascript. Their motto is, “Write less, do more.” With plugins and extensions, you don’t have to develop everything from scratch. Use jQuery to add elements to your projects and customize them to fit your needs.

Responsive Mobile Design

More and more people are accessing the internet from their mobile devices, so you’d be silly not to consider the mobile experience. With a responsive design, all users get a smooth and tailored experience regardless of the device they’re using.

Testing and Bugging

Testing needs to be done to ensure your site is working properly. There are different types of testing such as unit testing, UI testing, and debugging. Without this quality control, you wouldn’t know if something was wrong with the site.

Problem Solving Skills

Exceptional problem-solving skills are a must when you’re a front-end developer. Whether it’s figuring out the best design or fixing bugs, you must always be prepared to solve potential problems. As you grow more experienced, you’ll be able to anticipate many of these hiccups in advance.

Front-end web developers have challenging, rewarding careers that are constantly growing. Fortunately, you can enhance your skills by reading online news articles, journals, magazines, and other reference materials. Success is within reach.