The Day-to-Day as a Front End Developer
A Front-End Developer builds the front-end, also called client-side, of a website or web application. Some Front-End Developers will update current websites to meet modern standards, create prototypes from wireframes, and use design comps to satisfy the needs of their employer or client.
Front-End Developers usually work on teams alongside Back-End Developers, Designers, Project Managers, and Product Managers to maintain, troubleshoot, and build websites and web platforms. They work in any industry that utilizes websites—which is nearly every industry. Front-End Developers can find full-time and part-time work onsite and remotely. They can also work freelance and often work alone on those gigs.
What Skills Should Front End Developers Have?
A Front-End Developer should understand the foundations of web development, best practices for web development and have a high-level understanding of which technologies are best to use for the front-end. They should be proficient in popular front-end coding languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Front-End Developers must practice version control using relevant tools such as Git. They should know JavaScript frameworks and libraries such as React and Node.js. They will use developer tools and environments daily and should familiarize themselves with them. Most employers allow Developers to use their preferred development environment, so Developers should know which is most efficient for their working style.
Recruiters will also look for soft skills such as strong communication, teamwork, and critical thinking. Detail-oriented and self-motivated problem solvers who perform well under pressure will thrive in the Front-End Developer position. A Front-End Developer should also be adept at self-directed learning, as technologies and best practices are constantly changing and learning will be a career requirement.
Learn the Skills You Need to Become a Front End Developer
-
Coding
Coding is another way to say computer programming. It is how humans "instruct" computers through the process of designing and building a functioning computer program. Computer and web programs are built using coding languages like C, Python, PHP, HTML, JavaScript, and more. Coding can be used to create desktop, mobile, or web applications.
-
Web Development
Web development is the practice of building, creating, and maintaining websites. Web development uses coding languages to build a website for the internet.
-
Front-End Web Development
Front end web development manages the part of the website that a user sees and interacts with in their browser. Front End Developers design, analyze code, write code, and debug the client-side of an application or website.
-
HTML & CSS
HTML is Hypertext Markup Language and CSS is Cascading Style Sheets. HTML is used to create web page structure and text while CSS is used to style the structure and text visually. HTML can be used to create objects like sections, menus, and functions within a webpage. CSS is used to select those objects and style them with fonts, colors, layout, and more to make the webpage visually appealing.
-
JavaScript
JavaScript is an object-oriented computer programming language. It is mostly used for interactive effects and user experience enhancements within web browsers. JavaScript also has frameworks which allow Developers to quickly find and execute small chunks of prewritten JavaScript in a standard, predictable way.
-
React
React is an open-source JavaScript library that is maintained by Facebook for building user interfaces. React is often used as a base in the development of single-page or mobile applications, social media style applications, and other web platforms.
-
Git
Git is a distributed version control system that is standard in software and web development. Git allows multiple developers to work on the same project at once or a single developer to keep track of changes. It also creates a simple environment to conduct A/B testing. Git is designed to optimize speed, data integrity, as well as distributed and non-linear workflows.
-
Node.js
Node.js is a runtime environment based on Chrome’s JavaScript engine, which allows you to run JavaScript on the back-end of a website (on the web server). Initially, JavaScript only ran in a web browser (the front-end of a website, also called client-side JavaScript). With the popularity of JavaScript, developers wanted to use it on the back-end, instead of learning another language such as PHP, Ruby on Rails, etc. Node.js enables developers to do just that, making JavaScript a full-stack language.
-
Developer Tools
Developer tools are tools typically created by developers to do tasks like debug code, edit code more efficiently, test code, test interface, and more efficiently build websites and applications.
-
Dev Bootcamp
Front End Developer Salaries
A Front End Developer in the United States makes, on average, $115,304 annually, according to Indeed.com.
Salaries for Front End Developers vary by region within the the United States. Listed below are some Front End Developer salaries for specific areas with the United States compared with the average national salary:
- U.S. Average $115K source n/a
-
Los Angeles, CA
$150K
source
+30.68%
-
Fairfax, VA
$145K
source
+26.19%
-
Orange County, CA
$139K
source
+20.9%
-
Alexandria, VA
$134K
source
+17%
-
New York City
$132K
source
+15.12%
-
Dallas, TX
$129K
source
+12.62%
-
Washington, D.C.
$120K
source
+4.56%
- U.S. Average $115K source n/a
-
Chicago, IL
$103K
source
-10.14%
-
Houston, TX
$97K
source
-15.74%
-
Miami, FL
$80K
source
-30.03%
Typical Qualifications to Become a Front End Developer
You do not need a higher education degree to become a Front-end Developer, but some Front-end Developers have four-year computer science degrees. Candidates can make themselves more marketable by becoming proficient in the skills required for the position and demonstrating that proficiency through certifications or portfolio projects. While there are no universally required certifications for Front-end Developers, some coding bootcamps do award certifications, which may carry some weight if you have no experience and no college degree.
Learn more about the requirements to become a Front End Developer
Searching for Front End Developer Jobs
Front-end Developers may be employed within a corporate company, a startup, a nonprofit organization, a government department, or a small business. Those who have strong time management, communication, and business skills may find more satisfaction working as an independent contractor or freelancer. Freelancers and independent contractors can make approximately the same salary as a full-time Web Developer employed by a corporation.
You can find Front-end Developer jobs on these sites:
- Indeed
- Google Jobs
- Glassdoor
- AngelList
- Dice
- GitHub
- Authentic Jobs
- Mashable
- Stack Overflow
- Startupers
- StartupHire
You can find freelance and independent contractor Front-end Developer jobs on these sites:
- Fiverr
- Upwork
Tips to Become a Front End Developer
A Web Developer should have a well-rounded portfolio that is focused on the front-end. Posting these portfolio examples on GitHub and a portfolio website is common practice so that potential employers can view your code. Front-end Developers should also utilize LinkedIn to its fullest potential. Your LinkedIn profile should be up-to-date. It should show all past experiences—even in unrelated fields. You can also include keywords related to Web Developer skills and responsibilities to increase visibility to recruiters. It should also demonstrate how your past experiences offer transferable value to your role as a Web Developer.
To get a leg up, try to connect with a point person with a letter of introduction at each company you send an application to, whether you applied via LinkedIn or not. This will provide you with name recognition and sometimes first-hand advice. You should also make connections with individuals who could be your future manager at companies you’re interested in, regardless of whether they have posted job openings. As a freelancer or contractor, making these connections is equally important.
What Job Titles Would a Front End Developer Hold?
Front-End Developers can apply for a variety of positions that may be narrowed down based on Front-End, Back-End, Full Stack, industry, and location. Front-End Developers will likely start out in junior or entry-level positions but will find that rising through the ranks to a Senior Developer is possible within the first few years and will result in a better annual salary.
Front-End Developers can look for these job titles:
- Front-End Web Developer
- Front-End Developer
- Junior Developer
- Associate Developer
- Senior Developer
- Web Development Apprentice
- Web Development Instructor
Additional Front End Developer Resources
- Front End Developer Job Description
- What Software Do Front End Developers Use?
- Best Cities for Front End Developers
- Is Front End Web Development a Good Career?
- Is Front End Web Development Right For Me?
- What Degree Do You Need to Become a Front End Developer?
- Front End Developer Career Path
- Front End Developer Certifications
- How to Become a Front End Developer Without a Degree in 2025
- How to Become a Freelance Front End Developer in 2025
- How to Become a Front End Developer in 3 Months
- Front End Developer Interview Questions
- Front End Developer Resume Guide & Tips
- Front End Developer Cover Letter
- Front End Developer Job Search Tips & Best Practices
- Front End Developer LinkedIn Profile Guide & Tips
- Where and How to Secure Front End Developer Freelance Jobs
- Front End Developer Portfolio Website Guide & Tips
- Front End Developer Job Outlook
Related Careers
Those who are new to web development might find a position like Web Designer more approachable as a first job in tech, especially if they’re coming from a design background and only know HTML and CSS. Front-End Developers can also look into related careers such as Mobile App Developer, Mobile App Designer, UI Designer, UI Engineer, Full Stack Developer, or Software Engineer. Most of these positions pay similar salaries to a Front-End Developer and have interchangeable day-to-day operations but use other coding languages. Some ways to upskill into these positions would be to learn languages like Swift, Objective-C, or Go; practice wireframing and prototyping; or pick up more Back-End and mid-level programming languages like Java, C, or C++.
If you’re a Front-End Developer, you might find that pivoting toward data science and machine learning is more your speed. This would include more algorithms, analysis, automation, and visualization instead of building, but with some of the same languages that you’ve already used as a Front-End Developer. Those positions would be titled Data Analyst, Data Scientist, or Machine Learning Engineer.
Salary Comparison to Front End Developer
-
Back End Developer
$150K
+30.37%
-
Full Stack Developer
$127K
+11%
-
User Experience Designer
$127K
+10.38%
-
Software Engineer
$123K
+7.1%
- Front End Developer $115K n/a
-
JavaScript Developer
$111K
-3.3%
-
Web Designer
$55K
-51.79%
-
Web Designer
Indeed.com Avg. Salary
$55K / year
Glassdoor Avg. Salary
$66K / year
Web designers design the appearance and functionality of a website. They use their understanding of both visual and technical design principles to create functional web layouts. Some web designers work from home and enjoy the flexibility of freelance work, while others work for agencies or businesses. Good web designers have the foresight to anticipate the end-user experience and design for ease of use and navigation.
-
Software Engineer
Indeed.com Avg. Salary
$123K / year
Glassdoor Avg. Salary
$112K / year
Software Engineers use their extensive knowledge of user experience design, operating systems, and programming languages to develop software. They can create different types of software, from games to operating systems. After analyzing a client's needs, they design, develop, and test software to meet that need. Software Engineers can be divided into two distinct career categories: Application Engineers and Systems Engineers.
-
User Experience Designer
Indeed.com Avg. Salary
$127K / year
Glassdoor Avg. Salary
$111K / year
User experience (UX) designers are responsible for ensuring that digital products offer a seamless user experience by prototyping, conducting user research, and performing user testing. They test the navigation and functionality of websites, apps, and other digital products. UX designers must stay current on design trends to maintain adherence to best practices. They also conduct ongoing user research to understand the habits and needs of users.
-
Back End Developer
Indeed.com Avg. Salary
$150K / year
Glassdoor Avg. Salary
$94K / year
A Back-end Developer builds the server-side of a web application and integrates Front-End development components.
-
Full Stack Developer
Indeed.com Avg. Salary
$127K / year
Glassdoor Avg. Salary
$96K / year
Full Stack Developer builds web applications for both the visible Front-end that users see and the Back-end that powers the applications.
-
JavaScript Developer
Indeed.com Avg. Salary
$111K / year
Glassdoor Avg. Salary
$98K / year
JavaScript Developers write JavaScript code that defines the behavior of the visual elements of a web application or webpage and connects it with back-end services. Sometimes, they are responsible for a whole website, including design. Other times, they work on only one component.