Becoming a Front-End Engineer

Many options open up once you graduate from a TripleTen Software Engineering bootcamp. We have a series of articles that cover the many career paths you may pursue when starting a career in technology. 

Here, we'll detail the duties of a front-end engineer. What exactly is a front-end engineer? And what skills are required to launch a successful career in this field?

If you want to learn more about other professions, check out these articles:

• Becoming an HTML/CSS Developer_{Becoming an HTML/CSS Developer}
• Becoming a Full-Stack Software Engineer_{Becoming a Full-Stack Software Engineer}
• Becoming a React Engineer_{Becoming a React Engineer}

What is front-end engineering?

The front-end of a website is what users see and interact with. It's where the design and navigation come in, deciding how things like text, pictures, and videos are shown to users.

However, there's more to it than just looks. The front-end also influences how quickly the website loads, how simple it is to navigate, and how accessible it is. Plus, it's responsible for the site's performance and responsiveness on different devices and browsers. 

If you’d like to know more about what front end is, check out our article about front end_{All about Front End: What is It, How It Works, and Why It Worth Your Time}!

What do front-end engineers do? 

The front end is much like the job of a tailor. Just as a tailor crafts stylish, functional, and comfortable clothing based on a designer's sketch, a front-end engineer shapes a website or application based on the designer's blueprint, and even more.

Front-end engineers work in technical teams to make sure that a website or mobile application is easy to use, intuitive, and showcases its services well. Improper navigation or bugs in the interface lead to loss of clients, bad reviews, and other unpleasant things. So all companies understand the importance of making the front end professional and seamless.

This becomes possible when combining technical understanding and the knowledge of best practices in design and user experience. While design encompasses the artistic aesthetics of the application, the user experience ensures that the interface is functional, easy to use, and error free. So the work of the front-end engineer is both technical and creative.

Below are some hard skills necessary for experienced front-end engineers:

• Front-end engineers use HTML_{New to Web Development? Here’s Why You Should Learn HTML5} to create the basic structure and content of a document, CSS_{CSS 101: A Beginner-Friendly Introduction to Styling Web Pages} for design, and JavaScript_{Why Learning JavaScript Will Ensure You Stay In Demand For Years to Come} for complex interactivity. 
• They might also use AJAX to update specific sections of a website without reloading the whole page.
• Front-end engineers often use libraries based on Javascript, such as AngularJS, jQuery, and React_{All About React.js: What It Is, How It Works, And Why You Should Learn It Now}, as well as design frameworks like Foundation and Bootstrap.
• Git version control_{Why Knowing Git As A Developer Is Crucial} is a tool that provides development teams with means to merge their code into one repository without conflicting with previously written code or the changes your teammates are doing simultaneously to yours.

What does a workday of a front-end engineer look like?

On the surface, it may seem that front-end engineers spend all day coding in solitude. But in reality, coding is a team effort. After doing their part, front-end engineers discuss and review their work with the team. Modern engineering encourages collective learning and ensures that everyone is working toward a common goal.

These are three main routines that every front-end engineer is involved in:

Coding. The first step is usually to take a concept from the design team and convert it into code to make it visible on the website. Sometimes, there's no specific design provided, and you'll have to use your own sense of aesthetics. Once the initial version of the design is coded, it's time to start testing it.

Testing. This stage involves writing additional code to test your initial code, as well as personally attempting to find any issues or bugs in what you've created. Whenever you spot any problems, you go back to your original code and make necessary adjustments.

Communication. Regular meetings with your team are common for front-end engineers. These quick check-ins give everyone a chance to update each other on their progress, ask questions, and understand the priorities for the day or week ahead. If you need help or want to share ideas during the workday, your team is also available for support through calls or screen sharing.

What do front-end engineers also need to know?

Front-end engineers do more than just design and code a website's appearance. Below are several additional skills crucial for their work.

• Front-end engineers know how to design intuitive navigation and create clear pathways for users to complete their desired tasks. They also see a website layout as a grid, where no elements overlap or conflict, ensuring the most seamless user experience. Front-end engineers are often a source of many insights to designers, as they know everything about the functionality of a web application.
• Front-end engineers ensure their websites are mobile-friendly and have responsive designs. A responsive design alters a website's layout based on the end-user's device and screen size. Sometimes, it even modifies the content and features based on these factors.
• A good front-end engineer understands the web applications’ architecture and the basics of backend, as mere front-end without a proper connection to the server-side services will leave the website unfunctional. They ensure that the right events happen on clicks and form submissions. Front-end engineers don’t build server-side functionality, but if they know how to detect issues and help backend engineers troubleshoot, their work becomes easier.

Career development of a front-end engineer 

The salary for a front-end engineer is approximately $92,292, but this can vary based on location, company size, and your experience. For specific salaries based on company and location, check out Glassdoor or Levels.fyi.

From here, the usual career path is to progress to a mid-level front-end engineer, then a software engineer, and finally, a senior software engineer. However, adding backend skills can significantly increase your value in the market, making you a full-stack engineer.

Learning front-end engineering with TripleTen

Ready to start a career in tech as a front-end engineer but having doubts about whether you can do it? Join our Software Engineering Bootcamp, a 10-month program suitable for beginners in programming.

The Bootcamp’s goal is to prepare you for a tech career by teaching you to code both front-end and back-end web applications using JavaScript, HTML, CSS, React, Node.js, and more. Besides technical abilities, the program also focuses on essential soft skills, such as time management, goal setting, teamwork, and working with tech-specific documentation. 

The bootcamp is not just about learning; it also includes career-focused sessions. Enroll in TripleTen’s Software Engineering Bootcamp and get ready for your dream job!