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What are some struggles about becoming a front-end developer that not many speak upon? How can one prepare for these struggles?
I am a senior in high school. I have taken some coding lessons to prepare me for the future; however, I would like advice towards what I should be looking forward to in my future. I would also like to know if there is anything I could be doing right now to prepare?
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Olga’s Answer
Front-end Frameworks!
There are a lot of different frameworks, and for me, they are not as straightforward as backend, because other than coding skills and logics, I have to learn their "own" rules -- those are not that universal, or you can say, they are not that transferrable. If you are a React developer, then becoming an Angular developer might not be as easy as being a C# engineer when you were a Java eng.
Also there could be some legacy projects using Angular 1, which is already deprecated and very difficult to learn. But people might still need that project, so your job could be rewrite it from Angular 1 to React. For me it's not fun.
If you want to overcome them, spend a lot of time learning and practicing seems to be the only way. While if you spend the same amount of time on backend, you might be able to achieve more. Those are my thoughts, but only for reference.
There are a lot of different frameworks, and for me, they are not as straightforward as backend, because other than coding skills and logics, I have to learn their "own" rules -- those are not that universal, or you can say, they are not that transferrable. If you are a React developer, then becoming an Angular developer might not be as easy as being a C# engineer when you were a Java eng.
Also there could be some legacy projects using Angular 1, which is already deprecated and very difficult to learn. But people might still need that project, so your job could be rewrite it from Angular 1 to React. For me it's not fun.
If you want to overcome them, spend a lot of time learning and practicing seems to be the only way. While if you spend the same amount of time on backend, you might be able to achieve more. Those are my thoughts, but only for reference.
Teklemuz Ayenew Tesfay
Electrical Engineer, Software Developer, and Career Mentor
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Teklemuz Ayenew’s Answer
One of the main struggles of becoming a frontend developer is managing the overwhelming amount of knowledge you need to learn. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, frameworks like React, UI/UX principles, version control, and deployment tools can feel like a lot, and debugging code or writing clean, maintainable projects takes practice. Staying up-to-date is also challenging since frontend technologies evolve quickly. To overcome these struggles, focus on mastering the fundamentals first, break learning into small, manageable goals, and practice consistently with real projects. Developing habits like reading official documentation, analyzing errors carefully, and using browser DevTools effectively will make debugging and writing maintainable code easier.
To prepare, start with the basics while learning Git and GitHub for version control, and build small projects to apply your skills. Platforms like W3Schools, Codecademy, FreeCodeCamp, Khan Academy, Tutorialspoint, SitePoint, Pluralsight, LevelUp Tutorials, Frontend Mentor, CodePen, CSS-Tricks, Scrimba, and Frontend Masters offer tutorials, challenges, and project-based learning. Contributing to open-source projects on GitHub or joining communities on Stack Overflow, Dev.to, and LinkedIn provides practical experience, feedback, and mentorship.
Start simple, experiment with code, and gradually explore frameworks, build tools like Vite or Webpack, performance optimization, testing, and deployment on platforms like Netlify or Vercel. Supplementing your learning with TypeScript, GraphQL, and a portfolio of real projects will help you stand out. By approaching learning step by step, focusing on problem-solving, practicing consistently, and leveraging these resources, you will be better prepared for the real-world struggles of frontend development while gaining confidence in your skills.
To prepare, start with the basics while learning Git and GitHub for version control, and build small projects to apply your skills. Platforms like W3Schools, Codecademy, FreeCodeCamp, Khan Academy, Tutorialspoint, SitePoint, Pluralsight, LevelUp Tutorials, Frontend Mentor, CodePen, CSS-Tricks, Scrimba, and Frontend Masters offer tutorials, challenges, and project-based learning. Contributing to open-source projects on GitHub or joining communities on Stack Overflow, Dev.to, and LinkedIn provides practical experience, feedback, and mentorship.
Start simple, experiment with code, and gradually explore frameworks, build tools like Vite or Webpack, performance optimization, testing, and deployment on platforms like Netlify or Vercel. Supplementing your learning with TypeScript, GraphQL, and a portfolio of real projects will help you stand out. By approaching learning step by step, focusing on problem-solving, practicing consistently, and leveraging these resources, you will be better prepared for the real-world struggles of frontend development while gaining confidence in your skills.
Updated
Amit’s Answer
Embarking on a journey to become a front-end developer can be thrilling. While there are challenges, they are opportunities for growth. The fast-paced changes with new tools and frameworks mean you’ll always be learning and evolving, which keeps things exciting. Moving from tutorials to creating your own projects might feel daunting at first, but it's a chance to unleash your creativity and build something unique. Design and user experience are part of the fun, allowing you to bring ideas to life and make them user-friendly. Debugging and working with existing code might seem tricky, but they sharpen your problem-solving skills and make you a better developer.
You can start preparing right now, even in high school. Focus on mastering the basics like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Try building small projects on your own, such as a personal homepage or a simple quiz, to boost your confidence and creativity. Learn basic Git and share your work on platforms like GitHub to get familiar with real-world workflows. Experiment with design elements like spacing and colors by recreating pages you admire. Practice breaking tasks into smaller steps to tackle problems effectively. By dedicating the next 6–12 months to these activities, you'll be well-prepared for college and beyond, ready to embrace the learning and collaboration that come with being a front-end developer.
You can start preparing right now, even in high school. Focus on mastering the basics like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Try building small projects on your own, such as a personal homepage or a simple quiz, to boost your confidence and creativity. Learn basic Git and share your work on platforms like GitHub to get familiar with real-world workflows. Experiment with design elements like spacing and colors by recreating pages you admire. Practice breaking tasks into smaller steps to tackle problems effectively. By dedicating the next 6–12 months to these activities, you'll be well-prepared for college and beyond, ready to embrace the learning and collaboration that come with being a front-end developer.
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Dr’s Answer
Are you talking about UX design? If so there's a lot resources our there about creating the optimal user experience & journey. I would take this question to YouTube & also online communities to see what advice is offered from real front-end developers.
Also, start developing stuff. You'll naturally run into problems that are likely common & ones you'll have to face later as well. So, go ahead and start gaining experience working through them. Start developing a mobile app or web app, and go from there.
Also, start developing stuff. You'll naturally run into problems that are likely common & ones you'll have to face later as well. So, go ahead and start gaining experience working through them. Start developing a mobile app or web app, and go from there.