In 2020, there were a lot of new technologies, but older ones still dominated the front-end development market. They all put forth an effort to create websites that function well on mobile devices. A 2020 StackOverflow survey revealed that more people are using TypeScript. It overtook Python to take second place among technologies. Svelte was difficult to promote in 2019, but it became very popular the following year. Static sites have continued to use JAMStack for the past three years, and this technique was thought to be on the rise. 

The goal of recruiting web developers is to present the information in an understandable and pertinent manner to users as soon as they access the site. The developers ensure that the application provides a positive user experience and help achieve business goals.

However, this has become difficult because users now use a wide range of devices with different screen sizes and resolutions, forcing the site’s designer to consider these factors. They must ensure that their website functions properly across a variety of browsers (cross-browser), operating systems (cross-platform), and devices (cross-device), which necessitates careful preparation on the part of the developer.

In this article, we will understand the nuances of hiring front-end developers and what you should do to build a world-class front-end development team.

Must have skills for front-end developers

Writing clean code 

Front-end developers should be well-versed in various technologies frequently used when creating web applications. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript, etc., are some of the most popular front-end technologies. 

Experience with the latest frameworks and libraries

Frameworks and libraries such as ReactJS, AngularJS, jQuery, EmberJS, etc., aid in the development of effective web applications. Front-end developers are likely to be familiar with the majority of frameworks. You don’t want to hire a front-end developer who only knows how to use the tools. Instead, you want to hire someone who understands which framework to use and which features should be prioritized first. 

Test-driven development

One of the most reliable skills in software development is “TDD,” or Test-Driven Development. It has several advantages, including no duplication of code, bug-free code, modular design, high test coverage, etc.. You should look for front-end developers who are well-versed in TDD and can thoroughly test applications at a confirmatory level to avoid any errors. 

Version control system

Without knowledge of code versioning tools, web development is incomplete. Front-end developers can use popular versioning tools like Git to keep track of every step of the web application development process. Front-end developers with sufficient experience with such platforms can work effectively on any project.

CSS preprocessors

CSS preprocessor is a more advanced CSS version. It helps to improve the primary CSS class to create better website versions. It is not only a language for improving styling elements, but it also allows developers to avoid repetitive tasks such as writing CSS selectors and color strings. 

Website responsiveness

We use various devices such as computers, phones, and tablets to view web pages. Without any additional effort, the web pages adapt to your device. This is because of the responsive design. Understanding responsiveness and how to implement them as code is one of the most important roles of a front-end developer. It is a vital feature of CSS frameworks such as Bootstrap. So, ensure your front-end development team gives sufficient weightage to this front-end aspect. 

Job description for hiring front-end developers

To hire the best talent for your organization, you must write an effective job description and advertise your position once you’ve determined the skills required. Here’s what you should include in your job description for a front-end developer: 

Summary: 

What distinguishes your business? 

What would it be like to be your employee? 

Responsibilities: 

A description of the role’s day-to-day activities and how it contributes to the organization. 

Requirements: 

The skills a candidate must possess to complete the job successfully. 

Benefits: 

Mention the compensation, benefits, and any perks in the benefits section. 

Remember that your job description should be specific to your project requirements. For example, you might need an SEO expert to determine the core web vitals while designing a website. Hence, mention that you want a front-end developer with SEO expertise or knowledge.  

Interview QnA’s while hiring front-end developers

While interview questions should not be the only way to hire developers, some of these questions can help you assess the experience and expertise of the developers. 

1) What are Push and Git Pull? 

Git Push is a command that copies a local repository’s contents into a remote repository. After making changes to a local repository, it performs a push so that remote team members can view the changes. 

Git Pull is a command that merges changes from a remote repository with the local repository. It consists of two commands: git fetch and git merge. 

2) What is a version control system, and what is the difference between centralized and distributed version control? 

A version control system (VCS) keeps track of any changes made to a file or set of data so that it can be restored to a previous version if needed. This ensures that all team members are working on the most recent file version. 

Centralized version control system:

  • All file versions are on a central server. 
  • No developer has a complete copy of the files on the local system. 
  • If the project’s central server fails, you will lose data. 

Distributed version control system: 

  • Every developer has a copy of the code versions. 
  • Improves offline working capabilities and eliminates the need for a single backup location. 
  • Data would remain safe even during a server crash. Every developer has a copy of the code versions.

3) How does Semantic HTML work? 

The term “semantic HTML” refers to the use of HTML markup to emphasize the semantics or meaning of a piece of content. 

Consider the scenario below: 

In semantic HTML, the <b></b> tag is not used for bold statements, but the <i></i> element is used for italic. You should instead use the <em></em> and <strong></strong> tags. 

 

4) Why do developers use Doctypes in HTML? 

Doctype or document type declaration (DTD) helps to inform the browser of the HTML version running on the page. It is to make sure that the web page is parsed properly by different web browsers.

5) How can you remove duplicates from a JavaScript array? 

There are various ways to remove duplicates from a JavaScript array:

  1. a) Using the filter technique – The filter() function helps in filtering the elements in a separate array based on the specified conditions. 
  2. b) Using For loop where all the repeated elements are stored in an empty array. 

These are some of the questions that will give you a fair idea about the knowledge and understanding of a front-end developer. It is highly recommended to view their portfolio and even ask them to go through a technical test per the project requirements. 

Front-end developer’s salary trend 

A front-end developer’s average salary in the United States is $74,000, according to Daxx.com, and $86,305, according to Glassdoor USA. Payscale.com mentions that the lowest ten percent of front-end developers earn $49,000, while the top 90% earn up to $114,000, with the median salary of $75,000. 

However, you could hire front-end developers at reasonable prices if you opt for remote developers and teams while not compromising expertise and skillset. 

Conclusion

Companies need skilled developers to deliver great apps and customer experiences as front-end development becomes more complex. 

Developers with a natural aptitude for excelling with new skills and credentials should be a priority. Make sure the developers are quick learners and don’t mind occasionally pushing themselves because they will be working with dynamic and demanding teams. Verify their level of commitment to the project commitments and deadlines. 

You must seek the right talent and partners for your technical recruiting process. After all, a world-class team of developers sets a project apart from good to great. 

Also Read: Top React Developer Tools for Software Developers in 2022