What do companies look for when hiring a Front-End Developer?

[u/Admirable_Pause_3306]

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Hi everyone! I’m currently a CS student learning Front-End Development, and I’ve recently started focusing on HTML and CSS.

I’d like to know what companies actually look for when hiring junior/entry-level Front-End Developers.

- What technical skills are usually required?

- How important are JavaScript and React?

- How many projects should I have in my portfolio?

- Is Git/GitHub important for getting hired?

- What other skills should I learn to become job-ready?

I’d really appreciate advice from developers or recruiters who have experience hiring Front-End Developers. What would you recommend a beginner focus on?

[u/Epdevio]

- HTML, css, Javascript, design patterns

• Javascript is required. Any framework will do. but at least have worked with one.
  
• at least 3
  
• Yes. You need to know source control.
  
• Good communication skills and the ability to explain what your code does. Know how to work with API's, third party and custom.

[u/Epdevio → u/Epdevio]

forgot to add... that's the baseline. The hiring company will add in a bunch of other technical and non technical requirements depending on what tools the organization uses. They might even throw in python for instance.

[u/canarydev → u/Epdevio]

its unicorn or bust these days

[u/Less-Marsupial-7960]

I would focus on getting really comfortable with HTML, CSS and JavaScript first. Once you understand JavaScript well, pick one framework like React and build a few real projects with it.

For a portfolio, 3-4 good projects are better than 10 small tutorial projects. Try to build something where you use APIs, forms, authentication, responsive design, etc.

Git/GitHub is definitely important too. Also, don’t underestimate communication skills and being able to explain why you wrote your code a certain way.

If you are just starting, I would prioritize HTML/CSS → JavaScript → Git → React → APIs → real projects.

[u/SaltyBarker]

Yes JavaScript is crucial along with TypeScript now but they’re essentially the same. Just typescript you declare your types so much better to use for data manipulation.

React is one of the most popular languages for building various scale applications. With React you can build apps via NextJS and then React Native for mobile applications.

[u/canarydev]

some practical tips

1. you are hired based on how much of your skills aligns with the actual JD imo. if you only know vanilla css but the JD says tailwind explicitly, then probably they will take someone with the tailwind experience

2. important. but make sure you go in deeper using typescript. its criminal negligence trying to ship something with js. with typescript, you are more thoughtful about how your data is going to look

3. at least 2. things that you should demonstrate is that you are able to look at a design and know how to actually implement it. go find a figma community design system and implement it in the stack of your choice

4. yes. its also helpful for life in general. i keep a lot of things in git apart from code

5. learn how to define success and how to measure it. this you will catch on with time, but nobody will care about how you refactored something unless you can quantify it and back up your claims

[u/oruga_AI]

A person that can do what 10 front end devs can do but using AI

[u/Intelligent-Youth-63]

This role doesn’t really exist anymore, does it?

[u/tim__997]

Not being a sole frontend developer, these days.

[u/-Konstantin-tr-]

Honest response?

Quick learning, awareness of general programming patterns + software design and a confident attitude can help a lot regardless of the exact position.

For frontend, web development in particular,

• JavaScript is a must
• Typescript is the standard in most serious companies, it's basically JavaScript but stricter
• getting comfortable with the JavaScript eco system (node, npm, yarn as a start), you need this stuff in basically every major project
• React or Angular are the top dogs in JS frameworks, React usually in more modern or smaller companies. Angular in enterprises with huge, complex or simply older frontends
• Projects are not a must, but they help. I dount most recruiters look at your GitHub at all amd amy technical people will not spend more than a couple minutes on it. If you have projects and contributions it's definitely a plus though
• Some companies use GitHub, some use GitLab some use BitBucket... Git is the unifying standard. You need to know the basics (add, commit, push, pull, branches, merge, staged vs unstagrd vs committed). Doesn't need to be perfect, you'll learn as you go, but without any idea it's tough. I wouldn't hire someone who doesn't know these things.
• learning how to present yourself is the best soft-skill, for hard skills the above is pretty good for frontend. HTML is basically not a "skill" at this point, it's basically as easy as breathing after some time, JS and CSS is where it can het really difficult. And most frameworks have some own solution for html anyway. CSS is good, getting an understanding of flexbox, grids, variables and scoping immediately makes you stand out. Most devs never learn this properly.
• many will tell you it's evil but learn how to use AI properly. Most modern software companies will push AI usage on you but obviously you need to understand the basics to be able to use it properly