The Roadmap to becoming a Front-End Developer
Note: This post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated as of Oct 30, 2025.
As of January 2022, there were 4.95 billion internet users in the world and over 1.7 billion websites, with the number increasing every second.
Every business, brand, and idea has a website. As a result, building websites, called front-end development, is one of the simplest and most profitable ways to enter the world of software development.
Today, we will introduce you to front-end development and tell you how to get started.
Start your frontend journey today.
Learn to build beautiful, functional websites with a crash course on HTML, CSS, and JS.
Front-end vs. Back-end#
There are two paths towards becoming a web developer: the back-end or the front-end. Back-end developers build server-side software. They’re responsible for all the performance, stability, security and speed of your site or app, all of which power the front-end or user-facing side.
Front-end developers, on the other hand, get to build everything a user touches and interacts with on the screen, such as layouts, information, engagement, etc. Front-end developers are both creative and tech-savvy, and act as the bridge between designers and back-end programmers.
So, how do you go about becoming a front-end developer? It’s a simple, three-step process:
- Understand the basics
- Go beyond the language
- Trial and error
Step one: Understand the basics#
In order to build a website, you first need to have a fundamental understanding of the web, how it is structured, and how your application fits within it.
What is the web, what is a server, what is a client, how do various devices communicate with each other, how does the website you build on your computer in San Jose end up on someone’s phone in Shanghai.
Once you have a complete understanding of networks (i.e. IP addresses, internet protocol, packets), databases (i.e. SQL, NoSQL, caching), clients, and servers, you can then move on to the actual basics of web development: coding.
Front-end developers work with the user (or client) facing side of the website. Their code runs on the client’s browser and determines how the website looks (i.e., the user interface, layouts, navigation, etc.), how it requests data from the server, and how it interacts with the client’s machine.
The coding languages used to develop the client-facing source code are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
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HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) is the foundation of any website. It is the code that describes the content of your page, which is then rendered by the browser. You can use HTML to add text, images, audio, video, and more to your website. HTML is easy to learn and the best part is, you can write it in any text editor.
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CSS, like HTML, is not a programming language either, but a styling language for HTML. To put it simply, HTML describes the content while CSS describes how the content should be formatted – basically, anything that controls the look and feel of the page. This allows HTML to go back to its original job as a structural language.
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JavaScript is where programming gets fun! HTML structures our content, and CSS stylizes it. These are great to create static websites. JavaScript allows us to implement dynamic elements into your website, such as interactive maps, animations, updates, and more.
Learn TypeScript#
Once you’re comfortable with JavaScript, your next step should be learning TypeScript. It’s a typed superset of JavaScript that adds static type checking, making your code more reliable, scalable, and easier to maintain. Most modern frameworks — including React, Angular, and Vue — now recommend using TypeScript by default, and many job listings list it as a required skill.
Focus on:
- Understanding types, interfaces, generics, enums, and utility types
- Working with third-party types and DefinitelyTyped
- Using advanced features like type narrowing, discriminated unions, and type inference
- Setting up TypeScript in large-scale React or Vue projects
- Refactoring existing JavaScript projects into TypeScript for improved maintainability
Step two: Go beyond the language#
Now you know the concepts for how to write basic front-end code to create structured, stylized, and dynamic websites. Let’s see how we can push this knowledge even further. We will discuss the following: frameworks, command line, and version control.
Web Frameworks make the development and integration of front- and back-end programming easier. A web framework is basically a package of files and folders of standardized code which can be used as a basis to start building a site. In other words, it’s a starter pack that allows you to build on it.
The most common frameworks available to front-end developers are:
Each framework has its own pros and cons. Some are strict and fixed, while others are very loose and only give guidelines. Do your research to find the framework that works for you and use them to take your skills to the next level.
Command Line basics are essential to becoming a developer. The Command Line Interface (CLI) is a tool into which you can type commands to make the computer performs tasks.
Commands can be combined to achieve a variety of outcomes, and since you’re able to communicate with the computer directly, this is the more powerful and efficient way to control your tasks. The most common CLI is the Bash Shell, which is the default on Linux and Mac systems.
Every developer has their own ideas about the best ways to code/program a website, but they all agree that Version Control is the most essential part of building a website. Version Control manages all your project’s files so that you can keep track of all your builds and changes.
Git is the world’s most popular version control system due to its flexibility. It remembers any change ever made to a project, making it easy to revert to earlier versions; it allows for multiple people to work on a project simultaneously.
Keep learning front-end development.#
Master front-end fundamentals in half the time with hands-on practice. Educative’s skimmable text-based courses focus on the practical experience you’ll need to reskill or land a fresh job.
Step three: Trial and error#
You know that thing they say about needing 10,000 hours of doing something in order to become an expert at it? They’re right.
Once you’ve learned how to code and how to build powerful applications that do exactly what you need them to do, the only way you can get better is to practice.
Build sample websites. That neighbor of yours who wants to be a poet? Help her create an interactive page with a twitter scroll and links to her published works. Your cousin that sells terracotta jewelry on Etsy? Build her website with photos, reviews, testimonials, links to her social media, and more.
The more you practice and the more you build, the more intuitive the entire process will become for you. Before you know it, building websites and applications will become second nature.
Master modern tooling#
The frontend ecosystem evolves quickly, and modern build tools can make your development workflow significantly faster. Beyond basic setup, understanding how these tools integrate with CI/CD pipelines, testing, and performance optimization will set you apart.
Key tools to learn:
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Vite – a lightning-fast build tool replacing older solutions like Webpack in many projects
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pnpm – a performant package manager alternative to npm and yarn, with better monorepo support
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Bun or Deno – next-generation runtimes with built-in testing, bundling, and faster execution
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ESBuild and SWC – ultra-fast compilers used under the hood by many frameworks
Also, learn about environment variables, code splitting, and tree shaking to keep your builds optimized and scalable.
Step four: Keep learning#
The internet keeps changing and new and more advanced methods of programming launch every day. It is essential that you keep up-to-date with new technologies and keep learning.
This is not to say that what you have learned so far will not matter. Your basics will always give you an advantage. But in order to grow, you must keep track of what is cutting-edge, and update your skills accordingly.
Now that you know the steps you need to take, check out Educative’s Become a Front-End Developer Learning Path to put what you’ve learned in this post to practice. In this Path, you’ll find curated modules designed to teach you everything you need to know, from the basics to a comprehensive guide towards launching your own website.
Step five: Explore meta-frameworks#
Once you’re comfortable with a frontend framework, take it one step further by exploring meta-frameworks. These tools add powerful features like server-side rendering (SSR), static site generation (SSG), incremental static regeneration (ISR), and API routing — skills that employers highly value.
Examples:
Next.js (React) – the most popular choice for production-grade React apps, with built-in API routes, middleware, and edge functions
Nuxt (Vue) – an opinionated framework that simplifies Vue app development with SSR and data fetching patterns
SvelteKit – a lightweight, performance-first meta-framework that simplifies routing, loading states, and SSR
Understanding meta-frameworks also means learning about server components, edge rendering, and how to deploy these apps on platforms like Vercel or Cloudflare Workers.
Step six: Modern CSS techniques#
CSS has evolved far beyond what you might have learned initially. Modern browsers now support features that make responsive design, theming, and dynamic layouts easier than ever.
New features to explore:
Container Queries – style elements based on the size of their container, not the viewport
:has() selector – write more powerful, parent-aware CSS selectors
CSS Nesting – write cleaner, more maintainable styles
Scroll-driven animations – create dynamic effects without heavy JavaScript
CSS Custom Properties (variables) – build themeable, scalable design systems
Subgrid and logical properties – enhance responsive layouts with minimal code
Combine these with a strong grasp of responsive design principles, dark mode implementation, and design tokens for professional-level UI development.
Step seven: Focus on accessibility (a11y)#
Accessibility isn’t optional anymore — it’s a core skill. Every front-end developer should know how to build inclusive interfaces that work for everyone. Accessibility directly impacts SEO, usability, and legal compliance.
Learn how to:
Follow WCAG 2.2 guidelines for modern accessibility standards
Use semantic HTML and ARIA roles effectively
Create keyboard-navigable interfaces and manage focus states
Implement proper color contrast and support screen readers
Test your apps with tools like Axe, Lighthouse, or NVDA/VoiceOver
Building accessible apps ensures that your work is usable by a wider audience — and many companies now require accessibility audits before launch.
Step eight: Performance and Core Web Vitals#
Users expect fast, responsive websites — and performance now directly affects SEO and user retention. Google’s Core Web Vitals provide metrics to measure real-world performance.
Key metrics to know:
INP (Interaction to Next Paint) – measures responsiveness (replaced FID in 2024)
LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) – measures loading performance
CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) – measures visual stability
To improve these metrics, learn about:
Code splitting and lazy loading
Image optimization with next-gen formats like AVIF and WebP
Prefetching and preloading resources
Using CDNs and caching strategies
Monitoring performance with tools like Lighthouse, WebPageTest, and Core Web Vitals APIs
Step nine: Testing and quality assurance#
Testing is no longer a “nice-to-have.” Modern teams expect front-end developers to write and run tests to catch bugs before deployment and ensure reliability.
Start with:
Vitest or Jest for unit testing
Playwright or Cypress for end-to-end testing
React Testing Library for component testing
Storybook for visual testing and component documentation
Go beyond basics by setting up test automation in CI/CD, running cross-browser testing, and using coverage reports to ensure your code is well-tested.
Step ten: UI frameworks and styling libraries#
UI libraries can help you ship polished interfaces faster. While Bootstrap is still relevant, the ecosystem has shifted toward more utility-first and component-driven approaches.
Modern options to learn:
Tailwind CSS – a utility-first framework used in most modern projects, now with CSS variables and dark mode built-in
Chakra UI / Radix UI – component libraries that integrate seamlessly with React and support accessibility out of the box
Fomantic UI – an actively maintained fork of Semantic UI (if you need a similar API)
Also consider learning design system principles — how to create reusable components, manage tokens, and scale UI across large applications.
Step eleven: Deployment and CI/CD basics#
Knowing how to deploy your project is part of being a full-fledged front-end developer. Once your app is ready, learn how to host, monitor, and maintain it in production.
Start with:
Vercel or Netlify for zero-config deployments
Setting up basic CI/CD pipelines with GitHub Actions or similar tools
Monitoring performance post-deployment with analytics tools
Automating preview builds for pull requests and feature branches
Using environment variables and secrets securely in production
Understanding DevOps basics — like how frontend interacts with backend services, APIs, and cloud platforms — will make you a more complete developer and prepare you for senior-level roles.
Happy learning!
