Web Designer Requirement

The designs? Solid. The concepts? Exceptionally user-friendly. Now it’s time to put these digital creations into motion and make them shine. Enter the front-end web developer.

There’s a lot of talk about user experience (UX) these days. A great user experience starts with a functional and attractive digital environment for users to explore. The best creative agencies and departments realize this. They go beyond ideas and enter the realm of implementation with the help of front-end web developers.

These masters of the web don’t just write code; they make the digital magic happen. They’re responsible for what you experience every time you open a browser, app or online game — from content to presentation to behavior layers.

So it comes as no surprise that these professionals made our list of hot jobs for 2016. Here’s a look at the typical front-end web developer job description and average front-end web developer salary.

Front-End Web Developer Duties and Expectations

A front-end web developer is generally expected to:

• Develop functional and appealing web- and mobile-based applications based on usability
• Provide website maintenance and enhancements
• Use a combination of markup languages to write web pages
• Write functional requirement documents and specifications
• Create quality mockups and prototypes on tight timelines
• Assist back-end developers with coding and troubleshooting
• Maintain graphic standards and branding throughout the product’s interface
• Stay up-to-date on emerging technologies
• Promote usability best practices

Professional Experience and Skills

Understanding of layout aesthetics and a rigor for programming are prerequisites in the front-end web developer job description. This unique expertise combines user interface know-how with CSS, HTML, JavaScript and jQuery. It comes from in-depth knowledge of web technologies gained from research and professional experience.

In addition, an understanding of the entire web development process, including design, development and deployment, with some back-end knowledge, is important.

The best candidates have a strong understanding of industry trends and content management systems such as Drupal and WordPress, as well as software programs like the Adobe Creative Suite. Experience with responsive and adaptive design is also a big plus.

Because front-end web developers are responsible for interpreting and executing designs correctly, they must be able to effectively communicate with the creative team and clients. Other vital soft skills in the front-end web developer job description include the ability to solve problems and adapt quickly to new web design and application trends.

Front-End Web Developer Salary Benchmarks

According to The Creative Group 2016 Salary Guide, the average starting salary for front-end web developers with one to three years of experience ranges from $53, 000 to $74, 750. For those with more than three years of experience, the average front-end web developer salary jumps to $72, 000 to $100, 000. These figures represent a 4 and 5 percent increase from 2015 starting salaries, respectively. Use our handy Salary Calculator to adjust these salaries for your city.