Over time, the front-end development landscape continues to evolve rapidly. To succeed in this field, you must be aware of what a developer should know in 2024. By starting your training now, you are laying a solid foundation for work in the following periods.
- HTML, CSS and JavaScript for Beginners
- SASS, jQuery, ReactJS, AngularJS and Bootstrap for advanced developers
By mastering these technologies, junior front-end developers can open up a world of possibilities for creating stunning, responsive, and interactive web applications.
What should a junior FrontEnd developer know in 2024?
By mastering these skills now, you will increase your chances of success in job competitions in the future.
Start your training with the basics to soon move on to a more serious level of training. Thus, in this section, you will learn about the three main tools that you will need while working as a junior specialist.
HTML
HTML stands for “HyperText Markup Language”. It is a common markup language for building web pages. 
HTML has several areas of application, namely:
- Web development. HTML code is used to design how the browser displays web page elements, such as text, hyperlinks, and media files.
- Navigate the web. Users can easily navigate and insert links between related pages and websites as HTML is heavily used to insert hyperlinks.
- Web documentation. HTML allows you to organise and format documents, similar to Microsoft Word.
HTML is not considered a programming language because it cannot create dynamic functions. Currently, it is the official web standard. The World Wide Web Consortium maintains and develops the HTML specifications and updates them regularly.
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- Basic HTML structure. Understand the basic structure of an HTML document, including the <!DOCTYPE> declaration, <html>, <head> elements. and <body>.
- HTML tags. Review headings, paragraphs, links, images, and lists.
- Creating forms. Learn how to use form elements such as <input>, <select>, <textarea>, and form attributes such as action, method, and required.
HTML is a beginner-friendly, feature-rich language that is most often used for developing static web pages. It pairs well with CSS for styling and JavaScript for functionality.
CSS
CSS is a style sheet language used to design web pages developed in HTML or XML. CSS defines how elements are displayed on the display or in other sources.
If HTML were the components of a car engine, then CSS would be the body styling and paint job. CSS makes the look of a website shine and creates a great experience for users.
Some of the benefits of using CSS:
- Faster page speed
- Best user experience
- Faster development time
- Easy formatting changes
- Compatible with various devices
Once you’ve mastered HTML, it’s best to become familiar with the basic concepts of CSS. Understand the key aspects of what a junior front-end developer should know in 2024 while learning CSS, namely:
- CSS selectors. Understand how they work and how to choose HTML elements to style.
- Box Model. Become familiar with the CSS box model, which determines how elements are displayed on the page.
- CSS Box Properties Dive deeper into CSS box properties such as background, border, padding, and margins.
- Layout and Positioning Learn different layout and positioning techniques in CSS. Learn about the display property and the different layout values such as block, inline, and flex.
- CSS Grid. Learn how this layout module works, which allows you to create grid-based layouts.
It’s important to keep practising to improve your skills as a front-end developer. Stay up to date with the latest CSS features, techniques, and best practices with Merehead . Follow our blog to be one of the first to receive useful information about programming!
JavaScript
While CSS and HTML are used to develop simple websites, JavaScript is needed to make the site interactive. If you speak all three languages, you can strengthen your chances of getting hired as a frontend developer.
JavaScript is an object-oriented language with syntax similar to Python, PHP, and Ruby.
It can be used in all major web browsers, for example:
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Edge
- Firefox
It’s easy to learn and use, making it an important part of a junior frontend developer’s list of things to know in 2024. Also, JavaScript allows you to quickly and easily test your code without the need for an external compiler.
In addition to getting priority positions among applicants, you will also be able to provide JavaScript development services. Learn its features now to improve your skills in 2024.
Version control systems
Any developer company is interested in ensuring that while working on a project, all changes in the code are structured and consistent with each other. Therefore, to get a position in FrontEnd Development, you need to understand version control systems such as Git or CVS.
A version control system is a software tool that allows a development team to keep track of updates to the source code. It records all changes made to the file so that a specific version can be restored in the future.
Version control systems are one of the main tools that a FrontEnd developer should know in 2024. More than 90% of all companies on the market use this solution to provide benefits such as:
- Source code management and protection
- Track all changes made to the code
- Comparison of earlier versions of code
- Workflow support
- Automation during the project process
To help you figure out which option is best for you, the Merehead team has put together a rundown of the most popular options:
- Git. A distributed version control system known for its speed and efficiency.
- Helix Core. A centralised version control system used to manage large software development projects.
- Subversion. Simple and easy to use version control system managed by CollabNet.
According to 6sense, the most used VCS in 2023 is Git. About 90% of all development companies choose this option. So if you want to increase your chances of success in your job search, starting to learn Git would be a great decision.
Agile and Scrum
Agile is a project management methodology most often used by IT companies. For those who want to work in a team, understanding team principles is one of the most important skills.
Agile is an approach to project management that relies on incremental and iterative steps to complete the development process.
In an Agile process, there is continuous feedback, which allows team members to adapt to problems as they arise and stakeholders to communicate consistently.
Here are some of the other benefits of Agile:
- Faster response to competitive threats
- High development speed and time to market
- Reducing project risks
Agile is widely used in software development company and other industries where project requirements can change quickly. One of the most popular frameworks used in Agile project management is Scrum.
Scrum is an iterative and incremental system that helps teams deliver high-quality products on time. According to the annual report State of Agile, 87% of companies use Scrum in the process of working on a project.
Here are some of the main components of the Scrum system:
- Scrum master. The person responsible for organising daily meetings and increasing productivity in the team.
- Backlog. This is a prioritised list of tasks and requirements included in the final product.
- Sprint. These are the established deadlines for completing each set of tasks from the backlog. Typically a sprint lasts two weeks.
Agile and Scrum are the foundation that a junior FrontEnd developer should know in 2024. Understanding these concepts will improve project work, as well as communication with the team and the Project Manager.
What should a FrontEnd developer know in 2024?
Once the basic skills are behind you, you have a huge learning curve. First of all, you need to understand what a FrontEnd developer in 2024 needs to know in order to succeed in this field.
In this section you will get acquainted with the main preprocessors, libraries and frameworks for frontend development. Regardless of your experience, the ability to work with these tools will allow you to receive higher priority positions among employers.
SASS
Short for Syntactically Awesome Style Sheets, SASS is a popular CSS preprocessor. The Sass code is processed by the program and compiled into CSS code, which can be used to style HTML elements.
There are several reasons why Sass ranks high on the list of things to know as a front-end developer in 2024. Among them:
- Organisation. Sass code is more organised than standard CSS code. You can perform the same operations with fewer steps.
- Easy to learn. Learning Sass doesn’t take much time. Anyone who knows CSS can easily master the preprocessor without much effort.
- Reusable.
Understanding Sass can greatly improve your CSS workflow and make your stylesheets more scalable. We have prepared mandatory aspects of studying this preprocessor, following which you can quickly increase your skills:
- Mixins. Learn how to create mixins and pass arguments to customise their behaviour.
- Partitions and importing. Organise your Sass codebase using partitions.
- Operators and calculations. Understand how to use the arithmetic operators +, -, *, /, and % to calculate properties such as width, padding, or padding.
Using Sass or other preprocessors will take the hassle out of CSS. However, before you get started, it is recommended that you understand all the basics of CSS so that you have a strong grasp of the concept.
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JQuery
JQuery is a JavaScript library, a set of plugins and extensions that make JavaScript development faster and easier. With it, you can get more functionality with fewer lines of code.
Instead of having to code everything from scratch, jQuery allows the developer to add pre-built elements to projects and then customise them as needed. You can use jQuery to perform common JavaScript functions such as:
- adding or removing classes
- creating common web interface elements such as countdown timers, date switches, or tooltips
As a popular JavaScript library, jQuery has several advantages that have contributed to its widespread use among developers. Once you try using jQuery, you will understand why it is so popular.
Here are some of its key benefits:
- Simplified DOM manipulation
- Cross-browser compatibility
- Rich set of functions
- Easy AJAX integration
JQuery is firmly at the top of the list of things a frontend developer should know in 2024, providing a simplified and efficient way to work with JavaScript.
Here are the main areas you should focus on:
- JQuery Basics Start by understanding the basics of syntax, selectors, and methods.
- DOM Manipulation. Learn how to access, modify, and navigate the document object model using jQuery methods and selectors.
- Effects and animation. Understand how to create fades, transitions, slides, and custom animations.
- jQuery Plugins. Explore popular options like jQuery UI, Slick, Lightbox or Select2 and learn how to integrate them into your projects .
Understanding jQuery is an important part of your professional skills. Specialists who use it in their work are distinguished by better efficiency in completing tasks. If you want to succeed in front-end development in 2024, take the time to learn jQuery.
ReactJS
ReactJS is one of the most popular JavaScript libraries for developing mobile and web applications. They are used to build the user interface.
React is an alternative to frameworks like Angular and Vue, which in turn allow you to create complex functions.
React has several main features that make it stand out from other JavaScript libraries, namely:
- JSX – JavaScript syntax extension
- Virtual DOM. ReactJS stores virtual DOM trees in memory, allowing updates to be applied to specific parts of the data tree.
- Redux and Recoil state management library
Understanding ReactJS is increasingly one of the requirements of what a developer should know in 2024.
Follow our recommendations to make your learning process more effective:
- Learn to create functional and class components, work with props and state, and display them in the DOM
- Explore React Router – a popular routing library for React applications
- Understand React Context
Along with other development tools, ReactJS is essential in building your professional stack. By studying it, you will not only get an impressive resume, but also make it easier to work on subsequent tasks.
AngularJS
Angular is an open source software framework used to create web applications.
The framework is the brainchild of Google engineers Misko Hevery and Adam Abrons.
AngularJS uses the Model-View-Controller architecture, which is used when developing web applications. This type of architecture consists of elements such as:
- Model – a data structure that manages information and receives input from the controller
- View – presentation of information
- Controller – responds to input and interacts with the model
In the context of AngularJS, the model is the framework, the view is HTML, and the controller is JavaScript.
- AngularJS links JavaScript and HTML
- JavaScript takes user input and sends it to AngularJS
- AngularJS uses input data to change HTML
Due to the fact that the framework links JavaScript and HTML, the code between them is synchronised. This mechanism makes the work of developers easier by reducing the amount of code that needs to be written.
AngularJS is a key tool for working with JavaScript, which is why it occupies an important position on the list of what a frontend developer should know in 2024.
As you get acquainted with this framework, pay attention to the following details:
- The architecture is AngularJS
- Directives. Explore built-in directives such as ngIf, ngFor and ngModel, and create your own.
Front-end developers often argue over which is better – AngularJS or React, but only the most advanced of them understand that a qualified specialist must have both skills in his stack.
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Bootstrap
Bootstrap is a free, open-source platform designed to make mobile-first website development easier.
In other words, Bootstrap helps web developers build websites faster because they don’t have to worry about basic commands and features.
If you’re still unsure about adding Bootstrap to your list of things to know as a front-end developer in 2024, check out its advantages over other web development frameworks:
- Simplicity. There are many tutorials and online forums to help you get started.
- Flexible mesh. Bootstrap comes with a predefined grid system, saving you from having to create one from scratch.
- Browser compatibility
The Merehead team has prepared a short list of the key aspects of Bootstrap that you should learn. Here are some of them:
- Grid system. It is based on a 12-column layout.
The Bootstrap framework is versatile and robust enough to suit almost any website development need.
Conclusion: How to learn about new trends and developments?
The key to the success of any developer is the ability to find relevant solutions and quickly master them. The level of your training and demand in the labour market depends on how effectively you implement this skill.
Follow these guidelines to stay up to date with the latest developments in the world of frontend development:
- Subscribe to foreign IT news portals
- Take part in IT events
- Follow Merehead on social media
Perhaps the most important aspect of being a developer is awareness. Therefore, if you want to start the next year with new discoveries, we offer you a list of the best IT events of 2024.
We’ll help you design and build a web application that meets your needs.contact us: web application development services