Do you want to master the skills and tools needed to build contemporary, dynamic, and responsive websites? Then, learn from the scratch! What does that mean? Mastering the building blocks of the web, A.K.A HTML, CSS, and JavaScript!

Yet, as Jacob Lett puts it, “Learning HTML & CSS is more challenging than it was earlier. Responsive website design adds various layers of complexity to design & develop websites.” Many aspiring programmers, freelancers, and small company owners want to learn front-end web development but must figure out how long it would take. 

If you work hard enough, you can learn the fundamentals of HTML in less than three weeks and front-end web programming in six months. In this MarsDevs article, we'll tell you which elements impact how long it takes to learn front-end development and will give tools to help you speed up the process!

So, let's get started.

Front-End Web Development - Decoding One More Time!

Websites are one of the first things that spring to mind when people think about the internet. Front-end web development is concerned with the elements of a website that everyone can view, sometimes known as the "client side." 

The programming languages that connect everything are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This power trio is generally linked with front-end web development, but they also have applications in other programming domains, allowing you to pivot if necessary.

After completing a certificate program, many people can find work as Front-End Developers. HTML and CSS are two of the simplest programming languages to learn, while JavaScript is well-known in the programming industry for its flexibility. A few months of hard work could lead you into a new job or increase your value in your existing one.

The Web Is Vast - Where Do You Start?

There are many JavaScript frameworks and libraries available, such as React, Angular, Vue, Ember, jQuery & more. So, before you get confused, keep two things in mind about technology, particularly the web:

Very little does your tech stack matter. You'll win every time if your language/framework is strong enough. You can never be a jack of all crafts but only a master of one. In short, when you first begin, you must think extremely tiny. It's all too tempting to get carried away with that brand-new foundation. 

Just take your time with abandoning old technology and embracing new technology without first conducting careful research. As Pedro Silva Moreira said, “Creating your profile takes time. First, you have to pick the technologies among the enormous options we have. Once you decide and set everything up, you must list all your projects manually and add the descriptions and images to decide on a design that shows your very best.”

So, where do you start? Easy. With basic HTML or CSS! In the beginning, JavaScript was merely a browser programming language. And, while it is much more than that now, the fact that it compliments HTML and CSS on the web remains unchanged.

With advances in web standards, there is so much you can accomplish with CSS alone. JavaScript is optional for many things. Animations? You've got it. Drag-and-drop? HTML is capable of handling this. Layouts? Look into the Flexbox and Grid CSS APIs!

How To Go About Learning?

When learning web programming, you have two options: go broad or deep.

When you broaden your horizons, you begin to learn several things simultaneously. It could work for some people but only for some. You may become overwhelmed with instructions, exercises, videos, and blogs and finally give up.

Going deep involves starting with one item and learning different things. It has a distinct set of benefits and drawbacks. You may become bored or give up if you do not see results. So, what's the answer? Surprisingly, the answer is to do neither. 

Choose a tiny tech stack, such as HTML/CSS/JavaScript, and then get into all three. Every step along the way, keep growing the project's complexity and demands until your codebase becomes unmanageable. 

Be A Master Of One Trade

When you've mastered HTML/CSS/JavaScript, it's time to advance to industry standards. The fact is that no matter how strong a JavaScript developer you are, you will frequently need to deal with current frameworks like React & you will not be able to grasp it with only your JavaScript skills.

It will take some time to study and comprehend the language, principles, and how the framework operates behind the scenes. So, pick a framework and master it. Wondering how?

Make a basic project in each big framework (Angular, Vue, and React) and see which one you prefer. Pick one, and don't look back. Then, use that framework to develop all of your projects. Aim to do something you haven't done before. It is the most effective technique to get out of your comfort zone and learn new things.

However, don't forget the others. While you don't have to "master" them, keeping them on your skills checklist will go a long way. 

This might involve unit testing using Jest, end-to-end testing with Cypress, Webpack, Babel, or Parcel, some DevOps, Linux shell scripting, server deployments, etc. You can always acquire the basics of these abilities fast since they have been around for a long time and have many useful materials available.

What's Next?

What lies next? Once you've finished learning HTML/CSS/JavaScript/React/Angular/Vue, it's time to move on to servers. Explore server deployment, NGiNX, HAProxy, load balancing, cloud infrastructure setup, firewalls, and autoscaling.

Are you finished with it as well? Proceed to WebAssembly, the language for the next web iteration.

Front-end development necessitates a thorough command of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These critical technologies collaborate to produce visually beautiful, engaging, and responsive online experiences.

You can unleash your potential to design engaging and user-centric web apps by embracing best practices, staying up to date on innovations, and always improving your skill set! And if you need any help along the way, MarsDevs is here! Get a free 15-minute call with us and check out how we can help you in your journey!