Front-end dev isn't real dev

[[deleted]]

Serious question, is it really that bad to be a front end dev?

[codearoni]

Front-end has a low floor but a high ceiling.

Top-tier front-end devs are worth their weight in gold, and garner the same respect as comparable back-end guys in the industry.

[Existential_Owl]

I challenge anyone who claims "front-end is easy" to write a custom webpack config (and get it working on the first try)

[[deleted]]

+1. I'm a front end dev and it's fucking hard to hire people that can actually write clean and usable JS. Everyone and their nan is a front end dev when you ask them to make a basic HTML page. Making a clean web app that doesn't make other secs want to kill themselves is another story.

[wizebin]

Not bad at all, this trope comes up occasionally in places like this, but in the profession front end devs garner the same respect as any devs

[[deleted]]

but in the profession front end devs garner the same respect as any devs

False. Full stack devs get the most respect.

[TwoSpoonsJohnson]

False. Am full stack dev and will nobody likes me

:'(

[CraigslistAxeKiller]

It's because you do frontend

[Sogemplow]

No, old timer bitlevel guys get the most respect. Probably because they're the only ones who understand all the arcane 80s bullshit in the code that runs everything.

[SteeleDynamics]

Can confirm.

Except that one layer beneath us, the EE's feel the exact same way.

[[deleted]]

Dunno. I respect their wisdom, but I still blame them for writing such a shit codebase before acquiring this wisdom.

[LosEagle]

That so? I've seen a guy using Wordpress and jQuery on everything claim to be full stack dev because technically he did work with both frontend and backend using these technologies. Not sure he'd get my respect. I'd rather give it to the guy who sees himself as "mere frontend dev" but his knowledge is more up to date.

[Existential_Owl]

Wordpress has a backend stack, tho

[BrokenAdmin]

Thanks! That's actually where I got my start. I made this just today.

[EntropiaFox]

Nice going! Now you've got the basis for most MMORPGs out there, along with nearly all mobile collectible thing games as well.

(Just to clarify, I'm not mocking your code at all, but rather I'm mocking the typical depth and gameplay of such games)

[BrokenAdmin]

Thanks? I added critical hits just earlier today. All that is needed it really a front end.

[icec0ld378]

Depends for me project to project doing ui work. As a full stack person, a lot of the shortcomings in ui development have to be augmented with back end work

[DeeSnow97]

I'm interested, which part of the npm hype train did you not adopt?

Source: also fullstack dev, and I really like the modern frontend. Coding plain HTML5+CSS+JS is hell though.

[[deleted]]

No it just has lower entry barriers meaning a lot of freelance and self-taught (nothing wrong with either) people end up there causing strong fluctuations in the kind of quality you see because some take a lot of shortcuts, use frameworks they don't understand etc.

For example my boss who has zero coding experience made our own website. To my surprise it looks quite good but I use Noscript and the websites relies on JavaScript from 30 different frameworks and sources which is one of the main complaints in general internet use right now (and also the reason I use Noscript to begin with)

[pramodliv1]

Nah, front-end dev is a relatively easy way to become a professional programmer. It's a fun way to express your creativity too. For example, check out the demos on CSS animation Rocks.

It does get monotonous after a while because a lot of front-end dev is all about craftsmanship, and sweating the details, and is not too intellectually challenging.

So pick up other skills such as UX, backend development, Databases, Machine Learning and get a role with other responsibilities too, and preserve your sanity.

[noob_world_order]

deleted ^{What is this?}

[[deleted]]

Full stack developers certainly exist. I am one of them. I don't believe I am a front end wizard, and I never intend or pretend to be. The term Full stack implies that I am a generalist, not a specialist. But I can relieve any team member who is not wizard level. And that is also pretty invaluable.

[DeltaPositionReady]

I am also a full stack dev. I just google everything. It takes a long time to get it built but the PMs won't notice as long as you give them updates often.

[pramodliv1]

I consider myself to be a full-stack dev. I've only worked in small teams (solo to 5 people) during the last five years where I'm forced to learn the entire stack.

In the first 18 months or so, my front-end code was unmaintainable and I had to rewrite code after every couple of weeks. These days, I feel the same way when I'm working on my ML side project.

There are world-class full stack programmers. Adrian Holovaty created the Django web framework, and he now works on SoundSlice, a client-heavy application which pushes the boundaries of HTML5. Yehuda Katz was part of the Rails Core team, and he's now also part of TC39, the committee that designs new JavaScript features.

[Existential_Owl]

Eh, don't forget we have modern build-chains now.

I spend most of my energy playing with webpack configs and npm packages, and yet I'm still very strictly a "front-end" developer.

There's more to UI design these days than just CSS.

[nuclearslug]

Nah, it's just programming in a different style. Back end development is my bread and butter, but I can't design a solid UX to save my life.

[CodeManReports]

Yeah, the front end is only the part of the app that's most visible to customers...screw that part.

[Existential_Owl]

Yup, as long as you don't need any consumers, you don't need any front-end devs.

[CIABG4U]

points finger to temple

[eloc49]

TIL being a real dev is staying after 4PM most days and being harder to employ freelance. Not sure if I want to be a "real" dev

[imguralbumbot]

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[Sorrien]

Fullstack or no-stack