Hire Front End Developers

No End in Sight for Front-end Developer Demand

Demand for front-end developers is perennial. In Stack Overflow’s 2025 Developer Survey, front-end developers rank among the top six most common roles worldwide. Front-end skill sets are also integral to the most popular role—full-stack developer. Many companies rely on front-end developers as they launch new websites and roll out features to market products and maintain a competitive edge.

JavaScript, HTML, and CSS are the foundations for any website, making them the top technologies that more than 60% of professional software engineers use. In addition to these technologies, frameworks like React.js, AngularJS, and Bootstrap are in high demand for front-end projects. In a growing market, finding the right front-end developer poses a challenge; at times, it may be impossible to find an exact skill match for a given set of project requirements. The key is understanding the nuances of the front-end development space and distinguishing which skills are essential versus nice to have. Hiring managers who can find the right new hires—either on-site or remote developers—can help their company grow.

A front-end development icon over a global map, with blue developer icons in various locations and a magnifying glass over a green developer icon.

This guide provides an overview of the hiring process for front-end developers. It walks through the front-end developer skill set, outlines the components of a strategic front-end job description, and suggests interview questions to help you find and assess the perfect match for your project.

What Attributes Distinguish Quality Front-end Developers From Others?

First, let’s explore a more precise answer to the question "What job does a front-end developer do?" Front-end developers are primarily responsible for the client-side development of web applications—that is, the part of the web application that runs within the web browser on a user’s computer or mobile device. They specialize in coding the visual, user-facing elements of a website or application.

Key development services include not only creating HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code to build interactive interfaces, but also organizing this code in a maintainable and scalable way. For example, developers skilled in Python or Java can bridge front-end components with back-end systems when needed. A sleek new website is of no use if it’s coded in a way that means it will take hours of digging through spaghetti code to implement a slight change—and even longer to fix without breaking existing functionality.

That’s why development quality is so relevant when evaluating candidates. Technology evolves rapidly, especially in front-end development, as new frameworks are being released constantly. Having experience with your specific project dependencies is ideal, but a seasoned developer will typically be able to quickly learn what they need to know about any unknown parts of your technological stack, assuming they have adequate documentation.

Beyond architectural wisdom and the ability to adapt quickly to new technologies, there are three attributes that set the best front-end developers apart from the rest:

How Can You Identify the Ideal Front-end Developer for You?

The first step is to identify the capability gap in your current team. Consider whether you need a seasoned front-end expert or if a junior developer will suit your purposes. Less experienced developers can work on simpler tasks under supervision, but the time spent training them will initially detract from their and their mentor’s productivity. When filling whole expertise gaps in your team or starting a project from scratch, it’s worth investing in a senior developer; they will bring expertise and overall higher productivity.

To that end, you’ll need to identify gaps and clearly define the objectives and scope of your development projects, then list the qualities and qualifications of a candidate you’re seeking. Consider the needs of your organization as a whole: does the development team need full-time in-house help, or could remote front-end developers get the job done? Pay particular attention to listing technical skills, especially as they pertain to your project’s tech stack components. Such a list will make it easier to evaluate the relevance of candidates’ hands-on experience.

Complementary Technology Skills for Front-end Development

While project-specific front-end skills are the most desirable, the following skills enable developers to tackle a broader range of challenges, work more efficiently, and contribute to the overall success of front-end projects:

Do Front-end Developers Need to Know Design?

Front-end programmers do not necessarily need to have expertise in design, but having a basic understanding of UI and UX design principles and aesthetics is beneficial. While the roles of front-end developers and designers often overlap to some extent, they have distinct areas of focus. Designers work more on the aesthetic end of the spectrum, whereas front-end developers primarily implement the user interface using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code.

Having a fundamental understanding of design concepts and an attention to detail allows front-end developers to effectively collaborate with designers and ensure the proper implementation of visual elements and user experience.

How Crucial is React?

React-based front ends are quite common, but they’re not the only option. Angular and Vue.js are also popular, and more recent challengers, such as Svelte, have started to gain serious traction. What is most important is the system already in use on your project, or what you plan to use. For greenfield projects in which the choice of front-end framework is undecided, you have some flexibility; significant experience with any major framework will suffice.

Is jQuery Still a Relevant Front-end Skill?

Once one of the most commonly used cross-browser-compatible front-end libraries, jQuery simplifies and enhances common tasks such as manipulating and traversing HTML documents, handling events, creating animations, and making asynchronous requests.

However, with advancements in modern JavaScript and browser support for native APIs, front-end programmers often avoid jQuery. Many jQuery maneuvers can now be accomplished just as easily without it, making it undesirable for newer projects but still relevant in legacy contexts.

How to Write a Front-end Developer Job Description for Your Project

To attract skilled front-end developers for your position, start with a job description template. Then, tailor the job post to reflect the specific requirements and expectations of the role.

• Specify required skills (e.g., HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, PHP) and preferred frameworks (e.g., React, Angular, Vue.js) to ensure targeted applications.
• Highlight key responsibilities, such as UI implementation, performance optimization, cross-browser compatibility, and search engine optimization.
• Emphasize soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and collaboration with developers, project managers, designers, and stakeholders.
• Include the desired experience level (e.g., junior, mid-level, senior) to attract suitable candidates.
• Mention potential job titles (e.g., Front-end Developer, UI/UX Developer) for clarity.
• Describe your company culture and team dynamics to help candidates assess fit.

What Are the Most Important Front-end Developer Interview Questions?

Relevant interview questions for front-end engineers will help you not only to assess a candidate’s technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, and communication skills, but also to determine how close a match they are to your project specifics. It may be worth including some wider-context questions and even some full-stack development questions if there’s a possibility their role may involve any back-end development. You may also want to make sure the candidate knows your project’s version control system(s), which in most cases will include Git.

In conversation, high-quality developers should be able to further demonstrate a deep understanding of the pertinent technologies you identified in their portfolios, and offer recommendations on their best practices. Here are some sample questions that can help in evaluating potential candidates:

What front-end technologies and frameworks are you proficient in?

The candidate should mention their proficiency in core front-end technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It’s helpful if they’re familiar with popular frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue.js, and it’s worth delving deeper into any major framework or technology in your tech stack with focused questions. You could discuss full platforms like WordPress or any heavily leveraged front-end testing tools like Selenium. Senior front-end developers will likely have experience with several different frameworks and should be able to elaborate on the various trade-offs associated with each.

Can you describe a challenging front-end project you have worked on? How did you overcome any obstacles?

Good answers should demonstrate a candidate’s problem-solving skills, adaptability, and ability to find effective solutions. Look for candidates who showcase their critical thinking and creativity in resolving complex front-end issues.

How do you ensure cross-browser compatibility and responsive design in your projects?

The candidate should discuss techniques they have used to ensure cross-browser compatibility, such as CSS media queries and thorough testing on different browsers and devices. They should also mention their approach to responsive design, i.e., ensuring that websites adapt seamlessly to various screen sizes and devices. Answers should reflect their knowledge of best practices and their ability to deliver consistent user experiences across different platforms.

How do you optimize website performance?

The candidate should demonstrate their understanding of performance optimization techniques. Look for answers that mention strategies like minimizing file sizes, leveraging caching mechanisms, optimizing images, and reducing HTTP requests. Top candidates may also mention their familiarity with performance analysis tools and their ability to conduct performance audits.

Can you explain your approach to collaborating with designers and back-end developers?

The candidate should emphasize effective communication and collaboration skills. They should explain their approach to the requirements provided by designers and their ability to translate those designs into functional front-end interfaces. The candidate should also have demonstrated experience collaborating with back-end developers to integrate front- and back-end functionalities seamlessly.

Where to Hire Front-end Developers

Front-end development teams can be built in many different ways, including in-house hiring, outsourcing, or via on-demand, vetted talent platforms.

In-house Hiring

Larger companies typically hire at least a small number of full-time, in-house front-end developers to build and maintain their core technology stack. Hiring is typically accomplished through technology recruiters or by placing job ads on sites like Indeed, Glassdoor, or LinkedIn.

Outsourcing

With outsourcing, a firm hires external individuals or companies—sometimes located in different countries—to handle front-end development tasks. This approach allows businesses to access specialized skills, reduce costs, and speed up project delivery by leveraging global talent and resources. Typically, the client and the outsourced front-end developer establish a clear agreement outlining project expectations and timelines before work begins.

Hiring Through a Vetted Talent Platform

Sourcing front-end developers through a vetted, on-demand developer platform is a good option for startups, SMBs, and enterprise-level companies. In this model, the marketplace verifies the skill set of each local or offshore web developer through testing and interviews. Some platforms also offer:

• Matching services in which a talent specialist matches companies looking to hire front-end engineers with candidates who have the preferred experience, communication skills, and industry specialization
• Full-time dedicated front-end developers for your project, as well as part-time or hourly developers who may be working on multiple projects
• The ability to hire remote front-end developers, offshore front-end developers, front-end development teams, or individual front-end consultants who will be managed by your in-house CTO or product owner

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Front-end Developer?

We’ve compiled information on the average salaries of front-end developers from several countries via Glassdoor, and have reported them below in US dollars. Please note that actual pricing can vary greatly, with experienced front-end developers able to demand higher pay.

Source: Glassdoor, July 2025

These numbers represent the median incomes as reported by Glassdoor’s proprietary Total Pay Estimate model based on salaries collected from the platform users. Wages in many areas consist of a base salary and additional pay, which may include cash bonuses, commissions, tips, and profit sharing. Glassdoor information and the currency exchange rates were accurate as of July 2025.

Why do Companies Hire Front-end Developers?

Businesses hire dedicated front-end developers to deliver exceptional user experiences and build robust web applications. Since front ends themselves are used in so many contexts within every industry, it helps to be able to communicate to stakeholders the high-level value they might add to your particular project, and this depends on the applicable front-end use case.

Front-end Use Cases

Front-end developers are crucial for the success of various projects, as they bring expertise in creating visually appealing user interfaces and enhancing user experience. What does that look like in various projects?

Front-end developers bridge the gap between product designers and back-end developers, transforming your company’s design concepts into functional code. Their work often requires knowledge of cross-platform compatibility, enabling applications to run seamlessly across devices and browsers. Performance optimization is a high priority for enterprises operating at scale, and seemingly small changes to the front end can lead to significant gains. These developers also work on search engine optimization and web accessibility to help your app reach the widest audience. In short, front-end engineers are ambassadors to your user base, and having a top performer in this role is crucial to the ongoing success of your product.