I’ve been spending a lot of time recently thinking about fundamentals. Breaking complex things down to the basics. Looking for success patterns that I can replicate. Reading up on what the industry thought leaders have said about the core essentials of our field. If you have seen my previous post about the fundamentals of software engineering (spoiler alert, it's not data structures and algorithms), you already share my context.
Today I want to zero in on frontend engineering in particular, and suggest three principles that I have seen at work again and again when working with or observing top frontend developers. If I missed anything, or if you believe either of these three aren't necessary, please let me know in the comments below. Let's learn together.
1) Love your craft.
Many people can write code, but one thing that sets the masters of their craft apart is that they care about the quality of their work so much that they will go the extra mile, always.
They’re also lifelong learners. They didn’t stop acquiring knowledge when they were last promoted. They look for opportunities to learn, to improve, to grow, and this pursuit of excellence reflects in their work.
2) Love your users.
Frontend engineers in particular work very closely to the user, building the very interface the user interacts with. I noticed that the best frontend engineers think about not just the computers running the code but the people that code will interact with. Even the best practices for testing frontend code revolve around mocking user actions rather than striving for 100% code coverage.
They also don’t cut corners on things like accessibility and cross-browser support.
3) Love yourself.
Are you surprised to see this on the list? The truth is, the best frontend engineers have been in the industry for a while, which means they’ve managed to position themselves in a way that allows them to be continually challenged, recognized, and not burn out in the process. You might be able to accomplish quite a bit running on fumes, skipping meals, skipping workouts, even sacrificing your sleep, but how long will you last?
Create intentional times of rest.
Refuel your creative tank.
Take care of your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing so that you can bring your best self to work every day.
And have fun building awesome frontends <3
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