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Prathamesh Patil
Prathamesh Patil

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Good Frontend Dev !== Good coder

Hi Everyone, From last 3+ years working as a Frontend developer I realised that being good at coding is just not enough to deliver a high quality and robust feature. When it comes to development it involves proper planning and execution at every step. There are few do's and dont's that I follow to ace in this process:

DO'S

1. Feature Planning:

  • Understand the requirement thoroughly.
  • Discuss with designers, backend developers, and stakeholders to align on expectations.

2. Understand the User:

  • Identify the target audience for the feature.
  • Always picture yourself in place of a user while developing the feature, this helps to provide good UX going ahead.

3. Effective Communication:

  • Regularly update the team about progress or potential blockers.
  • Ensure alignment with designers and backend developers before starting.

4. Plan & Prioritize:

  • Break down the feature into smaller, manageable tasks.
  • Prioritize tasks based on dependencies and deadlines.
  • Allocate sufficient time for testing and iterations.

5. Think Long term:

  • Even if the feature is has minimal requirements, always build a system which can be made scalable and mantainable going ahead.

6. Stay organised:

  • Document decisions made during planning.
  • Keep track of changes, deadlines, and dependencies using tools like Trello, Jira, or Notion.

7. Focus on accessibility:

  • Think about how users with disabilities might interact with the feature.
  • Advocate for inclusive design even if it’s not explicitly requested.

DONT'S

1. Rush the planning phase:

  • Don’t skip or rush through the requirement analysis and planning stages. Poor planning leads to rework and delays.

2. Be overprotective of your ideas:

  • Avoid resisting suggestions or feedback.
  • Features are a team effort, and other perspectives can improve the end result.

3. Overpromise deadlines:

  • Don’t commit to unrealistic timelines under pressure. Be transparent about what’s feasible within the given time frame.

4. Underestimate testing importance:

  • Don’t assume the QA team or end-users will catch all issues. Prioritize thorough testing during development.
  • Always write unit test cases for a safer side.

5. Ignoring personal well-being:

  • Don’t overwork yourself to meet deadlines. Take breaks and maintain a healthy work-life balance to stay productive and creative.

Final Thought

A well-developed feature isn’t just about clean code—it’s about understanding user needs, effective collaboration, and balancing priorities. Focusing on these non-technical aspects ensures the feature aligns with business goals and delivers a seamless experience for the end user.

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