Roadmap to become a JavaScript Developer

JavaScript is heavily relied on. From the big tech giants to the smallest startup company or small businesses, everyone uses JavaScript! Furthermore, the digitalization of the world has shifted the world onto the virtual platform. All this has increased the need for a JavaScript developer. If you want to boost your career in the web development field then this article is the thing you need! Today, we will discuss the requirements and concepts you should know if you want to become a JavaScript developer. Let’s start?

What is JavaScript?

Before starting with how to become a JavaScript Developer, let us understand what is JavaScript? People associate JavaScript with a programming language solely used for front-end development. But that is not the case! JavaScript is not limited to your client-side of the web browser. It is widely used for server-side development in the form of APIs and Node JS. According to Stack Overflow a survey in 2019, showed that JavaScript is the top software language to learn. Many companies like YouTube, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, and Google extensively make use of JavaScript. Nowadays, startups also use JavaScript in huge amounts.

The job role of a JavaScript Developer

A JavaScript developer is expected to create front-end elements for web pages. These elements should not only be visually appealing but also user-friendly. They are not limited to only front-end development. Other than this, a JavaScript developer is responsible for linking the backend services to the client-side of the project. For this, they have to work along with other backend developers to complete the given task. To excel in this field they need to have the following characteristics:

Detail-oriented and show be able to visualize the big picture
Good logic and mathematical skills
Should have good communication skills
Collaborative and self-driven
Creative with a quick learning capability
Should be fluent with the new technology releases

How to become a JavaScript developer?

Now that you are aware of what is expected from a JavaScript developer, let us see what are the requirements to become one. Firstly, you will have to read books, tutorials, blogs, and other such content to understand the basic as well as advanced concepts of JavaScript. One of the best places to develop your JavaScript skill is at Codedamn. The courses and articles here mainly focus on the different concepts and methods of JavaScript as well as React JS. Here is a list of JavaScript articles you should check right now!

Here are the concepts you should be well aware of if you want to call yourself a JavaScript developer:

Basics

If you are just starting with JavaScript and have no prior knowledge about it, then you should follow up with basic tutorials. These include core concepts like let, var, const, if-else statement, looping, arrays, and other data structures. You should also learn about strings and their methods. You should also know what classes and functions, inheritance, numbers, and different libraries of JavaScript are. Also, you should be aware of object-oriented programming(OOP) and functional programming using JavaScript.

Asynchronous Concepts

The concept of asynchronous means tasks which are not occurring at the same time. This feature in JavaScript makes it easy to compile a code without depending on another. For a JavaScript developer knowing the concept of asynchronous nature is of utmost importance. It helps with dealing with and manipulating DOM, callback, and other higher-order functions.

Client-side development

Majorly, a JavaScript developer works with the front-end development of a website. It is advised to learn about these JavaScript libraries and frameworks which are dedicated to the same. For instance, invest time in learning React JS, Vue JS, or AngularJS. This will not only help you create beautiful unique front-ends but will also be a striking feature in your resume.

Server-side development

If you want to be a JavaScript developer who handles the backend of a project, then server-side development is suitable for you. Currently, the demand for libraries like Node JS, and Express JS is increasing. Hence it is highly recommended to learn Node and build backend APIs. Along with this, ensure you have adequate knowledge about databases and their management. You can opt for a SQL or NoSQL database.

Logic and Algorithm

Recruiters not only want good JavaScript developers but also want employees who have good logic. Hence ensure yourself to train your algorithm thinking and approach. For this, you will need to practice coding problems online and get logically habituated to thinking.

Module Bundlers and Task Runner

To increase the performance of a website, knowledge of task runners and module bundles is vital. Task runner helps to run different files together. On the other hand, a module bundler combines all the files into a single file before executing it.

Conclusion

Hope that this roadmap provides you with the motivation you need to become a JavaScript developer. The above-mentioned points are the main ones you should keep in mind. There are other things like testing, developer tools, version control, and other such concepts you should go through as well.