Ask HN: How to approach Front-End development if you hate it? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How to approach Front-End development if you hate it?

17 pointsjohnpython10 comments

How can software engineers who hate front-end development acquire the necessary front-end skills with the least amount of effort?

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Here is what I do:

- Make sure you know what you want to make

For smaller pages (one page sites, not SPA):

- Use one of bootstrap/semanticui, include their dist files directly (dont get into the npm/gulp/bower yet)

- Use their kitchen sink to pick up components (both bootstap/semanticui have loads of examples)

- Include JS dependencies the old way (copy the min.js manually in your project), keep try to keep this number low

- Try to avoid using frontend frameworks for these (say vue/angular/react)

For slightly larger sites (SPAs/Multiple page sites)

- Choose one particular frontend framework and stick to it (the productivity gain does not come from using a tool, it comes from using a tool repeatedly)

- Get the closest looking template from somewhere in above chosen tech (i usually pick one from https://themeforest.net/ but there are many free resources, like AdminLTE etc)

- Make sure it already has the build/minify pipeline setup (most of them have it)

- Adapt it to your needs

I agree with this, although I'd add that building an SPA with bootstrap (or whatever widgets) with no framework can also be a valuable learning experience. You'll most likely end up with a ball of mud, but it's a great way to experience the problems that a framework like angular or ember are solving for you.

I also agree with that. Frameworks provide you with structure, once you spend some time getting used to it you will not have to think about building basic things anymore.

In addition to what artpar, commented, I'd say take it slow and try to appreciate the browser as a dev environment. There are a lot of interesting APIs/technologies available today, e.g. Service Workers, grid layout, geolocation api, etc. You probably won't need to use them for work, but they are still interesting.

2nd) if you have to use a framework (say react), learn to appreciate what it does for you. Try to understand what it is accomplishing and don't be too afraid of jargon. It's a steep hill, so you'll need patience and perseverance, but it gets better, and there is some world class, creative, software engineering going on in js framework these days.

addendum:

I don't recommend you spend a lot of time checking this out now, but react boilerplate is an impressive example of a modern frontend js stack. Tons of frameworks, and very possibly too much too soon, but it's pretty well designed and documented, and has a nice supportive community.

https://www.reactboilerplate.com/

If you hate it, why do it? It's not like back end developers aren't in demand or won't be 5 years from now.

> If you hate it, why do it?

because every now and then, you need a little bit of a web front-end for a project you're working on, and it seems like overkill to hire somebody to do it for you.

i am in the same boat! i hate web programming. i know i can be easily ten times more productive in compiled languages.

every now and then i need a web front end as a component of a larger project. generally speaking, i can't justify hiring somebody to do that for me.

OK, that's a good reason.

how about scala.js or maybe some other compiled&typed language that compiles to javascript ?

Anyway, i feel you and know the pain of frontend, gl.

I also feel the same I really hate css and html But now we have react, so I only hate css, anyone have recommendations for good css resource?,

I need tutorial/resource/framework to layouting/griding component

I have tried things like material-ui but layouting the component is still hard, because it really depends on the css

If only flexbox in web is as easy as flexbox in react-native

If you are a back-end developer then Angular and Typescript are your friends.

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