Hiring JavaScript developers? Then you should know!
- Let’s consider Difference between Junior, Middle, Senior, Expert/Team Lead developer roles.
- Cases when JavaScript does not work
- TOP 10 JavaScript Related Technologies
- Hard skills of a JavaScript Developer
- TOP 11 Facts about JavaScript
- TOP 11 Tech facts and history of creation and versions about JavaScript Development
- Soft skills of a JavaScript Developer
- How and where is JavaScript used?
- What are top JavaScript instruments and tools?
- Pros & cons of JavaScript
Let’s consider Difference between Junior, Middle, Senior, Expert/Team Lead developer roles.
Seniority Name | Years of experience | Responsibilities and activities | Average salary (USD/year) |
---|---|---|---|
Junior | 0-2 years | Assisting senior developers in coding and debugging tasks, implementing features under supervision, writing documentation, conducting code reviews | $50,000 – $70,000 |
Middle | 2-5 years | Developing complex features independently, participating in architectural discussions, mentoring junior developers, optimizing code performance, conducting unit testing | $70,000 – $90,000 |
Senior | 5-10 years | Leading large-scale projects, designing and implementing complex systems, providing technical guidance and mentorship, collaborating with stakeholders, conducting code refactoring | $90,000 – $120,000 |
Expert/Team Lead | 10+ years | Leading development teams, setting technical direction, driving innovation, defining coding standards, managing project timelines and resources, conducting performance evaluations | $120,000 – $150,000+ |
Cases when JavaScript does not work
- Disabled JavaScript: If JavaScript is disabled in the user’s browser settings, any JavaScript code on a webpage will not execute. This can happen if the user intentionally disables JavaScript or if the browser has a security setting that blocks it. According to StatCounter, as of January 2022, approximately 1.3% of internet users globally have JavaScript disabled in their browsers.
- Outdated Browser: Older versions of web browsers may not support the latest JavaScript features or may have bugs that prevent JavaScript from functioning correctly. It is important to ensure that users are using a modern and updated browser to ensure compatibility with JavaScript. As of January 2022, around 1.2% of internet users globally still use Internet Explorer, a browser notorious for its limited JavaScript support.
- Network Issues: JavaScript files are typically loaded from external servers or Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). If there are network connectivity issues, such as a slow or disrupted internet connection, the JavaScript files may fail to load, causing the JavaScript code to not work properly. According to Akamai’s State of the Internet report, global average internet speeds vary widely, with some regions experiencing slower connections that can impact JavaScript loading and execution.
- Ad Blockers: Ad-blocking browser extensions or software can sometimes block JavaScript files from loading or executing. These tools are designed to remove advertisements, but they may inadvertently prevent legitimate JavaScript code from functioning correctly. As of January 2022, over 600 million devices globally were estimated to be using ad blockers, according to PageFair’s Adblock Report.
- Browser Extensions and Conflicts: Certain browser extensions or add-ons may interfere with JavaScript execution on webpages. If an extension modifies the webpage’s JavaScript behavior or conflicts with the JavaScript code, it can cause unexpected issues or prevent JavaScript from working as intended.
- Script Errors: JavaScript code may contain errors or bugs that cause it to fail. Syntax errors, logical errors, or incorrect usage of JavaScript APIs can lead to JavaScript not working as expected. Developers often rely on browser developer tools and error logs to identify and fix such issues.
TOP 10 JavaScript Related Technologies
JavaScript
JavaScript is the most popular programming language for web development. It is widely used for creating interactive and dynamic websites. JavaScript allows developers to add functionality to web pages, create interactive features, and manipulate data in real-time.
React
React is a JavaScript library developed by Facebook. It is used for building user interfaces for single-page applications. React allows developers to create reusable UI components, making it easier to manage complex UIs. It is highly efficient and provides a smooth user experience.
Node.js
Node.js is a runtime environment that allows JavaScript to run on the server-side. It provides a non-blocking, event-driven architecture, making it highly scalable and efficient for building server-side applications. Node.js is widely used for creating real-time applications and APIs.
Angular
Angular is a TypeScript-based open-source web application framework developed by Google. It is used for building dynamic and scalable web applications. Angular provides a robust framework for creating complex UIs and offers features like two-way data binding and dependency injection.
Vue.js
Vue.js is a progressive JavaScript framework used for building user interfaces. It is lightweight and easy to learn compared to other frameworks. Vue.js allows developers to create reactive components and provides seamless integration with existing projects.
Express.js
Express.js is a fast and minimalist web application framework for Node.js. It provides a simple and flexible way to build web applications and APIs. Express.js is widely used for creating RESTful APIs and server-side applications.
Webpack
Webpack is a module bundler for JavaScript applications. It allows developers to bundle and manage dependencies, optimize code, and improve performance. Webpack is widely used in modern JavaScript development workflows.
Hard skills of a JavaScript Developer
As a JavaScript Developer, you need to possess a strong set of hard skills to excel in your role. Here are the hard skills required for different levels of experience:
Junior
- HTML/CSS: Proficiency in creating and styling web pages using HTML and CSS.
- JavaScript Fundamentals: Solid understanding of JavaScript syntax, data types, functions, and control flow.
- DOM Manipulation: Ability to manipulate the Document Object Model (DOM) to dynamically update web pages.
- Debugging: Proficiency in using browser developer tools to identify and fix code issues.
- Version Control: Familiarity with Git and understanding of basic version control concepts.
Middle
- Frameworks/Libraries: Experience with popular JavaScript frameworks and libraries like React, Angular, or Vue.js.
- Asynchronous Programming: Understanding of asynchronous JavaScript using callbacks, promises, and async/await.
- API Integration: Ability to consume and integrate with RESTful APIs using JavaScript.
- Testing: Knowledge of testing frameworks like Jest or Mocha for writing unit tests.
- Performance Optimization: Proficiency in optimizing JavaScript code for better performance and scalability.
- Build Tools: Experience with build tools like Webpack or Gulp for automating development tasks.
- Browser Compatibility: Awareness of cross-browser compatibility issues and ability to handle them effectively.
Senior
- Architecture Design: Ability to design scalable and maintainable JavaScript application architectures.
- Code Review: Experience in conducting code reviews and providing constructive feedback to team members.
- Security: Understanding of common web application security vulnerabilities and best practices to mitigate them.
- Performance Monitoring: Proficiency in using tools like Chrome DevTools or Lighthouse to analyze and optimize performance.
- Code Optimization: Ability to identify and optimize performance bottlenecks in JavaScript code.
- Database Integration: Knowledge of integrating JavaScript applications with databases like MySQL or MongoDB.
- Continuous Integration/Deployment: Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and tools like Jenkins or Travis CI.
- Technical Leadership: Ability to mentor junior developers and provide technical guidance to the team.
Expert/Team Lead
- Advanced JavaScript Concepts: Deep understanding of advanced JavaScript concepts like closures, prototypal inheritance, and event-driven programming.
- Performance Profiling: Proficiency in using profiling tools to identify and optimize performance bottlenecks.
- Code Refactoring: Experience in refactoring complex codebases to improve maintainability and readability.
- Cross-platform Development: Knowledge of frameworks like React Native or Electron for building cross-platform applications.
- Scalability: Ability to design and implement highly scalable and distributed JavaScript systems.
- Code Documentation: Proficiency in writing clear and comprehensive code documentation.
- Project Management: Experience in leading and managing software development projects.
- Collaboration: Strong collaboration and communication skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
- Emerging Technologies: Awareness of new and emerging technologies in the JavaScript ecosystem.
- Problem Solving: Strong problem-solving skills to tackle complex technical challenges.
- Team Management: Ability to lead and manage a team of developers, providing guidance and support.
TOP 11 Facts about JavaScript
- JavaScript is a high-level, interpreted programming language that is primarily used for making websites interactive.
- It was created in 1995 by Brendan Eich, a Netscape Communications Corporation programmer, in just 10 days.
- JavaScript is not related to Java, despite its similar name. It was originally called LiveScript, but the name was changed to JavaScript to ride the coattails of Java’s popularity.
- JavaScript is the most popular programming language in the world, according to the 2020 Stack Overflow Developer Survey.
- It is supported by all modern web browsers, making it a versatile language for developing web applications.
- JavaScript is a multi-paradigm language, meaning it supports both object-oriented and functional programming styles.
- It is often used in conjunction with HTML and CSS to create dynamic and interactive web content.
- With the advent of Node.js, JavaScript can now be used for server-side development, allowing developers to build full-stack applications using a single language.
- JavaScript has a vast ecosystem of frameworks and libraries, such as React, Angular, and Vue.js, which facilitate the development of complex web applications.
- It has a forgiving syntax, allowing developers to write code that might contain errors and still execute without crashing the entire application.
- JavaScript has a rich set of built-in functions and methods, making it a powerful language for manipulating and processing data.
TOP 11 Tech facts and history of creation and versions about JavaScript Development
- JavaScript, often abbreviated as JS, is a high-level programming language that was created by Brendan Eich in 1995 while he was working at Netscape Communications Corporation.
- Initially, JavaScript was developed under the name Mocha, but it was later renamed to LiveScript before settling on its current name.
- One of the fundamental design principles of JavaScript is its event-driven architecture, which allows developers to create interactive web pages by responding to user actions.
- In 1997, ECMA International standardized JavaScript as ECMAScript, ensuring its compatibility across different web browsers and platforms.
- The release of ECMAScript 6 (ES6) in 2015 introduced significant enhancements to JavaScript, including new syntax, arrow functions, classes, and modules.
- JavaScript is the most widely used programming language for web development, with an estimated 95% of all websites using it.
- Node.js, a runtime environment for executing JavaScript code outside of a web browser, was released in 2009, opening up new possibilities for server-side scripting.
- With the rise of Single-Page Applications (SPAs), JavaScript frameworks like Angular, React, and Vue.js have become extremely popular for building dynamic and responsive web interfaces.
- JavaScript has evolved beyond the web, and now it can be used for developing mobile applications (React Native, NativeScript), desktop applications (Electron), and even serverless functions (AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions).
- The JavaScript ecosystem is vast, with over 1.6 million packages available on the npm registry, making it easy for developers to leverage existing code and libraries for their projects.
- WebAssembly (Wasm), a binary instruction format, allows high-performance languages like C++ and Rust to be compiled into JavaScript, enabling near-native speed in web applications.
Soft skills of a JavaScript Developer
Soft skills are essential for JavaScript developers to excel in their roles and collaborate effectively with teams and stakeholders.
Junior
- Communication: Ability to convey technical concepts clearly and effectively to team members and non-technical stakeholders.
- Problem-solving: Aptitude for analyzing and resolving coding issues, debugging, and troubleshooting.
- Adaptability: Willingness to learn and embrace new technologies and frameworks to stay updated.
- Collaboration: Capability to work well in a team environment, actively participate in discussions, and contribute to the overall project goals.
- Time Management: Skill to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and manage workload efficiently.
Middle
- Leadership: Ability to take ownership of projects, guide junior developers, and mentor them.
- Critical Thinking: Proficiency in evaluating complex problems, identifying potential solutions, and making informed decisions.
- Teamwork: Aptitude for collaborating with cross-functional teams, understanding different perspectives, and fostering a positive work environment.
- Project Management: Skill to plan, organize, and execute projects effectively, ensuring timely delivery and meeting client requirements.
- Attention to Detail: Ability to write clean, well-structured code and conduct thorough testing to ensure high-quality software.
- Client Interaction: Capability to understand client needs, provide technical guidance, and build strong relationships.
- Continuous Learning: Commitment to staying updated with industry trends, attending conferences, and expanding technical knowledge.
Senior
- Strategic Thinking: Proficiency in aligning technical decisions with business goals and contributing to the overall strategy of the organization.
- Mentoring: Skill to provide guidance and support to junior and middle-level developers, fostering their growth and development.
- Conflict Resolution: Ability to resolve conflicts within teams and handle challenging situations diplomatically.
- Decision-making: Capability to make informed decisions based on technical expertise, project requirements, and business constraints.
- Client Management: Proficiency in managing client expectations, understanding their business needs, and delivering solutions that meet their objectives.
- Risk Management: Skill to identify potential risks in projects, proactively mitigate them, and develop contingency plans.
- Innovation: Aptitude for exploring new technologies, proposing innovative solutions, and driving technological advancements within the team.
- Presentation Skills: Ability to deliver impactful presentations, effectively communicate complex ideas, and influence stakeholders.
Expert/Team Lead
- Strategic Planning: Proficiency in defining long-term technical strategies, setting goals, and aligning the team’s efforts with business objectives.
- Team Management: Skill to lead and motivate a team of developers, delegate tasks, and ensure efficient resource allocation.
- Conflict Resolution: Ability to resolve conflicts at a higher level, mediate disputes, and maintain a harmonious work environment.
- Technical Vision: Capability to envision and articulate the future direction of the team’s technical roadmap, considering emerging trends and business needs.
- Process Improvement: Proficiency in identifying areas for process optimization, implementing best practices, and driving efficiency within the team.
- Client Relationship Management: Skill to build and maintain strong relationships with clients, understand their evolving needs, and provide strategic guidance.
- Organizational Influence: Ability to influence decision-making at the organizational level, advocate for technical excellence, and drive positive change.
- Thought Leadership: Aptitude for sharing expertise through public speaking, publishing articles, and contributing to the JavaScript development community.
- Strategic Partnerships: Capability to identify and form strategic partnerships with external organizations or individuals to enhance the team’s capabilities.
- Business Acumen: Proficiency in understanding the business landscape, identifying opportunities for technical innovation, and driving revenue growth.
- Empathy: Skill to understand and empathize with team members, fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration and personal growth.
- Industry Influence: Ability to actively contribute to industry standards, participate in conferences, and shape the future of JavaScript development.
How and where is JavaScript used?
Case Name | Case Description |
---|---|
Interactive Web Applications | JavaScript is widely used for creating interactive web applications. It allows developers to add dynamic elements and enhance user experience through features like form validation, real-time updates, and responsive designs. JavaScript frameworks such as React, Angular, and Vue.js make it easier to build complex web applications with a rich user interface. |
Mobile App Development | JavaScript is not only limited to web development but also used for building mobile applications. With frameworks like React Native and Ionic, developers can write code once and deploy it on multiple platforms. This significantly reduces development time and effort, making JavaScript a popular choice for cross-platform mobile app development. |
Data Visualization | JavaScript libraries like D3.js and Chart.js provide powerful tools for creating interactive and visually appealing data visualizations. These libraries enable developers to represent complex data sets in a meaningful way, making it easier for users to understand patterns, trends, and insights. Data visualization with JavaScript is widely used in fields like business intelligence, analytics, and scientific research. |
Game Development | JavaScript is increasingly being used for game development. The HTML5 canvas element and JavaScript game frameworks like Phaser and PixiJS allow developers to create browser-based games that can be played across different devices without the need for plugins. JavaScript’s versatility and performance make it a suitable choice for developing casual games, puzzles, and even more complex game mechanics. |
Server-Side Development | JavaScript is no longer limited to client-side development. With the introduction of Node.js, JavaScript can now be used for server-side development as well. Node.js provides a runtime environment that allows developers to build scalable and efficient server-side applications. JavaScript’s event-driven, non-blocking I/O model makes it well-suited for handling concurrent requests and building real-time applications. |
Browser Extensions | JavaScript is the primary language used for building browser extensions. Whether it’s adding additional functionality to a web browser or customizing user interfaces, JavaScript allows developers to extend the capabilities of web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Browser extensions built with JavaScript can enhance productivity, block ads, improve security, and provide a personalized browsing experience. |
Internet of Things (IoT) | JavaScript’s lightweight nature and support for event-driven programming make it a suitable choice for IoT development. JavaScript frameworks like Johnny-Five and Cylon.js provide abstractions and APIs for interacting with hardware devices, enabling developers to build IoT applications and prototypes. JavaScript’s compatibility with web technologies also allows for seamless integration with cloud platforms and web services. |
What are top JavaScript instruments and tools?
- React: React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It was developed by Facebook and released in 2013. React allows developers to build reusable UI components and efficiently update the user interface as the data changes. It has gained widespread popularity and is used by companies like Instagram, Airbnb, and Netflix.
- Angular: Angular is a TypeScript-based open-source framework for building web applications. It was initially released by Google in 2010 as AngularJS and later rewritten in TypeScript as Angular. Angular provides a comprehensive set of features for building complex web applications, including two-way data binding, dependency injection, and component-based architecture.
- Vue.js: Vue.js is a progressive JavaScript framework for building user interfaces. It was created by Evan You and released in 2014. Vue.js focuses on the view layer of an application and offers a simple and flexible approach to building interactive web interfaces. It has gained popularity for its ease of integration, small size, and performance.
- Node.js: Node.js is a JavaScript runtime built on Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine. It allows developers to run JavaScript code outside of a web browser, enabling server-side and command-line scripting. Node.js was released in 2009 and has since become a popular choice for building scalable and high-performance web applications. It is widely used by companies like Netflix, LinkedIn, and Uber.
- Webpack: Webpack is a module bundler for JavaScript applications. It takes modules with dependencies and generates static assets that represent those modules. Webpack allows developers to organize and bundle their JavaScript, CSS, and other assets for efficient delivery to the browser. It has become a standard tool in modern JavaScript development workflows.
- jQuery: jQuery is a fast, small, and feature-rich JavaScript library. It simplifies HTML document traversal, event handling, and animation for web development. jQuery was released in 2006 and quickly gained popularity due to its easy-to-use syntax and cross-browser compatibility. It has been widely used on millions of websites.
- TypeScript: TypeScript is a statically typed superset of JavaScript that compiles to plain JavaScript. It adds optional static typing, classes, and modules to JavaScript, making it a more robust and scalable language for large-scale applications. TypeScript was developed by Microsoft and has gained adoption in various projects, including Angular and Vue.js.
- ESLint: ESLint is a pluggable linting utility for JavaScript. It provides developers with a tool to enforce coding standards and catch potential errors or bugs in their code. ESLint supports custom rules and can be integrated into various build systems and editors. It helps improve code quality and maintainability in JavaScript projects.
- Jest: Jest is a JavaScript testing framework developed by Facebook. It provides a simple and intuitive way to write tests for JavaScript code. Jest comes with built-in mocking, code coverage, and snapshot testing capabilities, making it a popular choice for testing JavaScript applications. It is widely used by companies like Facebook, Airbnb, and Instagram.
- Babel: Babel is a JavaScript compiler that enables developers to use the latest JavaScript features in older environments. It transforms modern JavaScript code into a backward-compatible version that can run in older browsers or environments that do not support the latest language features. Babel has become a standard tool in modern JavaScript development workflows.
Pros & cons of JavaScript
7 Pros of JavaScript
- Highly versatile: JavaScript can be used for both front-end and back-end development, making it a flexible and powerful language.
- Wide adoption: JavaScript is one of the most widely used programming languages, with a large community of developers and extensive resources available.
- Client-side interactivity: JavaScript allows for dynamic and interactive web pages, enhancing user experience and increasing engagement.
- Rich frameworks and libraries: JavaScript has a vast ecosystem of frameworks and libraries, such as React, Angular, and jQuery, which provide ready-made solutions and speed up development.
- Asynchronous programming: JavaScript supports asynchronous programming, allowing for non-blocking operations and improving performance.
- Easy integration: JavaScript can be easily integrated with other technologies and platforms, making it a popular choice for web development.
- Continuous improvement: JavaScript is constantly evolving, with regular updates and new features being introduced, ensuring that developers have access to the latest tools and capabilities.
7 Cons of JavaScript
- Browser compatibility: JavaScript behavior can vary across different browsers, requiring additional effort to ensure consistent functionality.
- Security vulnerabilities: JavaScript can be prone to security vulnerabilities if not implemented carefully, potentially exposing websites to attacks.
- Performance limitations: JavaScript may not perform as well as other programming languages for computationally intensive tasks, although this gap has been closing with advancements in browser engines and just-in-time compilation.
- Debugging challenges: Debugging JavaScript code can be complex, particularly when dealing with asynchronous operations and complex frameworks.
- Learning curve: JavaScript has a relatively low entry barrier, but mastering its more advanced concepts and best practices can take time and effort.
- Dependency on the browser: JavaScript heavily relies on the browser environment, which means its functionality can be limited or affected by the browser’s capabilities.
- Code maintainability: JavaScript codebases can become difficult to maintain over time, especially if proper coding practices and organization are not followed.