How to Become a Freelance Front End Developer in 2024

Anyone looking to work as a Front End Developer can find employment at corporate offices, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, or government agencies. However, some people with the skills and talent for being able to work as Front End Developers may chafe at the idea of having to work inside an office or under the direct supervision of a manager within an organization. Individuals with experience in web development and programming languages who also possess time management and communication skills may decide to work as freelancers or independent contractors.

Working as a freelance Front End Developer allows self-motivated individuals to succeed on their own terms. Freelance work provides a balance for being able to apply skills in web development along with a more flexible schedule.

What is a Front End Developer?

Becoming a Front End Developer involves building websites and applications using common front end web development languages. The front end of a website is what users see on their web browsers and is built using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other coding languages. 

Web development includes creating websites and apps from scratch. This means applying front end, back end, and full stack web development procedures. Front end development focuses on how a user interacts with a website while back end development concerns the functionality of that website within browsers like Chrome and Safari, for example. Full stack development combines both those functions.

Skills needed for becoming a Front End Developer can also qualify you for working as a Web Developer or Web Designer.

Read more about what a Front End Developer does.

What is Front End Web Development Freelancing Like?

Working as a freelance Front End Developer allows individuals with skills and experience to have the scheduling flexibility for applying their talents with companies that need specific types of web development work done but don’t necessarily need to have a Web Developer remain permanently on their staff. Other companies may use a freelance Front End Developer on an as needed basis, which can work for an individual who would like to earn the income available for someone skilled in technology without having the restrictions of a regular schedule.

Front End Developers create and maintain the front end of websites with an emphasis on user interfaces, which involves how users interact with websites on web browsers. Front end web development focuses on the client-side of web pages and depends greatly on the visual appeal of that site. 

To become a Front End Developer, a candidate will need to have training in coding, programming languages, and web development whether that knowledge comes from a college degree, online training programs, or the school of life, where someone may have picked up coding skill simply through the circumstances of having worked a job with adjacent responsibilities. Online education providers like Noble Desktop provide training in coding and programming languages for people interested in working as Front End Developers.

Making Contact and Finding Work

Individuals looking to work as freelancers can use freelancing platforms like Upwork, which connects companies with freelance workers and agencies that can lead to interviews for work on a variety of projects. Freelancers could also choose to use Fiverr, another freelancing platform, that can help to set up work between individuals and companies for independent projects or remote jobs. Of course, people with experience and skills from working as a Front End Developer can also find openings for temporary gigs and opportunities through online job sites like Indeed or LinkedIn.

Aside from training to get the skills needed for becoming a Front End Developer, a person looking to enter the profession will need to take steps by laying a foundation. This would include creating websites that demonstrate the skills required for working in front end development. Websites and related projects can be combined to build a portfolio that should appeal to potential clients.

Freelancers can set their own rates that clients may accept or refuse. Freelance Front End Developers should use their experience and level of work for setting their rates, which are typically measured hourly. Again, building a good portfolio provides support by demonstrating the quality of work a freelancer is capable of producing.

Working with a Purpose

Working as a freelancer allows a Front End Developer to work on a variety of projects instead of being saddled with the daily routine of working as an employee with a company. As an independent contractor, a freelancer is her or his own boss, which means being able to set their own rules. However, freelancers will need to make sure that their work is outstanding in order to meet their clients’ demands to encourage strong references and recommendations.

Is Front End Web Development Freelancing Right for Me?

Freelance work may not be for everyone, but for some people, working as an independent contractor provides a perfect balance for being able to apply their skills along with having a more flexible schedule. 

Freelancers get to set their own schedules, which means that anyone taking this approach for working must be self-motivated and disciplined. Whether a person is working for a company with a manager or independently, projects being developed must meet deadlines. Completing deadlines and fulfilling expectations is important if a freelancer wants to establish a reputation for reliable work in order to pick up more work.

Steps to Become a Freelance Front End Developer

Front end web development focuses on how users interact with websites. The front end of a website is what users see on their web browsers and is built using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript coding. Front End Developers write HTML to provide content for websites using coding while CSS arranges the style and layout of the web page. JavaScript provides interactivity and animation to websites.

Set Your Path

Front End Developers are responsible for building the front end, or “client-side,” of websites and web applications. Front End Developers can find work with major corporations, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, government agencies, and startups. Front end web development requires good time management skills and the ability to communicate effectively in a working environment. Skills for becoming a Front End Developer also afford opportunities with freelance or independent contract work that offers salaries comparable to what someone might earn working at a major corporation.

Front End Developers are also responsible for keeping websites and apps updated, creating prototypes from wireframes, and making sure those websites and apps are always accessible for users. You can find work as a Front End Developer or a Web Developer without needing to get a college degree. Having a background in coding as well as a portfolio that demonstrates your skills and knowledge would be helpful for getting started in the profession.

Start Learning Front End Development

Learning the skills to become a Front End Developer requires front end web development training, which involves creating websites by writing code. The purpose of a web browser is to translate the coding that generates websites into what users see on their computer screens. Front End Developers write code that affects what users see on a browser.

Front End Developers create websites using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. A Front End Developer uses HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) for constructing web pages by coding and marking content while CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) defines the style and look of that content by establishing the website’s layout. JavaScript coding adds interactivity, animation, and logic to that web page. 

Start Learning Web Development

Web development involves several areas for building websites and web applications by applying front end, back end, and full stack web development procedures. Front end web development focuses on how a user interacts with a website while back end development emphasizes the powering and functionality of that website within browsers like Chrome or Safari, for example. Full stack development combines both those functions. 

Start Learning Coding

Coding is what makes the Internet work. Code runs behind web pages and plays an integral role in how technology essentially runs business in today’s world. There are various coding languages that facilitate Programmers in developing websites, apps, and digital software as well as analyzing data and creating machine learning algorithms.

JavaScript is a front end programming language that facilitates interactivity within a website through a wide-ranging library and adaptable frameworks, which is why it is the most popular programming language used.

Start Learning React 

React is a JavaScript library used for building user interfaces. Although created and maintained by Meta, React is a free and open-source front end JavaScript library. Front End Developers are in-demand, so learning a computer programming language like React could put you on the right path to your new profession.

Building an App

App development is one of the most in-demand skills needed for working as a Front End Developer. Mobile apps are a widely popular software used for various purposes including everyday functions such as paying for items in stores, checking weather, and getting a ride home or communicating through teleconferencing and downloading music by simply using your smartphone.

Developing apps has become a key area in the billion-dollar communications industry. Front End Developers must possess the skills to convert app designs into the code required for that app to be displayed properly on mobile browsers for users to interact smoothly with the application.

Free Seminars

While some people with coding and programming skills have considered becoming Front End Developers, many of them hesitate about moving forward after considering the upfront costs or difficulty with scheduling additional education. However, there are free resources and video tutorials available for those people to get the necessary skills for working as a Front End Developer through learning at their own pace on their own time.

Noble Desktop offers free seminars for design and coding classes, including Intro to Front End Web Development, which provides tips for Front End Web Developers on coding for websites being seen in browsers with lessons focused on various coding languages and web technologies. Other front end web development related seminars include How to Get Started in Web Design, Intro to JavaScript, Intro to React, and Designing for Mobile.

Learn Business Skills

In addition to possessing the skills for working as a Front End Developer, freelancers must also be able to take care of themselves regarding their finances and contracts related to their work as well as being about to market themselves for the sake of keeping business flowing.

While working as a freelancer offers flexibility for creating a work schedule, a person working on his or her own time could lead to the temptation of procrastination, which is why possessing a self-motivated disposition is important for this method of employment. It’s a good idea for an individual to develop good routines for working on projects, which includes getting a realistic idea about how long a particular assignment might take to complete. This can be helped by establishing when the client expects the work to be done along with the promised date for delivery.

A good strategy would be to develop a strict discipline for getting certain stages of a project completed in a reasonable timeframe. Establishing a routine is a good way for staying on track with an assignment and not straying from the objective. A disciplined freelancer is likely to be a successful freelancer. 

Finally, as an independent contractor, a freelancer will likely not have the benefit of an HR or budgeting department that keeps up with income earned or money spent in relation to working as a Front End Developer. A freelancer should have a grasp of basic financial concepts that include taxes and budgeting for supplies and equipment costs. For example, people working on their own need to factor in the cost of software, software updates, equipment, and supplies like paper or printer ink when considering fees. These are literally the cost of doing business.

Learn the Skills to Become a Front End Developer at Noble Desktop

People have several options for learning to become a Front End Developer, which include in-person and live online training courses, bootcamps, and certificate programs that provide real-time hands-on instruction. Noble Desktop offers several live online Web Development courses.

For example, with hardly any prior coding experience, an individual could complete the Front End Web Development Certificate and get headed in the right direction for their new career with training in how to build the user side of a responsive website. This course aims to keep class sizes small so that students can receive tailored advice and guidance from their instructors.

If you would like to learn about designing websites or email programs from coding with HTML, CSS, or JavaScript, you can train for the Web Design Certificate. In addition, this course will teach you how to build websites using WordPress.

If you would like to learn about more options for building websites or apps from scratch through skills in front end web development, Noble Desktop provides information on their Learn Front End Web Development page, which can guide you through learning about several options for becoming a Front End Developer, including what free resources are available and career advice.