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What a frontend developer really does

You turn designs into working screens in the browser and keep them fast and unbroken.

Try it free, about 105 minutesSee the real tasks
Median pay, May 2025$92,650
Job growth, 2025-35+4%
Typical entry educationBachelor's degree
Preparation (O*NET Job Zone)Medium Preparation Needed

What the work involves

8 of the 29 tasks O*NET lists for web developers, most important first.

  • Write supporting code for Web applications or Web sites.
  • Design, build, or maintain Web sites, using authoring or scripting languages, content creation tools, management tools, and digital media.
  • Back up files from Web sites to local directories for instant recovery in case of problems.
  • Select programming languages, design tools, or applications.
  • Evaluate code to ensure that it is valid, is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers, devices, or operating systems.
  • Develop databases that support Web applications and Web sites.
  • Perform Web site tests according to planned schedules, or after any Web site or product revision.
  • Perform or direct Web site updates.

What the days are like

Most of the time goes to
  • Working with Computers. Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Getting Information. Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Thinking Creatively. Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge. Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems. Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
What workers report
  • E-Mail: 92% responded “Every day.”
  • Spend Time Sitting: 79% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
  • Freedom to Make Decisions: 58% responded “Some freedom.”
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled: 79% responded “Every day.”
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams: 67% responded “Every day.”

Work styles that matter most

InnovationA tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.
AdaptabilityA tendency to be open to and comfortable with change, new experiences, or ideas at work.
Intellectual CuriosityA tendency to seek out and acquire new work-related knowledge and obtain a deep understanding of work-related subjects.
Attention to DetailA tendency to be detail-oriented, organized, and thorough in completing work.
DependabilityA tendency to be reliable, responsible, and consistent in meeting work-related obligations.

How people get into it

O*NET places Web Developers in Job Zone 3 (medium preparation, usually one or two years of training and on the job experience). Among surveyed workers, 46% say a bachelor's degree is required, 17% a post secondary certificate, and 17% an associate's degree. Hiring teams also look closely at code you can show, such as shipped projects or a portfolio. O*NET does not report how many people enter through bootcamps or self teaching.

The Firstday trial, easy to hard

Three simulated tasks at Forkful, a fictional company, with AI coworkers who message you, react to your work and coach with questions. Nobody scores you.

EasyBuild the restaurant card componentAbout 20 minutes.
MiddleAdd cuisine filters with real statesAbout 35 minutes.
HardLaunch day slowdownAbout 50 minutes.

What the trial can't show: The trial uses a simplified editor with a live preview, not a real local setup with build tools, a large codebase, version control workflows and deploy pipelines. It cannot show weeks of working in one codebase, real device testing, or the hosting, domain and backup tasks that also appear in the O*NET Web Developers data.

Reading about it is one thing.

Find out how the work feels to you before you spend on a degree, course or job change. Your first trial is free.

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Job titles people in this occupation report

Technology Applications Engineer · Web Architect · Web Design Specialist · Web Developer · Webmaster

Tasks, work activities, work context, work styles, reported titles and Job Zone: O*NET OnLine, 15-1254.00 Web Developers. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Pay, growth and entry education: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, web developers, May 2025 wages and 2025-35 projections.