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My First Activity in The Microsoft Front-End Development Professional Certificate Course
These are the raw confessions of the growing pains I experience as I learn software engineering. I am learning on my own but with lots of priceless resources online. You'll hear about these resources in my articles. Please pray for me!
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Working professionally as a front-end developer is an organized affair. Functioning as a team or individually on a precisely planned project ensures that careless mistakes and web application failures are eliminated or significantly decreased.
The end goal of every project is a beautifully designed and well-executed plan of action that delivers an exceptional user experience.
The practice of building the visual and interactive elements of a website or web application that users directly interact with(definition of the role of a front-end developer)
-Microsoft
The Microsoft course begins with the nitty-gritty of how to work strategically by introducing project planning. The seeds of real-life work are grown from a set of well thought out decisions that drive the day-to-day work flow.
Define Project Requirements - Identify outcomes and the tasks needed to achieve these goals
Set Objectives - Break the tasks down into clear actionable steps
Create Timelines - Set a timeline to finish the project on or before the agreed deadline.
Identify Resources - Choose the technologies that need to be used to complete the above steps.
The tools front-end developers use to support their plans are many and mastery of these tools ensures websites and apps are built correctly.
Some of these technologies can integrate and work together with others in one application. For example task manager software can integrate version control software, chat software, and include their own unique ways of tracking task completion.
Examples of task manager software are JIRA, Trello, and Asana. Each app is specifically made to support teams of different sizes and project type.
Other technologies used to complete front-end projects are frameworks, labor, programming languages and deployment platforms.
I used three Simple Prompts to clarify what I’d learned and to help me understand more about deployment platforms. This course is my first clearly defined exposure to them.
Prompt One: What are the tools and technologies for building Front-End website and application projects, including deployment tools.
Gemini 2.0 Flash Response 2/22/2025:
Let's break down the tools and technologies used for building front-end website and application projects, including deployment.
Core Technologies (The Foundation):
HTML (HyperText Markup Language): The structure and content of your web page. HTML5 is the current standard.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): Styling and visual presentation of your web page (layout, colors, fonts, etc.). CSS3 is the current standard, and preprocessors (like Sass and Less) are often used to extend CSS's capabilities.
JavaScript: Adds interactivity and dynamic behavior to your web page (handling user input, animations, data fetching, etc.). Modern JavaScript (ES6+ and beyond) is the standard.
Front-End Frameworks and Libraries (For Structure and Organization):
React: A popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces (UIs) based on components. Known for its virtual DOM and performance.
Angular: A comprehensive JavaScript framework for building complex web applications. Uses TypeScript and provides a robust structure.
Vue.js: A progressive JavaScript framework that's easy to learn and use, also component-based.
Svelte: A compiler that generates highly optimized vanilla JavaScript, resulting in smaller bundle sizes and better performance.
Preact: A fast 3kB alternative to React with the same API. Good for smaller projects or when bundle size is critical.
Build Tools (For Development Workflow):
Webpack: A module bundler that takes all your assets (JavaScript, CSS, images, etc.) and bundles them into files that can be served to the browser.
Parcel: A zero-configuration bundler that's easy to use and fast.
Rollup: A module bundler specifically designed for libraries and smaller projects.
ESBuild: An extremely fast JavaScript bundler and minifier written in Go.
Package Managers (For Dependencies):
npm (Node Package Manager): The default package manager for Node.js.
yarn: Another popular package manager that's often faster than npm.
pnpm: A performant package manager that saves disk space.
State Management (For Complex Applications):
Redux (often used with React): A predictable state container for JavaScript applications.
Vuex (used with Vue.js): A state management pattern + library for Vue.js applications.
MobX: A simple and scalable state management solution.
Context API (built into React): For simpler state management needs within React applications.
Testing Tools (For Quality Assurance):
Jest: A popular JavaScript testing framework.
Mocha: Another widely used testing framework.
Cypress: An end-to-end testing framework.
React Testing Library: A library for testing React components.
Selenium: A browser automation framework often used for UI testing.
CSS Preprocessors (For Easier Styling):
Sass (Syntactically Awesome Style Sheets): A CSS preprocessor that adds features like variables, nesting, and mixins.
Less (Leaner Style Sheets): Another CSS preprocessor similar to Sass.
Stylus: A CSS preprocessor with a more concise syntax.
Linting and Formatting (For Code Quality):
ESLint: A JavaScript linter that identifies potential problems in your code.
Prettier: A code formatter that enforces a consistent style.
Stylelint: A linter for CSS and related languages.
Version Control (For Collaboration):
Git: A distributed version control system.
GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket: Platforms for hosting Git repositories.
Deployment Tools and Platforms:
Netlify: A platform for building, deploying, and hosting static websites and web applications.
Vercel: Another platform similar to Netlify, specializing in Next.js deployments.
AWS (Amazon Web Services): A cloud computing platform with various services for hosting and deployment (e.g., S3, EC2, Amplify).
Google Cloud Platform (GCP): Google's cloud computing platform.
Azure (Microsoft Azure): Microsoft's cloud computing platform.
Firebase: Google's mobile and web application development platform.
Heroku: A platform as a service (PaaS) for deploying web applications.
GitHub Pages: A service for hosting static websites directly from a GitHub repository.
Docker: A platform for building, shipping, and running applications in containers.
Kubernetes: A container orchestration system for managing and scaling containerized applications.
CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) Tools:
GitHub Actions: Directly integrated with GitHub for automating workflows.
GitLab CI/CD: Built into GitLab for CI/CD pipelines.
CircleCI: A popular CI/CD platform.
Jenkins: An open-source automation server.
Other Important Tools:
Developer Tools (in browsers): Essential for debugging and inspecting web pages.
Text Editors/IDEs (Integrated Development Environments): VS Code, Sublime Text, Atom, WebStorm, etc.
Design Tools (for creating mockups and assets): Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Photoshop, Illustrator.
API Development and Testing Tools: Postman, Insomnia.
This list covers many of the common tools and technologies. The specific tools you choose will depend on the project's requirements, complexity, and your team's preferences. It's common to combine several of these tools to create a complete front-end development workflow.
Prompt Two: How do I use deployment tools and platforms in front-end development.
Gemini 2.0 Flash Response 2/22/2025:
Let's explore how to use deployment tools and platforms in front-end development. The process generally involves these steps:
Building Your Project: Before deploying, you typically need to build your front-end project. This often involves:
Bundling your code (using Webpack, Parcel, etc.).
Minifying your code (reducing file sizes).
Optimizing images.
Generating any necessary files (like HTML from templates).
The exact build process will depend on your project's setup (framework, build tools, etc.). Many projects use a
buildscript defined in theirpackage.jsonfile (e.g.,"build": "webpack").
Choosing a Deployment Platform: Select a platform that suits your needs. Here are some common options and their typical use cases:
Static Site Generators (SSGs) like Netlify, Vercel, GitHub Pages: Ideal for static websites (blogs, documentation, portfolios). They often offer easy integration with Git repositories and automatic builds on push.
Cloud Platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure): Suitable for more complex web applications that might require server-side logic or database integration. They offer a wide range of services but can have a steeper learning curve.
Platform as a Service (PaaS) like Heroku: A good middle ground. Easier to use than full cloud platforms but still offer more flexibility than SSGs.
Firebase: Excellent for web apps that need real-time data synchronization or authentication.
Connecting to Your Repository (Often): Many deployment platforms integrate directly with Git repositories (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket). This allows for automated deployments whenever you push changes to your repository.
Configuration (Build Settings): You'll usually need to configure your deployment platform with some settings:
Build Command: Specify the command to build your project (e.g.,
npm run build,yarn build).Publish Directory: Tell the platform which directory contains the built files to be deployed (e.g.,
dist,build).Deployment: Once configured, you can deploy your project. This might involve:
Pushing your code to your Git repository (for platforms with Git integration).
Manually triggering a deployment on the platform's dashboard.
Using a command-line tool provided by the platform.
Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) (Optional but Recommended): Set up CI/CD pipelines to automate the build and deployment process. This means that every time you push code, the platform automatically builds and deploys your application. This significantly speeds up development and reduces the risk of errors.
Example: Deploying a React app to Netlify:
Build: Create a build script in your
package.json:"build": "react-scripts build".Netlify Setup:
Create a Netlify account.
Connect your Netlify account to your GitHub repository.
Choose your repository and branch.
Netlify will automatically detect that it's a React app and suggest default build settings. Usually, the defaults of
npm run buildandbuild(for the publish directory) are correct.Deploy: Netlify will build and deploy your app whenever you push changes to your GitHub repository.
Example: Deploying a simple HTML/CSS/JS site to GitHub Pages:
GitHub Pages Setup:
Go to your repository settings on GitHub.
Navigate to the "Pages" section.
Select the branch you want to deploy from (usually
mainorgh-pages).Choose the
/ (root)folder or the/docsfolder as the source for your static site.Deploy: GitHub Pages will automatically build and deploy your site from the selected branch. If you use a folder other than
/docs, you'll need to commit your site's files to the chosen branch.Key Considerations:
Environment Variables: If your application uses environment variables (API keys, etc.), you'll need to configure them on your deployment platform.
Domain Name: You can usually configure your deployment platform to use your custom domain name.
HTTPS: Make sure your site is served over HTTPS. Most platforms provide this automatically.
Scaling: If your application needs to handle a lot of traffic, you'll need to consider scaling options provided by your platform.
The specific steps will vary depending on the platform you choose, but the general principles remain the same. Refer to the documentation of your chosen platform for detailed instructions.
Prompt Three: How do I use deployment tools and platforms in front-end development and why use them instead of WordPress?
Gemini 2.0 Flash Response 2/22/2025:
You're asking a great question that gets at the heart of how modern front-end development works! Let's break down how to use deployment tools and platforms, and then discuss why you might choose them over a platform like WordPress.
How to Use Deployment Tools and Platforms
Build Your Project: This is the crucial first step. Before you can deploy, you need to prepare your front-end code for production. This usually involves:
Bundling: Combining all your JavaScript, CSS, and other assets into a smaller number of files that the browser can efficiently download. Tools like Webpack, Parcel, and Rollup handle this.
Minification: Removing unnecessary characters (like whitespace) from your code to reduce file sizes.
Optimization: Optimizing images and other assets for faster loading.
The exact build process will depend on your project's setup (frameworks, libraries, etc.). You'll often have a
buildscript in yourpackage.jsonthat runs these steps.
Choose a Deployment Platform: Where will your website or application live? Here are some popular choices:
Netlify, Vercel: These are fantastic for static sites (like blogs, portfolios, documentation) and single-page applications (SPAs). They excel at ease of use and often integrate seamlessly with Git repositories.
AWS, Google Cloud, Azure: These are powerful cloud platforms that offer a wide range of services. They're great for complex applications that need server-side logic, databases, and more.
Heroku: A "platform as a service" that simplifies deployment and hosting. It's a good middle ground between the simplicity of Netlify/Vercel and the complexity of full cloud platforms.
Connect to Your Repository (Often): Many deployment platforms integrate directly with GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. This means that whenever you push changes to your code repository, the platform can automatically build and deploy your site.
Configuration: You'll need to tell the deployment platform a few things:
Build Command: What command should it run to build your project (e.g.,
npm run build,yarn build)?Publish Directory: Which folder contains the finished files that should be deployed (e.g.,
dist,build)?Deploy: Once everything is configured, you can deploy! This might involve:
Pushing your code to your Git repository (for platforms with Git integration).
Clicking a button on the platform's website.
Using a command-line tool.
CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment): This is a super helpful practice. It automates the entire build and deployment process. Every time you push code, your site is automatically updated!
Why Use These Tools Instead of WordPress?
WordPress is a powerful content management system (CMS), but it has some key differences compared to the modern front-end workflow:
Flexibility and Control: With front-end tools, you have complete control over every aspect of your website's code. You can use any framework, library, or technology you want. WordPress, while customizable, has limitations in terms of the underlying architecture.
Performance: Modern front-end development often focuses on optimizing for performance. Tools like Webpack and techniques like code splitting can lead to faster loading times and a better user experience. WordPress sites, especially with many plugins, can sometimes be slower.
Modern Development Practices: Front-end tools encourage modern development practices like component-based architecture, version control (using Git), and automated testing. These practices can make development more efficient and lead to higher-quality code.
Decoupled Architecture: You can use these tools to build "headless" websites where the front-end is completely separate from the back-end (where the content is stored). This gives you even more flexibility and allows you to use WordPress (or any other CMS) just for content management.
When WordPress Might Be a Better Choice
Content-heavy sites: If your site is primarily focused on content (like a blog or magazine), WordPress's content management features can be very helpful.
Non-technical users: WordPress's admin interface is designed to be user-friendly, even for people who don't know how to code.
Rapid prototyping: If you need to quickly get a basic website up and running, WordPress can be faster to set up initially.
In Summary
Modern front-end development tools and platforms give you greater flexibility, control, and often better performance compared to a platform like WordPress. They're a great choice for developers who want to build complex, high-quality web applications. However, WordPress can still be a good option for content-heavy sites or when non-technical users need to manage the website.
As you can see project planning is critical for a successful project and team collaboration. I hope this helps give you a basic understanding of what front-end project planning entails.