How to Hire a Freelance Frontend Developer?

Front-end development is the process of working on the user interface and visual elements of a mobile or web application. To put it in simple words, it is programming on all things on the client side of a solution – the one users interact with.

It is a part of the whole full-stack development of an application. A company can hire a freelance front end developer to join the team to create a site layout with a focus on UI/UX. Full-time and part time front end web developer use different sets of technologies and practices compared to back end programmers. That’s why it is separated into its niche.

But to create a comprehensive and functional solution, a business needs to hire backend developer as well as a front end developer freelance.

In this guide, you’ll find all the information on how to hire freelance frontend developer, what skills to look for, and what are the best recruitment opportunities.

Advantages of Hiring a Part Time Front End Developer

The main benefit is an opportunity to create a unique and authentic web or mobile app that offers an exquisite user experience. However, there are other pros as well, namely:

  • Access to the latest technologies and advanced practices;
  • Opportunity to create a highly responsive and powerful app;
  • Part-time collaboration means saving budget compared to full-time engagement;
  • Achieve better Google ranking for a website because of optimization of the interface;
  • Ability to create a mobile-friendly version of a platform;
  • Faster release and post-release support.
  • However, there are also considerations that one needs to take in advance before signing a contract with a freelancer or an agency.

Risks of Hiring a Front End Web Developer Part Time

  • There is always a risk of under-qualified labor. There are a lot of programmers out there and business needs to know exactly what talent it is looking for;
  • It is essential to hire frontend developers freelance with expertise in the exact technology and frameworks you are interested in.
  • If you do not have tech expertise, it can be challenging to vet the skills and expertise of candidates;
  • Some might think that hiring a web designer is the same and they do not need a part time remote front end developer. This is not true, those are two different positions with different responsibilities.

Key Technologies in Front End Development

To hire freelance front-end developer with all considerations in mind, it is important to know what languages, frameworks, and technologies as used on the client side of applications.

The common development languages are:

  • HTML – web page markup;
  • CSS – it narrates the HTML and gets rendered;
  • JavaScript – one of the most popular front-end programming languages, which ensures flexibility, responsiveness, and extended functionality of an interface;
  • Elm – for seamless and swift websites;
  • SASS is similar to CSS but offers code reusability.
  • Jquery is a JavaScript library that reduces the amount of written code and thus makes development faster.

Frameworks

  • Vue.JS;
  • Angular. JS;
  • React;
  • Next;
  • Gatsby;
  • Flutter;
  • React Native, etc.

According to statistics, the most liked frameworks by programmers are React, Next, Vue, Angular, and Svelte. As for the libraries, professionals liked Axios, Lodash, Redux, Date-FNS, and Moment.

The Main Competencies and Responsibilities of a Freelance Front-End Developer

Whether you are looking for a part time front end remote developer or a full-time addition to your team, it is important to know what duties such a specialist can perform.

So what can such professionals do? Their main responsibility is the development of web pages with CSS, HTML, and JavaScript. This requires an expert freelance HTML developer to understand the fundamental of UI/UX and what makes a page attractive and engaging. They also work with widgets, animations, and interactive tools. They implement all types of interactions in the layout from scrolling to gameplay.

Responsibilities of a freelance front end developer for hire:

  • Development of the client side of a web or mobile application;
  • Work on individual pages and their elements;
  • Collaboration on the layout with web designers;
  • Creation of prototypes and mockups of the pages;
  • Proposals and implementation of new application features;
  • Adjustment of an interface to different devices, screens, and browsers;
  • Optimization of the website’s performance in collaboration with back end team;
  • Work on technical and design-related SEO;
  • Testing and analyzing the performance of the app;
  • Updates, data migrations, backups, and overall maintenance of the solution;
  • Introduction of the best user experience for a platform;
  • Cross-team collaboration during the whole development process and post-release support.

The necessary competencies of a freelance front end web developer include:

  • Excellent knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and 1-2 of its frameworks and libraries;
  • Experience with REST and RESTful API;
  • Understanding of the fundamental principles of UI/UX and the best practices;
  • Mobile optimization of a solution;
  • Understanding of DOM and SVG objects;
  • Experience with cross-browser functionality;
  • Knowledge of code version tools (Git or CVS);
  • Basic knowledge of back-end technologies for easy collaboration on the project (PHP, Ruby, or Python);
  • Work in major graphic editing software tools (Adobe Suite or Figma)
  • Testing and debugging experience.

However, this is a general list of expected competencies. If you want to hire freelance front end developer based on a specific tech stack, it is necessary to get into more details. For instance, if you need a freelance Bootstrap developer, include this framework in your posting.

Hard and Soft Skills to Find Freelance Developer HTML CSS

Experts in this field should be excellent not only in particular languages. This is a cross-disciplinary sphere that requires knowledge of design principles, UI/UX, and extensive testing and debugging experience.

The code has to be error-free so test-driven development is one of the major competencies for an excellent front end freelance developer. Also, this position includes an understanding of browser programming tools and specific soft skills.

Necessary Hard Skills for a Part Time Front End Developer Remote:

  • HTML, HTML5;
  • CSS, CSS3;
  • JavaScript (optionally TypeScript);
  • Frameworks like React, Vue, or Angular (expert professionals focus on one or two frameworks. It is impossible to master all at the same time. So if a freelancer claims to know 10 frameworks, it might be a red flag);
  • Design best practices, UI/UX;
  • SEO best practices (technical and design-related SEO).

Essential Soft Skills of a Part Time HTML Developer:

  • Creativity;
  • Problem-solving;
  • Understanding the client’s needs/Emotional Intelligence;
  • Adaptability;
  • Attention to detail;
  • Communication and collaboration.

Also, a degree in Computer Science is usually required. When you hire CSS developers, it is also a good idea to check how they fit into the team and corporate culture. After all, it is one part of the whole application development process and cross-team collaboration is the key to success.

Front End vs Back End: Comparison Table

When a company works on an application, it needs a front end web developer freelance, and back-end experts as well. That’s why we’ll explore the differences between these specializations in detail.

Back-End vs Front-End Developer Freelance

ParameterFrontendBackend
FocusThe client side of an appThe server side of an app
RoleA frontend is what users see and interact with, includes all possible types of user interactionsConnects interface with a database and server to power up the application
FunctionalityCollects user inputProcesses user input
Essential TechnologiesHTML, JavaScript, and CSS.Ruby, PHP, Perl, Python, etc.
ResponsibilitiesFunctionality, performance, UI/UX, SEO, accessibility, speedSecurity, speed, backup, data processing, and storing

Both front end developer part time and back-end programmers serve as an essential part of the project team. They work on the application together but have separate areas of knowledge and responsibilities.

The Difference Between UI and Front End Developers

Sometimes people tend to confuse these specializations. As a result, one might not know whether they need a UI developer or remote part time front end developer for a specific project.

This confusion is understandable as those roles are similar yet not identical.

A remote freelance front end developer deals with software architecture on the presentation layer.

UI stands for user interface and deals with the design of interactions between humans and machines. It covers all things that such interactions include so a keyboard and a mouse also become a part of UI because they are necessary for some interactions.

In web application development, front end and UI mean almost the same thing. But the terms are used for different roles. So a “junior web developer front end part time” is reserved for a programming role and a “UI developer” for a design role. In smaller teams, these roles might intersect or an experienced freelance front-end web developer can fulfill both of them.

The bigger teams separate those with differences in mind.

ParameterFront EndUI
ToolsHTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.Graphic design software, tools for prototyping and creating wireframes
DutiesCreate a usable and functional web interface according to the UI specialist’s visionCreate wireframes, page prototypes, and graphic representations of an app according to marketing and business fundamentals
FocusPerformance, speed, integration with the backend, tech stackStyle, branding, design, user flow, aesthetics

Startups and teams limited in size might not need a separate UI specialist as a skilled part time React front end developer can fulfill those duties as well. However, if the project grows bigger, it is more reasonable to divide responsibilities.

Sites Where You Can Find a Freelance Junior Front End Developer

There are plenty of platforms where a company can hire freelance Bootstrap developer or other types of IT specialist. Here are the best sites to look for a junior front end developer freelance.

Upwork

This is one of the largest freelance platforms in the world. It is not focused on software development, so there are all types of specialists here. But there is a huge talent pool from all over the world. The average front end developer pay per hour fluctuates a lot as anyone can set their rates. Here you can create a job posting and professionals will apply to do it.

Freelancers have reviews and testimonials on their profiles, which is a plus.

Upstack

This platform is good for long-term cooperation. It focuses on software development and selects the best talent with a holistic vetting process. So all the developers featured have proven their expertise and skills.

Toptal

This one is suitable for small projects or one-time gigs. The site also selects the talent it features based on expertise and competencies. So the risk of low-quality performance is minimal. There is a simple search system to find suitable candidates.

We Work Remotely

It is another great platform to find talent. You can simply type in “front end react developer part time remote” and look through the top results. The talent pool is quite decent and here one can hire full-time employees as well.

Hired

Hired uses an AI algorithm to match businesses and tech talent. So it is pretty easy to find candidates with the exact skills you need for the project. It is one of the top choices for specialized search when a company has a particular stack or framework in mind.

Dice

This is a job board dedicated to front-end programmers. It has a good talent pool with over 3 million registered experts. Other beneficial features of this site include email advertising, social recruiting, and the ability to view resumes. It might be compared to a frontend developer freelance agency yet you have to do all the recruiting yourself.

Freelancers vs Outstaffind Agency: Pros and Cons

Working with an outstaffing agency is a valid alternative to collaboration with freelancers. Both of the models have pros and cons.

Advantages of Freelancers:

  • Huge talent pool;
  • Great for small tasks and one-time gigs;
  • Cost reduction compared to in-house employment;
  • Quick delivery – freelancers handle several projects and are motivated to do each task as soon as possible.

Disadvantages of Freelancers:

  • Freelancers are not dedicated to one customer. They might leave for a better opportunity at any moment;
  • You need to recruit and vet the skills of a candidate. This can be difficult if you do not have specific tech knowledge or experience with recruiting;
  • The freelance front end developer salary depends on their proposal. So finding highly-skilled experts might cost a lot;
  • It is difficult to scale the project up;
  • If you need other specialists for a team, like back-end programmers, it can be challenging to find each one and establish collaboration between them;
  • One-time cooperation doesn’t allow project continuity and offers less motivation for a freelancer.

Pros of Outstaffing Agency

  • Access to proven and vetted talent pool;
  • All the recruitment is done for you according to your requirements;
  • It is cheaper than in-house employment, especially if you collaborate with international partners. An hourly rate for junior front end developer in the US and Ukraine are very different;
  • Minimal risk of quality issues as an agency serves as a guarantor of the project’s success and timely delivery;
  • It is easy to scale up or down;
  • It is possible to hire a whole team of professionals that worked together, which ensures easy collaboration;
  • Ongoing support and maintenance are available.

Cons of Outstaffing Agency

  • Sometimes, it might be less affordable than working with freelancers;
  • Time-zone-related difficulties may apply.

In the majority of cases, choosing an outstaffing agency is a safer and more efficient approach. A business saves money and a lot of time while getting the best results.

Front End Developer Salary Per Hour Across 5 Countries

Full and part time front end developer pay depends on the level of expertise, specific competencies, and geographic location. This is one of the main reasons why companies choose to find talent overseas. Hiring a freelance HTML CSS developer in Eastern Europe is much more affordable than in the UK or the EU.

Here is a comparison table of an average front end web developer salary per hour in five different countries.

JuniorMiddleSenior
USA$22.72$45$54
Germany$23.36$33.66$41.88
UK$15.31$19.49$30.63
Netherlands$20.44$27.50$30.02
Ukraine$25*$35*$50*

*Ukrainian salaries are provided based on Mobilunity’s Recruitment Team research on the local job markets. All salaries are net and do not include the service fee (in case of hiring on a dedicated team model). The salaries are provided for comparison purposes and could be not entirely accurate. Contact us to know the exact cost of hiring a developer corresponding to the required parameters.

Fronend Developers Rates
Fronend Devs Rates

Mobilunity – Your Outstaffing Partner in Ukraine

Mobilunity is a long-standing provider of front-end development teams for businesses all over the world. We have more than a decade of experience in finding and recruiting the best talent for projects of all sizes.

We offer flexible employment opportunities, whether you are looking for a part-time developer or a full-time expert. This is a great way to access highly skilled developers at a reasonable cost. So you get the best of two world – flexibility of freelancers but quality and security guarantees of our company.

Among our clients there are ServeIT (Sweden), Opportunity Network (UK), Codename (France), Qrates (Japan), 3Joueur (Canada), and Booqable (Netherlands). Our team is ready to find the best front-end talent according to your particular needs and project scope.

Do you want to hire freelance front end developer quickly and risk-free? Contact us to start!

All salaries and prices mentioned within the article are approximate NET numbers based on the research done by our in-house Recruitment Team. Please use these numbers as a guide for comparison purposes only and feel free to use the contact form to inquire on the specific cost of the talent according to your vacancy requirements and chosen model of engagement.

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