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Top 10 Front End Developer Interview Questions and Answers

Getting ready for a front-end developer interview? You might face a plethora of questions relating to your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of user experience. This article shares the top 10 questions that are typically asked, along with examples of successful responses to help you prepare.

Job Description A Front End Developer is responsible for implementing visual and interactive elements that users engage with through their web browser when using a web application. They are usually supported by back-end web developers, who are responsible for server-side application logic and integration of the work front-end developers do.
Skills HTML/CSS, JavaScript, CSS Preprocessing, Version Control/Git, Responsive Design, Testing/Debugging, Browser Developer Tools, Web Performance, Command Line, React.js
Industry Information Technology, Computer Software, Internet, Marketing and Advertising
Experience Level Entry to Mid Level
Education Requirements Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent work experience
Work Environment Mostly in offices. Full time. Often work in teams.
Salary Range $50,000 – $112,000
Career Path Front end developer -> Senior front end developer -> Front end development manager -> Director of front end development
Popular Companies Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, IBM

Front End Developer Interview Questions

Can you explain the box model in CSS?

How to Answer:
When answering this question, make sure you understand the basics of the box model concept in CSS. Explain it clearly, starting from the inner elements to the outer ones. Also, mention how the box model impacts the design and layout of web pages.

Example:
The CSS box model is a rectangular design concept that encapsulates each HTML element. It consists of four areas – the content area, padding area, border area, and margin area, listed in order from innermost to outermost. The content area contains the actual content of the element like text or images. The padding area is the space between the content and the border. The border area is self-explanatory – it’s the border surrounding the padding and content areas. The margin area is the space around the border. The box model is fundamental in CSS because it determines how elements interact with each other in terms of space and layout.


What is the difference between == and === in JavaScript?

How to Answer:
You should clearly explain the difference between these two comparison operators. The double equals (==) is an abstract comparison and it converts the operand to the same type before making the comparison. On the other hand, triple equals (===) is a strict comparison and it does not do any type conversion, it checks the value and the type, both should be the same.

Example:
‘==’ checks for equality with coercion. This means it checks if the values are equal after attempting to convert them to a common type. For example, when comparing a string and a number, the string will be converted to a number before the comparison. On the other hand, ‘===’ checks for equality without coercion, meaning it checks both the value and the type. So, if you compare a string and a number, even if the string is numerically equal to the number, the comparison will return false because the types are different.


Can you explain what a closure is in JavaScript and provide an example?

How to Answer:
When answering this question, first define what a closure is: a function bundled together with references to its surrounding state, creating a scope chain. This gives you access to an outer function’s scope from an inner function. Then, provide a simple example to illustrate the concept.

Example:
In JavaScript, a closure is a function that has access to its own scope, the outer function’s scope, and the global scope. This means that a function created inside another function has access to the outer function’s variables. Here’s an example:

function outerFunction(outerVariable) {
return function innerFunction(innerVariable) {
console.log(‘outerVariable:’, outerVariable);
console.log(‘innerVariable:’, innerVariable);
}
}
const newFunction = outerFunction(‘outside’);
newFunction(‘inside’);

In this example, outerFunction is the outer function and innerFunction is the closure. The newFunction can access variables from both the innerFunction and outerFunction scopes.


Can you explain the concept of ‘props’ in React and how they are used?

How to Answer:
When answering this question, start by defining what ‘props’ are in React. Then, describe how they are used to pass data from one component to another. You can also mention that they are read-only and can’t be changed within the component that receives them. It would be beneficial to provide a simple example to demonstrate your explanation.

Example:
‘Props’ in React are short for properties. They are a way of passing data from parent components to child components. The data being passed can be any JS type, including numbers, strings, objects, arrays, and even functions. The key thing to remember about props is that they are read-only. This means that a child component cannot change the value received from the parent component. Here’s a simple example:

function Welcome(props) {
return

Hello, {props.name} }

In this example, the ‘Welcome’ component receives ‘props’ as an argument and uses it to display the name passed to it from the parent component.


How would you handle a situation where you have to manipulate the DOM frequently?

How to Answer:
The interviewer wants to know your problem-solving skills and your knowledge of performance optimization. Discuss how frequent DOM manipulations can affect performance and how you would mitigate that. Mention techniques like debouncing, batching changes or using virtual DOM.

Example:
Frequent DOM manipulations can be a performance bottleneck as they trigger reflows and repaints. To handle this, I would use techniques such as debouncing, where I would batch multiple changes and apply them at once to minimize the number of reflows. Another approach is to use a virtual DOM, like the one React uses. A virtual DOM allows us to make changes to a light-weight copy of the actual DOM and then efficiently reconcile those changes with the real DOM.


Can you explain how to use SVGs in HTML and why they might be preferred over other image formats?

How to Answer:
Discuss the way Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs) can be implemented directly into HTML code, and the benefits of using SVGs over other image formats. Highlight the fact that SVGs are resolution-independent and can scale to any size without losing quality, making them ideal for responsive design. Also, mention that SVGs can be manipulated using CSS and JavaScript, providing more flexibility and interactivity than other image formats.

Example:
Scalable Vector Graphics, or SVGs, are an XML-based vector image format for two-dimensional graphics. Unlike other image formats like JPEGs or PNGs, SVGs are resolution-independent and can be scaled to any size without losing quality, which makes them perfect for responsive design. SVGs can be implemented directly into the HTML document, allowing them to be styled with CSS and manipulated with JavaScript. This means that you can change the color, size, position, and more, of an SVG image using code, which provides a lot of flexibility and interactivity.


What is your approach to handling browser compatibility issues?

How to Answer:
In your answer, you should outline your approach to dealing with browser compatibility issues. This could include using tools and resources such as ‘Can I use’ and ‘Modernizr’, progressive enhancement, feature detection, and polyfills. Explain how you would use these in your work to ensure compatibility across different browsers. It would be beneficial to also provide examples from your past experiences where you have successfully tackled such issues.

Example:
In my previous projects, I have encountered various browser compatibility issues. My approach is always to start by identifying the issue and the browsers that are affected. I use resources such as ‘Can I use’ to check browser support for certain features. I practice progressive enhancement, which focuses on basic content first and then progressively adds more nuanced and browser-specific features later. If a feature is not supported by a certain browser, I use feature detection with Modernizr to provide a fallback or use a polyfill to emulate the missing features. For example, in one of my projects, I had to use CSS Grid which wasn’t fully supported in some versions of IE. I used Modernizr to detect this and provided a fallback layout using Flexbox.


What are CSS Preprocessors and why are they useful?

How to Answer:
The candidate should be able to explain what CSS Preprocessors are and their benefits. They should also be able to mention some examples of CSS Preprocessors. It will be a plus if they can talk about their experience using them in past projects.

Example:
CSS Preprocessors are scripting languages that extend the default capabilities of CSS. They enable us to use logic in our CSS code, such as variables, nesting, inheritance, mixins, functions, and mathematical operations, which can make our CSS more readable and easier to maintain. They are then compiled into regular CSS syntax that browsers can understand. Some examples of CSS Preprocessors are Sass, Less, and Stylus. In my previous projects, I have used Sass, which has made it easier for me to write reusable, maintainable and extensible code in CSS.


Can you explain what is a promise in JavaScript and how it works?

How to Answer:
You should start by explaining what a Promise is. Then, describe how it works, including its three states (pending, fulfilled, and rejected). Make sure to mention when and why you might use Promises, and provide an example to illustrate your explanation.

Example:
A Promise in JavaScript represents a value that may not be available yet but will be resolved or rejected at some point in the future. It’s an object that can return a value which we can handle using .then() and .catch() methods. A Promise can be in one of three states: pending (the Promise’s outcome hasn’t yet been determined), fulfilled (the operation completed successfully), or rejected (the operation failed). Promises are often used to handle asynchronous operations, like API calls, where we have to wait for a response. An example of a Promise could be a function that fetches data from an API and returns a Promise that resolves to the data if the fetch was successful or rejects with an error if it wasn’t.


Can you explain the concept of Virtual DOM in React and how it improves performance?

How to Answer:
The interviewer is looking for your understanding of the Virtual DOM in React and how it is used to improve performance. You should explain what Virtual DOM is, how it works, and why it is beneficial. It’s also important to provide examples to better illustrate your explanation.

Example:
Virtual DOM (VDOM) is a programming concept where an ideal, or “virtual”, representation of a UI is kept in memory and synced with the “real” DOM by a library such as ReactDOM. This process is called reconciliation. In React, when you render a JSX element, every single virtual DOM object gets updated. This sounds incredibly inefficient, but the cost is insignificant because the virtual DOM can update so quickly. When the virtual DOM gets updated, React compares the new virtual DOM with the old one and figures out what changes need to be made in the real DOM. This process of comparing the new virtual DOM with the old one is much faster than writing the new DOM. This is because writing on the virtual DOM in JavaScript is much faster than writing on the actual DOM. This ultimately improves the performance of the app and provides a better user experience.