Javascript Developer Job Description: Roles and Duties

For decades, businesses have sought the expertise of JavaScript professionals to help them to build reliable software for web applications.

Due to it being a powerful tool for software development, and in spite of the increasing competition that it faces, JavaScript remains in high demand, and with it, the JavaScript developers that use it.

In this post, we will examine what JavaScript developers do and how you can find a great one for your project.

Understanding the Purpose of JavaScript

Before we dive into the role filled by JavaScript developers in an organization along with their corresponding responsibilities, it’s important to touch a bit on JavaScript in software development.

Firstly, it is important to state that JavaScript was born out of a necessity for adaptability in software.

As computer programming continued to develop, more complex approaches to website building began to be required. As a result, it was crucial to develop a programming language that would fill this need.

It is upon this premise that JavaScript was born.

It initially served as a programming language that provided developers with an easy-to-use syntax along with a set of functions that allow them to easily create animations, interactive content, and so on.

Needless to say, businesses soon saw the value it brought in creating software product development, particularly as a powerful tool to aid in the creation of innovative and attractive user experiences.

As mentioned previously, JavaScript can be used to animate and move objects on the screen when a user interacts with it or uses certain mouse movements. In this sense, it is heavily incorporated into the development of websites, increasingly so since its adoption by Google for their YouTube video player.

Differentiating Between JavaScript vs Java

To clearly set the parameters of the role that a JavaScript developer fulfills, it is also important to differentiate between two often confused terms in software development: JavaScript and Java respectively.

Some business leaders believe that Java is simply a shortened form for the word ‘JavaScript’.

This is not the case. The JavaScript programming language was created by Brendan Eich, a software engineer who also created Java.

However, while the creator may be the same, they do not serve the same purpose.

Java is a standalone compiling language that is executed within Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

This means that Java programs can operate on any platform. For that reason, it is used to develop software for the web, mobile apps, and desktop applications.

The key difference is that Java cannot run in browsers but needs an applet or plugin (or virtual machine) in order to execute code on the Web.

JavaScript was designed for use within a browser environment. This is why it is often used to develop web applications. JavaScript is also an object-based programming language. This means that it uses classes and objects to define the structure of a program’s data types, its behavior, and all its possible interactions with other programs. This allows programmers to create their libraries of pre-written code pieces known as JavaScript functions or modules to avoid repeating themselves.

The Role of a JavaScript Developer

Having laid the foundation for the dimensions of JavaScript as a programming language, let us now turn our attention to the role that a JavaScript developer fulfills within an organization.

Generally speaking, a JavaScript developer is responsible for developing, testing, and debugging the code by which powers a website.

The Responsibilities of a JavaScript Developer

The duties that a JavaScript developer is also expected to carry out also differ based on the specificities of their role and the needs of the software product.

However, generally speaking, there are a series of responsibilities that most JavaScript developers share. These include:

• Design and develop websites or apps: While there are some exceptions, the primary task of a JavaScript developer is to design and develop web applications for clients. This includes everything from HTML, CSS, JSX (or other frameworks), code validation testing, cross-browser compatibility issues, and more.
• Collaborate effectively on team projects: In addition to participating in the design and development process, a JavaScript developer is also expected to work effectively and effectively within and across teams. This entails facilitating proper communication with other team members about all areas that affect coding and product development processes.
• Participate in the agile software methodology: In order to tackle product development projects, many project managers apply the agile framework. JavaScript developers are expected to follow suit by working in short iterations and providing rapid feedback on their code.
• Create high-quality code: JavaScript developers have an important responsibility for maintaining a high degree of software quality across products. This includes tasks such as testing new JavaScript features, providing bug fixes where necessary, conducting performance monitoring, as well as evaluating their findings. The JavaScript developer then includes their findings in reports that are handed out to stakeholders.

The Salary of a JavaScript Developer

Having broken down both the possible roles and responsibilities of a JavaScript developer, we now turn our attention to the salary range that these professionals enjoy.

According to information shared by PayScale accessed in June 2021, in the United States, the average JavaScript developer salary is $84,134 per year.

Several factors determine the exact salary given to developers. For instance, the location of the developer can have a major impact on your wage. In California for example, JavaScript developers typically earn higher than those who reside in Washington DC.

This is because, on one hand, California is seen as a tech hub thanks to the presence of Silicon Valley. On the other hand, California is a more expensive state.

However, there are more factors that also condition the salary that is offered to a JavaScript developer, with experience being one of them. The more experienced a JavaScript developer is, the more likely a company is willing to invest in higher compensation offers.

That said, it is not uncommon for JavaScript developers hired by a startup to be paid less than what a well-established company can afford. In such a case, the developer may choose to work for less due to the nature or challenge of the project, etc.

When Should Businesses Pay More for JavaScript Developers

While it is true that there are more JavaScript developers than there were five years ago, the reality is that not all of them have the right balance of experience and knowledge to tackle certain projects successfully.

Consequently, despite the rise in numbers, expert JavaScript developers with the right know-how and abilities will always stand out. For this reason, it is logical that their knowledge, expertise, and experience require higher compensation than those JavaScript developers that are less experienced.

As a business, this is a wise investment since you’ll be able to attract the more skilled candidates and incentivize them in the best way.

Deciding Where to Hire Expert JavaScript Developer

We cannot overstate how important it is to your software product’s success to partner with a top-level, reputable JavaScript developer.

In doing so, particular attention should be paid to the type of profile of the candidate you hire.

While their technical skills and academic background are important, by no means should they be the only factors you use during the candidate evaluating process. As indicated previously, emphasis should also be placed on the experience and their type of project management experience, i.e. agile, scrum, etc., as those will also be important in ensuring that your project runs smoothly without any hiccups.

Having said that, some businesses may feel that the most logical place to begin their search for a JavaScript developer is via a freelance platform or job board. However, while this may be a standard practice in software development onboarding, it may very well signal the end of all hopes you have for your project’s success.

Here’s why.

The Challenges of Freelance Platforms & Job Boards

The reality is that freelance platforms and job boards alike are cluttered with scammers who misrepresent their portfolio and credentials in order to lure businesses in but fail to deliver.

To be more concrete, they may lie about their experience, claiming that they have worked on a higher number of software projects than they have actually done in reality. What’s more, they may also falsify their qualifications, claiming that they have a series of academic certificates that may not be true.

While businesses may feel that they can rely on some sort of digital proof, it is common for some freelancers to misrepresent certificates. For that reason, there will always be a significant margin of risk.

The reality is that the candidates who use these online spaces do not go through any type of assessment before joining the platform to have their purported skills, qualifications, or experience validated.

Consequently, some businesses may end up collaborating with a freelance JavaScript developer who misrepresents themselves, thus setting up the potential for a disastrous professional partnership. This recruiting challenge leads to a loss in time, money, resources, and energy, all of which businesses should do their best to avoid.

Granted, there are some legitimate professionals who do use these platforms. However, the time it takes to sift through all the illegitimate service providers to find the true professionals is so taxing that it may cause a setback in your business operations.

In short, the risks of using a freelance platform or job board far outweigh the benefits.

Where to Hire Java Developers

As opposed to using a freelance platform or job board that forces businesses to assume unnecessary risks, scouting for talent via a vetted community of software developers will remove most of your recruiting trouble.

A vetted community platform evaluates, assesses, and scrutinizes all its members before they are granted membership. This includes subjecting them to an in-depth vetting process where their expertise, portfolio, qualifications, and experience are all validated to gauge the legitimacy of their professionalism.

This type of community is perfect for businesses looking to partner with professional JavaScript developers since you will be partnering with a true expert in the field and not someone misrepresenting their suitability for the role.

DevTeam.Space is an example of a vetted community of software developers that you can reach out to in order to quickly source talent for your JavaScript project.

All of the software developers who form part of their community are qualified professionals who have a proven track record of excellence in the industries they specialize in. DevTeam.Space validates all the qualifications and experience of its members before they are allowed to join. This is how they are able to guarantee quality.

With a DevTeam.Space-approved JavaScript developers, businesses sidestep the typical challenges associated with onboarding software engineers online by partnering directly with the real pros.

Recruit An Expert JavaScript Developer Today

To guarantee the success of a JavaScript project, you need top-notch developers who have the right mix of technical and soft skills.

Chances are, you won’t find them on a freelance platform or job board.

Instead, a specially-vetted community like DevTeam.Space is the perfect place to source talented, legitimate professionals.

To learn more about their process, take a minute to complete their project questionnaire.

Once you do, one of their account managers will reach out to you as soon as possible to provide you with additional information.