The many different kinds of frontend engineers
I.e. Understanding others and differentiating yourself
I recently had a conversation with a UX designer on the different kinds of designers there are. For example, there are designers that specialize in user research and usability testing, those who excel at interaction design and information architecture, and those who bridge the gap between design and development with UI design and prototyping skills. Some designers are visually oriented, focusing on aesthetics and brand identity, while others are more analytical, using data to inform their design decisions.
Even as a frontend engineer who’s worked with designers throughout my career, I’ve never had that realization until it was told right to my face. Then it made me reflect more on the different kinds of software engineers, and why personally, I’ve enjoyed some jobs and not others.
The Spectrum of Frontend Engineers
In my years working in tech, I’ve noticed that frontend engineers tend to fall into several distinct categories, each bringing unique strengths to a software company.
The Code Artisans
Some frontend engineers are more focused on the technology and are motivated by challenging projects from a technical perspective. These engineers thrive when building algorithmically challenging features that push the boundaries of what’s possible in the browser.
They’re the ones who get excited about:
- Optimizing render performance for complex visualizations
- Implementing sophisticated state management solutions
- Building component libraries or frameworks that scale across an entire organization
These engineers often have deep knowledge of JavaScript internals, browser rendering engines, and framework architecture. They’re constantly exploring new tools and techniques, always looking to deepen their craft.
The Foundations Enthusiasts
Some frontend engineers enjoy designing systems that can evolve over time. These engineers don’t work on individual product features, and are more focused on creating a sustainable technical foundation.
Their priorities usually include:
- Establishing coding standards and best practices
- Creating scalable frontend architectures
- Managing technical debt proactively
- Implementing CI/CD pipelines and developer tooling
System architects enjoy making critical decisions about technology adoption and migration strategies. For example, they might lead an organization’s effort of migrating their entire frontend from Javascript to Typescript.
The User-Centered Iterators
On the other end of the spectrum are frontend engineers who are more into understanding user engagement and do data-informed iterations on the product itself. These engineers find fulfillment in seeing how their work directly impacts user behavior and business metrics.
Their focus typically includes:
- A/B testing different implementations to optimize conversion
- Collaborating closely with product and design on user research findings
- Instrumenting detailed analytics to understand user journeys
These engineers often speak the language of both product managers and designers fluently and are just as detail-oriented about visual design and user experience as their colleagues in design and product.
Different Approaches to the Same Problem
One example of what sets these different types of frontend engineers apart is how they can approach the same problem with entirely different mindsets. Consider a common scenario: users are complaining about slow loading times on a key feature, growing impatient when they see a spinner for too long.
The Code Artisan’s Approach
“How do we reduce the objective loading time?”
The Code Artisan’s instinct would be to jump into technical solutions. For example, using profilers to find inefficient code paths and rewrite inefficient logic. Their mind goes to:
- Analyzing render performance with Chrome DevTools
- Identifying unnecessary re-renders in React components
- Optimizing network waterfalls and reducing request overhead
- Implementing more efficient data structures for state management
Their focus is on measurable performance improvements — reducing time to interactive by milliseconds and optimizing every part of the request-response cycle.
The User-Centered Iterator’s Approach
“What can we do to make the experience more delightful despite the loading time?”
Rather than immediately tackling the technical challenge (which might be complex and time-consuming), they might propose:
- Replacing the generic spinner with a branded loading animation that tells a story
- Implementing a skeleton UI that gives users visual cues about the content that’s loading
Their solutions focus on perception and user psychology, potentially delivering immediate user satisfaction while the deeper technical issues are being addressed.
The Foundations Enthusiast’s Approach
“How do we build a system that alleviates this problem in the long run?”
They might suggest:
- Implementing code splitting to load only what’s needed for each page
- Setting up lazy loading patterns for images and non-critical components
- Establishing strict bundle size budgets for each feature area
Conclusion: Finding Your Engineering Identity
Understanding these different engineering archetypes can be incredibly valuable, both for individual engineers and for the teams they build together. For individual engineers, recognizing your natural inclinations can help guide your career development, identify roles where you’ll thrive, and explain why certain projects energize you while others drain your motivation.
A team composed entirely of Code Artisans might build technically impressive products that fail to engage users emotionally. Conversely, a team of only User-Centered Iterators might create delightful experiences built on technical foundations that won’t scale.
These archetypes aren’t rigid boxes but points on a spectrum. Most of us blend elements from different types, and we may shift our approach depending on the specific challenges we’re facing. The goal isn’t to pigeonhole yourself or others, but to develop greater self-awareness about your natural tendencies and greater appreciation for those with different perspectives.
