As a Front-end developer you'll work on the functionality of the app. You'll translate all those cool buttons, pictures and charts in code, make sure that UI elements bring the user to the right page, and that the data obtained from user-app interaction is saved and ready to be processed.
So do you really need to know UI and UX?
If you know the context in which the user will use the product, this is a big plus for you. For example, let's take accessibility - UX designer can omit some functionality, knowing UX Design, front-dev can suggest appropriate corrections, thanks to which the application becomes even more useful and functional.
Secondly, by knowing the basics of UX and UI, you develop your empathy. Development is development. The UI and UX itself is so wide that it is hard not to know the basics such as:
- Colors (psychology of colors)
- Grid systems
- Typography
- Contrast
UX is about People and Development is about Technology.
It is more important for front-end developer to possess technical skills rather than understanding the psychology of users. Front-end developer needs to be good at problem-solving. Sometimes fixing the bugs might take more than coding....
UX requires a deep understanding of the user and his psychology. You must know their needs, wants, behaviors, and the context in which they will use a product. The ability to empathize and understand the needs of users is critical for UX designers.
A right thing to increase your career?
Front End developer can build an amazing UI, but the main target of all companies' product is get more and more User Satisfaction. The UX is the important thing to make sure that product is useful for the user.
So very Front End developer should know UX to increase his career and knowledge so that he can move to the higher position.
The front end connects a human being to a computer application. As a developer, you understand the “computer application” part. You need to learn UX to understand the “human being” part.
When it comes to working with computer interfaces, there is a very gray area between form and function. As a designer, you are required to understand the medium in which you are designing. You have to understand which solutions are feasible for a frontend develop and which aren't.
As a frontend developer, you have to understand user experience best practices and design fundamentals to make strategically sound decisions. Developers are expected to be problem solvers. If you are building interfaces, you should also have a deep understanding of how people interact with them.
UX and Front-end are User-Centered
Both paths are oriented towards people, because we create digital products for them! The very ability to create applications available to users is worth learning UX. If a person with disabilities navigates the application without a problem, it is a sign that UX works :) I guess there is nothing better than this impression! If you are a front end developer you automatically hook on user experience by creating a friendly interface. It is a pity that so little is still said about accessibility! In my opinion, UX knowledge helps to understand the user even better. And if you understand the user, you identify with him to some extent. UX knowledge will help you create human-oriented solutions. Understanding is the key. Building a useful, friendly and simple interface becomes easier for you as a developer.
Useful, Easy, Pleasant
If we combine development and UX properly, we will come up with a useful solution that is easy to use and gives the user a pleasant experience!
If you want to create good interfaces, know at least the basics of UX. You expand your competences and make your work easier.
UX is improving how useful, easy, pleasant, marketable, or addictive it is to use a product.