Find the best d3.js jobs

What does a D3.js developer do?

The JavaScript language is the engine of D3.js. So, proficiency in JavaScript would be the baseline for working on D3.js. In addition, if you understand the Document Object Model (DOM) and how to handle manipulations, D3.js would be a great addition to your web development skill set. Add familiarity with HTML and CSS, and the D3.js developer wiki should help you get started in no time.

D3.js is primarily a data-driven front-end development framework. So the activities you would end up owning would be mainly at the intersection of data wrangling, visual rendering, and fixing interactivity issues for different browsers. In addition, understanding the different visualization approaches for other datasets can accelerate your learning curve and help you prepare for taking up D3.js development tasks and issues.

As a result, expect a typical day in your life as a D3.js developer to revolve around these activities:

Analyzing and handling large data sets

D3.js is widely used in use cases where the data sets could be complex and in multiple formats. Of course, most modern sites would allow you to handle data in JSON or XML-based formats, but a general understanding of how your dataset is structured would be very beneficial.

Visualizing data for clear decision making

Your ability to use D3.js would rely on what your website audience is looking for in the data and be able to visualize that to help them make decisions on the data. Therefore, understanding which data visualization techniques work well depending on your data set and the audience would be crucial for you as a developer to impact the website performance.

Troubleshooting interaction issues

D3.js supports most modern web browsers, but not all of your visitors on your client's website might have the most current version. In addition, understanding how to troubleshoot data and charting render issues for your website would consume substantial time and effort in your role, so understanding how to investigate D3.js and JavaScript issues can be a significant portion of your time and effort.

What skills do I need to become a D3.js developer?

D3.js has a supportive developer community, thanks partly to the Observable platform that Mike Bostock and his team nurtured. As a result, the support and resources for D3.js have consistently brought many new adopters into the fold. In addition, the official D3.js and Observable community portals have an excellent tutorial bundle to start using notebook functionality with D3.js.

To add to the stellar community support, the D3.js and Observable platforms also have a formal set of ambassadors who help and promote the communities and platform updates widely online, with an option to apply and bring in more D3.js experts.

These ambassadors are a unique aspect of D3.js and have helped differentiate the D3.js framework from its competition through the years. Last, if you still need help through a self-paced course from an expert, courses like Full Stack D3 should help you get started in no time.

As mentioned above, due to D3.js being a data visualization framework, your set of skills in the D3.js development discipline would be:

• Understanding how data sets are structured
• Working knowledge of HTML/ CSS and experience in at least one JavaScript framework
• Understanding data visualization techniques and charting best practices

In addition, these overall technical skills would give your profile a differentiated edge:

• Understanding how unit tests and automation work
• Knowledge of git-based version control
• Attention to detail on visual web elements and design
• Knowledge of React or TypeScript frameworks

What are the core D3.js developer responsibilities?

Expect these responsibilities in a D3.js programmer job description:

• Working experience in data handling and visualization
• Understanding how to troubleshoot UI interactions
• Handling complex issues around browser support
• Proficient in JavaScript, HTML, and CSS
• Prior knowledge of data-driven application development

Should I get a D3.js degree or certification?

The official D3.js developer portal does not provide any certification programs. Course platforms like Udemy and Course have offered course learning certificates, like Programming with D3.js. Getting a certificate in D3.js is not crucial. If you can contribute to the D3.js and Observable communities and show involvement on your Github profile, your portfolio will immediately stand out among other developers.