Frontend Developer Resume Keywords: React, JavaScript & UI Skills

Frontend development changes faster than any other tech specialty. The keywords that worked two years ago might make you look outdated today.

I've reviewed hundreds of frontend resumes. The pattern is clear: developers who use modern, specific keywords get callbacks. Those listing "HTML, CSS, JavaScript" without context get ignored.

Here's the complete keyword guide for frontend developers in 2026. For the complete system on writing high-impact resume bullets with metrics, see our Professional Impact Dictionary.

Core Languages

JavaScript Ecosystem

• JavaScript (ES6+)
• TypeScript
• ES2024 features
• ECMAScript modules
• Async/await
• Promises

Markup & Styling

• HTML5
• Semantic HTML
• CSS3
• CSS Grid
• Flexbox
• CSS custom properties (variables)
• CSS animations
• Media queries
• Responsive design

Pro tip: TypeScript is no longer optional for most roles. If you only list JavaScript, you're competing with fewer opportunities.

Frontend Frameworks

React Ecosystem

• React
• React.js
• React 18+
• React Hooks
• Context API
• React Server Components
• Suspense
• Concurrent rendering

React Meta-Frameworks

• Next.js
• Remix
• Gatsby
• Astro

Vue Ecosystem

• Vue.js
• Vue 3
• Composition API
• Options API
• Pinia
• Vuex
• Nuxt.js

Angular Ecosystem

• Angular
• Angular 17+
• RxJS
• NgRx
• Angular Material
• Angular CLI

Other Frameworks

• Svelte
• SvelteKit
• Solid.js
• Qwik
• Preact
• Lit

State Management

React State

• Redux
• Redux Toolkit
• Zustand
• Jotai
• Recoil
• MobX
• React Query / TanStack Query
• SWR

General State

• State machines
• XState
• Finite state machines
• Global state
• Local state
• Server state

CSS & Styling

CSS Frameworks

• Tailwind CSS
• Bootstrap
• Material UI
• Chakra UI
• Ant Design
• Radix UI
• shadcn/ui

CSS Architecture

• CSS Modules
• CSS-in-JS
• Styled Components
• Emotion
• Stitches
• Vanilla Extract
• BEM methodology
• SCSS/Sass
• Less
• PostCSS

Design Systems

• Design tokens
• Component libraries
• Storybook
• Design system maintenance
• Theme customization
• Dark mode implementation

Testing Keywords

Unit Testing

• Jest
• Vitest
• React Testing Library
• Vue Test Utils
• Testing Library
• Mocha
• Chai

End-to-End Testing

• Cypress
• Playwright
• Selenium
• WebdriverIO
• Puppeteer
• TestCafe

Testing Concepts

• Test-driven development (TDD)
• Behavior-driven development (BDD)
• Unit tests
• Integration tests
• E2E tests
• Snapshot testing
• Visual regression testing
• Accessibility testing
• Code coverage

Build Tools & Bundlers

Modern Bundlers

• Vite
• Webpack
• esbuild
• Rollup
• Parcel
• Turbopack

Package Managers

• npm
• yarn
• pnpm
• Bun

Build Concepts

• Module bundling
• Code splitting
• Tree shaking
• Hot module replacement (HMR)
• Minification
• Source maps
• Build optimization

Performance Keywords

Core Web Vitals

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
• First Input Delay (FID)
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
• Interaction to Next Paint (INP)
• Time to First Byte (TTFB)
• First Contentful Paint (FCP)

Performance Techniques

• Lazy loading
• Code splitting
• Image optimization
• Bundle analysis
• Caching strategies
• Service workers
• Performance profiling
• Lighthouse audits
• Web performance optimization

Rendering Strategies

• Server-side rendering (SSR)
• Static site generation (SSG)
• Incremental static regeneration (ISR)
• Client-side rendering (CSR)
• Hydration
• Streaming SSR

API & Data Fetching

API Concepts

• REST APIs
• GraphQL
• Apollo Client
• urql
• Fetch API
• Axios
• API integration
• WebSockets
• Server-Sent Events
• Real-time data

Data Management

• Data fetching
• Caching
• Optimistic updates
• Pagination
• Infinite scroll
• Error handling
• Loading states

Accessibility Keywords

Core Accessibility

• Web accessibility
• WCAG 2.1
• WCAG 2.2
• ARIA
• Screen reader support
• Keyboard navigation
• Focus management
• Semantic HTML
• A11y testing

Accessibility Tools

• axe DevTools
• WAVE
• Lighthouse accessibility
• VoiceOver
• NVDA
• JAWS

Developer Tools & Workflow

Version Control

• Git
• GitHub
• GitLab
• Bitbucket
• Pull requests
• Code review
• Branch management

Development Tools

• VS Code
• Chrome DevTools
• React DevTools
• Vue DevTools
• Debugging
• ESLint
• Prettier
• Husky
• lint-staged

CI/CD

• GitHub Actions
• GitLab CI
• CircleCI
• Jenkins
• Vercel
• Netlify
• AWS Amplify
• Cloudflare Pages

Action Verbs for Frontend Developers

For Building

• Developed
• Built
• Implemented
• Created
• Designed
• Architected
• Constructed
• Engineered

For Improving

• Optimized
• Enhanced
• Improved
• Refactored
• Modernized
• Upgraded
• Streamlined
• Accelerated

For UI/UX Work

• Designed
• Styled
• Animated
• Prototyped
• Implemented
• Translated (designs to code)
• Pixel-perfect implementation

For Collaboration

• Collaborated
• Partnered
• Integrated
• Aligned
• Coordinated
• Communicated
• Documented
• Reviewed

Keywords by Experience Level

Junior Frontend (0-2 years)

Focus on:

• HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript
• One framework (React or Vue)
• Responsive design
• Git basics
• Basic testing

Example keywords: JavaScript, React, HTML5, CSS3, responsive design, Git, REST APIs, npm, Bootstrap/Tailwind

Mid-Level Frontend (3-5 years)

Add:

• TypeScript
• State management
• Testing (unit + E2E)
• Performance optimization
• CI/CD basics
• Accessibility awareness

Example keywords: TypeScript, React hooks, Redux/Zustand, Jest, Cypress, performance optimization, CI/CD, code review, responsive design, accessibility

Senior Frontend (6-10 years)

Add:

• Architecture decisions
• Design systems
• Technical leadership
• Mentorship
• Performance audits
• Build pipeline optimization

Example keywords: Frontend architecture, design systems, technical leadership, performance optimization, Webpack/Vite configuration, mentorship, cross-team collaboration, accessibility audits

Staff/Principal Frontend (10+ years)

Add:

• Frontend platform strategy
• Micro-frontends
• Build infrastructure
• Engineering standards
• Cross-org alignment

Example keywords: Frontend platform, micro-frontends, engineering standards, technical strategy, build infrastructure, cross-organizational alignment, developer experience

Soft Skills for Frontend Developers

Design Collaboration

• Designer collaboration
• Design handoff
• Figma
• Design reviews
• UI/UX feedback
• Design system contribution

Communication

• Technical documentation
• Component documentation
• API documentation
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Stakeholder communication
• User empathy

Problem-Solving

• Debugging
• Browser compatibility
• Cross-browser testing
• Device testing
• Edge case handling
• Performance troubleshooting

Framework-Specific Keywords

If Applying for React Roles

Prioritize:

• React 18+
• React Hooks
• Next.js / Remix
• React Query / TanStack Query
• Redux Toolkit or Zustand
• React Testing Library
• React Server Components

If Applying for Vue Roles

Prioritize:

• Vue 3
• Composition API
• Nuxt 3
• Pinia
• Vue Router
• Vue Test Utils
• Vite

If Applying for Angular Roles

Prioritize:

• Angular 17+
• RxJS
• NgRx
• Angular CLI
• Angular Material
• Jasmine/Karma
• TypeScript (advanced)

Quick Reference: Top 50 Frontend Keywords

1. JavaScript
2. TypeScript
3. React
4. Vue.js
5. Angular
6. Next.js
7. HTML5
8. CSS3
9. Tailwind CSS
10. Responsive design
11. REST APIs
12. GraphQL
13. Git
14. npm/yarn
15. Webpack/Vite
16. Jest
17. Cypress
18. React Testing Library
19. Redux/Zustand
20. React Hooks
21. CSS Modules
22. Styled Components
23. Sass/SCSS
24. Flexbox
25. CSS Grid
26. Accessibility (a11y)
27. WCAG
28. Performance optimization
29. Core Web Vitals
30. Lazy loading
31. Code splitting
32. SSR/SSG
33. Storybook
34. Design systems
35. Figma
36. CI/CD
37. GitHub Actions
38. Code review
39. Debugging
40. Chrome DevTools
41. ESLint
42. Prettier
43. Cross-browser testing
44. Mobile-first design
45. Progressive Web Apps (PWA)
46. Service workers
47. WebSockets
48. Animation
49. Micro-frontends
50. Component architecture

Keyword Optimization Strategy

Match Job Description Exactly

If they say "React.js" write "React.js" not "ReactJS" or "React" If they mention "Tailwind CSS" don't just write "CSS frameworks"

Show Framework Depth

Weak: "Experience with React"

Strong: "Built React 18 application using hooks, Context API, and React Query, with 95% test coverage using Jest and React Testing Library"

Quantify Performance Work

Weak: "Improved website performance"

Strong: "Optimized Core Web Vitals: reduced LCP from 4.2s to 1.8s, achieving 95+ Lighthouse performance score"

Balance Technical and Impact

Include both technical keywords AND business outcomes:

• "Reduced page load time by 60%, improving conversion rate by 12%"
• "Built component library used by 15 developers across 3 products"

Next Steps

For full examples and formatting tips, see our Frontend Developer Resume Guide.

Keywords get your resume past ATS, but showing real impact gets you hired. Use these keywords strategically—always with context and metrics.