"This requirement is very simple, I don't care how you implement it" — On the Fate of Frontend Development

Classic Quotes from Stakeholders

"This requirement is very simple, I don't care how it's implemented"—this phrase has almost become the most familiar nightmare for frontend developers. Behind the product manager's casual remark often lies countless technical pitfalls and logic black holes. When stakeholders say "simple," it usually means they neither understand the technical complexity nor care about the implementation path.

The Complexity Behind Surface-Level Simplicity

A classic example: "Just add a drag-and-drop sorting feature." It sounds straightforward, but in reality, you need to consider:

// A seemingly simple drag-and-drop implementation  
const draggable = document.getElementById('draggable');  
draggable.addEventListener('dragstart', (e) => {  
  e.dataTransfer.setData('text/plain', draggable.id);  
});  

// But in reality, you need to account for:  
// 1. Touch device compatibility  
// 2. Visual feedback during dragging  
// 3. Boundary handling  
// 4. Conflicts with other interactions  
// 5. Performance optimization  
// 6. Accessibility  

The Hell of Browser Compatibility

"It works fine in Chrome, right?"—When stakeholders see a perfect result in the latest browser, they don’t consider:

• Flexbox issues in IE11
• CSS variable support differences in Safari
• Event handling discrepancies in mobile browsers
• JavaScript performance on older Android devices

/* A simple CSS Grid layout */  
.container {  
  display: grid;  
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(200px, 1fr));  
}  

/* Fallback for older browsers */  
.container {  
  display: -ms-grid;  
  -ms-grid-columns: 1fr 1fr 1fr;  
}  

The Hidden Costs of Product Logic

"Just like Taobao's shopping cart feature"—This type of analogy is often the most dangerous. Behind seemingly similar features lie:

1. Discount calculation rules (stacked coupons, member discounts, bulk discounts)
2. Real-time inventory validation
3. Handling multi-variant products
4. Local cache and server synchronization
5. Process for handling invalid items

// Example shopping cart price calculation  
function calculateCart(cart) {  
  return cart.items.reduce((total, item) => {  
    const originalPrice = item.price * item.quantity;  
    const discount = Math.max(  
      item.couponDiscount || 0,  
      item.memberDiscount || 0,  
      item.promotionDiscount || 0  
    );  
    return total + (originalPrice - discount);  
  }, 0);  
}  
// This doesn’t even account for discount stacking rules, tax calculations, etc.  

The Pixel-Perfect Trap in Design Mockups

"Just follow the design mockup"—But the mockup won’t tell you:

• How to handle text overflow
• Layout adaptation for dynamic content lengths
• Typography differences in multilingual contexts
• Breakpoint behavior across screen sizes
• Fallback solutions for failed image loads

/* The designer’s perfect layout */  
.card {  
  width: 300px;  
  height: 400px;  
}  

/* What’s actually needed */  
.card {  
  min-width: 300px;  
  max-width: 100%;  
  height: auto;  
  min-height: 400px;  
}  

Balancing Performance and User Experience

"Implement the functionality first, optimize performance later"—But in reality:

1. Delayed lazy loading of images hurts first-screen performance
2. Improper event binding leads to memory leaks
3. Heavy initial loading affects SEO
4. Complex DOM operations cause layout thrashing

// A naive infinite scroll implementation  
window.addEventListener('scroll', () => {  
  if (window.scrollY + window.innerHeight >= document.body.scrollHeight) {  
    loadMoreItems();  
  }  
});  

// What’s actually needed:  
// 1. Throttling  
// 2. Canceling pending requests  
// 3. Loading state indicators  
// 4. Error handling  
// 5. Handling edge cases like screen rotation  

The Unreliability of Backend APIs

"The API is what it is, handle it on the frontend"—Common issues include:

• Inconsistent date formats (string/timestamp/ISO mixed)
• Null values returned as null/undefined/""/0 inconsistently
• Non-standard pagination parameters
• Chaotic error code systems
• Outdated documentation mismatching actual APIs

// Ideal API response  
{  
  data: [...],  
  pagination: {  
    current: 1,  
    total: 10,  
    pageSize: 20  
  }  
}  

// What you might actually get  
{  
  list: [...],  
  current_page: 1,  
  total_page: 10,  
  size: 20,  
  success: true,  
  code: 200  
}  

The Growing Complexity of State Management

"Just store it locally for now, add state management later"—But as the app scales:

1. Shared state between components becomes chaotic
2. Asynchronous operations are hard to track
3. Time-travel debugging is impossible
4. Server-state and client-state conflicts arise
5. State persistence requirements emerge

// Starting with simple useState  
const [user, setUser] = useState(null);  

// Gradually evolving into  
const { data, error, isLoading } = useQuery('user', fetchUser);  
const [localPreferences, setLocalPreferences] = useLocalStorage('prefs', {});  
const globalState = useContext(AppContext);  

Ever-Changing Requirements

"This is the last small change"—But frontend developers know:

1. The ripple effects are unpredictable
2. Existing code may need refactoring
3. Test cases require updates
4. Documentation must be synced
5. Build configurations might be affected

// Initial requirement: Display basic user info  
function UserProfile({ name, email }) {  
  return <div>{name} ({email})</div>;  
}  

// After N iterations:  
function UserProfile({  
  user,  
  onEdit,  
  isEditable,  
  socialLinks,  
  verificationStatus,  
  // ...15 other props  
}) {  
  // Complex state logic and conditional rendering  
}  

The Self-Cultivation of Frontend Engineers

Facing these challenges, mature frontend developers will:

1. Learn to translate vague requirements into technical solutions
2. Establish effective communication mechanisms
3. Leave room for extension in code
4. Insist on writing testable code
5. Build their own toolchains and best practices

// From passive implementation to proactive solution design  
// Poor implementation  
function handleInputChange(e) {  
  setValue(e.target.value);  
}  

// Better implementation  
function createInputHandler(field) {  
  return function(e) {  
    setFormData(prev => ({  
      ...prev,  
      [field]: sanitizeInput(e.target.value)  
    }));  
  };  
}  

The Accumulation and Repayment of Technical Debt

Every "simple requirement" can generate technical debt:

1. Temporary hacks become permanent solutions
2. Outdated dependencies become hard to upgrade
3. Performance issues snowball
4. Architecture becomes unfit for new requirements
5. Knowledge gaps emerge in the team

# Typical package.json evolution  
"dependencies": {  
  "react": "^16.8.0",  # Locked three years ago  
  "legacy-package": "1.0.2",  # No one dares to touch  
  "unmaintained-lib": "0.12.1"  # Author has vanished  
}  

The Modern Dilemma of Frontend Development

Under rapid iteration pressure, frontend developers also face:

1. Continuous updates to the tech stack
2. Increasingly complex toolchains
3. Multi-platform adaptation needs
4. Higher security requirements
5. Rising user experience standards

// Startup scripts for modern frontend projects have become complex  
"scripts": {  
  "dev": "cross-env NODE_ENV=development webpack serve --config webpack.dev.js",  
  "build": "run-s clean build:*",  
  "build:prod": "cross-env NODE_ENV=production webpack --config webpack.prod.js",  
  "test": "jest --coverage",  
  "lint": "eslint . --ext .js,.jsx,.ts,.tsx",  
  "cy:run": "cypress run"  
}  

From Implementer to Problem Solver

Great frontend developers eventually transcend simple requirement implementation:

1. Anticipate product evolution directions
2. Design scalable architectures
3. Establish quality assurance systems
4. Optimize team collaboration workflows
5. Balance business needs with technical rationality

// Example technical proposal document  
## Modal Component Design Proposal  

### Requirements Background  
- Support for multiple content types  
- Good accessibility  
- Integration with existing state management  

### Technical Selection  
1. Implement using React Portals  
2. Support keyboard navigation  
3. Use CSS transitions for animations  

### Considerations  
- z-index management  
- Scroll locking  
- Handling stacked modals