DrupalCon Amsterdam is less than one month away! I'm excited to meet up with all the Frontend developers who are coming to learn new things from each other.

Ruben and I have worked really hard as chairs of the Frontend track. We defined the track theme Futuristic Tools and Techniques. We aimed to select the right sessions with the best variety and balance that also flow together into one cohesive track.

The State of Frontend

We wanted to kick off the track with a big keynote-style history lesson and insight into the future of Frontend development. Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the ever-changing evolution of front-end development? Me to. After David and Brian's excellent session at DrupalCon Austin, My brain is Full, we really wanted them to continue that theme and aim for something bigger.

David and Brian are also working really hard to create an introduction to the entire track, pointing signposts towards other sessions in that track that can fill in more in-depth knowledge about particular subjects. I would encourage everyone with an interest in Frontend development to attend the session if only to better understand which sessions in the Frontend track are right for them.

We also have a few session that compliment and feed in to each other. Here are a few sessions we think work really well together.

Managing Complex Projects with Design Components & Layout Design Patterns & GSS - The CSS Layout System that's 2 Generations Ahead

John Albin led the initiative to bring OOCSS-style CSS standards into Drupal 8, so I'm inclined to say he knows a thing or two in this area. Managing Complex Projects With Design Components, is a great introduction to to whys, hows, and gotchas of writing better CSS.

After you know your component variants from your component modifiers (spoilers!), you can take a really deep dive into another color of the SMACSS rainbow with Layout Design Patterns. I really like the structure of this walk, that covers the foundations of CSS layouts, grid systems, and implementation in Drupal.

You think you know layouts? Maybe you think flexbox is cool? Prepare to get your *mind blown* by Alan Burke in GSS - The CSS Layout System that's 2 Generations Ahead. A grid system that is unlike any other.

*I've been informed that the Drupal Association™ does not encourage nor condone the projection or discharge of any grey matter. Goggles are not provided and any stain susceptible clothing is worn at the attendees own risk.

Getting a Clue at the Command Line & Automated Frontend Testing

As a designer/front-end dev, I've never had a formal education on the command line, it's always been something I've picked up as I've needed it. It used to scare me. I'm so happy Emma Jane is talking on the command line in Getting a CLUE at the Command Line in the same vein as her introduction to Git at DrupalCon Prague last year. The command line is an immensely powerful and productive tool and I'm looking forward to picking up a few tips.

Now that you no longer fear the command line, you'll definitely be better equipped to take in Chris's session Automated Frontend Testing. He's already told me that he won't hold back, and I know he has little fear for live demos. This session is going to be jam packed with useful information on how to keep your Frontend looking good and loading fast, using some automated scripts.

We also have some great sessions on some really focused areas. I can't imagine walking out of any of these sessions without my brain sparkling with new knowledge and ideas.

Getting Content to a Phone in less than 1000ms

1000ms. The holy grail of performance. Can it be done? Or is it just fantasy?

I'm really glad Ian submitted this talk. It's great to have a performance talk with a focused goal. Performance is still as important as ever.

The future of Drupal and CSS

HTML5 and CSS3 is so last decade. No one wants your border radius any more. If you hate the idea of trawling through W3C specifications then this is a good talk for you. Preston presents another forward facing talk that we can also make use of today, a nice roundup of where browser technology is heading.

If you love the idea of trawling through W3C specifications then I can't help you.

Building Modern Web Applications with Ember.js and Headless Drupal

Ember.js is an excellent framework with a vibrant community. There are many frameworks out there and Ember.js is only one of them, but we felt it's important for DrupalCon to be introducing new perspectives and ideas. I'm really glad Mikkel is covering both sides of an Ember.js project using Drupal 7 or 8.

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Lewis Nyman (LewisNyman)
DrupalCon Amsterdam Frontend Track Chair