At the forefront of web development are two essential domains – front-end development and back-end development – both playing a pivotal role in creating digital environments we interact with daily. Front-end development encompasses user interface design and interactivity of websites, while back-end development deals with operations management, server configuration, and database functionality. Understanding the fundamental differences between front-end and back-end development is integral to effectively navigating web development, so keep reading!
Front-End Development: What is it?
The front-end was built with a combination of technology like Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), JavaScript, and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).
Front-end developers create and build the elements of user experience on the website or app, such as menus, buttons, pages, hyperlinks, graphics, and more.
HTML
Hypertext Markup Language (or markup language) is at the foundation of a website, supplying the design and function.
The most current version was released in the latter half of 2017 and is referred to as HTML5.2.
The new version has additional tools targeted at web app developers and changes that improve interoperability.
CSS
Cascading style sheets provide developers with an incredibly flexible and precise method to design attractive web designs that are interactive and engaging.
JavaScript
This language based on events is great for creating dynamic elements for static HTML web pages.
It lets developers access different elements from the primary HTML page and be responsive to event-driven server events.
Front-end frameworks like Angular, Ember, Backbone, and React are popular.
They allow developers to keep up with the increasing demand for enterprise software without leaving out quality, thus getting their spot as the standard tools for development.
One of the biggest problems front-end developers face – – also known as the title “client-side development” is the fast changes in methods, tools, and techniques employed to build the user experience for apps and websites.
Creating a clear and user-friendly interface can be challenging because of the different screens on computers and mobile devices’ sizes and resolutions.
The situation gets even more complicated as it is considered that the Internet of Things (IoT) is thought of as.
The size of screens and the network connections present a greater variety of screen sizes and network connections. Therefore, developers must be aware of these issues when designing user interfaces.
What exactly is back-end development?
The back-end, also known as the server side, is comprised of the server, which transmits data upon request, the application that transmits it, and a database that organizes the data.
For instance, when browsing shoes on a site, users interact with the front end.
When they choose the product they wish to purchase, place it into the shopping cart and then approve the purchase. The transaction data is stored in the database, which is in the servers.
In the days following, when the customer checks what’s happening with their delivery, the server gathers relevant information, updates it with tracking information, and then displays it on the front end.
Back-end Tools
Back-end developers’ main concern is creating applications that will locate and transmit data to the front-end.
A lot of them utilize reliable databases for enterprise use, such as Oracle, Teradata, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, EnterpriseDB, and SAP Sybase ASE.
There are a variety of other popular databases, such as MySQL, NoSQL, and PostgreSQL.
Various frameworks and programming languages are used to program the application, including Ruby on Rails, Java C++/C/C# Python, and PHP.
In the past few years, Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) service providers are maturing into an alternative that’s viable. They’re especially helpful when designing mobile applications and working under the constraints of a strict schedule.
What is Full-Stack Development?
Development of front-end and back-end technology has become so specific that it’s now usual for a developer to specialize in just one.
In general, there are better solutions than developing full-stack by one programmer.
Sometimes, a custom software development firm has developers who are skilled in both areas, called full-stack developers.
They’re great team players since they can see the whole picture and offer ways to improve the efficiency of the process or eliminate obstacles that could slow down the process.
What is an isomorphic rendering?
Also known as universal rendering, isomorphic rendering is a brand-new technique that is used in modern web development. The concept for isomorphic rendering is rendering a web-based application created using the JavaScript framework, such as Angular, React, or Vue, on the server side when the page is first loaded and then on the client side afterward.
Furthermore, there is a third method of rendering, called pre-rendering, which renders the content at compilation time.
What site to render is a decision typically based on the kind of application as well as the demographics of the application and can differ from one team to the next and from business to business.
What is a front-end developer?
Once we’ve mastered the various website rendering techniques, it’s easy to comprehend front-end development as the process of creating websites and web applications that render on the client side.
Technologies utilized by front-end developers
Although there are many kinds of stacks and technologies, the majority of front-end web developers make use of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which are the most common foundations of the internet, as well as client-side frameworks, such as Angular, React, Stencil, and Vue.
It’s not all happening at the front end, however. Applications rendered on the client side still depend on APIs and services that are run by remote servers in the back-end or the cloud.
What kinds of jobs do front-end developers work in?
Web designer: A web designer, you’ve got it right, creates websites. The term “web” for designers is rather broad, however. A web designer might design websites using software such as Photoshop or Fireworks and never alter the code. However, in a different context, a web designer might create all the design and layout comps using Photoshop and be accountable for the creation of all HTML as well as CSS (and sometimes JavaScript) for the site to go with it.
The user interface (UI) designer The term “UI designer” refers to a visual designer and usually focuses on the design aspect. They are usually separate from the development of the design. However, they may have a basic understanding of HTML and CSS and can convey their ideas more effectively to front-end developers.
UX design: UX designers work in the front-end of websites, analyzing and analyzing how users use websites. They then make adjustments through lots of testing.
A front-end developer is also referred to as a front-end designer. They can design websites without back-end development. The site they design without a web designer or using the back-end is a static website.
A static website is like a restaurant or hair salon website. It doesn’t require any data to be saved in the database. The pages will likely remain identical until it’s time to change. Front-end developers may be required to be proficient in testing and knowledgeable about HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The person could or might not have any experience designing the layout in the design software.
Another variant of the name can be front-end engineer. Individuals proficient in specific front-end programming languages, such as JavaScript Developer, are referred to as front-end developers.
How do you define a developer for back-ends?
While front-end development is all about creating web applications and sites that render on the client’s side, back-end development is about rendering these applications server-side; however, it’s more complicated than front-end development.
While the above statement is true, back-end developers create services that handle business logic and connect to other resources like databases, file servers, cloud services, etc. These services form the basis of any application, and they can be used not only by rendering server apps but also by rendering client-side applications.
Back-end developers use these technologies to develop their back-end.
Back-end developers develop applications that render on the server side; they utilize the same basic building blocks used by front-end developers: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Back-end developers also use software stacks, which include operating systems, web servers, frameworks, languages, frameworks programming APIs, and many more. Frameworks, languages, and programming APIs within these stacks can be used to render web applications and server-side sites and build solutions that applications could use.
The most popular stacks are .NET, MEAN, and LAMP. There are more. Each includes the programming language of your choice, like C#, JavaScript, Java, Go, Python, or PHP.
What exactly is a full-stack developer?
You don’t need to choose between back-end or front-end as a developer. You can both be the full stack developer, where the fun starts. A full-stack developer can construct websites and web apps that render on both the server and client sides (front-end).
They also design APIs, components, and services that can be used to solve specific business problems and access infrastructure like file servers, databases, cloud services, and many other services. They use the entire stack and offer the most efficient combination.
What are the salary differences for front and back-end developers?
According to Indeed.com, Back-end developers earn the highest pay, earning an average salary of $120,500 annually, and full-stack developers earn $107,248. Front-end developers rank third, with an average of $105,491 per annum. Indeed further states that, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “the employment outlook of digital and web developer, which encompasses the three positions, is predicted to grow to 8% in the period between the years 2019 through 2029.”
Author Bio
Shahzad Ahmad Mirza is an expert in digital marketing and programming blogger. His writing covers issues in marketing, such as technology, social media marketing, SEO, and social media optimization; business entrepreneurialism also lies within his area of expertise. Additionally, he is well known as the Director of Operations / Founder at designvalley.com and gbober.com platforms, which manage public relations for individuals.
Mirza has always enjoyed studying and is dedicated to sharing his knowledge through his websites, providing high-quality educational content for viewers online, and working towards creating positive change through his vast experiences. He strives to share knowledge freely.