Understanding the differences between frontend and backend development
There is much noise in the tech world, and it seems people find it more difficult to decide where to start or what stack to choose. Let me share an experience, I went for a hackathon once and was asked to select my stack. I felt so confused as I didn’t even have a clue about what a stack was.
In this article, before choosing a development stack, you will learn to differentiate and know the peculiarities between Frontend and Backend development.
FRONTEND VS BACKEND, what do these terms mean?
Frontend and Backend are terms used by software developers that can be used to describe the layers that make up a piece of software.
Frontend development is creating the part of a website or web application the user interacts with. In web development, it can also be described as a practice or the process of creating a graphical interface with the use of HTML, CSS, JavaScript or any framework for users to view and interact with data. The Frontend is the part of a website you view on your phone or laptop that interfaces with the Backend. It includes everything the user will see, touch, and experience.
The Backend is described as part of a computer application or a program’s code that allows it to operate, and a user cannot access that. Most data and operating logic are handled, stored, and accessed in the Backend of the application of a computer system. The backend of an application is usually not directly accessible to the users but can be made accessible by providing a user interface, the frontend. The backend code can be written in one or more programming languages.
Peculiarities of Frontend
The areas of focus in frontend development include:
• Design and markup languages like HTML, CSS, Javascript or any other framework.
• Search engine optimization (SEO).
• Usability and accessibility testing.
• Graphic design and image editing tools.
• Web performance and browser compatibility.
Peculiarities of Backend
In backend development, programming and scripting languages like C#, JavaScript, Java, Go, Python, and PHP could write backend applications. The areas of focus in backend development include:
• Automated testing frameworks.
• Network scalability and availability.
• Database management and data transformation.
• Cybersecurity and data backup practices.
With the above discussions, you should know the basic differences between the Frontend and Backend and the different activities performed by developers that work on both ends.
In web development, the frontend is associated with the browser, while the backend is associated with the server. It is important to know that a basic knowledge of computer programming concepts is required to pursue the path of either a frontend or backend developer.
There are people capable of functioning in both frontend and backend development; they are called full-stack developers. A Full-stack developer should be able to personally create websites and web applications with both the front end and backend competently implemented.
Whatever path you choose, be well guarded to bring the best and solutions into the chosen path.
Thank you for taking the time to read. Please add your comment below, I would love to know your views.
See you at the top.