Should I Pursue Back-End or Front-End Development Career

Web development is divided into two main segments the Front end and the Back end. Jobs are also divided in this manner, however, there is also the option of becoming a full stack developer. A developer that can handle both ends on his own, they are often referred to as the jack of all trades. But to be a good full stack developer you require experience and it’s a time taking process. So today we will only stick to front end and back end development separately.

Frontend Development

Structure, data, design, text, and functionality are all layers that make up the internet pages. Without front-end developers taking backend data and building user-facing features, the site will be a dust bowl of HTML and “Under Construction” GIFs. Front-end developers build the environment for all that users see, press, and touch by incorporating markup languages, development, scripts, and frameworks.

A front-end developer connects the worlds of design and technology, encapsulating the utility of the back end in a user-friendly interface. They translate website design files into HTML, JavaScript (JS), and/or CSS code, which are the foundations of front-end development. Design/layout, content, buttons, photographs, navigation, and internal links are all included.

A front-end developer is responsible for all a user sees, clicks, or uses to input or retrieve information on a website. This necessitates both creativity and technological know-how. Their primary emphasis is on the user experience, and the technology they use is chosen based on its ability to provide performance, speed, and smooth functionality. They also ensure that the front end is free of errors and bugs, and that the interface looks as it should across all platforms and browsers.

Responsibilities of Frontend Developer

• Putting the user’s experience first
• Using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to bring a concept to life
• Website and web application user interface design and maintenance
• Developing tools to improve site interaction in any browser
• Creating a mobile-friendly design
• Observing SEO best practices
• Testing the site’s usability and resolving any issues
• Maintaining software workflow management

Backend Development

Back-end developers are in charge of the “server-side” of web applications and concentrate on the inner workings of web applications. The code and language that runs behind the scenes on the web server or back-end is referred to as server-side. The front-end is the client end, and front-end developers are responsible for designing the client-side experience.

Back-end developers assist front-end developers by offering server-side logic for outward-facing web application components. Back-end developers, in other words, build the logic that allows the web app to run properly, and they do so using server-side scripting languages like Ruby or PHP.

Back-end developers are responsible for optimising web applications for speed and reliability in addition to making them usable. Furthermore, back-end developers frequently build a data storage solution using a database, which is an essential component of all web applications because it stores data (like users, comments, posts, etc.). MySQL, MongoDB, and PostgreSQL are examples of common databases.

Responsibilities of Backend Developer

• The back end developer’s task is to figure out what the website’s goals are and come up with practical solutions.
• Data storage as well as ensuring that it is visible to the users who are supposed to have access to it
• Responsibilities include designing a payment processing system that accepts data, securely stores it, and charges it.
• Manage API tools that are cross-platform.
• He or she may be engaged in system design and data science analyses.
• Developers are in charge of organising the logic of a system that operates on several devices.
• To make it simpler to program against, back end developers should be involved in the development of frameworks or design.
• A back-end web developer should be capable of integrating algorithms and troubleshooting device issues.

Common Frontend Development Languages

HTML

HTML is a structured framework for marking text files in order to create font, colour, image, and hyperlink effects on World Wide Web pages. HTML ensures that text and images are formatted correctly so that they appear as they should in your web browser.

JavaScript

JavaScript is an object-oriented programming language that is widely used to construct interactive web elements. Checkboxes and search fields are just two examples of dynamic user interface components enabled by JavaScript.

CSS

The layout of web pages is formatted using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). Controlling text formats, table sizes, and colours is part of this. CSS adjusts the appearance of web pages for various types of computers, such as large and small screens. It also generates pages that can be printed.

Common Backend Development Languages

Java

Java is a widely used high-level programming language that is object-oriented and has a similar syntax to C++. Java is most commonly used to build computer applications. It is often used in the development of large business applications, Big Data, and Android applications.

PHP

PHP is a scripting language that can be used for a variety of purposes. The PHP runtime performs any PHP code in a requested file, which is typically used to create dynamic web page content or dynamic images for use on websites and other places. PHP is a server-side scripting language.

Python

Python is a dynamically semantic, interpreted, object-oriented high-level programming language. On a web application tab, Python can be used for almost anything.

How Does One Choose?

Front-end and back-end developers are in high demand, and those with expertise and a good portfolio will land high-paying jobs at startups, large companies, and charities.

Mastering front end or back end coding will lead to a bright and promising future, but where do you start? Answering a few questions will help you determine whether you want to work on the server-side or client-side of a website, as well as which best fits your talents, interests, and passions.

• Do you have a passion for bringing web design mockups to life?
• Are you a creative person?
• Do you have a knack for putting together a visual framework?
• Do you want to make sure that the users have a great user interface and experience?
• Are you concerned about the responsiveness of your website?

Front end development is a good fit for you if you replied yes to the majority of these questions.

• Do you like making decisions based on algorithms?
• Do you relish a successful coding challenge and the opportunity to work with more advanced programming languages?
• Are you curious about a website’s behind-the-scenes development?
• Do you enjoy learning about new frameworks and libraries?

Back end development is a good fit for you if you replied yes to the majority of these questions. If you replied yes to both the front end and back end questions, you may be interested in a full stack web development career.