Front-end developers work on what the user can see while back-end developers build the infrastructure that supports it. And those who deal with both Front-end and Back-end are known as Full-Stack developers.
Both are necessary components for a high-functioning application or website.
The term “front-end” refers to the user interface, while “back-end” means the server, application, and database that work behind the scenes to deliver information to the user. The user enters a request through the interface.
Front-End Development
Front-end web development, also known as client-side development is the practice of producing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for a website or Web Application so that a user can see and interact with them directly. The challenge associated with front-end development is that the tools and techniques used to create the front end of a website change constantly and so the developer needs to constantly be aware of how the field is developing.
The front-end is built using a combination of technologies such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), JavaScript, and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).
Front-end developers design and construct the user experience elements on the web page or app including buttons, menus, pages, links, graphics, and more.
The objective of designing a site is to ensure that when the users open up the site they see the information in a format that is easy to read and relevant.
Back-End Development
Back-end Development refers to server-side development. It focuses on databases, scripting, website architecture. It contains behind-the-scene activities that occur when performing any action on a website. It can be an account login or making a purchase from an online store. Code written by back-end developers helps browsers to communicate with database information.
The most common example of Backend programming is when you are reading an article on the blog. The fonts, colors, designs, etc. constitute the frontend of this page. While the content of the article is rendered from a server and fetched from a database. This is the backend part of the application.
Full-Stack Development
The development of both the back- and front-end systems has become so specialized, it’s most common for a developer to specialize in only one.
As a general rule, full-stack development by a single programmer isn’t a practical solution.
However, at times a custom software development company will have developers who are proficient with both sides, known as full-stack developers.
They are powerful team players because they have the breadth of knowledge to see the big picture, letting them suggest ways to optimize the process or remove roadblocks that might be slowing down the system.
Advantages
You can master all the techniques involved in a development project You can make a prototype very rapidly You can provide help to all the team members You can reduce the cost of the project You can reduce the time used for team communication You can switch between front and back end development based on requirements You can better understand all aspects of new and upcoming technologies
Disadvantages
The solution chosen can be wrong for the project The solution chosen can be dependent on developer skills The solution can generate a key person risk Being a full-stack developer is increasingly complex