Quick Summary:
In this blog, we will cover everything you should know and understand the differences between front end vs back end vs full stack development. This comprehensive guide will help you choose the right tech expert for your upcoming project and obtain a basic understanding of the different technologies.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Businesses depend heavily on technology—whether it’s through websites, apps, or cloud-based tools. With over 2 billion websites online, the need for talented developers has never been greater.
But what exactly does a developer do? The term “developer” covers a lot of ground, and many specialize in specific areas. There are three main types of developers: Front-End, Back-End, and Full-Stack.
Are you curious about what makes each role unique? In this blog, we will explore the front end vs back end vs full stack, highlighting their roles, responsibilities, and skills to become one. Let’s explore the differences and find out which role might be the perfect fit for your needs.
What is Front End development?
Everything you see on your screen is considered front-end. Front-end means what’s ahead, so it’s what the user can view when visiting a website or opening an application. This layer can also be called “Client-side,” that is, “part of the client.” For instance, you open a website and view a background image and content about the company, click on the services, and more.
All of this would represent the front end of the website. In simple words, the front end is the user-facing part of a website or application. It confines everything you see and interact with. From the design to menu buttons, front-end developers ensure that the website looks engaging and compelling for users.
Roles and Responsibilities of Front End Developers:
A front-end developer crafts user interfaces and website experience. The core responsibility of front-end professionals is to design visually appealing elements that display functionality and features efficiently.
- Construct web page layouts using HTML.
- Improve visual appeal and user experience through CSS styling.
- Connect web applications to data sources with APIs.
- Optimize websites for search engine visibility (SEO).
- Design cohesive user interfaces (UIs).
- Integrate visual elements like images and interactive components like buttons.
- Analyze user behavior to improve UI effectiveness.
Requirements and Skills of Front End Developers
- Basic knowledge of JavaScript, CSS, and jQuery.
- Familiar with browser testing and debugging.
- Familiar with layout aesthetics.
- In-depth experience in the web app process, including development, design, and deployment.
- Understanding of SEO principles.
- Know how to use software like Adobe Suite, Photoshop, and content management systems.
List of Front-end Technologies
Core frontend languages:
- HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- JavaScript
Popular Frameworks and Libraries:
- React
- Angular
- Vue.js
- Next js
- Flutter
- React Native
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What is Back End development?
As the name suggests, the back end is the development that operates behind the screens. These developments are not visible and require expertise to function. Server-side developers ensure the website or application performs correctly by focusing on databases, APIs, and back-end logic.
For instance, you visit a website and click on one page to another. Well, you can see the website pages, but you won’t be able to analyze how it operates. That’s backend development. It is the unseen engine that empowers your website and applications. It allows you to interact with the interfaces and handles behind-the-scenes operations like software processing and data storage to ensure it functions seamlessly.
Roles and Responsibilities of Back end developers:
Back-end developers are the engineers who handle the system and network operations in web application development. It supports software infrastructures and databases.
- Design and implement server-side logic
- Create APIs to facilitate data exchange
- Manage and optimize databases
- Execute robust security and functionalities
- Work closely with front-end technology teams
- Resolving and troubleshooting technical issues
- Skilled in backend languages such as C
Skills and Requirements of Back end developers:
- In-depth understanding of back-end/server-side code logic.
- Proficient technical skills in operating scripting languages, APIs, and database management tools.
- Experience with cloud-based and data algorithms.
- Debugging and resolving technical abilities.
- Robust skilled in programming languages and database management systems.
List of Popular Back end Technologies:
- Python
- Node
- Laravel
- Kotlin
- Java
What is Full Stack development?
Whoever works with both front-end and back-end is considered as full stack development. This is a complete type of professional who can deliver a project from start to finish without needing help from another person to create a part of the system.
To become a skilled and valued FullStack Developer on the market, the first step is to know the basics of architecture and technologies you will use. It is a big mistake to start learning software development using technologies without understanding the basic architecture.
Roles and Responsibilities of Full Stack Developers:
- Craft visually appealing user interactions and experiences
- Develop frontend design with backend architecture to create web applications
- Manage and upgrade software implementation
- Conduct testing and work with designers for web interfaces
- Adapt technology advancements and programming languages
To illustrate everything, what are the skills that a good full-stack developer must have to be considered:
- Back end: Exceptional knowledge of PHP, Phyton, JAVA, Laravel, and Symfony.
- Front end: Essential knowledge of JS + Node, Vue, React, and Angular.
- Knowledge of relational and nonrelational databases, including SQL and MongoDB.
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Front End vs Back End vs Full Stack: Comparison Table
To help developers understand the different paths available in software development, let’s compare front end vs back end vs full stack roles.
Factors |
Front end |
Back end |
Full stack |
Focus Areas |
Client Sides/ front interfaces |
Server sides/ back system working |
Operate both clients and server-side development |
Tools and frameworks |
Bootstrap, JQuery, Sass, and Figma |
Django, .NET, Spring, and Flask |
Can utilize both backend and front tools and frameworks |
Responsibilities |
Design user interface and implement seamless user experience |
Manage robust systems and databases |
Create user interfaces and handle software system |
Collaboration |
Works with UI/UX designer and design team |
Dedicated technology developers and system architecture |
Collaborate with both designer and developer teams |
Learning Curve |
Lower learning curve as you need designing knowledge |
High learning curve due to complex logic coding and database |
Stepper learning curve because you need knowledge of both development |
Average Salary |
The average salary of frontend developer is $86,861/ per year in the United States |
Average salary of backend developer is $153,979 in the USA |
The average salary of a full stack developer in the USA is $146,900 |
Testing |
Conduct UI testing and browser compatibility |
Focus on unit testing, API, and integration testing |
Work on end-to-end testing, including backend and frontend |
Industry Examples |
Landing pages, websites, and mobile responsiveness |
Content Management System (CMS), databases, and API |
E-commerce, social media platforms, and SaaS apps |
Conclusion
Choosing Front end vs Back end vs Full Stack is a dilemma that can only be solved through an analysis of:
- What are your career goals? Be a professional expert in a particular area, or acquire a more flexible and versatile profile?
- Do you want to know how to develop a website/application from start to finish and thus conduct your projects yourself?
- Do you need to broaden your opportunities or intensify your knowledge in the industry you care about?
Is being a complete professional a requirement that you consider essential?
A full-stack developer is the one who has all the keys to the house; there isn’t any door that he cannot open. The full-stack developer has exceptional expertise in working on front-end and back-end development simultaneously and holds the potential to get the job done single-handedly. Moreover, you can connect with our Full stack development company to understand your unique business needs and match all requirements to achieve your objectives.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Whatever you see in a website/mobile application, i.e fonts, styles, user-interface, etc falls under frontend development. The background functioning, managing database, handling queries, and fetching data comes in the backend development. If you combine the previous two and the wholesome development is full-stack development.
From the data of indeed career report, the average annual salary of frontend developers is approx $104,893. Whereas, that of a backend developer is approximately $128,880 per annum. Thus, yes you can say that backend developers make more than frontend developers.
Both frontend and backend developers are equally essential for a project development. Both are incomplete without the other one. From a career perspective, if you are technically sound, then go for backend, and if you have a better creativity side, then frontend is right for you.
Full stack development is the wholesome field that includes front end and backend development.
Full stack developers look after the entire functioning, database handling, look and feel of the project development, whereas backend developers only take care of the control, system, and database management.