Back-end vs Front-end: which one is the best for you?

Inseparable but not interchangeable

As we said, front-end and back-end are fundamental for developing a web application, and none of them is superior to the other. Both will be present in any project and should be designed with the other part in mind, but let’s have a closer look at what each of their jurisdictions look like:

Front-end: what do you need it for?

The face of your app and the part that users will interact with. It encompasses everything you see on the screen when accessing a website: font, colour scheme, screen adaptations, buttons, images, graphics, drop-down menus, and the general layout. It allows clients to interact with the website, and it provides each user with an individual experience, as the interface they interact with will be solely focused on them.

The three main functions of front-end developers are:

• Consider the client’s needs when designing the website for the best experience.
• Design the overall appearance of the website (if a designer is not involved in the project).
• Test the website for any potential problems and solve bugs.

Back-end: what do you need it for?

The cogs turning below the surface. Back-end development works on the server and the databases that keep the app working. When the user interacts with the front-end part, the information is sent to the back-end, which processes it and sends the response back to the user. It mainly covers building, testing, and debugging the technology that makes the website function.

Processing the information requires interacting with third-party APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to collect additional information, microservices that perform some of the demanded tasks by the user, and database servers used to recover or modify any relevant data. The back-end can manage thousands of requests at the same time. It provides the front-end with the information and processes it needs to function.

The three main functions of back-end developers are:

• Ensure functionality of the code.
• Streamline the process as simply and efficiently as possible.
• Collaborate with a team of developers, digital designers, and project managers.
  

Do you have what it takes?

Each path has a defined skill set, even if they both share a passion for tech and a lifelong learning path. The skill set is divided into two branches: technical skills and human skills.

Front-end skills

To become a front-end developer, you can study for a bachelor's degree in web design, programming, computer science or graphic design. Another option is to complete a boot camp that provides you with the skills and knowledge to perform tasks as a front-end developer.

Back-end skills

To become a back-end developer, you need a stronger coding background. You can access these positions through a bachelor’s degree in computer science, programming, or web development as well as a boot camp focused on the required skills.

Which one should you choose?

Once you are familiar with what each of them does and what is it that you need to be a good professional, you probably already lean towards one option. If you are still unsure, let us show you some more extra info to complete the profile.

A front-end developer needs coding knowledge but, for this discipline in particular, taste, design skills and creativity are just as important as the technical ones. It will also be essential to be a good listener who can extract what the client wants from a few descriptions. They should keep in mind that the design must be equally appealing and functional, taking in mind that they need to translate all back-end features in their design.

User experience is the most significant part of front-end development: an easy to interact with design, responsive on all platforms, appealing and compliant with the client’s requests. If you are able to produce something like this and have the associated abilities, front-end is for you! Some of these characteristics would be enjoying creating and formatting, talking to clients and finding out what they require, and being empathetic with users, knowing what would make their lives easy.

The main challenges of front-end are mainly focused on the lack of an agreed-upon standard about the skill set expected from a front-end developer. Another difficulty to tackle is compatibility with different platforms, which is even more difficult when they have to work with flawed designs. This is not the usual, but they need to work around it when it happens. One that affects all front-end developers, and that is shared with back-end developers, is the ever-changing tool landscape.

Back-end developers need a deep knowledge of programming languages and frameworks to provide the best technical solutions for each project. They need to be team players because they will probably work with other developers while working on a project. Because of working in a team but also due to responding to project managers, stakeholders and clients, a good back-end developer will be a good communicator. One of their challenges is making non-technical profiles understand their work. It would be desirable that they were able to coordinate and organise their work well, as it is likely that they work on several projects at the same time.

The main challenges for back-end reside in reaching the desired level of scalability, consistency, and performance while maintaining balance. In addition, in case juggling those three wasn’t enough of a challenge, it is imperative to ensure the security of the data and the system.

Back-end and front-end developer are two highly demanded positions at the moment. Being in the tech environment, it is not odd to find remote work offers and both of them offer competitive salaries (back-end is usually slightly higher).

Whichever route fits you best, it is always convenient to have at least a basic knowledge of the other parts that bring the project together. The wider the perspective, the better the performance and the more mistakes that will be avoided. This is another reason for curiosity to be important for both front and back-end developers. These jobs will continue to grow in the future, evolving and transforming with technology and market demands, so as long as you stay up to date, you should be able to be in this for the long run. Back-end will grow even more due to the companies’ growing need for their solutions to be scalable and flexible.

It is worth mentioning that there is a third option: the full-stack developer. As its name indicates, full stack refers to front and back together. A full-stack developer can design the entire web application as they master both disciplines.