Frontend Developer vs Backend Developer: Key Differences

Key Difference between Frontend Developer vs Backend Developer

  • Front-end developers are responsible for implementing visual components on a website, while back-end developers work on server-side development. They focus on databases, scripting, and website architecture.
  • HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the front-end web development languages, whereas PHP, Java, and .Net are back-end programming languages.
  • Frontend developers design the website’s look by taking users’ inputs and modifying it through testing. Back-end developers develop a front-end application that offers support, security, and content management.
  • Frontend developers should make sure that the website is accessible to all users. It remains responsive on mobile and desktop devices. At the same time, the backend team may need to create an application around the front end that opens up and functions properly.
  • The most popular front-end development tools are jQuery and HTML5, while popular back-end development tools are MySQL and PHP.
  • Front-end developers must know how to effectively work on a website or an application’s design and UI/UX, whereas back-end developers should implement algorithms and solve system-related issues.
  • The average salary of frontend developers is $104,405; on the other hand, the average salary of backend developers is $120,798 per year.
Frontend Developer vs Backend Developer
Frontend Developer vs Backend Developer

What is Front end developer?

Frontend developers are responsible for effectively implementing visual components on a website. They also perform important website development tasks like navigation, buttons, or anything that helps to enhance the website’s overall visibility.

For this purpose, HTML, JavaScript, and CSS are often used to ensure that your website runs smoothly. This allows users to interact freely and comfortably with a website.

What is a Backend developer?

Backend developers works on the server-side development. They focus on databases, scripting, and website architecture.

These professionals also monitor how the site works and how to make changes and update all the behind-the-scenes functionalities.

Difference between Front End vs Back End Developer

Following are the key difference between Front End and Back End Developer

Parameter Frontend Backend
Definition Frontend developers are responsible for effectively implementing visual components on a website. Back-end Developers works on the server-side development. They focuses on databases, scripting, website architecture.
Skillsets The languages that a frontend web developer should be familiar with are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Back-end programming languages like PHP, Java, .Net and knowledge of database, Server, API, etc.
Team Frontend developers design the website’s look by taking user’s inputs and modifying it through testing. Backend developers develop an application that supports the frontend. They should also provide support, security, and content management.
Stand-alone Service Front-end development service cannot be offered independently. Back-end development can be offered as an independent service in BaaS (Back-end as a service).
Goal Frontend developers should make sure that the website is accessible to all users. It remains responsive in all views – mobile and desktop. The backend team may need to create an application around the front-end and support it. Moreover, they need to make sure that the website opens up and functions properly.
Must have They should understand how to effectively work on the design and UI/UX of a website or an application. Back End web developers should be able to implement algorithms and solving system-related issues.
Average Salary $104,405 per year $120,798 per year
Most popular tools jQuery and HTML5 MySQL and PHP.

Technologies Need for the Frontend Development

Here are the important technologies used for Frontend Development:

  • HTML: HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) is the language used for the World Wide Web. It is the standard text formatting language used for creating and displaying pages on the Web. HTML files are consist of two things 1) the content and 2) the tags that format it for proper display on pages.
  • CSS: CSS is Cascading Style Sheets. It is a styling language which is simple enough for HTML elements. It is popular in web designing, and its application is common in XHTML also.
  • JavaScript: JavaScript is an open-source & most popular client-side scripting language supported by numerous browsers. JavaScript is used for enhancing the interaction of a website with the user.

Technologies Need for the Backend Development

Following are the technologies used in backend development:

  • Web Development Languages
  • Database and Cache
  • Server
  • API (REST & SOAP)

Technologies Need for the Backend Development

1) Web Development Languages

A Backend development include one server-side or backend programming language like Java, Python, Ruby, .Net, etc.

  • PHP: PHP is a server-side scripting language that is designed for web development. As PHP code is written and executed on the server-side, it is called a server-side scripting language.
  • C++: C++ is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language. It is widely used as a backend programming language.
  • Java: Java is a class-based object-oriented programming language for building web and desktop applications. It is highly scalable. Java components are easily available to use.
  • Python: Python is an object-oriented programming language that allows you to work quickly and integrate systems more efficiently.
  • Node.js: Node.JS is an open-source, cross-platform runtime environment used for the development of server-side web applications. Node.JS applications are written in JavaScript and runs on a wide variety of operating systems.
  • SASS: It is a reliable, mature, and robust CSS extension language. It is used to extend the existing CSS functionality, including everything from variables, inheritance, and nesting with ease.

2) Database and Cache

Back-end development also includes various DBMS technologies as important back-end development databases like MySQL, MongoDB, Oracle, SQLServer, and Redis.

3) Server

Backend include Server site technologies like Apache, Nginx, IIS servers, Microsoft IIS, etc. is desirable. Good knowledge of Linux helps tremendously in administering servers.

4) API (REST & SOAP)

API is also important for backend development. Technical knowledge of the creations and consumption of REST and SOAP services is important.

Other Pieces of the Puzzle:

  • Working experience of frameworks like Django for Python, Laravel for PHP, etc.
  • Ability to write quality unit tests.
  • Technical knowledge of algorithms and data structures is also an essential need for any professional back end developer.
  • Able to know the differences between multiple delivery platforms like mobile vs. desktop.
  • Basic exposure to frontend technical knowledge like HTML and CSS is desirable
  • Should have technical knowledge of session management in a distributed server environment.

Roles and Responsibilities of Front-end Developers

Here are important Roles played by Frontend developers:

  • Defines components on the page with HTML
  • Make them look pleasing with CSS.
  • Works on interactivity with JavaScript.
  • Enhances productivity with the use of frameworks.
  • He is responsible to perform job like version control, automation, content management systems, etc.
  • Analyzes the client-side performance of a webpage to better understand the consumer experience.

Roles and Responsibilities of Back-end Developers

Here are the roles and responsibilities of Back-end developers:

Roles and Responsibilities of Back-end Developers

  • Backend developers need to create the page components and content dynamically on any web server.
  • Generate web pages by programming in PHP, Java, JavaScript, Perl, Python, and Ruby languages.
  • Helps web development team to achieve fast response times to end-users.
  • Works on version control of software with technologies like CVS, Git, or SVN.
  • Back End developers should understand the goals of the website and come up with effective solutions.
  • Manage API resources that work across devices.
  • Backend developer might be involved in the architecture of a system and Data science analysis.
  • Backend developers are responsible for organizing the logic of the system, which runs across various devices.
  • Back end developer also needs to build frameworks or the architecture.

What to select?

Both skilled front end developers and back end developers are in-demand career options for you. Those with good experience and a strong portfolio can have a good career and get high-paying positions at startups, large organizations, and companies.