Front-End vs. Back-End vs. Full Stack Web Developers
A full-stack developer works as the front-end developer and the back-end developer of a website. Front-end development is generally in charge of the feeling and visual look of the site. Whereas, the back end focuses on the website’s infrastructure and the behind logic scenes. Let us take a deeper look at the front-end and back-end terminologies to further understand full-stack web developers.
What is Web Development?
Before we get into the front-end and back-end development, we must understand what web development refers to.
Web development is known as the process of creating a website on the internet. It refers to the non-design aspects of a website like the creation of features and functionality using programs, scripting languages, markup, and so on. Web developers are known to specialize in technical aspects of the development of a website. These aspects include programming, architecture, graphics, and application integration. Front-end development, back-end development, and Fullstack development are the most common types of web development.
Front-End Development
Front End Development refers to the aspect of web development that produces and codes the front-end elements of a website. These include features that can immediately be seen and accessed by the client or the end-user.
A front-end developer creates all the things that can be seen on a web page. These include the logo, buttons, the search bar, the overall layout, and the user interaction with the website page. Front-end developers are responsible for the website’s appearance. Front-end developers must also ensure that the website needs to look good on all device platforms such as mobile phones, computer screens, and tablets.
Front-end developers are in charge of the user interface and website’s style. Hence, HTML is considered to be the structural skeleton of the site. On the other hand, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) can be looked at as the skeleton’s physique or body. CSS allows front-end developers to change the shape of the body. In this sense, it helps to pre-define specific sections to make the website display a certain style. Front-end web developers incorporate these “look and style” elements into a CSS file that is placed on top of the HTML file. When they need a specific style, they look to the CSS file, which contains all of the predefined styles.
To become a front-end developer you must master the skills in three languages. These include JavaScript, HTML, and CSS3. You can master these with the help of a front end development course.
Back-End Development
Backend development refers to web development that occurs at the back end of programs.
A back-end developer focuses on the part of the website which cannot be seen by the user. Back-end developers are responsible for the website’s creating servers, the logic of the site, and the interaction with databases and APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Back-end developers develop codes that allow applications and databases to communicate with each other.
A website’s user-facing interface must be visually appealing. However, the website’s UI would not even exist without the software running in the background. Hence, a back-end developer ensures that this case does not take place. They work on the server-side.
There are four common programming languages that back-end developers need to be familiar with. These include Python, PHP, Ruby, and .Net. Apart from this, back-end developers also need to be familiar with database technologies such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, and MySQL.
Full-Stack Web Developer
A full-stack developer is best described as a “jack of all trades.” They are proficient in both front-end and back-end languages, and they can work with a variety of frameworks.
Full-Stack developer expertise and skills are useful at all stages of the web development process. Starting from project planning to database management, data structuring, building user interfaces and solving critical needs. Therefore, a full-stack developer must have a strong understanding of all the levels of a website and must know how the web works.
Full-stack developers earn a much higher salary than front-end and back-end developers. Organizations are willing to pay a lot more for a full stack developer since it is more affordable to hire a single person than to hire different individuals with front-end and back-end skills.
Skills You need as a Full Stack Web Developer
Let us take a look at all the tools and technologies you will need to know to become a full-stack web developer. You can learn these skills with the help of a full stack web development course.
HTML
HTML is an abbreviation for HyperText Markup Language. HTML is used to display content on a page, such as links, buttons, paragraphs, headings, and lists.
CSS
CSS is an abbreviation for Cascading Style Sheets. CSS is in charge of the look and feel of your website, including layouts, colors, and animations.
JavaScript
You can use JavaScript with CSS and HTML to create an interactive and dynamic webpage and mobile applications. JavaScript can help you develop animations, drop-down mobile menus, count down clocks, and hide/show information when a user selects an element on the webpage.
Conclusion
While web developers are paid well and are regarded as valuable assets, they must stay on their toes constantly adapting and learning all the new technologies and trends. If you’re interested in design, front-end development would be ideal for you. The back-end development would be better if you are good at logical thinking, API, and server management.
However, if you want to do both, then a full stack development would be the best. Hence, being a full-time stack developer can be rewarding if you want to be a part of a fast-paced career lifestyle. An online full-stack developer course will help you to start in the right direction. You can always start to learn the strands of full-stack development quickly starting right now!