Full Stack vs. Back-End vs. Front-End developer

What is a Front-End Developer?

Your Front-End team are the crafters of the website’s front page where users can navigate around the internet. Some called this page the “client-side.”

These guys are the main ones responsible for the website’s user-facing architecture experience and code. They deal with the fonts, colors, lists, dropdown menus, and sliders. This is a collective hustling side of HTML, JavaScript, and CSS languages.

What Does a Front-End Developer Do?

Front-End people handles the face of your app. They ensure that your Business has great-looking content as they leverage their creativity in designing the interior parts of the website.

These guys also collaborate with the clients as they dictate the website’s taste and style, along with the other designers responsible for creating the logo and graphics, content writers who handle the content creation and message, and photographers who create high-definition brand images.

They will then assemble all of those products, translate them into web-speak, and build the user experience.

Front-End Languages

In order to execute the functionality, they must first obtain specific skills and have an extensive familiarity with the coding languages. The primary language that they have to be experts on would be CSS, HTML, and JavaScript.

However, they must also be familiar with technologies such as React, Foundation, Bootstrap, Ember.js, Backbone, React Native, or AngularJS. And to complete the their development expertise, these guys should also be familiar with Ajax.

Some of the front-end capabilities include, but are not limited to:

1. HTML

2. JavaScript

3. CSS

4. jQuery

5. CSS3

6. UI

7. UX

Some JavaScript frameworks include:

• Angular.js

• ReactJS

• Vue.js

• Ember.js

• Meteor.js

Aside from creating the user interface experience smoothly, they can also point out specific issues in the UI and be able to provide code resolutions for the design.

It is important to note that although they are the ones who are responsible for the website’s design, this does not necessarily mean that they are the graphic designers. They are, however, associated with the design and layout principles just like what graphic designers practice in web development.

Technically, they are the ones who construct the outward appearance of the website. They have to be particular that the front would be as readable and responsive as possible or per the client’s discretion.

What is a Back-End Developer?

Now, the Back-End team are the people who mines, creates, and codes on the server. The back page area consists of the database, server, and application. They work side-by-side with the front-facing team to make their code responsive within the application design.

They are also the ones who maintains the technology that has been created inside the server and database. These back-end guys will communicate to the owner as to the website’s functionality and needs; then they will translate it to technical requirements and create the best solution for architecting the technology.

What Does a Back-End Developer Do?

It is also their responsibility to build and maintain the website, making sure that the site remains live, functional, and searchable. This actually makes them the foundation builder of the website. Without their specialties, the website or app will fail to meet consumers’ demand and interest, sabotaging the mere reason of having a business website.

Back-End Languages and Tools

Even before doing the interior design of a website, the Back-End guys have to create the platform or sire beforehand. And this includes databases, servers, applications, and other kinds of technology.

In order to produce the technical solutions, they must be equipped with the right skills and tools that will make the application, server, and database communicate with each other. These languages are also specific to their functionality.

Server-side languages and technologies include but are not limited to Node JS, Python, C++, PHP, Ruby, Java and Microsoft .NET framework.

These application uses different server techniques to store the data, including relational and NoSQL databases. Some of the relational databases include:

1. Oracle

2. MySQL

3. SQL Server

4. PostgreSQL

NoSQL databases include Mongo DB and MarkLogic.

These skills help build web applications in tidy, portable, and well-documented codes. This then gives that effective and efficient solution in architecting web technology.

This team will be the ones to deal with almost everything related to the inside of the website – which cannot be seen by any users unless they open through HTML coding.

What is a Full-Stack Developer?

Now that we know what the other two are, let’s get to last one. The Full-Stack Developers are also known as the “Jack of All Trades”, as they have the combination of both front-end and back-end expertise.

These guys have all layers of expertise in web application development, including the client and hosting, server, data modeling or structuring, user experience and interface, and the client-facing.

The idea of a full-stack developer is that they can work cross-functionally for both the back-facing and front-facing development.

What Does a Full Stack Developer Do?

When it comes to specific skills, Full-Stack developers must be knowledgeable in every category of how the web works, from setting up Linux servers, going into the client-side JavaScript for application, writing APIs for servers, and keen design to do the CSS.

Having extensive ideas and expertise with both front-facing and back-facing tools, the full stack developers will be able to identify the client and server-side responsibilities. These people can then articulate the advantages and disadvantages of different solutions for the website.

From a developer standpoint, it is unnecessary to settle down as a front-end or back-end developer, as you have the choice and ability to do both. However, this means that you are not mastering one skill set at once, but you can work it out.

The Full-Stack builders can create sites from scratch and code web applications to satisfy the server-side and the client-side. They are also responsible for setting up services and components, using APIs that envelop business logic, resolving business dilemmas, and accessing website infrastructure like file servers, databases, and cloud services.

To give clarity as to the Full Stack development, this does not directly mean that they will be the ones to do site coding all by themselves. Most of these guys are either in the back-end or front-end code of the site. This depends on the business’ needs and wants for their websites. But it will all come down that they will be able to support anywhere they are

How are they all connected?

Now that you are familiar with the roles that are handling different parts of the applications, how do they make sure the app is integrated? As talked about in the earlier part of this article,

• Front-End team creates application screens using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, creating a wonderful visual experience for the users.

• Back-End guys write the business logic and store and load the data to and from the databases

Both of this work is connected. But here are a few additional items to consider first.

1. API – the back-end of the application is exposed as an API (Application Programming Interface).

2. Front-end of the application, whether browser or mobile app interface, communicates with the back-end through the API

3. The build process is used to package the application to be deployed on the server

4. Development environment could be Linux, Windows, or fully cloud-based

5. Application is deployed on the cloud such as Amazon AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure.

There are many business reasons for any approach.

At Technology Rivers, we work with customers to come up with the right tools, technologies, and strategies as per business requirements.