When you’re working with teams in the digital industry you’re going to run into a whole range of terms from SEO to PPC, SERP results, split testing, the list is endless. The development side is just as technical with the incredible task of building a website usually split into front end development and back end development. These two roles focus on different aspects of a website to get it ready for performance, search engines, and the user.
What is Back end Development?
The back end of a website is basically the part users never see. Or at least for the most part. This discipline is concerned with building code, managing databases, building and managing framework, and debugging any web issues. Backend developers ensure your site loads and run smoothly and safely providing your site with an accessible place to store user information.
This approach means that even though users won’t directly come into contact with the backend framework, they will still experience the performance of the backend’s work. By storing and arranging data efficiently and providing a framework for the frontend to be built on; backend development proves itself to be a critical part of the development process.
What is Front end Development?
The front end concerns itself with all the bits you see as a user. Page layouts, navigation menus, buttons, graphics, animations, images, and content organisation are all in the realm of the front end. Front end developers bring the website’s framework to life allowing users to experience your website in all its glory. Think of all the little elements of a webpage. That rolling carousel of case study images, the way the page dissolves when you click through to another page and even the little way buttons light up when hovering over them are all aspects a front end developer needs to create.
Front end developers work with the SEO, UX, and design team to bring designs to life and create a website that looks as slick as it runs. When combined with a good back end framework, your website is built for success with amazing build integrity, load management, and user experience.
Speaking Different Languages
Depending on the platform and development team your website will be built using a variety of different coding languages. One of the biggest differences between the back end and front end is a focus on different languages. Back end developers usually concern themselves with languages like PHP, C++, Python, Ruby, and Node.js. These languages are popular for programming and platform building and provide a strong base from which to build a site.
Front end developers work more with languages like CSS, JavaScript and HTML. HTML may be one of the more well-known names as it is the standard language for creating web pages while CSS and JavaScript are used to add flair elements like effects, colours, fonts, and onsite games.
Why Not Both?
Even with both development methods requiring different language knowledge and skillsets, you will find some development teams work with a more hybrid approach. Developers work hard to add more and more languages to their repertoire and may understand elements of both back end and front end work. Someone who works with front end and back end work is known in the industry as a full stack developer.
We hope you found this article useful in understanding the development cycle and what it takes to build a website. If you’d like to find out more about our amazing web development services and how we can help optimise your site for success, please contact us today. Our multi-disciplined team of expert digital, design and development experts are on hand to supercharge your site with cutting-edge development.