A front-end developer works with code to create what users can see and interact with. They focus on how websites and applications look and how the user experiences them.
A back-end web developer is a computer programmer who ensures that the website or app behaves the way that it should. The functions of back-end code are rarely visible to users. Instead, back-end development may include tasks such as creating databases to store information (e.g., customer details), or building out how the app will interact with different servers.
Both front-end and back-end web development are critical components of computer programming, and both are included in standard computer programming curricula. However, what you choose to focus on is up to you and your interests. Technical skills as well as creativity are required for both front-end and back-end programming. For example, front-end developers may need a sharp eye for things like design and color, whereas back-end developers must create ways to share and store information.
Computer programmers who work primarily on front-end development may focus on different computing and coding languages than back-end developers. Common coding languages for front-end development include HTML, JavaScript and CSS. These languages allow the computer programmer to easily determine how images are positioned and sized. They also take into consideration text aesthetics. A front-end developer also ensures that content is usable across many different devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones.
Common back-end development languages include PHP, Ruby and Python. Back-end developers use such code to keep websites and applications running smoothly. These languages also help back-end developers ensure that users can have safe and secure interactions online.