Front-end and back-end are two essential parts of web development. The front-end is the part of a website that the user interacts with, while the back-end is responsible for handling the server-side logic and data storage.
šØĀ Front-end
The front-end or client-side refers to the user interface and experience of a website or application. It includes the visual design, layout, content, and interactivity of a website. Front-end developers use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create the look and feel of a website. They focus on ensuring that the website is user-friendly and easy to navigate. The front-end development team also ensures that the website is responsive, meaning it looks great on any device. Popular front-end technologies include ReactJS, Vue.js and Angular.
Let's say you're using a website to book a hotel room.
The front-end might include elements like:
- A search bar to look for hotels based on your desired location and dates
- A photo gallery of the hotels available, along with their rates and reviews.
- A form to enter your personal information and payment details.
- A confirmation page that lets you know your booking is complete.
All of these elements are designed to make the booking process easy and intuitive for you as the user.
š§¬Ā Back-end
The back-end or server-side of a website or application is responsible for handling data storage, processing, and communication with other systems. It includes the server, application, and database layers of a website. Back-end developers work with programming languages like Python, PHP, Java, Ruby and JavaScript (Node.js), to create server-side logic and APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that can communicate with the front-end. They also work on database management and security, protecting user data.
Going back to our hotel example, the back-end might include the following:
- A database that stores information about the hotels, their rates, and availability.
- A server that communicates with the database and other systems to process your booking request.
- Payment processing systems that securely handle your payment information.
- Security protocols to protect your personal data and prevent fraud.
All of these components work together to ensure that your booking is processed quickly and securely.
šš½Ā Full-stack
A full-stack developer is a software engineer with the knowledge and skills to work on a web application's front-end and back-end.
šŗĀ What are we learning?
We are learning Python, which is a general-purpose programming language. A Python developer can fit into many Software Engineering positions, not only in the web development field - any job that requires handling the ābackstageā of the program. For instance, a Python developer can work on a banking system that manages financial transactions, even if it doesn't have a web interface.
Python is also one of the most popular languages used for back-end development, a sub-field of Software Engineering that handles the backstage of the website. To write programs that interact with a website, you better have a basic understanding of front-end technologies. While it's possible to manage without it, knowing HTML and CSS can give you an advantage in the field, and also open you up to other technologies and fields.
š„Ā Am I going to become a full-stack developer?
A full-stack developer has more knowledge on the front-end side, which we do not cover in detail in the basic training. However, if you want to become a full-stack developer and improve your knowledge in the front-end field, we will help you do so in the Career Accelerator section of the training. After completing the basic training and while searching for your first job, you can expand your knowledge in different directions, including front-end development. We would be happy to assist you in whichever direction you choose.
Why donāt we learn Node.js?
Node.js is also a popular framework for back-end development based on the JavaScript programming language. From market research that we conduct with the best companies in the industry, we believe that Python is more popular as a general-purpose programming language, used by many companies today. We will give you an advantage in the field.
If you want to learn Node.js in the future, we will help you learn it in the Career Accelerator as well, since it fits well with front-end JavaScript development.
š„Ā Whatās next?
Now we will learn about HTML and CSS, the most important technologies in web development. After learning HTML and CSS, you will be able to create simple websites and see how we integrate your knowledge with Python to create powerful applications.