There are three primary types of software development: front-end, back-end, and full-stack. Compare and contrast them in this guide.  The computer technology industry is similar in design to the restaurant industry: Both businesses have a front and a back. The front end is forward-facing toward the customer (both even use the term “host”), while the back end is where the technical work gets done—whether that’s chopping onions or crafting code. Many software developers begin their careers by choosing an area of focus: front-end vs. back-end. If you're an aspiring software developer, understanding the differences between front-end and back-end can help you choose a focus for your career path. You can use the following article to compare and contrast programming languages, tools, job duties, and key skills for front and back-end developers. Front-end vs back-end: key differences -- The front end of a website or application refers to everything the user can see. Front-end developers often work directly with the client to create visual and interactive elements that work together to form an aesthetically pleasing experience. In contrast, back-end developers work on the parts of a website or application that users cannot see. They operate behind the scenes, making sure servers and databases function smoothly and quickly. Front-end interaction only works because a server, application, or database written in code provides the information the visitor seeks. > Full-stack development > Full-stack development refers to both front-end and back-end > development. Full-stack developers possess both skill sets and > can code using front and back-end languages, tools, and > frameworks. If you want to be able to build a website or application on your own, you'll need to obtain a full-stack development skill set. Front-end vs. back-end developer salary -- As of August 2023, front-end developers earn an average salary of `$79,786` per year in the US. Back-end developers in the US earn an annual salary of `$99,464` on average. What do front-end developers do? -- The job of front-end developers can be summarized into two categories: UI and UX. They work with design teams to create the user interface (UI) or graphical user interface (GUI) in an effort to provide an easy-to-navigate and aesthetically pleasing design. The goal is an excellent user experience (UX) > Insight from an engineer Katie Van Dyk, a software engineer at Meta, emphasizes the cross-functional nature of building user-facing products, which frequently has her "synthesizing information from design, data science, and product management to guide the direction of products." Front-end developer job duties -- On the front end, developers are responsible for interacting with clients and project managers who have a vision for their website—or at least an idea of what they’d like. Your job is to use your experience and training to provide solutions to their digital problems. That often includes some of the following daily tasks: + **Interacting with clients**. Before developing anything, the front-end developer must know what the client seeks for the project. It is crucial to practice listening closely and asking the right questions so that the first draft won’t be time wasted. + **Create a visual design for the website**. For larger projects, front-end developers will work with a digital designer responsible for creating a graphic design for the site. Other times, it’s the developer’s role in picking color schemes, fonts, layout, alignment, photo placement, buttons, forms, and all the other pieces that go into the look and feel of a website. + **Check for problems**. Front-end developers must also be ready to test websites and resolve bugs that stop elements from working as they were intended. The testing process may include checking the function of content management systems or personalization tools. ## Front-end languages -- Some of the most commonly used scripting, programming, and markup languages in front-end development include: ## HTML Short for Hypertext Markup Language, HTML is the technology that creates a structure to display websites on web browsers like Firefox or Chrome. It contains text, images, and hypertext. It allows for navigation from page to page while providing a user-friendly platform for formatting documents. ## CSS Short for Cascading Style Sheets, CCS is the language that allows developers to customize the look of a website. CSS may include the fonts used for the wording, the color schemes, and the organization of the text. ## JavaScript Websites aren’t static documents, and JavaScript is the computer programming language that allows for interactive elements and effects on a page. If a client wants an animated image, embedded media, or other active content, you’ll need to learn this critical skill. ## Front-end frameworks Thankfully, front-end developers won’t have to start from scratch with every project—especially if they learn JavaScript frameworks. A framework is a pre-written library of code and helps with common tasks and basic visual aspects found on many websites. These frameworks include, among others: + React JS + Ember.js + Sass + AngularJS + jQuery + Flutter + Semantic-UI + Foundation + Backbone.js ## What do back-end developers do? -- Back-end developers make it possible for the front end to function by providing data storage and power. As a back-end developer, you build, test, maintain, and debug the technology that makes the software or website function. > Insight from an engineer According to Meta software engineer Eric Hartzog, all developers need to tap into their imagination at some point. In his eight-year career, he's found his most engaging tasks are those "where the solution isn't clear, and creativity is needed to find the best solution." ## Back-end languages The languages used for the back end will depend on what you are interested in building. For example, creating a server requires different tools from mobile app development. These tools may include: * PHP * C++ * Ruby * Python * JavaScript * Java ## Back-end frameworks Like with the front end, there are also frameworks that back-end developers can learn to expedite tasks. Popular frameworks for the back end include: * Django * Rails * Express * Spring * Laravel You may have also heard of Node.js, which is an open-source platform that’s neither a language nor a framework. It is used to let different applications work together for a complex goal.