A career in web development can offer you job security and a healthy wage. If you’re interested in joining the IT field by learning the skill of web development, you might be wondering, “What’s the difference between front end and back end web development?”
Front End Web Development
When you’re involved in front end web development, you’re using a style of computer programming that the user actually sees. Your focus will be both the visual elements of the website and making sure that those visual elements are actually functional.
Another way to look at it is that you’re making sure that when visitors come to the website or use the app, the style of the website – like the layout, buttons, images, graphics, animations, elements of navigation and organization – are user friendly and functioning well. Front end developers should also make sure that the site is accessible to their audience.
Front end developers use languages like HTML to create the structural backbone of the website, ensuring that the page looks the way it’s supposed to look; they use CSS to customize and define the style of the visuals, making sure the page is adaptable to different types and devices and that the pages are printable; and they use JavaScript to control how the elements of the page interact and move around or allow for things like checkboxes and search fields. In order to speed up the development process, sometimes web developers use frameworks, so if that’s the case, it’s good to be familiar with React, Vue, and Angular.
Overall, web developers are encouraged to learn front end development first to make sure they have a strong background in automation, content management, and frameworks before they move on to back end development.
Back End Web Development
The part of web development that users can’t see is called back end development. This includes databases that run from a server, or anything that helps the programs of the website or app function. Back end developers also make sure that they work on the site, making changes as needed to improve its functionality. This can include the databases previously mentioned or the site or app’s security compliance.
Although there are many different back end programming languages, the primary ones used are Java, used to create apps for computers and often applied in roles for large businesses and Android development; PHP, which is used when working with the website’s server; and Python, which is a well-rounded programming language that can be applied to just about everything related to a website or web application.
Working Together
Front and back end developers work together to create a fully-functioning, interactive experience for users. Both are enormously important, and both require the programmer to pay close attention to detail, to have a love of learning and natural curiosity, and to be a determined problem solver.
Washington Technical Institute
Washington Technical Institute’s fully online IT certificates can be completed in a matter of months, with daily or bi-weekly start dates. Such flexible start dates make these programs unique and much more accessible for our students. Most of our certificates can be earned as a self-paced program, meaning that you can work at your own pace to complete your work, even finishing early if you have the time and motivation to do so.
If you’re looking for a Web Development learning opportunity, the focus of that certificate program is web design with exposure to JavaScript, HTML, and C++ coding languages. With an instructor available to answer your questions and guide you, it’s a great place to learn without the frustration that you might experience trying to figure it out all on your own.
An additional benefit of WTI’s programs is that we offer affordable pricing and monthly payments to help our students leave school without debt. Although our goal is to help our students graduate their programs with little to no debt, we also recognize that some students might need to utilize a loan for their educational investment. We are excited to announce our partnerships with Climb Credit or Ascent, student lending companies focused on financing career-building programs.
If you’re ready to enroll and start working on a plan for the personal and professional benefit of professional development, you can register for your program online through our website. Still have questions about our programs? Feel free to call us at 800-371-5581 or text us at 952-465-3702. Our admissions specialists will be happy answer whatever questions you have.
