Back in the days, the internet was just a facility that was used mainly for sharing and linking research materials. These days, this technology has become versatile with applications in marketing, medical and health science, blogs, and entertainment, among other fields. With the rise in the use of the internet, the number of web pages being made witnessed an increase which means more people leaning towards a web development career.
However, as a matter of fact, the total number of websites around the globe is constantly rising with every tick of the clock. At the start of 2020, there were around 1.5 billion online websites. As of November 2020, this number has risen to over 1.8 billion, which is an increase of 0.3 billion in just nine months leading to an average rate of around 1 million websites being developed per day.
Whether you are a front-end developer or a backend developer, your skills will continue to be in high demand considering the number of websites that website development services continue to create.
The Different Kinds of Developers
This article will explore the three different types of web developers out there, front end, back end, and full-stack, and how each of them fares in terms of career growth and industry demand.
What Is A Front-End Developer?
A front-end developer primarily deals with the user interface (UI) and it is the main person responsible for developing the website’s UX.
This includes the color scheme of the webpage, the content, the tags, the outlook, and everything that a user interacts with while visiting a website.
If you want to create an eye-catching webpage, you need to have strong skills in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The basic design of a webpage can be made with HTML and CSS while JavaScript gives an elegant look to the website by offering additional development features. Knowledge of Photoshop, Illustrator, and other editing and designing tools can prove to be an asset for a front-end developer.
The major aspects of a front-end web developer
The following are the major aspects that a front-end web developer should be mindful of:
- The first and most important duty of a front-end web developer is to ensure that the website’s outlook is attractive and user-friendly. The webpage should present everything in a way that the visitors find appealing.
- Must be able to incorporate themes that keep the visitors engaged on the webpage.
- Adding videos and elegant pictorial content.
- To provide users with proper navigation that tells them where to go and what to do next.
- To make sure that the web design is responsive, from smartphones to computer applications.
In short, the duty of a front-end developer is to utilize a little bit of coding along with content writing and amazing graphics to make a website that is absolutely sensational.
What Is A Back-End Developer?
Generally, every website is linked to a server that has a database that enables the webpage to exist. Without the back-end, there can be no proper front-end of the website. Webpages with no back-end development are called static sites but they are suitable only for small businesses.
Back-end web development demands a strong knowledge of Python, Java, Ruby, .NET, and PHP. Maintaining the back-end of a website is quite strenuous as compared to maintaining the front-end. The reason behind this fact is the complexity of programming languages involved and the higher lines of code.
The key duties of a backend developer
The key duties of a back-end developer are as follows:
- To collect and administer the design requirements.
- To amalgamate elements of the client-side with those of the server-side.
- Application optimization for maximum efficiency and security to protect the data.
- Record keeping of codes along with libraries that could be utilized in the future.
- Performance optimization through User Interface Tests using testing software.
- Must have the ability to troubleshoot the problems and debug accordingly.
In a nutshell, back-end development demands contemplation and critical thinking along with technical knowledge. However, that is why it pays more than front-end development.
Below is a comparison of the two aspects of web development careers to give our readers a clear insight of the two sides:
| FRONT END WEB DEVELOPMENT | BACK END WEB DEVELOPMENT |
|---|---|
| The front-end deals with the client-side. | The back-end manages the server-side |
| The choice of programming languages is limited to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. | One can use a plethora of emerging programming languages like Python, Java, Go, PHP, and even C# |
| This is an easy job to do and requires comparatively less expertise. | It requires sheer focus and keen considerations to do the task. |
| Font end developers focus on gravitating more and more clients towards the website. | The duty of back-end developers is to work out methods that ensure the efficient performance of a webpage. |
| The market requirement of a front-end developer is comparatively on the lower side | Back-end developers are always on call. |
Who Is A Full-Stack Developer?
Full-Stack developers know both front-end and back-end development. Diverse knowledge of these two sides opens doors towards more opportunities for Full Stack Developers.
It is the job of a full-stack developer to supervise every aspect of web design, starting from the loading time of a webpage to the overall architecture of the website. Getting a hang of the two fields needs time and experience in order to fully grasp the fundamentals.
The job responsibilities of a full-stack developer
Full-Stack Developers are multitaskers with a wide range of job responsibilities. Some of these duties are as follows:
- Develop servers with the database.
- Code for back-end applications of a website.
- Program the webpage with suitable design architecture for the front end. To do this the person needs to communicate with the web designer.
- Provide better options for users to interact on the website.
- Check and see if the web design is up to par and meets the customer requirements.
Moreover, the job of a full stack developer calls for someone proficient in both communication and coding. As mentioned earlier, the duties are a combination of both front-end and back-end developers.
Conclusion
Web development career is currently one of the most in-demand careers out there. Whether you are a front-end developer or a full-stack developer, the opportunities are plenty out there. The monetary advantage you can get out of these careers solely depends on how well you manage to advance your skillset and make it suit the needs of the currently prevalent market trends.
