Introduction to Web Development

Web development work comprises skilled personnel who work on developing a website for the Internet or an Intranet (Company website). Web development may involve a simple single static page development in HTML to complex web applications such as e-commerce sites, social networking services , client and server-side scripting, network security configurations and so on. 

Large organizations and businesses could have web development teams comprising hundreds of web developers which follow Agile practises to develop web sites. Web development work is a collaborative effort between departments and requires web developers of varied skill sets. In the modern times web developers are in high demand. 

In this article we will learn more about various types of web developers , their skill sets and what type of work is suitable for which developer and key differences between them. 

Types of Web Developers 

Web developers are categorized into three types as under – Front end developer , Backend developer and Full Stack developer. Let’s understand the key difference among these. 

Front End Developer

Front end developers are responsible to ensure smooth functioning of a website from its visual appearance.  These developers convert UI (Under interface) look and feel into code. Front end developers usually use HTML , JavaScript , cascading style sheets. Every web developer initially learns web development using HTML language and it provides a basic framework for the website. JavaScript is most commonly used programming languages nowadays , it is a high medium, multi-paradigm and just in time compiled language. 

Backend Developer

Backend Developer is responsible for server-side functionality of an application. The user interacts with the website UI which is developed by the front end developer. They are least concerned about how sign in works, how we place an order, how payment functionality works etc.

A backend developer handles this kind of issues and focus is on databases , the APIS and scripting languages etc. A backend developer work is very crucial as it adds life and meaning of usage to tools created by front end developers. Backend developers use languages such as Java, Ruby, .NET, Python, PHP. APIs such as REST and SOAP, databases such as MYSQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, MongoDB.  

Full Stack Developers

Full Stack developer manages both client and server side. They are also referred to as “Jack of all Trades” . They are skilled with multiple frameworks of front-end development and experienced in all web development layers from managing databases to solving missing critical requirements. They have experience and exposure to business logic and user experiences. They act as consultants and provide guidance.

Full stack developers work on different categories of development such as MEAN Stack (MongoDB, Express, Node and Angular) , MERN stack (MongoDB, Express, Rest and Node), Django stack (JavaScript, Python, Django and MySQL), LAMP (Linux, Apache, MYSQL and PHP), LEMP stack (JavaScript, Linux, Nginx, MYSQL and PHP), Ruby on rails (JavaScript, Ruby, SQLite and Rails) 

 Front End vs Backend vs Full Stack Developer 

Below table summarizes the differences between the three types:

FEATURES	FRONT END DEVELOPER	BACKEND DEVELOPER	FULL STACK DEVELOPER
Development work	Manage and develop front end part of website Creation of user-friendly web pages, visual appealing functionality, creative way to handle user centred issues	Manage and develop backend part of website Building and Maintaining web server, application and database , ensuring front end operations run smoothly	Handles both frontend and backend development Majorly involved in backend work but also work on frontend languages to manipulate sites look and feel for users
Client/ server side	Focus on client side	Focus on functionality	Focus on both client and server side
Functionality	Visual look and appearance is of prime importance	Backend functionality is of prime importance	Visual appeal and accurate functionality of database is prime focus
Salary /Compensation	Average salary is $72000	Average salary is $114,255	Average salary is $105813
Languages used	Popular programming languages used are HTML, CSS, JavaScript , Bootstrap and jQuery etc	PHP, Python, Ruby, Server Programming , SQL/Oracle.	Uses both frontend and backend programming languages including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, NodeJS, Python, Java, PHP etc.
Skills required	Creativity, imagination and innovation skills	Analytical, fast, logical, detail oriented and composed	Multi-tasking, innovative and discipline oriented

Download the comparison table.

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