Importance of Back-End Web Development
Manish Marahatta
While creating a new website, developers have to focus on both frontend and backend development. The frontend of an application refers to the code that is visible to the website visitors. Normally, frontend code creates interfaces through which the application interacts with the users. On the other hand, the backend code interacts with the server, and delivers content or data to be displayed to the users. So the backend code deals with the application as well as the web server and database. The combination of application, server and database makes the backend coding both complex and important.
Why Developers Must Pay More Attention to Backend Web Development?
Facilitates Information Exchange
As noted earlier, backend consists of three key elements of a website, i.e., application, web server and database. While accessing the user interface of a website, each user is required to provide his login id and password. The login id and password provided by the user is validated by the backend. Likewise, any information submitted by the user is stored in the databases through the backend code. Also, the backend retrieves information from the database, and sends the information to the user interface for displaying to the user. Hence, the backend of a website acts as its structure and facilitate information exchange.
Runs in Various Environments
Nowadays, businesses deploy websites and web applications in a number of environments. For instance, some enterprises prefer running websites on web servers, while others deploy web applications in the cloud. At the same time, many businesses even combine both hosting options to avail benefits like enhanced performance and scalability. The web server setup varies from one network to another. Also, the programmers often distribute server-side workload over multiple machines. The varying hosting environments make it essential for developers to customize the backend of websites.
Contains the Application Logic
Most programmers nowadays keep the user interface and application logic of a website separate to simplify its development and maintenance. In addition to including the domain and infrastructure components of an application, the application logic also performs the routine data processing required by each business. The backend of a website contains its application logic. Hence, the developers must focus on backend web development to switch from one frontend to another seamlessly, and make multiple user interfaces access the same application logic.
Adds Utility to Each Frontend Functionality
While developing a website, programmers are required to write backend code to add utility to each frontend functionality. For instance, they have to write code using a server-side programming language to add functionality to a user login form. Each time a user enters his login credentials, the backend code will collect the values, and compare them with the login data stored in databases. Likewise, backend code also adds functionality to various forms, profiles and accounts. Hence, no website can function without quality backend code.
Impacts the Website’s User Experience
The usability and user experience of a website impacts its popularity in the longer run. As noted earlier, all tasks required to make a website function are performed at the backend. So the user experience delivered by a website will be impacted by the quality of backend code. Any issues in the backend code can result in frequent website crashes, running the website slowly, and similar performance issues. At the same time, minor defects in the backend code can make the website vulnerable to targeted malware and security attacks. It is important for the developers to focus on the quality and structure of the backend code to make the website deliver richer user experience without any interruptions.
It is also important for the developers to effectuate backend web development by picking the right programming language and framework. As they have option to choose from many server-side programming languages, the programmers must pick the language that meets all needs of the project. Likewise, they also need to pick the right web development framework and tools according to the specific server-side programming language.