If you want to learn web development in 2024 and you keep hearing about frontend and backend positions.
The question is what should you learn first as someone who has held both frontend and backend positions and even a hiring manager read on and I’ll let you know my thoughts as well
So let’s start, stay till the end…
There isn’t a right answer, but there is a better one
To put it simply it’s the Wild West out there in tech when you’re looking to hire representatives you can learn to code yourself and get any type of programming job you want.
however, if you’re smart your learning path and career trajectory will be more efficient with this, we come to the most important factor when typing whether to learn frontend or back-end first which one do you like more it’s important because you have to learn what you’re interested in you learn that first, it’ll be better for you.
Read This Article To Know More:- What are the 10 key principles of responsive web design?
Which do you like more? Front-end or back-end development?
Because you can start with either one. The most important question is which one you enjoy the most.
If you like building user interfaces (buttons, animations, drop-down menus, things like that) then you might prefer print work. On the other hand,
if you like data networking, smart algorithms, and system architecture then you might like the Spring role. It’s all up to you.
The beautiful thing about development is that even if you have specialized knowledge you can always change later.
Just because you start as a backend engineer doesn’t mean you can’t become a front-end developer later on which is a good thing because that’s exactly what I did.
If that’s what you want to do then go ahead and do it.
There are more back-end positions out there
If you’re a little confused, maybe you don’t have a strong preference for data or visuals. The next thing to consider is related to the state of the job market.
According to the last Stock Overflow developer survey, 43% of developers have back-end responsibilities while only 26% have front-end responsibilities.
There’s simply more spring out there which means there are more positions that you can potentially fill yourself.
Back-end positions pay a bit more
Again we can take a look at the latest Stock Overflow data to see that the average payout of a back-end position is $150,000 while a front-end position pays around $133,000 I don’t think this is the most important data point to base a career decision on but the numbers are pretty close.
It’s important to note that there are plenty of individual front-end developers who make more than an individual back-end developer.
We’re looking at average salaries here. Again money isn’t everything and the numbers are close but the primary reason for taking the job is the sweet, sweet cash. So you should know about this data if you want to know.
The tech stack for front-end is smaller
One point in favor of starting with front-end development is that the amount of technology you need to learn is fairly limited. For example, many of the important technologies and examples for front-end developers include:
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- React (or another modern framework)
- HTTP APIs, basic networking
Becoming a back-end developer is a bit more involved. You need to learn things like:
- Golang (or another back-end language like JavaScript, Python or Java)
- Databases, like SQL or Mongo
- HTTP APIs, basic networking
- Algorithms and Data Structures
- Systems thinking and architecture
- Basic DevOps skills, like deployments and infrastructure
I would estimate that backend development takes about 25% longer to learn than frontend but that’s a rough estimate. I believe it takes 6 to 12 months to learn the skills required for a backend job, so learning frontend can probably take 5 to 10 months.
The competition for back-end positions is lower
I believe that most entry-level programming students choose the front end as the learning path to becoming a front-end developer is a bit shorter.
It is important to understand this because it means that if you choose to learn front end then you have a higher chance of getting placed.
The back end is a bit difficult but if you want a job and a good salary then the back end will be beneficial for you because learning the back end requires a lot of effort.
If you can do that then it will be very good for you, otherwise, you can do whatever you want to do.
Front-end work will give you more exposure to users
One last point I would like to bring up in favor of learning front-end development first is that as a front-end developer, you will get to use and interact more closely with the end product. There are 2 main advantages
- If you will ever want to start your own company you should already have product design experience
- You will have more chances to interact with the non-engineering text of the business
Read This Article To Know More:– What Are The Three Basic Things Required For Responsive Web Design?
Conclusion
Like I mentioned in the beginning the most important thing when doing this is whether you should learn frontend or backend development first what do you enjoy more?
what are your interests from there I hope some of this data can help you make the decision that is best for you your career your family and your future.
FAQs
Can we learn both frontend and backend together?
Yes, you can learn both frontend and backend together. Many developers find it beneficial to understand both to build full-stack applications and gain a comprehensive skill set.
Is it necessary to know the frontend to learn backend?
No, it’s not necessary. You can learn backend development without knowing the front end, but understanding both can be beneficial.
Which language can be used for both frontend and backend?
JavaScript can be used for both frontend and backend development.