A few weeks ago, I fell into the trap of a front-end-vs-back-end tweet. I commented in it, however, not to take sides in the argument, but to try to clarify a common misconception: that front-end web developers are basically designers.
I prefer to tackle Mongo errors than to sit for hours aligning divs.
– Some Twitter user
What?! Front-end is so much more than that!
I’d rather build Iron Man’s suit than pick its color.
– Another tweetster
If anything, a front-end developer is in charge of the entire device:
- The physics of each of the parts
- Whatever holds the parts together
- How the parts interact with each other and the wearer
- What the suit does when it receives commands (which would be the actual back-end part!)
- Many more details…
In case the Iron Man analogy I derived from the tweet doesn’t resonate with you, here’s the point: designers pick colors. Front-end developers interact with an API, handle requests, errors, state, animations, usability, accessibility, semantics… Occasionally they will be involved in the design process, but their responsibilities go beyond. I could go on, but I digress.
I’ll stop there but don’t take my word for it. Go read Chris Coyier’s excellent write-up at Increment magazine.