Where was I when the terminology changed?
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My current contract is ending, so I am semi-seriously looking again. When did "Backend" coding turn into HTML, CSS3 javascript and such? My idea of back end is database layer and business layer (to use the buzzwords I knew). HTML, CSS, javascript, Anguar etc was called 'Frontend" coding
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, navigate a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects! - Lazarus Long
Hi, About 10 years ago Node.js[^] appeared and rapidly gained traction. The javascript runtime environment is considered to be slightly more secure than native code.
stoneyowl2 wrote:
HTML, CSS, javascript, Anguar etc was called 'Frontend" coding
Yep, but the times they are a changin'[^] Best Wishes, -David Delaune
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My current contract is ending, so I am semi-seriously looking again. When did "Backend" coding turn into HTML, CSS3 javascript and such? My idea of back end is database layer and business layer (to use the buzzwords I knew). HTML, CSS, javascript, Anguar etc was called 'Frontend" coding
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, navigate a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects! - Lazarus Long
To me, "backend" is anything that is hidden by a front end. Whatever the server side does that is not directly visible at the client side would be backend. But if that server side code generates HTML/CSS/... that is sent to the client, it is definitely not hidden to the client. So I am surprised that anyone would call that backend. Java was originally designed to be executed in the browser, in the front end. That never became any great success, but while it lasted, Java was a frontend language. Today, it is used by quite a number of backend applications at the server side. So the front/backend is not necessarily tied to the language/tool itself, but to how it is used. I suppose that in theory, you could write a database server in javascript (but I would never apply for a job on that project! :-)), in which case javascript would be a backend language. But what if you have JS interpreter at the server, generating plain HTML with no "script" tags - maybe not even CSS style references - everything has been written directly into the HTML code, before being shipped to the client. Would then JS be a frontend language, if it never reaches the client? I am tempted to consider that way to use JS to be backend. The building of the HTML might as well have been done in PHP or C++ or Fortran, which you certainly not would call a frontend language.
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To me, "backend" is anything that is hidden by a front end. Whatever the server side does that is not directly visible at the client side would be backend. But if that server side code generates HTML/CSS/... that is sent to the client, it is definitely not hidden to the client. So I am surprised that anyone would call that backend. Java was originally designed to be executed in the browser, in the front end. That never became any great success, but while it lasted, Java was a frontend language. Today, it is used by quite a number of backend applications at the server side. So the front/backend is not necessarily tied to the language/tool itself, but to how it is used. I suppose that in theory, you could write a database server in javascript (but I would never apply for a job on that project! :-)), in which case javascript would be a backend language. But what if you have JS interpreter at the server, generating plain HTML with no "script" tags - maybe not even CSS style references - everything has been written directly into the HTML code, before being shipped to the client. Would then JS be a frontend language, if it never reaches the client? I am tempted to consider that way to use JS to be backend. The building of the HTML might as well have been done in PHP or C++ or Fortran, which you certainly not would call a frontend language.
Member 7989122 wrote:
"backend" is anything that is hidden by a front end. Whatever the server side does that is not directly visible at the client side would be backend
Agreed, even when both front- and back-end are server-side.
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Hi, About 10 years ago Node.js[^] appeared and rapidly gained traction. The javascript runtime environment is considered to be slightly more secure than native code.
stoneyowl2 wrote:
HTML, CSS, javascript, Anguar etc was called 'Frontend" coding
Yep, but the times they are a changin'[^] Best Wishes, -David Delaune
Randor wrote:
The javascript runtime environment is considered to be slightly more secure than native code.
:wtf: :wtf:
Randor wrote:
Yep, but the times they are a changin'
No shit!
Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello
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Member 7989122 wrote:
"backend" is anything that is hidden by a front end. Whatever the server side does that is not directly visible at the client side would be backend
Agreed, even when both front- and back-end are server-side.
Yes, this is a better definition of what I was trying say, thank you.
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, navigate a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects! - Lazarus Long
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My current contract is ending, so I am semi-seriously looking again. When did "Backend" coding turn into HTML, CSS3 javascript and such? My idea of back end is database layer and business layer (to use the buzzwords I knew). HTML, CSS, javascript, Anguar etc was called 'Frontend" coding
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, navigate a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects! - Lazarus Long
Wait til you find out they ask for React but actually use Angular and their front-end devs design their database tables, handle key optimization, etc. Unfortunately you can't rely on job postings or titles to know what they actually want. You've got to ask in an interview. I've seen Junior Developer postings that sounded more like they wanted a Project Manager. Java dev positions where I found out they don't even use Java anymore. A back-end position that wanted "Photoshop skills." HR is a mess right now for software in my experience.
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To me, "backend" is anything that is hidden by a front end. Whatever the server side does that is not directly visible at the client side would be backend. But if that server side code generates HTML/CSS/... that is sent to the client, it is definitely not hidden to the client. So I am surprised that anyone would call that backend. Java was originally designed to be executed in the browser, in the front end. That never became any great success, but while it lasted, Java was a frontend language. Today, it is used by quite a number of backend applications at the server side. So the front/backend is not necessarily tied to the language/tool itself, but to how it is used. I suppose that in theory, you could write a database server in javascript (but I would never apply for a job on that project! :-)), in which case javascript would be a backend language. But what if you have JS interpreter at the server, generating plain HTML with no "script" tags - maybe not even CSS style references - everything has been written directly into the HTML code, before being shipped to the client. Would then JS be a frontend language, if it never reaches the client? I am tempted to consider that way to use JS to be backend. The building of the HTML might as well have been done in PHP or C++ or Fortran, which you certainly not would call a frontend language.
Member 7989122 wrote:
I suppose that in theory, you could write a database server in javascript (but I would never apply for a job on that project!
MongoDB uses json and javascript. Let's just say that coming from a much string RDMS background switching from SQL to javascript is not fun at all.
My plan is to live forever ... so far so good
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Hi, About 10 years ago Node.js[^] appeared and rapidly gained traction. The javascript runtime environment is considered to be slightly more secure than native code.
stoneyowl2 wrote:
HTML, CSS, javascript, Anguar etc was called 'Frontend" coding
Yep, but the times they are a changin'[^] Best Wishes, -David Delaune
If by "slightly more secure" you mean "totally not secure and on the verge of devolving into total dumpster fire yet again", then yes. Remember Meltdown? That was an accident. I guaruantee that bad actors have already compromised the entire package build chain for popular packages.
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My current contract is ending, so I am semi-seriously looking again. When did "Backend" coding turn into HTML, CSS3 javascript and such? My idea of back end is database layer and business layer (to use the buzzwords I knew). HTML, CSS, javascript, Anguar etc was called 'Frontend" coding
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, navigate a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects! - Lazarus Long
I think I'd take that as a signal that the potential employer doesn't know what they're doing. "You're a computer guy, right? So, you can fix anything from networking problems to CSS." Seems to me most places are looking for "full stack developers" anyway.
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My current contract is ending, so I am semi-seriously looking again. When did "Backend" coding turn into HTML, CSS3 javascript and such? My idea of back end is database layer and business layer (to use the buzzwords I knew). HTML, CSS, javascript, Anguar etc was called 'Frontend" coding
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, navigate a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects! - Lazarus Long
The terminology was not changed as far as I know. Maybe you're talking to a manager I knew who used to call floppy disks "flippy flop" disks. :rolleyes: