There are different opinions on why backend and frontend should be kept separate or together, but we just want to state some facts so you'll make a decision for yourself.

If you keep them together: Similar concept and syntax, miscommunications are minimum, efficient resource usage, effective for simple and small projects.

And if you separate them: Wide technology specialists reach, modularity, decoupled architecture, quick development, and deployment, API consolidation.

That doesn't mean there aren't cons, there is another important element to take into consideration: what do frontend and backend actually do for you, and we’ll clear it right now:  

The frontend of a web application is what the end-user sees and interacts with. It's directly linked to the user experience like the navigation, dialogs, even the most basic things like colors, typography, images, etc. Now, technically speaking, for frontend development, the basic languages you need are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You can use different frameworks and libraries like Angular, React, Vue.js, Svelte, etc.

But, which one should you use? Let’s compare 3 of the most popular frameworks and libraries to build user interfaces:

  • Angular: It has been on the market for the longest and it's ideal for companies with large teams and developers who already use TypeScript. It has good support in terms of contributors and since it’s a framework, it comes with a variety of tools out of the box.
  • React: One of its advantages is the  ability to seamlessly integrate with other frameworks. If you're a fan of flexibility, this one's for you.
  • Vue.js: Although is the newest to come (at least from the 3 being compared), this framework provides higher customizability and is significantly easier to learn. It takes the best of Angular and React in terms of syntax and some features, plus, the component-based architecture. This means it's much simpler and flexible to use. It might sound like we’re biased. But we’re not. Or are we? 🤔

The backend (also called server-side) is what the user does not see – at least not directly. It focuses on data management, security concerns such as authentication and authorization, scalability, application business model, etc. And there are also different frameworks and runtimes you can choose like Django, Laravel, Node.js, Spring Boot, etc.

But the same question arises, which one should you use?

  • Django: This is a good option if you are going to work on a particularly complex project because, since it’s based on Python, it is power-packed with amazing features for Machine Learning.
  • Laravel: the advantage of working with this framework is that it is loaded with tons of features out of the box, which usually means low time costs. It doesn't matter if the plan is to create a small or a big web application, Laravel can do the job. And if it doesn’t, you can make it do it with no struggle compared to its competition.
  • Node.js: plays a vital role in developing cross-platform applications due to its open-source JavaScript runtime environment. In the context of backend/frontend, its biggest advantage is that you can build a full stack application with the same scripting language; outside that context, it’s fast. Like, really fast. Its fast processing can be attributed to its non-blocking nature and event-based model.

Once you analyze the type of project you’ll be working on, you'll be able to choose wisely which framework, library, or runtime to use and how to proceed. Once you’ve made your technology stack choice, define a roadmap that will help you and fit better on your projects.

Once you get everything clear and in the right direction your job will become much easier!