Poll: Do you prefer front end or back end work?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6351383

by dangero • 13 years ago

43 51 13 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

There is so much less IE8 BS in back end. Front End takes 800% of my time because of variable browser nonsense. Even with JQuery.

prezjordan• 13 years ago

Front-end because my work is immediately visible.

daurnimator• 13 years ago

Backend because my work is immediately deployable; I can add a feature on a server and use it straight away, no waiting for graphics elements or UX approval.

Achshar• 13 years ago

I would have voted front end but then I remembered that I intentionally avoid any work that needs to support old browsers because they are so much of a pain in the ass. So in the end I would say it's a mix of both. Front end is fun because I actually get to build what user will use and back end is fun because I get to make the plans or extensive stuff that will decide how efficient the code is and how much flexible / future proof it can be. OP can you add an option of "both".

danso• 13 years ago

Front-end work. The advent of great frameworks and environments, such as LiveReload and grunt, has made JS programming a lot more fun.

edit: And to add to that...browser fragmentation is still a PITA, but not nearly as bad as when I was in college and IE6 was dominant. I originally got into programming years ago because I wanted to design games, but it's only been recently that I've had a hankering to look back into it. The awesomeness at Ludum Dare has been an inspiration and I'm kind of excited at the thought of building something quirky and fun that, for the majority of people, can be experienced just as easily as any web page. What you lose in pure power and features, you gain in more universal accessibility. I even bought a book on ImpactJS the other week just to try it out...which yes, means I'll have to fork over $99 for ImpactJS, but well worth it if the programming is fruitful

jacques_chester6• 13 years ago

Backend. It tends to be easier to read, write, understand, test, debug, deploy and operate.

For one thing I find far fewer places where I am dealing with abstraction leaks caused by sticky-taping together the vestigial organs of a document format interpreted in wildly conflicting ways.

raintrees• 13 years ago

Both. I write small business custom databases, previously in Access (Office) Basic and now in Django.

I enjoy both UI design as well as database/business logic design.

simonsarris• 13 years ago

I've been doing almost exclusively JavaScript/Canvas work for over 3 years now and I think it's great, even if it isn't the most technically mature language I've used at length.

I am in a love affair with the weird little language that is JavaScript. I also think it is by far the best language to teach basic programming (and because of that I think JavaScript is hugely important in its own right[1]).

The amount of time it takes to whip up a five-cent program with JavaScript without even leaving my browser, heck without even leaving this tab is just astounding to me even after all these years.

One thing I noticed in my (not-very-long) career is that more than the language itself, or the "kind of work" as you put it when considering front end vs back end, is not the end-all of importance in determining the enjoyment of my work.

The tools that I use while building things in a language are what really make the work a pleasure. If I wasn't using Chrome's web developer tools I'd probably consider JavaScript to be a nightmarish corpse of a language that punishes the slightest of typos with a silent malicious grin, as code execution carries on as if A.blah = 5 and A.blsh = 5 were both equally worthy of existing to the JS compiler/interpreter. Only by the grace of tools is JavaScript tame at all. Services like BrowserStack[2] help a lot in this field too, as does StackOverflow (helps all fields and needs no introduction, though the StackOverflow JS chatroom is one of the liveliest rooms, and deserves a mention)

With the clarity of the tools for modern front-end dev, I think it's an incredibly enjoyable environment. Certainly the most pleasing one I've found.

[1] http://simonsarris.com/blog/696-the-importance-of-geocities

[2] http://www.browserstack.com/

jacques_chester6• 13 years ago

The tools that I use while building things in a language are what really make the work a pleasure.

Agreed. That's another reason why I prefer backend. The toolchains are more featuresome and mature.

meric• 13 years ago

Take a look at node.js, yeoman, karma, livereload.

I prefer doing both at the same time (separately).

jwatte• 13 years ago

I started my career writing apps for the Mac 25 years ago, but 18 years ago switched to toolchains and later hard-core systems programming as well as databases and 3d graphics. I think the front vs back end distinction isn't sufficient, as someone doing Rails might be "back end" but certainly couldn't write and debug a device driver...

omarhernandez• 13 years ago

I enjoy write back end and front end , because the front end its beauty and back end its funny

IgorPartola• 13 years ago

Backend. I can implement something and it works. I do not have to deal with my fully implemented feature not working right because of a browser bug. Moreover, I control everything about the runtime: the data store version, the kernel features, etc. Browser decide what they will or will not let you do and all decide slightly different things. On top of that browsers come in different versions with arcane bugs and insane user and institutional settings.

Don't get me wrong, a good Project that is good for the user is fun, I just hate having to backtrack and adjust for runtime issues after the code already functions on 90% of the user agents.

jmspring• 13 years ago

Backend generally has a concretely defined api/functionality. Front end runs the risk of someone objecting about things like pixel width, color, etc.

I much prefer backend to frontend for the projects I work on.

shire• 13 years ago

Back End is more fun. I'm not very good with UI design, graphics or artsy Front End stuff I'm not very creative in that department I do enjoy Logic and Database more. I prefer Django and Python rather than Javascript and JQuery, bad analogy perhaps but hope you get the idea.

bkyan• 13 years ago

I could talk about frontend stuff with "normal" people whereas I could only talk to a small circle of people about backend stuff ...

randomdata• 13 years ago

I enjoy the software development process from top to bottom. Sometimes I like making sure a button is pixel perfect in Photoshop, and other times I'd rather be writing algorithms. I think I've always been drawn to software because it allows me to constantly explore the different sides of my brain.

sfkaos• 13 years ago

Back end problems are so much more interesting.

jebblue• 13 years ago

Mostly back but I run my own sites (good or bad as that is) and work on the front end from time to time. Still I feel more comfortable in the back-end, plumbing, making structures that keeps things running. There are really talented front-end people, very creative, sharp in design like nobody's business but that's not me. For me, front-end is some plain HTML, some JSP, maybe some basic jQuery stuff or if I really need it I'll dive into either jQuery or DoJo for nice interactive tables but the majority of the time, back-end.

hsuresh• 13 years ago

There should be another option - full stack development. I am quite sure that many developers love working on entire application stacks.

nthj• 13 years ago

Exactly. I love shipping features for customers—I generally can't do this without bouncing from JavaScript to Ruby to back again faster than I could say "I'm working in this specific context right now."

For example, today I added drag + drop image upload that posts directly to S3, but not without resizing the file to maximum dimensions of 800 x 600 first, and finally kicking off a Sidekiq job to generate all of the smaller thumbnails. Hard to say whether that was more front-end or back-end code.

matthewlehner• 13 years ago

I prefer working on front end stuff, not necessarily because I think working on the back end is worse, but because it's more immediately rewarding.

With frontend work, you get to see the results right away, and interact with the user interface, and I guess that in a way it's closer to visual design part because of controlling interactions and making decisions (in some cases) about the way that users will interact with the app.

mattquiros• 13 years ago

I like working on the back-end more because of the challenges, but I also like doing front-end IF the platform is either Android/iOS. I feel like web front-end work takes too much time.

v33ra• 13 years ago

My preference is like (Backend - Database) + Front End!

sidcool• 13 years ago

I love both. Seriously.

hcarvalhoalves• 13 years ago

Backend, just because frontend programming is a mess, and for the web, doubly so.

skore• 13 years ago

Definitely backend.

Backend is where the client knows what she wants.

Frontend is where the client thinks he knows what his clients want.

Big difference.

rooshdi• 13 years ago

Depends. I find both complement each other workflow-wise. When I'm stuck on back end problems, I use front end work as procrastination and momentum to get back to the back end.

dyeje• 13 years ago

I like a mix of both.

airlinenut• 13 years ago

As a test automation engineer, I never had RSI in 10 years of work. 3 months into front end testing, and good grief, my wrists :/

JoachimSchipper• 13 years ago

The whole world isn't a website. I build embedded crypto boxes; others may work on tools, infrastructure, or even not be a programmer at all.

lectrick• 13 years ago

Backend.

Because I can run automated tests on it.

Frontend work is notoriously hard to test.

scotty79• 13 years ago

I hate both. Backend less so. So the most jobs I get are frontend.

ryan-allen2• 13 years ago

On average don't back-end developers get paid more than front-end developers? It's an interesting trend if 4x of programmers prefer backend development, then you'd expect there's a shortage of front-end developers, and if so why doesn't their shortage drive the prices up?

Probably completely broken logic there, but my observation is that front-enders tend to be a minority on teams, and yet so much work is (looking to) shift on to the front end. It's going to be an interesting space to watch.

jacques_chester6• 13 years ago

I think it depends on the application. There's an enormous amount of work that can be satisfactorily done with plain old transactional CRUD. I don't think that most business users want to pay extra for interactivity in an inventory management system.

ryan-allen2• 13 years ago

I don't think that most business users want to pay extra for interactivity in an inventory management system.

That is true, and if a backend programmer gets their hands on Bootstrap people probably aren't even going to notice.

Maybe the high-end front-end programmers are actually a kind of specialist role.

hngiszmo• 13 years ago

Front end can be so much more rewarding but I find it too painful. The user never praises the lightning fast backend or that it runs on fewer machines or uses less CPU. The front end nowerdays rarely has to worry about RAM or CPU but all this silly timing shit that drives me nuts.

-> back end

RogerL• 13 years ago

Native, baby!

Computer vision, robots, avionics, flight planners, 3D simulations, ...

From where I'm sitting, the web is a fad. (Obviously it is not, it's just how it feels to me)

sathley• 13 years ago

I do backend work, I don't do frontend work as much as i would want to. It seems to go far slower that backend development work.

einhverfr• 13 years ago

My preference is database plus backend (or db as back-end, or db plus middleware as glue). The reason is that the sorts of problems that arise there are more interesting and challenging, while front-end programming has problems of a different sort (the problems are less challenging but they are moving targets).

brissmyr• 13 years ago

The backend will always be my comfort zone. Even though I've been involved in everything from hacking Linux kernel drivers to designing e-commerce checkouts, the backend still feels like home. Actually I've given this a lot of thought, since I also see this pattern in other full-stack developers. When a group can't make a decision on a frontend strategy, people tend to drop off, start hacking and refactoring backend stuff. Tinkering with the backend is also what we do to get up to speed in the morning, or when we're idling during the day. Maybe it's just me, but even after more than 15 years on both sides, I'd pick the backend any day when it comes to feeling comfortable and seeing progress. These are just feeling however, not proof for any real progress whatsoever...

greghinch• 13 years ago

After spending the better part of 7 years doing what has come to be known as "front-end", and then the past 3 becoming better at "back-end", I've started advocating that the division needs to stop in general. If you can write JavaScript but not something like PHP, Ruby, Python, etc., that's a problem, and likewise the reverse. It becomes a real bottleneck to feature development when you draw these arbitrary lines in the sand, and a lot of it is just mental roadblocks put in place by the labels

pjmlp• 13 years ago

I have voted both as it depends on the type of project.

Front End work when doing native applications.

Back End when doing browser based applications. I rather leave the pleasure of dealing with HTML/CSS/JavaScript pixel perfect UIs pain to others, when possible.

ramchiranjeevi• 13 years ago

I love Front end work. Using latest technologies and frameworks in Javascript, CSS3 and HTML5 you can give a WOW feeling to the user. Also the top github languages for 2013 is also Javascript. http://adambard.com/blog/top-github-languages-for-2013-so-fa...

zaporozhets• 13 years ago

personally, I believe that front-end /web/ development is the most personally rewarding field to work in. Especially so if you are delivering for wide-reaching or large clients.

I take such joy and pride in being able to build tangible tools and/or visual components in collaboration with great designers to produce work that is used and actually /seen/ and interfaced with by millions of people.

Also, tapping into my OCD side; I have a love for perfection- and I get to exhaust this love day in and day out in the everlasting X-browser css/js battle that front-end is.

kotakota• 13 years ago

I think this is a very misleading poll. Most people don't have the same definition of what back end work is. For isntace I do a lot of ai and machine learning work which I would consider far more back end than someone doing back end work for a web app where their code might directly effect the front end.

EugeneOZ• 13 years ago

I have 10 years of backend experience and now I don't see any "challenge" in this field. Frontend is new thing for me, AngularJS is my new love and gives me a lot of fun and sometimes - challenge (because I'm noobie here). Also it removes work with templates from backend and this side now looks much more clear. I love it.

Poll: Do you prefer front end or back end work?

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