I've been a fullstack web developer for about seven years, focusing mainly on React for the frontend and dabbling in plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. On the backend, I've worked with several languages like Clojure, Ruby on Rails, NodeJS, and Python. Recently, I created a simple user interface using basic HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to demonstrate an AWS API to the product team. This led me to wonder: how much frontend knowledge can we reasonably expect from backend developers? Is it fair to expect them to open an HTML file and grasp what's happening in the script tag? How comfortable are average and skilled backend developers with frontend concepts?
5 Answers
Most backend developers know at least the basics of HTML and CSS, but you can't really expect them to know frameworks like React unless they've made an effort to learn. A little knowledge can go a long way, and it definitely helps in communicating with frontend teams.
Most backend developers can read HTML and JavaScript, but writing pretty code? That's a whole different story! Making things look nice is usually the toughest part for us.
For real! I could never get the hang of that!
I think every developer should have a decent understanding of all aspects of web development. I'm primarily backend but I feel confident picking up frontend skills fairly quickly if I need to. Still, staying up-to-date with every new frontend tech can be tough!
Fair point! It’s important for us to be versatile, but sometimes it feels overwhelming!
I've worked with many developers, and while most can interpret a simple script, their comfort level with frontend varies widely. If you're unsure, it's always a good idea to check in with your backend dev about their skills!
You definitely need to be able to understand and debug the frontend when working with backend systems. It’s odd to think otherwise, and beneficial for troubleshooting too!
Right! I can code some basic HTML, but make it look nice? Nah, that’s why I have friends in the frontend team!