frontenden

Frontenden is a term used to describe the client-side portion of a software system, especially in web development. It encompasses everything that runs in the user’s browser or client device and is responsible for presenting information, handling interaction, and initiating requests to back-end services. The frontenden contrasts with the backend, which runs on servers and manages data storage, business logic, and server-side processing. Together, they form the full stack.

Core responsibilities include translating design into interactive interfaces, ensuring accessibility, responsiveness, and performance. Typical technologies include HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, often with TypeScript. Frontenden developers commonly work with frameworks and libraries such as React, Vue, or Angular, and use build tools (Webpack, Vite), package managers (npm, Yarn), and version control systems. Design systems, component libraries, and CSS methodologies (BEM, CSS-in-JS) help maintain consistency.

Workflow usually involves collaborating with UI/UX designers and backend engineers, converting wireframes into code, wiring up APIs, managing application state, and implementing routing. Quality assurance includes accessibility testing, cross-browser and cross-device testing, and performance optimization (code splitting, lazy loading, caching). In modern practice, many frontends are single-page applications, but multi-page architectures and progressive web apps are also common.

The term can also denote the frontend team within an organization, comprising frontend developers, UI engineers, and designers who focus on client-side experiences. The field evolves rapidly with new standards (HTML5, CSS3), tooling, and emerging paradigms like server-side rendering and static site generation.