Ruby is a popular programming language that is used to create web applications, websites, and more. It is often linked with web development, but it is not restricted to this purpose. People often ask whether Ruby is a front end or back end language in conversations about web development. This article provides an overview of the primary differences between front end and back end programming and clarifies why Ruby is considered a back end language.
Front End Development involves the development of client-side applications that are used by people to interact with websites and other online services. The front end manages the visual components of the application, such as the layout, colors, fonts, images, buttons, etc. It also looks after any interactive elements such as form validations or user input. The most common languages used for front end development are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Back End Development deals with the creation of server-side applications that are employed by websites or online services to store data and handle requests from users. The back end takes care of all database interactions, business logic processing, authentication, authorization, data manipulation/validation, etc. Popular languages for back end development include Java, Python, PHP, C#/.Net Core and NodeJS/ExpressJS/ReactJS (for server-side JS).
Ruby is gaining increasing popularity because it allows developers to quickly build web applications without having to write long codes in other languages like Java or C#/.Net Core. Since it speeds up the process of creating server-side applications (like web servers), Ruby is regarded as a back end language. Moreover, Ruby powers many popular frameworks such as Rails which makes even simpler the task of developing complex web applications without needing a lot of knowledge in another language like Java or C#/.Net Core.
In conclusion, Ruby can be employed for both front end and back end development. However, it primarily serves as a back end language due its capability in quickly developing intricate web applications on the server side. If you’re looking for a powerful language for your next project then you should certainly consider Ruby!