Have you ever wondered everything you see on your phone’s screen in any of applications you clicked on, how do they work that makes you be able to interact with it? Of course, they’re programmed by the programmers, but in order to design the app and allow users to interact with the app, it’s not just about programming, it’s a whole process of implementing what is called “Front End”. So, what is front-end? Why does it matters in building an application or website?, who takes control of it? Everything will be explained in this blog based on what I read from https://airfocus.com/glossary/what-is-a-front-end/ by airfocus, “Front End (in website).
What is front end?
The front end refers to everything a user sees or interacts with when using a website or app. That includes layout, design, buttons, navigation menus, images — in short, the look and feel / user interface.
Technically, front-end work is implemented using web languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
In contrast, the back end handles behind-the-scenes functionality: data processing, business logic, server communications. The front end and back end together must work smoothly to deliver a good user experience.
Why Font End decisions matter?
According to airfocus, front-end design is critical for product success because:
- User engagement & satisfaction: A well-designed front end makes it easier and more enjoyable for users to interact with the product — reducing friction, boosting clarity, building trust.
- Ease of iteration and experimentation: Clean, intuitive front-end design allows product teams to iterate faster — experiment with UI/UX improvements, adjust features based on feedback, without overhauling the whole system.
- Brand perception & consistency: A consistent, polished front end across platforms (web, mobile, etc.) strengthens brand identity and trust. A clunky or inconsistent UI risks undermining user perception of the brand
Roles & Collaboration: Who shapes the front-end — and how product leaders fit in
While front-end code is done by engineers / front-end developers, product managers (or product leaders) have a crucial role: they translate user needs and business goals into clear priorities for what the front end should deliver.
Product leaders don’t need to write code — but they should understand dependencies between front-end and back-end, and advocate for a user-centered design that balances business constraints, technical constraints, and user experience.
Effective front-end strategy means collaborating with design and engineering leads, making trade-offs transparent, and using structured planning tools (roadmaps, scoring, templates) to guide front-end work.
Conclusion
Overall, front-end developers is a very important position in building an app, or website. Specifically, front-end is like an appearance of what you can see and interact with within the app. If there is no front-end implementation, there is no app or website even exists.
From the blog CS@Worcester – Nguyen Technique by Nguyen Vuong and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.
