What is the difference between Frontend and UI Developer?

Question

I have been a backend / frontend web developer for a long time. Trying to find new things, I contacted some recruiters with the position of UI Dev. Although I understand the concept of the user interface, I'm not sure about this fancy name, so I'm not sure if I agree on that.

I always thought that the Frontend developer was the one who was encoded and tested using the following technologies (example): - HTML; - CSS; - JAVASCRIPT / AJAX / Animation; - Check browser and device;

From what I know a user interface developer does the same thing?

(*) I was not sure if I should post this on Superuser or Next Stream. I think developers need to ask this, so I posted it here (sorry).

Thanks for watching!

Answer 1

Front-end developer: Creates websites using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other common client-side technologies. The focus is on providing a complete product in a limited time. The developer sees the pages as a whole and the website as a combination of these pages.

UI-Developer: Similarly uses HTML, CSS, JavaScript and other client-side technologies. There is less emphasis on scripting languages ​​such as JavaScript and more emphasis on HTML and CSS. The focus is on delivering more granular assets, such as buttons, tooltips, and other modular elements that will go into a larger finished product. The developer sees the asset as individual css styles and pays special attention to how the asset will look, feel, behave in different contexts. They may be more familiar with methodologies such as OOCSS, Smacss, or BEM. They may not even see the website as a whole, but rather the set of assets that apply to the pages.

Successful interface developers would have the traits of both. They see the page as a collection of assets and devote much attention to detail and writing code in a modular way. They constantly analyze how assets will be used on the page and how they can be used on the entire site.

Answer 2

From The Difference Between UX Designer And User Interface Developer

Answer 3

The interface designer (or user interface developer) really depends on the technology used. If this is a web application, then yes, the interface will use a combination of technologies such as HTML, CSS, jQuery, Javascript, and possibly Flash and even Silverlight.

On the Internet, a user interface developer can work in WinForms, MFC, or another rich client user interface library. You can also expect them to write custom controls that will fulfill special rendering requirements.

Answer 4

IMO it is based solely on the definition given by the guy determining the position (s) and most often will be the same (but they may also differ).

Depending on the technology used (for example, web pages and client programs), this may change slightly and, possibly, enable messaging between the backend and the interface, as well as not include parts of the interface at all.

I would use some MMORPGs as a great example for this: the backend is obviously all server related, maybe some client things that are also not visible to the client. Frontend development can include almost everything that is visible to the user (web page, game client user interface, game client presentation of the game world, etc.). However, the UI dev here will most likely include only material that is part of the user interface, but not necessarily things belonging to the game world (unless the player interacts with them, for example, ui elements placed in the 3D world, and not inside any overlay). For example, a third-party developer may change the way certain monster models are displayed or the appearance of icons, while a ui developer can only change how monster health panels or specified icons are displayed.

Answer 5

They essentially mean the same thing. The names Frontend Developer and UI Developer are used interchangeably in web development.

Answer 6

Having both titles for work in different companies in the UK, I can tell you that this is the same job, a little different from company to company.

I am currently a Frontend developer for a UK company (as this is the current recruitment phrase). It depends on the company; A company offering the United States, I would say that the role of a Frontend developer in the UK can be called a UI engineer or Frontend engineer. Facebook and Google simply refer to Frontend Devs as the “Software Engineer,” which, as I personally would say, implies a greater amount of participation ... British companies prefer the name “developer” over “engineer”.

Answer 7

Front-End and UI developers have the same skill set that focuses on either one. The only difference is focusing on your skills. One of them can be more visually heavy (which means using more CSS and HTML, as well as some design skills), and the other is more complex logic (JavaScript). Most of the time, the same people can do the same job. It is expected that both of them will also have some form of project impact if the term “developer” is used. Engineers are generally more logic oriented and are required to share the principles of basic architecture, usually without design.

Answer 8

If you are a user interface developer (an accepted example of a system interface for software development), you should know about the operating system in which you work.

And the user interface code may vary depending on the operating system

But you are a third-party developer: "For specific programming (Ie: html, js, css for the Internet)" you should know about these specific programming languages. It's enough.

User interface developers always deal with the system response for most input and the main development (back-end).

But a third-party developer does not always need developers, but only they think about the browser and its version.

Answer 9

I do not think they mean the same thing; but they, of course, disintegrated in this state.

The 'Front-end' should be assigned to users of higher-level languages, and then, in my opinion, UI practitioners, as it had historical significance. But, as we know, functions that require low-level work today will have breakfast "with your finger."

Personally, I am more versed in front-end developers who are trying to turn into the mantle of an "engineer." If you have not graduated from the School of Electrical Engineering, then, in my opinion, you are not an engineer.