# What is the difference? **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [May 25, 2020, 11:43pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167 "2020-05-25T23:43:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![codeofdreams](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/codeofdreams/32/203269_2.png) [@codeofdreams](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/codeofdreams)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2020, 11:43pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/1 "2020-05-25T23:43:08Z")
What is the difference between front end development, back end development, and web development? 🤔 😳 ---
**Author:** ![DanCouper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/dancouper/32/158608_2.png) [@DanCouper](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/DanCouper)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2020, 11:54pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/2 "2020-05-25T23:54:44Z")
Front end development refers to development of client side browser applications – the bit a user sees in a browser. This involves technologies that are used by browsers: HTML/CSS/JavaScript. Back end development normally refers to server side web development – the bits that underpin the GUI a user sees. This covers a very wide range of technologies. Web development is a catch-all, covers both, not sure if it actually means a whole lot. ---
**Author:** ![BigSwoleFingers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/bigswolefingers/32/143001_2.png) [@BigSwoleFingers](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/BigSwoleFingers)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2020, 11:54pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/3 "2020-05-25T23:54:49Z")
Front end is HTML, CSS, Javascript Back end is PHP, Node.js etc. Web is both. ---
**Author:** ![codeofdreams](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/codeofdreams/32/203269_2.png) [@codeofdreams](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/codeofdreams)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2020, 11:56pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/4 "2020-05-25T23:56:12Z")
Oh, now I understand! I am rooting for front end development then! ---
**Author:** ![Catalactics](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/catalactics/32/151364_2.png) [@Catalactics](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/Catalactics)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2020, 11:57pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/5 "2020-05-25T23:57:48Z")
Well, if you want to be a good front-end developer, you’re gonna want to be good at HTML, CSS, JavaScript, BUT you still want to learn at least 1 back-end language. ---
**Author:** ![codeofdreams](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/codeofdreams/32/203269_2.png) [@codeofdreams](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/codeofdreams)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2020, 11:58pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/6 "2020-05-25T23:58:04Z")
Which would you suggest? ---
**Author:** ![codeofdreams](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/codeofdreams/32/203269_2.png) [@codeofdreams](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/codeofdreams)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2020, 11:59pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/7 "2020-05-25T23:59:30Z")
By observation, I believe that I shall be great with html and CSS but I will struggle a lot with JS. ---
**Author:** ![Catalactics](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/catalactics/32/151364_2.png) [@Catalactics](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/Catalactics)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 12:00am UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/8 "2020-05-26T00:00:37Z")
I don’t understand what you’re trying to say here, but if you want to be a good front-end dev, you HAVE to learn JavaScript, because it is the brain of your webpage. It’s the one that is making buttons useful. ---
**Author:** ![codeofdreams](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/codeofdreams/32/203269_2.png) [@codeofdreams](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/codeofdreams)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/9 "2020-05-26T00:01:16Z")
Of course! I have always been determined to learn it! And I will. ---
**Author:** ![Catalactics](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/catalactics/32/151364_2.png) [@Catalactics](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/Catalactics)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 12:03am UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/10 "2020-05-26T00:03:44Z")
FCC offers JavaScript on their curriculum. They offered ES6, which is necessary to learn, because it has some features that are needed for today. It also offers Algorithms. But for front end developing with JavaScript, you have to learn how to use the DOM API, which is a way to manipulate the HTML DOM. I don’t think FCC offers the vanilla DOM API, but FCC offers jQuery that is a library specifically for this. ---
**Author:** ![codeofdreams](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/codeofdreams/32/203269_2.png) [@codeofdreams](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/codeofdreams)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 12:06am UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/11 "2020-05-26T00:06:47Z")
Yes, thank you. I have been learning JS with FCC for a couple months now. I am struggling but everybody is really supportive and I’ll work my head off till I have completed and mastered it. ---
**Author:** ![codeofdreams](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/codeofdreams/32/203269_2.png) [@codeofdreams](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/codeofdreams)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/12 "2020-05-26T00:07:37Z")
Where would you suggest I go to learn the vanilla DOM API…and why the heck is it called vanilla? ---
**Author:** ![Catalactics](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/catalactics/32/151364_2.png) [@Catalactics](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/Catalactics)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 12:11am UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/13 "2020-05-26T00:11:22Z")
It’s not called vanilla. People used vanilla because vanilla usually is reffered with the basic/normal non-modded. If you’ve heard of Minecraft, they used vanilla referring to the game non-modded. The fresh basic installation. So “vanilla” DOM API means the original DOM API. I’m just using the word vanilla because it’s common to use it as that. You can try to learn the DOM API in KhanAcademy. Here’s a link to that specific section, its free just like FCC : > **[HTML/JS: Making webpages interactive | Computer programming | Khan Academy](https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-programming/html-css-js#concept-intro)** > > Once you've taken both Intro to JS and Intro to HTML/CSS, take this course to learn how use HTML/CSS with the JavaScript DOM API to make your webpages interactive. ---
**Author:** ![codeofdreams](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/codeofdreams/32/203269_2.png) [@codeofdreams](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/codeofdreams)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 12:12am UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/14 "2020-05-26T00:12:40Z")
Thank you so much! 👍 😁 I had heard “vanilla” so many times I was confused. I am so glad i understand now. ---
**Author:** ![ILM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/ilm/32/363239_2.png) [@ILM](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/ILM)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/what-is-the-difference/394167/15 "2021-06-01T18:52:06Z")
Closed on June 1, 2021, 6:52pm UTC