Definition of back end

The phrase "back end" is a technical term in computer science that refers to the part of a software application that interacts with databases, servers, and other backend systems. This contrasts with the "front end" or user interface, which is the part that users interact with directly. The term "back end" is commonly used to describe the server-side logic, data manipulation, and storage components of an application. This includes technologies like databases, APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), and backend frameworks such as Ruby on Rails, Play Framework, and Django. The phrase "back end" originated in the 1980s with the advent of client-server computing. Prior to this, computing was often done entirely within a single machine, and the concept of a "front end" and a "back end" didn't exist. As networks and distributed computing became more prevalent, developers started to separate the user interface from the server-side logic, leading to the emergence of the terms "front end" and "back end". The term "back end" is widely used in the world of web development, as web applications often involve a significant amount of server-side logic and communication with backend systems. In recent years, the phrase has also become more commonly used in other areas of software development, such as mobile app development and embedded systems. In summary, the phrase "back end" originated in the context of client-server computing in the 1980s as a way to distinguish the server-side logic and data handling components from the user interface components. Today, the term is widely used in web development and other areas of software engineering to describe the components that handle server-side operations and data processing.