As a beginner in web development, you’ll often hear the terms “client side” and “server side” used frequently. While they may sound technical initially, the core concepts behind client side vs server side are easy to grasp with some basic examples In this guide, I’ll explain client side vs server side web development in simple terms to help you build a strong foundation.
What is Client Side and Server Side?
The client-server model is a common architecture in computing and web development. It involves two main components:
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Client – The client refers to the front-end or user interface, usually a web browser or mobile/desktop app displaying the content.
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Server – The server is the back-end providing data and functionality to the client on request. This is usually a web server, database, API server etc.
The client makes requests and the server responds.
Client Side Web Development
Client side web development focuses on the front-end, or everything the user sees and interacts with directly in the browser.
Some examples of client side web development:
- HTML, CSS for layout and design
- JavaScript for interactivity and effects
- Web frameworks like React, Vue, Angular
- Working with the Document Object Model (DOM)
Advantages of Client Side
- Fast and responsive user experience
- Rich interactivity and effects
- Device and browser compatibility
- Offloads work from server
Disadvantages of Client Side
- Less secure – code is exposed to users
- Dependent on user’s browser and device
- Can’t directly access back-end data and APIs
Client Side Languages
The main languages used in client side web development are:
- HTML – Content structure
- CSS – Styling and layout
- JavaScript – Interactivity and effects
Server Side Web Development
Server side web development focuses on the back-end, or everything happening behind the scenes on the server.
Some examples of server side web development:
- API and database integration
- Server configuration
- Business logic and computation
- User authentication
- Data processing and storage
Advantages of Server Side
- More secure – code runs on server
- Access to back-end resources like databases
- No browser compatibility issues
- Computationally intensive tasks
Disadvantages of Server Side
- Slower page loads
- Limited UI capabilities
- Scaling complexity for traffic spikes
- Server management overhead
Server Side Languages
Some popular languages used in server side web development include:
- JavaScript (Node.js)
- Python (Django, Flask)
- PHP (Laravel, WordPress)
- Java (Spring)
- C# (.NET)
- Ruby (Ruby on Rails)
And many more!
Key Differences Between Client Side and Server Side
While client side and server side work together in web applications, there are some key differences:
| Client Side | Server Side |
|---|---|
| Front-end, user interface | Back-end, behind the scenes |
| HTML, CSS, JavaScript | Python, Java, C#, etc |
| Runs in browser | Runs on server |
| Focused on UI/UX | Focused on business logic |
| Fast interface, effects | Data management and processing |
| Limited security | Enhanced security |
| Dependent on user’s device | Independent environment |
Client Server Interaction Example
Let’s look at a typical client-server interaction when using a web application:
- You open your browser and type
app.comto visit the application. - The browser (client) sends a request to the server for the website code.
- The server processes the request and sends back HTML, CSS, JS files.
- Your browser renders the page UI from the files – client side code.
- You click a button to submit a form on the page. JavaScript handles this – client side code.
- The browser sends the form data to the server for processing.
- Server side code validates the data, checks credentials and sends back a response.
- JavaScript on your browser displays the server response on the page or redirects you.
Throughout this process, the client and server communicate, facilitating the entire application!
When is Each Used?
Generally, client side and server side both have their appropriate roles:
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Use client side when you need fast response times, rich UI capabilities, and dynamic user interactions.
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Use server side when you need to securely access back-end resources, perform intensive processing, or manage complex data.
For complete web apps, you’ll typically use a combination of client side and server side code to get the best of both worlds!
Should I Learn Client Side or Server Side First?
As a beginner, it’s best to start with client side fundamentals first. Learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build a solid frontend and user interface.
Once you have the basics down, you can expand your skillset to server side languages like Python, Node.js etc. to integrate your UIs with back-end functionality.
The client side provides immediate visual feedback which is excellent for getting started. Server side skills can then add dynamic capabilities.
Key Takeaways
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Client side refers to the frontend UI in the browser; server side refers to the backend on the server.
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Client side languages: HTML, CSS, JS; Server side languages: Python, JS, C#, Java etc.
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Client is user-facing; server handles behind-the-scenes data and logic.
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Client side enables UX and fast response; server side enables security and computation power.
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They complement each other in full-stack web development.
Understanding client vs server side is key for any aspiring web developer! Starting with client side HTML, CSS and JavaScript is recommended to quickly build visible results and progress to sophisticated server side capabilities.
How server-side testing and personalization works
While traditional client-side implementations call personalization services from the browser via Javascript, server-side integration enables organizations to call the personalization service before the page is rendered, from within their proprietary technology stack.
An in-depth analysis of the most important technical considerations when comparing client-side vs server-side rendering.
Summarize this articleHere’s what you need to know:
- This article explores client-side and server-side A/B testing and personalization, outlining the key advantages and disadvantages of each approach.
- Client-side testing is simpler to implement but offers limited testing capabilities and data insights compared to server-side testing.
- Server-side testing, while more powerful and flexible, requires more technical expertise and setup.
- The ideal approach depends on your specific needs and resources. If you prioritize speed and ease of use, client-side testing might be sufficient. But if you require robust testing, personalization, and data analysis, server-side testing is the more suitable option.
This blog is part three of a multi-part analysis on the different technical approaches to A/B testing and personalization. In part one and two, we offered a deeper analysis on the most important technical considerations when implementing client-side rendering and server-side rendering. In this post, we will compare the two at a high-level.
Client-side vs Server-side, Front-end vs Back-end? Beginner Explanation of JavaScript on the Web
What is the difference between client-side and server-side?
When distinguishing between “client-side” and “server-side”, we have to ask where the code is running. In its simplest form, when we are working “client-side”, the code is running on the client. When working “server-side”, the code is running on the server. We often refer to these locations as different “contexts” or different “runtimes”.
What is the difference between client side and frontend?
The client side is also known as the frontend, although these two terms do not mean precisely the same thing. Client-side refers solely to the location where processes run, while frontend refers to the kinds of processes that run client-side.
What is the difference between a client and a server?
The two sides of the client-server model are separated by the kind of code they use and their purpose, but they work together. While client-side is typically referred to as the front-end and server-side as the back-end, this doesn’t mean that they don’t interact with each other, or that you can’t work with both.
What does server side mean?
Much like with client side, ‘server side’ means everything that happens on the server, instead of on the client. In the past, nearly all business logic ran on the server side, and this included rendering dynamic webpages, interacting with databases, identity authentication, and push notifications.
