What does a back-end really mean?

Question

I see a back-end as server side code and front-end being the UI layer. But sometimes I see authors using back-end for administration modules, which in my opinion should be called back-office modules.

Answer 1

I view it as a general term without a precice meaning. In its widest sense it includes everything except the UI.

Answer 2

Back-end generally refers to a place where a typical end-user cannot access (whether that be a portion of the application, or the code to the application itself). Beyond that, it depends on the context.

Answer 3

In a strict back-end/front-end stand point, front-end would be everything customer-facing while back-end would be everything else.

Answer 4

Back-end is a subjective term.

The user says the back-end is the admin interface.

The UI people say it's the programming

The programmers say it's the database

The database guys don't talk to anyone (just kidding)

Answer 5

I think we are using those terms for their general signification, and not as if they were describing anything really specific... at least, that's how we use those terms were I work...

Actually, we even quite often just say "back" (for both "backend" and "back-office") and "front" (for both "front end", "front office", "stuff users use", "stuff users see", ...)

If you take a look at Front-end and back-end, it seems to be quite the same there : there is no precise definite definition...

The only thing that really matters, I think, is that those "notions" are kept separated ; what we call them... well... less important.