Front and back ends

The terms front-end and back-end ( from English, literally " front and rear ends " - but better top or over-and substructure ) are in the information technology in various places in connection with a layered classification used. Typically in the front-end back-end is closer to the user closer to the system. In some cases, this interpretation is not applicable, it applies in principle but that the front-end is closer to the input and the back-end closer to the processing or output.

Application Examples

Here is a list of different uses, while the terms are not used for all individual meanings in pairs:

• In client-server applications, the application running on the client program as a front end which designates running on the server as the back end.
• In database applications, the graphical user interface, consisting of forms and reports, as a front end, running on the server database consisting of tables, views, stored procedures, and the like. , As the back end is called.
• Front-end called, closely based on the above meaning, even in principle, the user interface that can be implemented, for example in the form of a graphical user interface (English graphical user interface, GUI short ) or by means of screens.
• In web-based application systems with separate user interfaces for regular users and system administration, the term refers to the front-end public access websites, while the term back-end is used for only the limited circle of users accessible area.
• Software is often divided into front-end and back-end, the back-end hardware is closer. For example, the KDE -based program K3b for burning CDs and DVDs a pure front-end, the various console programs (eg cdrkit or MoviX ) used as back-end. This classification can be multi-layered, ie, a back-end can at a lower level of abstraction itself back into a front end and a back-end divided (eg, attacks the back of K3b growisofs used even turn on genisoimage ).
• In compilers, the translation of the program code often occurs in the binary code in two steps using a general, independent of the hardware intermediate code. Process, we describe the first translation step as a front -end and the other as the back-end.
• When Unix Printing System CUPS is the module that sent the processed raw data to the printer, called the back-end. There are, for example, back-ends for parallel port, network, USB, etc. As a CUPS front-end is called a graphical interface for CUPS.
• Also, in the voice synthesis, the voice generator of the text is often via an intermediate step ( a symbolic representation of phonetic ), again illustrating the first transmission step, the front end of the second back end.
• In the semiconductor manufacturing is referred to as front - end and back -end manufacturing.
• In conjunction with the IBM proprietary system Network Architecture (SNA ), the communication front-end ( communication controller ) as a front end processor ( FEP Front End Processor ) with the current therein commonly NCP ( Network Control Program ) respectively.