Programming Slang Simplified!

My primary goal in writing articles is to help fellow programmers understand concepts more easily by using just the right amount of depth while also keeping it simple. However, this article is a bit different. This article aims to help non-technical people have a basic understanding of the otherwise convoluted slang we programmers use. Let's get right into it.

Programming Languages: Programmers, coders, software engineers, developers, etc. write in programming languages. Just like how humans communicate with one another with a multitude of different languages, a programming language serves to communicate with a computer and across networks.

Examples: Java, JavaScript, Ruby, Python

Frameworks: Frameworks are innovated from programming languages. They essentially make writing in a language easier and are generally catered to specific sets of goals. One framework might be best suited for game development or mobile development while other frameworks are best suited for building websites. Frameworks require you to know a programming language for you to use them.

Examples: React(JavaScript), React Native(JavaScript), Node(JavaScript), .NET(C#), Angular(TypeScript), Rails(Ruby)

Backend: A backend engineer(or developer) primarily focuses on managing and storing data. They use a database to store the data and write code so that the front-end developer can use it.

To make it easier to understand, think of the backend developer as someone who builds the car’s engine and systems attached.

Frontend: A frontend developer focuses on displaying the data they get from the backend. They are in charge of how the webpage looks, feels, and interacts. One thing consistent with frontend engineers throughout web development is the use of HTML and CSS. HTML is in charge of displaying information while CSS is in charge of making things look pretty. A Framework like React which uses JavaScript will come in handy for complex user interactions.

Frontend developers are similar to the people in charge of designing the interior and exterior of the car while also making sure they have a wheel to turn and windows to roll down.

Full Stack and Stack: a stack is a collection of languages used to build an application. There are quite a few popular stacks. MERN stack is one of them. MERN stands for MongoDB, Express, React, and Node. a Full-stack developer is someone who programs both the frontend and backend.

It is important to note that some languages/frameworks are better suited for the frontend and some are better suited for the backend.

Databases: Databases are used to store data. A popular database is PostgreSQL which uses the SQL language. SQL is pronounced “sequel”.

GitHub: GitHub is a website that is used to store your project online instead of solely on your computer. It is a cloud service. GitHub can also be used to collaborate with others online on the same project. Think of it like playing a single-player game compared to playing an MMORPG.

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