ENGLISH
REFERENCE

front end

compound.
B2 Upper Intermediate Web Development
Definition

compound. the part of a computer program or website that you see and interact with. It is the visual side of software, including the buttons, menus, and layout.

compound. the presentation layer of a software application or website that interacts directly with the user. It encompasses the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) elements, typically built using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.


SIMPLE

The front end of the website looks very modern and clean.

CONTEXTUAL

The design team is working on the front end to make the mobile app easier for new customers to navigate.

COMPLEX

While the back end handles data processing and storage, the front end ensures that complex information is presented to the end user in an intuitive and accessible format.

Origin

A compound formed from the English words front and end. The term emerged from mid-twentieth century engineering and systems analysis to distinguish the initial stage of a process from its subsequent internal operations.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Usage

Often used as a compound noun or as an attributive adjective (e.g., 'front-end developer').

Pitfall

the front-end is brokenthe front end is brokenUse a space when it is a noun; use a hyphen only when it modifies another noun as an adjective.

Last updated July 22, 2026