NoBackend: Front-End First Web Development

Gregor Martynus argues for a front-end driven design process in which developers start from the user experience and work backward to whatever server-side pieces are still needed. The article presents noBackend as a way to remove backend constraints from the design stage, while still relying on servers for things like security and synchronization.

Reading notes

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• The front-end should shape the app first, instead of letting server technology and database choices dictate the design.
• noBackend means developers do not need to think about backend limits as the starting point, because JavaScript can fill gaps in browser support.
• The approach depends on CORS and asynchronous code such as callbacks, events, or promises.
• Dreamcode is presented as the simplest JavaScript needed to express a feature, and as a way to let frontend and backend teams work against the same interface.
• From the backend side, dreamcode is described as another name for BDD or TDD, and as a simpler successor to a REST API.
• Security still belongs on the server, including spam prevention and access checks for email sending and payments.
• Backend-as-a-Service is treated as a special case of noBackend, with examples including Firebase, Parse, Kinvey, Backendless, hood.ie, remotestorage.io, and deployd.com.
• Offline support is linked to lower latency and better user experience, with data stored locally first and synced later.
• noBackend is described as most suitable for applications whose logic lives mostly in the front end and whose user experience is the main feature.