backend
/ˈbækˌend/noun
The backend is the part of an application that processes data, applies business rules and communicates with other systems on the server. Users usually access it through a frontend or API.
The backend checks the order and saves it in the database.
The backend is the part of software that users usually do not see directly. It processes information, applies rules and stores data. A web page or mobile app might send a login request to the backend, which checks the credentials and returns whether access is allowed.
What happens in a backend?
A backend can consist of one application or several services. Its code runs the business logic: which price applies, who may open a document and what should happen after someone places an order? The backend often uses a Glossary · In briefdatabaseA database is a structured collection of data that software can store, retrieve and modify. A database management system controls access to that data.Read more to store information. It may also send messages, process files or exchange data with external systems.
Communication usually takes place through an Glossary · In briefAPIAn API is a defined way for software to exchange data or call functions in other software without needing to know how that software works internally.Read more. This describes which requests another program can make and which responses it receives. The backend checks inputs and permissions before processing data.
Backend and frontend
The Glossary · In brieffrontendThe frontend is the part of a website or application that users see and operate, such as pages, buttons, forms and interactive screens.Read more is the part a user interacts with directly, such as a website or app. It displays buttons, forms and results. The backend supplies the data and performs the actions needed behind those screens.
The boundary is not always in the same place. Some logic can run in the browser or app, while other tasks run on a server. The term backend mainly describes a component's role within the system. The programming language, database and infrastructure differ between applications.