But I want to chime in with something that I think is getting overlooked.
It's important to point out that frontend and backend are terms that grew up around the web and programming for the web. They aren't great terms for someone starting out, unless that someone intends to only program web applications like Google Docs or Spotify-in-the-browser.
(Which is what many of us do, and that's totally fine. It's just a distinction that should be mentioned.)
There is a lot of other programming. Code is running inside your microwave, your car, your smartphone, your television, etc. And also inside your computer: such as the browser itself.
Usually, none of these things fall under the "frontend" or "backend" programming labels. Instead, you will hear labels like "mobile," "OS," "desktop," "embedded," etc. "Frontend" and "backend" relate only to stuff that happens after you type a URL in a browser and press enter (at least, the way most people use these terms.)
If you are starting out and want to think about any programming outside of things that you can point a web browser at and interact with, then forget about "frontend" and "backend" programming for now. Just focus on learning a good language and the rest will follow.
On the other hand, if what you do want to do is create something like Facebook or the site you're looking at right now, then they're good terms to know and you can focus on one or the other. In that case, think of frontend as the programming related to anything that happens within the browser. And think of backend as everything else. It could be data access, a long-running process like generating a file to download, some kind of communication with the outside world like sending someone an email or text, placing an order, or many other things. These are usually performed by "web services" which are also accessible via the web, but just not in the browser-renderable formats.
HIH
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There are many good answers here.
But I want to chime in with something that I think is getting overlooked.
It's important to point out that frontend and backend are terms that grew up around the web and programming for the web. They aren't great terms for someone starting out, unless that someone intends to only program web applications like Google Docs or Spotify-in-the-browser.
(Which is what many of us do, and that's totally fine. It's just a distinction that should be mentioned.)
There is a lot of other programming. Code is running inside your microwave, your car, your smartphone, your television, etc. And also inside your computer: such as the browser itself.
Usually, none of these things fall under the "frontend" or "backend" programming labels. Instead, you will hear labels like "mobile," "OS," "desktop," "embedded," etc. "Frontend" and "backend" relate only to stuff that happens after you type a URL in a browser and press enter (at least, the way most people use these terms.)
If you are starting out and want to think about any programming outside of things that you can point a web browser at and interact with, then forget about "frontend" and "backend" programming for now. Just focus on learning a good language and the rest will follow.
On the other hand, if what you do want to do is create something like Facebook or the site you're looking at right now, then they're good terms to know and you can focus on one or the other. In that case, think of frontend as the programming related to anything that happens within the browser. And think of backend as everything else. It could be data access, a long-running process like generating a file to download, some kind of communication with the outside world like sending someone an email or text, placing an order, or many other things. These are usually performed by "web services" which are also accessible via the web, but just not in the browser-renderable formats.
HIH