Server side versus Client side jobs

morgans303

Which one is a smarter choice in terms of jobs: Software Systems Developer (server side stuff / databases) or the more traditional client side Programmer?

Malice

Every web development job I've ever had has required a combination of both. I can't imagine employers being too keen on, for example, someone working with ASP.NET who hasn't got a clue about CSS or JavaScript.

solarith

Client side is generally more 'exciting'...!

Webmonkey

I think it's very subjective tbh.

Evil Phil

Long-term, which would you enjoy working with more? If it's too soon to tell then maybe you should wait a while before focusing on one or the other.

COYW

I think a blend of both is a must. I really like JQuery for client side work, IE limitations aside. If you look at most roles out there today, they look for client and server side skills.

solarith

Webmonkey wrote: »

I think it's very subjective tbh.

True, but nothing can make databases fun.

kayos

solarith wrote: »

True, but nothing can make databases fun.

I dont know I always enjoyed databases.... maybe I'm just strange.

Colonel Panic

I get a perverse pleasure out of working with databases too. Getting everything set up correctly, optimizing big queries, setting up indices... OH BABY!

MagicRon

solarith wrote: »

True, but nothing can make databases fun.

Working with databases > working with CSS/frontend anyday, for me

MagicRon

morgans303 wrote: »

Which one is a smarter choice in terms of jobs: Software Systems Developer (server side stuff / databases) or the more traditional client side Programmer?

In 'terms of jobs', do you mean money wise, number of jobs wise, or job happiness wise?

starlit

Either side isn't bad. I like both the web programming side and database/server side. I think if you into SQL then databases be no problem.

Though in general find software development/programming a little harder prefer web design/programming/development/application.


Both sides are equally smart job moves. Depends what career you really want, what you like and good at. Do you want a challenge or do you want to stick with something you know well. If you like and are happy with a job area stick with it but if you undecided just explore both sides and see which suits you best.

The Corinthian

Malice wrote: »

Every web development job I've ever had has required a combination of both. I can't imagine employers being too keen on, for example, someone working with ASP.NET who hasn't got a clue about CSS or JavaScript.

Certainly at a junior level you're going to be in a role that will typically cover both server and client side skills, including some database and even some pixel-pushing (graphics). Choosing to specialize in one or the other, then eventually specializing even further (CMS, mobile, specific systems, etc) comes later down the line.

If the OP is talking about a long term career strategy, then either has pluses or minuses. Client-side expertise opens up avenues such as UI design, while on the server-side you can find yourself going more down the line of database design or technical architecture.

If you're chasing future jobs/money, then unless you've a crystal ball, it's almost impossible to say which will pay better dividends; prior to the emergence of Web 2.0 (there's a buzzword I've not heard in a while) the money was largely server-side, however subsequently there's now probably as many jobs if not more in client-side work. In another three to five years? Who knows.

Whichever you feel you feel you have the best aptitude for and enjoy most is most likely the best choice in the long run, IMHO.

Malice

I don't mind working on databases. There is something satisfying about taking a vague request for yearly sales figures or something and being able to easily extend that with totals for quarters and months and handle a variable fiscal year start without the whole thing falling over.

What I do mind is having to deal with a poorly-planned data model. I find it really irritating If normalisation has been ignored or there are multiple redundant rows in a table.

As an example, on my current project I have to deal with handling the buying of products. There are exclusions that can be defined e.g. can't export nuclear arms to Iran or something. Those exclusions can be turned on or off. That sounds pretty straightforward except the original developers decide to handle the on/off status not by a simple single bit column called IsOn. No, instead they have two bit columns - InIncluded and IsExcluded which seem to be arbitrarily set and queried in different parts of the application. That lead to some interesting bugs where things were appearing or disappearing depending on which column was queried.

Or another gem which I had to fix last week. The previous devs handled the display of products by retrieving the entire product catalog and then just doing a GetRange() on the retrieved products. That's not so bad if for example your catalog has twenty products and you have a page size of ten. With a catalog size of 5,000 things get quite a bit slower. The previous devs had obviously never heard of ROW_NUMBER()

Evil Phil

The Corinthian wrote: »

prior to the emergence of Web 2.0 (there's a buzzword I've not heard in a while)

I think it's become the default now.

@OP - In terms of career it depends on what you're good at and what you enjoy. It is hard to say which is better, it's more of a question of which one you're better at? Compensation that will come down to ability, why kill yourself trying to be an average front-end developer when you could be an excellent DBA for the same effort? Work life balance is important as well, why kill yourself working 80 hour weeks when you could be happier working a 40 hour week for 5K per annum less. These things take time to work themselves out.

Feathers

morgans303 wrote: »

Which one is a smarter choice in terms of jobs: Software Systems Developer (server side stuff / databases) or the more traditional client side Programmer?

Smarter in what way? It's very hard to say which you personally would prefer. Back-end devs often get paid more, though this average is brought up a lot by the likes of banking. Front-end is all the sexy HTML 5 stuff

Malice wrote: »

Every web development job I've ever had has required a combination of both. I can't imagine employers being too keen on, for example, someone working with ASP.NET who hasn't got a clue about CSS or JavaScript.

I'd say it really depends on the size of your company. None of our .NET guys touch any CSS/JS. Obviously if you have them as well, it's doesn't hurt; & HR still put an impossibly large skillset on the job descriptions :rolleyes: But they'll never use it day-to-day, apart from in discussion with the front-end guys.

Evil Phil wrote: »

I think it's become the default now.

When's 2.1 coming along, is it not time for a patch release yet?

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

morgans303 wrote: »

Which one is a smarter choice in terms of jobs: Software Systems Developer (server side stuff / databases) or the more traditional client side Programmer?

to be honest, there is no real answer to that question, as there are jobs in both, and in any college course, you should be taught both. Also, its really up to you, and what you find more satisfying.

TinCool

I've been working in the industry for 15 years, most recently as an ASP .NET Developer for the past 5. I've always loved working with SQL and the surrounding technologies. I've recently accepted a new job as a glorified DBA. The role itself sounds really great. Apart from the usual bread and butter DBA stuff I'll be advising two teams of developers on how best to write their stored procs, functions, data pulls etc and occasionally getting my hands dirty with some DEV work.

The reason I took the job is my commute to/from work will be reduced from 50 miles a day to 6 ! Can't argue with that. MY experience with both client side and server side swung the job offer for me.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you need a good grounding in both, and eventually new doors should open up to you.

stevenmu

Feathers wrote: »

When's 2.1 coming along, is it not time for a patch release yet?

"Web" has been pretty much superceeded by "Cloud". "Cloud 2.0" is where all the cool kids are heading.




p.s. I hereby copyright the term "Cloud 2.0"

solarith

stevenmu wrote: »

"Web" has been pretty much superceeded by "Cloud". "Cloud 2.0" is where all the cool kids are heading.




p.s. I hereby copyright the term "Cloud 2.0"

My head just exploded.

The Corinthian

stevenmu wrote: »

p.s. I hereby copyright the term "Cloud 2.0"

As amusing as this may be, truth may ultimately be stranger than fiction.

Web 2.0 came about as a term to try and recapture some of the business confidence in the Web that was lost as a result of the dotcom bubble bursting. Presently there's a fair bit of hype surrounding the 'cloud', not to mention companies desperate to get into it, so a cloud-bubble (a term I hereby copyright) followed by a bust, followed by Cloud 2.0 to recapture business confidence, would not be beyond the realms of reality.