Don’t let your backend write checks your frontend can’t cache

January 27, 2026 Rachel Kim – Technology Editor Technology

Key Takeaways from the Conversation:

Here’s a breakdown of the main points discussed by prakash Chandran and Ryan Donovan, focusing on AI’s role in work and the relationship between front-end and back-end development:

1. AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement:

* Human Thought is Crucial: prakash strongly believes in the value of individual thought and expertise. He disliked an employee simply relaying ChatGPT’s responses, preferring her own analysis and insights, even if ChatGPT was used for clarification.
* Upskilling is Key: AI will likely automate some roles (like first-line support), but those affected should upskill to become “AI-native” – leveraging AI to enhance their skills and contribute in new ways.
* Ownership is Essential: Individuals need to own their work, using AI to accelerate processes but ultimately taking responsibility for the output.

2. Front-End & Back-End Collaboration & Understanding:

* Front-End Needs Back-End Knowledge: Ryan points out the importance of front-end engineers understanding the back-end to avoid creating unrealistic expectations (“writing checks yoru back-end can’t cash”).
* User Experience Focus: The ultimate goal is a good user experience.Achieving this requires close collaboration between front-end and back-end developers. Front-end developers are the “guardians” of this experience.
* Back-End Powers the Front-End: All the complex back-end work is ultimately about delivering a fast and seamless experience to the user.

3. How Front-End developers Can Learn About the Back-End:

* Low-Code Tools (like Xano): Prakash recommends tools like Xano to help front-end developers visualize business logic and understand back-end concepts (variables, loops, conditionals) without getting bogged down in complex syntax.
* Hands-On Building: He encourages front-end engineers to start building their own back-end components to gain practical experience.
* Communication with Back-End Engineers: Directly talking to and collaborating with back-end engineers is vital for understanding the system as a whole.

In essence, the conversation emphasizes a future where humans and AI work together, and where a holistic understanding of the entire development process (front-end and back-end) is crucial for success.