Is only backend “real engineering” and not frontend?

Is only backend "real engineering" and not frontend? Engineering is engineering, but the economy doesn't treat every form of engineering equally when it comes to growth in India. Frontend engineering has legitimate challenges like Virtual List, Dynamic List, rendering, performance optimization, compilation, and Rust-based tooling.

However, many of these areas have relatively lower demand compared to backend engineering. Backend jobs are more in demand due to the need for scaling infrastructure, data pipelines, models, services, and the growing influence of AI. This leads to the question: Is backend engineering considered "real engineering" in Urban India because its economic value translates into status?

The chain of thought goes like this: More demand leads to higher income, which boosts prestige, making backend engineering "real engineering." But we rarely question why backend is in greater demand. Why don't we develop more frontend frameworks? What kind of engineering does our economy reward, and why? The differences in economic reward create a hierarchy among engineering fields.

Work and career are also distinct. While a plumber and an electrician work, their roles are not generally considered careers in the same way software engineering is. People pursue careers that provide income, security, social mobility, and status, as these factors contribute to a "career" in Urban India. The economy rewards different forms of work differently, leading to a hierarchy that defines what is considered "real," "successful," "respectable," or "better."

Backend engineering becomes "real engineering," and certain jobs are deemed "good careers." The iPhone is also considered a "good phone." We stop questioning why, as the economy shapes our perceptions.