Glossary
Backend
The server-side of an application — everything that happens away from the user’s screen. Ethora ships a ready-made backend so you can build your product without standing up your own infrastructure.
General definition
Backend is the informal name developers use for the things that happen on the server side, not visible to the End User — as opposed to the Frontend, where things are visible in the web browser or in an iOS or Android app.
It covers the logic, data and services an app relies on behind the scenes: storing records, enforcing rules and answering requests that the interface makes on the user’s behalf.
Ethora’s built-in backend
Ethora provides a built-in backend that includes its API layer, chat server and application logic. This Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) approach lets developers focus on the frontend without building their own backend infrastructure.
The backend covers user management, file handling and document services, though Ethora’s primary focus stays on chat and AI agent functionality — other BaaS features are secondary. The Files API, for example, exists mainly to support file attachments in chat, while still offering broader flexibility.
Ethora also supports backend-to-backend integration, where external systems connect via API using authentication keys. Developer-friendly touches like the externalID field in the Users API let an external backend keep its own user identifier mappings without having to manage Ethora’s internal IDs.
