The development server compiles your code, starts a web server, and serves your application locally. The development server also watches for changes in your source code and automatically reloads the browser when you make changes, allowing you to see the updates in real-time during development.

To run a development server, you typically use a command provided by the framework or tool you’re using. For example, with React applications created using Create React App, or Angular applications, you can run the development server with the following command:

npm start

The development server plays a crucial role in front-end development by providing a local environment for testing and development.