front end vs plug-in

front end

noun
  • That part of a hardware or software system that is conceptually closest to the user; the user interface. 

  • Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see front, end. 

plug-in

noun
  • A module or device that interacts with another to add a specific feature or function. 

  • An electric vehicle that can be recharged from an external power source. 

  • Anything that plugs into something. 

adj
  • Able to be extended with further components in a modular fashion. 

  • Designed to be plugged into an electrical power outlet or circuit. 

How often have the words front end and plug-in occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )