[jabradoodle]

But your front end is still coupled to the structure of that JSON, which is often fine, but it is coupling

[redcobra762]

“Couples” means two-way. Of course your front end will depend on your backend, the problem arises when they become interdependent; when you can’t develop one without making changes to the other.

In this sense a frontend and a backend can be entirely independent, and in every sense the backend should be independent of the frontend.

[jabradoodle]

It isn't entirely independent if a change in your backend can completely break your frontend.

Your using coupling as if it is a dirty word that means you've failed.