What I am decidedly NOT happy with, is the frontend using as much, or even more, internal logic, magic, and build steps as the actual business logic.

To put this another way: I will happily listen to an interior designer on his thoughts about the color of the drapes. But if he tells me that this color means he has to bring his own crew of stonemasons, carpenters, and electricians, because somehow that color requires massive changes to the architecture and power lines of the house, I am going to grab a piece of cloth that vaguely has the color I want, and make the drapes myself.