title: Generally splitting admin and web app into two entities
body: <p>I am building a public facing web/mobile application that will have a substantial admin controlled back end. Although this question is quite general, I am using CakePHP to build the application.</p>
  
  <p>I am looking into whether it would be wise to split the admin and public applications into two applications. Both applications would use the same database. The main reason I am looking into this would be for improved security, but also portability of the front end.</p>
  
  <p>I have also thought about developing a CakePHP based RESTful API that both the front and back end would share. </p>
  
  <p>Would an API be the best way to go about this or should each application simply only share the database, or is splitting the applications just creating more work in the long run?</p>