Embodiments include a front-end device collaboration method, applied to a security and protection system to reduce a delay of a collaborative operation. The security and protection system includes a plurality of front-end devices, and the plurality of front-end devices include a first front-end device and a second front-end device. The method includes: the first front-end device determines that a preset collaboration trigger event exists; and the first front-end device sends a collaboration instruction to the second front-end device, where the collaboration instruction is used to instruct the second front-end device to perform an operation corresponding to the collaboration instruction.