Do you know that, on average, a Backend developer in US makes $133,000 yearly? It is one of the highest-paying developer roles in the world. Maybe you are in for the passion. Maybe your passion is the $ itself, or maybe you are bored and just want to learn something new.Irrespective of your cause, this blog introduces Backend development and guides you on how to become a Backend developer.
#Step 1: What is Backend Development?
Knowing what duties fall under "How to become a Backend Developer" is a major confusion for newcomers. Also, how does it vary from Frontend Development?Let’s address the query.When you visit a website, everything you see and interact with is part of Frontend development also referred to as client-side or browser-side development. It covers how the content is present on the website, including minor user interfaces elements like menus, dropdowns, transitions, and models.On the other hand, Backend Development deals with code that runs on the server. It is all the behind-the-scenes stuff that happens on the servers that the user never sees and focuses on securing and managing the data. The quality of the user experiences a website provides depends on Backend programming.For example, a Backend developer would write the code that interacts with the database to get a list of images, and the Frontend dev. would write the code that displays the photos in a gallery with a slideshow.Handling Website design, building templates, CSS, HTML, javascript, etc., are generally considered Frontend. Working with Databases, APIs, web development, PHP, and related languages are all considered Back end.
#Step 2: Understanding the Roles and Responsibilities of a Backend Developer
With Backend, Power comes responsibilities. Let’s look at some of the roles and responsibilities of a Backend Developer:
- Supporting existing Backend.
- Creating and maintaining web applications with clean codes.
- Working with Frontend Developers to define goals and integrate user-facing aspects with server-side logic.
- Developing and Maintaining APIs.
- Management of hosting environments.
- QA testing.
- Troubleshooting and fixing bugs.
- Development of site architecture using appropriate methodologies.
#Step 3: Learning Backend Development
Everyone starts somewhere, don’t worry if you’ve never coded before. Here is a roadmap on how you can become a Backend Developer.Here are the steps you will need to follow:
- Learning the fundamentals of the Web
Understanding the fundamentals of the Web is essential. Get familiar with HTTP, DNS, Browsers, Domain, Hosting, etc., and understand how they work.
- Basic Frontend Development
It’s important to know how Frontend development works. Knowing even the basics can help ease your process of mastering and understanding Backend development.You can start by learning CSS and HTML.
- Learning a Programming Language
Knowing how to code is essential for a Backend developer. Choose a programming language and learn the fundamentals of programming language:
- Variables
- Functions objects
- Data types
- Core principles of OOPS
- Execution.
Some Popular Programming Languages for Backend Development are JavaScript, PHP, Python, Ruby, and C#.
#Step 4: Learning a Backend Framework
A framework is a well-organized collection of tools and libraries that assist you in accomplishing tasks in a specified manner, sometimes with less code.For example, if you’ve built websites with PHP and MySQL, you’ve probably worked with SQL queries to retrieve data from a database. You can use frameworks to query databases without having to write SQL queries. So, learning a framework will help you develop Backend applications faster.There are several Frameworks available. You can choose a framework depending on the programming language.Some popular Backend frameworks are Node.js, Django, Ruby on Rails, ASP.NET, and Laravel.
#Step 5: Databases
A database is a system for classifying and storing data.There are two types of Databases.SQL - SQL databases store the data in tables.SQL databases: MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite.NoSQL - NoSQL databases store data in a document.NoSQL databases: MongoDB, CouchDB, DynamoDB.Developers like to argue about SQL and NoSql and which is better, but it’s like arguing about Coke and Pepsi. They’re both good for different reasons, and in many cases, either will do.
#Step 6: APIs
Application Programming Interface. It allows you to access the data from another application and is a way for applications to communicate with each other.A Backend with API helps developers to interact with Backend services and applications, which helps them improve the user experience on the website. Some of the APIs to learn are: REST, JSON, AES, GSON, SOAP, XML-RPC.
#Step 7: Advanced Topics
Once you understand the programming language, frameworks, databases, and APIs, you get a good understanding. You will come to advanced topics like Hashing, Caching, Web Security, Web servers, Rate Limiting, Backend Testing, etc. Learning never stops. And it should never stop. Learning is a continuous process, especially in web development.
Level Up
After you’ve finished all these steps, it’s time for practice. Being a good developer takes time; getting used to languages, frameworks, concepts, etc., doesn’t happen overnight.Learn by doing. Start developing projects on your own. Nothing will improve you as a developer than building a project from scratch.
Get a Job
Get a Job or an internship. Depending on your command, that can be an entry-level job or an advanced position. You will gain experience on real projects backed by an organization which is ideal for a new learner.
There you go. You are a Backend Developer now.
Soon you will have the confidence and proficiency with Backend development. Now depending on your goals, you can become a freelancer. Or build personal projects. Or continue working for an organization. We wish you all the luck!
Want to Kick start your career? We’ve got you covered! Connect with our team now.