How to Become a Backend Developer in 2021
By: Coding Made Simple
Tags: Developer, Coding, Programming, Backend Development, Programming Languages

Are you interested in pursuing a career in backend development? Companies need rockstar back-end developers to design full programs that go beyond the user interface.

The back-end stores and processes all of the app’s data. Everything that happens behind the scenes is referred to as back-end development. It includes databases, business logic, the API layer, and pretty much everything else not related to the user interface.

The average salary for a back-end developer in the United States is $120,654 per year. Let’s have a look at what it takes to be a Back-end Developer.

Choose A Programming Language

You must first determine the programming language you will use for your application before you can start developing the backend. To become a great back-end developer, you’ll need a variety of talents, depending on the programming language you use.

As a backend developer, the following are the best tech stacks to use:

JavaScript Stack

Python Stack

C# Stack

Java Stack

Let’s take a closer look at the four most common back-end programming languages, as well as the technology stack that supports them.

Back-end Stack 1: JavaScript Stack

According to a study done by StackOverflow, JavaScript is the most popular programming language for the seventh year in a row. JavaScript is used by several progressive Fortune 500 companies, including Facebook, Netflix, and PayPal, to build their applications. You must have a thorough understanding of JavaScript as a programming language in order to work as a JavaScript back-end developer. To complete the stack, you’ll need the following skills once you’ve mastered JavaScript.

Skill 1: Node.js

The powerful open-source server environment Node.js is used to run JavaScript code on the backend. You must be familiar with JavaScript before beginning to learn node. If you’re using JavaScript to build back-end applications, Node.js is the way to go. It is incredibly popular and has a huge community support.

Node is designed to work with asynchronous JavaScript programming. It can be used for asynchronous tasks including reading and writing to the file system, managing database connections, and serving requests as a web server. Node.js is a server-side scripting language that can communicate with databases and files.

Skill 2: Node.js Frameworks

You’ll need to choose a web framework to build and run your web apps if you’re using Node.js. There are many solutions available in this regard.

There are some popular Node.js frameworks available today. Here are a few options to think about.

Option 1: Express

Express is a Node.js web framework that is fast, adaptable, and simple. Express is a well-known web framework for its speed. It comes with a slew of utilities and features that make development a joy.

Option 2: Meteor

Meteor is a popular and easy-to-use full-stack Node.js framework for developing modern online and mobile apps. It works with a variety of devices. It may be used to create web, iOS, Android, and desktop applications.

Option 3: Koa

The team behind Express has created a new web framework called Koa. It promises to be a smaller, expressive, and stable platform for web applications and APIs. Koa allows you to forget about callbacks and substantially improve error handling by using async functions.

Back-end Stack 2: Python Stack

Python has long been a popular programming language among programmers. Because of its simple syntax, many schools are now teaching Python as the first programming language to students. If your API requires a lot of calculations, Python is a great choice.

Here are the skills you’ll need to finish studying Python if you decide to use it to create your backend.

Pick a Python Framework

There are various Python frameworks, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

Full-stack frameworks and micro-frameworks are the two types of frameworks available in Python.

Take a step back and examine the scale and complexity of your project before deciding which framework to choose.

If you’re building a huge application with a lot of complications and features, a full-stack framework will be beneficial. A micro-framework is a good option if your program will be small and simple.

Let’s have a look at a few of the most popular Python frameworks and see which one you should choose for your backend development.

Option 1: Full-stack Framework — Django

Django is a high-level Python Web framework that promotes speedy development as well as a clean, pragmatic design. It includes utilities and features that let you concentrate on developing your app rather than reinventing the wheel. It’s open-source and free. Today, this is the most popular Python web framework.

PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and Oracle are the most popular databases that Django supports, although third-party drivers allow you to use any database you choose.

Option 2: Full-stack Framework — Pyramid

Pyramid is a nice alternative to Django if you want to try something new. Pyramid is a Python web application framework that is open-source. It attempts to be straightforward, and it can handle both large and small applications.

Option 3: Micro-framework — Flask

Let’s imagine you’re going to make a basic app that doesn’t require a full-stack framework. Micro frameworks are an alternative. Flask is a Python microframework that comes with a BSD license. Flask is a lightweight programming language that is simple to learn.

Back-end Stack 3: C# Stack

Companies that use Microsoft technologies use the C# programming language. You must have a thorough understanding of C# as a programming language in order to work as a C# back-end developer. After you’ve mastered C#, there are a few more abilities you’ll need to build a web application.

Mosh offers the Ultimate full-stack.NET developer bundle, which will help you master all of the .NET abilities you’ll need.

Skill 1: ASP.NET Core

ASP.NET Core is a popular, comprehensive, and feature-rich framework that allows developers to create online apps with super-fast APIs. The new ASP.NET Core framework has built-in templates for Angular and React, which are two of the most popular JavaScript frameworks.

The ASP.NET Core framework can be used to create and run web applications on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. This provides the developers with a more adaptable working environment.

Skill 2: Entity Framework

Entity Framework is an object-relational mapper (O/RM) that enables .NET developers to work with a database using .NET objects. It eliminates the need for most of the data-access code that developers usually need to write.

Back-end Stack 4: Java Stack

Java is a popular programming language that is used in a variety of backend development projects by companies such as Google and Amazon. Do you find Object Oriented Programming to be enjoyable? If you answered yes, Java is the programming language you should use for your backend stack.

Skill 1: Framework

You’ll need to choose a framework for your development ecosystem as a backend Java developer. For backend development, you may use the Play, Struts, or Spring frameworks. These frameworks assist you in the creation and development of modern Java applications by providing a variety of built-in functionality and support.

Skill 2: Build Tools

Java programmers use build tools to automate parts of the development process, as well as providing documentation, coding best practices, and other resources. Maven and Gradle are two of the most widely used build technologies in the Java environment. You must educate yourself about these tools and use them regularly as a backend Java developer.

Note: You’ll also need to know Java as a programming language, design patterns, and Object-Oriented architecture, as well as be able to develop appropriate tests for your Java code.

Choose A Database

A database will always be required, regardless of the programming language you select for your back-end. A database is required for any program you create. This is where the information is kept. SQL and NoSQL are the two most common database types.

More people are using SQL databases. To mention a few, SQL-driven databases are used by Facebook, Netflix, Uber, and Airbnb. To be a successful back-end developer, you must understand SQL from top to bottom.

There are various databases to choose from, and I’ve listed the most common ones below.

Option 1: MongoDB

MongoDB is the most popular document database, and it’s frequently used as the Node.js default database. It’s a NoSQL database, which means it’s much more adaptable than a SQL database.

Option 2: MySQL

MySQL is another widely used relational database in the IT industry.

Option 3: PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is a popular relational database system with a lot of capabilities.

That’s Not All!

We’ve gone over the major learning paths that are required to become a Backend Developer. But wait, there’s more! The backend developer is also responsible for a variety of other tasks.

Backend developers must also be proficient in the following areas:

Write good unit tests for their code.

Good understanding of Algorithms and Data Structures.

Knowledge on security vulnerabilities and know how to fix them.

Cloud experience in platforms like AWS or Azure.

Configuration, maintenance and testing of server.

Further Learning and Resources

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