Back end web development is essentially the backbone of the web interface, the systems, tools, and programs that make a website run. The back end represents the server support of an application and all that communicates in between the database and the browser the user is actually interacting with. The back end requires highly technical skills some of which are learned in a classroom but many simply by practice.
The back end focuses on making the site applications work. This type of web development typically has three parts: a server, an application, and a database to store all your data, content, images, etc. Code written by developers is what communicates the database information to power the browser. Anything you can’t see with the human eye such as databases and servers is the work of a back end developer. Back end developers are often referred to as programmers, web developers, engineers, and IT/system operators. It is quite common for back end practitioners are usually well-versed in front end languages such as HTML and CSS but use languages such as Javascript, PHP, Ruby on Rails, Python, and .Net.
The back end team is responsible primarily for the site’s responsiveness and speed. Back end developers would also be responsible for third-party integrations and APIs as a means for feeding information to or from the database. As a point of reference, front end developers naturally are focused on the look and feel of the customer-facing part of the interface. There is another term that you will hear frequently and that is “Full Stack Development.” The full-stack developer boasts a skill set born in both front end skills and back end principles. They are a bit of a generalist of sorts as they may not have the same depth and breadth of those who specialize in either front end or back end exclusively.