Skills Required to Become a Backend Developer

A backend developer is someone who creates the “under the hood” part of applications and websites. It’s what allows apps and webpages to display dynamic content and connect to third-party tools and services.

Backend code powers everything from content management systems (CMS) to CRM platforms. Web developers use backend code to make websites’ frontend (what you see on a website) more functional.

Backend development often refers specifically to server-side programming, which deals with databases and APIs. The frontend is the side of the website that visitors can see and interact with and typically, backend developers work together with frontend developers who take care of the client-side of an application or website.

In other words, a backend developer is a type of programmer who creates the logical backend and core computational logic of a website, software or information system.

Skills required to become a frontend developer

Technical skills

Back-end developers are responsible for the core functionality of a website or application. They make sure the site or app does what it is meant to do and works well.

Below are the technical skills required to become a backend developer:

1. Server

Good knowledge of servers is essential for the backend developers to understand how the application is going to be hosted, what are the options available to choose from, how do they differ from each other and how will it affect the application.

Also, as backend devs will be responsible for building new servers and maintaining them so that everything runs smoothly in terms of load times and processing power, it becomes necessary for them to have a good working knowledge of servers.

A backend dev should be able to understand the following things:

managing a hosting environment
application scaling
handling load changes
managing a database administration
basic knowledge of Linux

2. Database

The database and server-side applications are responsible for data storage, processing, and delivery. The database is used to store various information such as user account information (usernames, passwords, email addresses), profile pictures, application settings, etc.

So a good knowledge of databases is essential for all the backend developers out there. A backend dev should know about the following database related topics:

knowledge of various DBMS technologies
database normalization and de-normalization
dealing with complex data
concurrency in database systems
database backups
disaster recovery, etc.

3. Programming languages

Back-end web development is a catch-all term for all the technologies that power the back end of a website. Back-end development usually refers to server-side development, which involves programming languages like PHP, SQL, and Ruby.

As a programmer, you need to know how to use multiple languages and this is true even if you specialize in one of them. You can never tell when a situation may require using a language that you don’t usually work with.

Here is a list of popular back-end development languages:

JavaScript
SQL
PHP
Java
Python
Ruby, etc.

4. APIs

If you’re a frontend developer, you might think that your only interaction with APIs is to make requests and use the data returned. But if you’re working on the backend side of things, you’ll need to build APIs for use by your frontend colleagues and potentially other people outside of your organization.

APIs are all about communication between different pieces of software. If you’re building an API from scratch, it’s important to consider what your users want to do with it and how they want to do it.

Typically, you will have to learn REST and SOAP as a backend developer which are two different types of web services that help us to create API. REST stands for Representational State Transfer and SOAP stands for Simple Object Access Protocol.

5. Git

Working knowledge of Git is necessary for backend as well as frontend developers. It helps you keep track of changes in the files as well as lets you collaborate with other developers.

Git is a version control system (VCS) for tracking changes in computer files and coordinating work on those files among multiple people. It is primarily used for source code management in software development, but it can be used to keep track of changes in any set of files. As a distributed revision control system it is aimed at speed, data integrity, and support for distributed, non-linear workflows.

Non-technical skills

1. Time management

For developers, time management refers to the ability to build in enough time for the development process, including the time it takes to fix bugs and make improvements. But a developer’s time management skills will also involve deciding when to start and stop working.

2. Problem-solving

Problem-solving skills are a requirement for any developer. Without the ability to think on your feet, come up with solutions to difficult problems, and learn new technology quickly, you’ll never be able to do your job effectively.

3. Critical thinking

Critical thinking skills help developers make better decisions. When they look at the details, they can see more clearly what the issue is and what needs to be done. Developers who have critical thinking skills make better choices about what codes they write and how they write them because they can look at the situation from many different angles.

Learn to think like a developer

Final words

In this article, we want to introduce you to backend development and shed some light on the main things you need to know. This can be your first step towards a job in an exciting new technical field.

All the best.

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