The Best Way to Learn Backend Web Development

What is Backend Development?

Front end development is concerned with what a user sees on the screen when they open a URL that you own. Even in a purely static environment (with simply HTML/CSS), when someone visits a website, some server somewhere on the earth must respond with those HTML and CSS files.

That server is simply a computer, just like the one you use to access the internet. However, it has been optimized for performance and does not include extraneous components such as a mouse or keyboard. And it's probably in a data warehouse with hundreds of other machines.

Back end development refers to the process of programming those computers in a unique way.

You may believe that backend development is so named because it occurs behind the user's back. A visitor to your website never truly "accesses" the back end. They only communicate with your server, either directly through ports for extremely limited access (such as sending HTML/CSS files) or indirectly through CDNs or firewalls (like Cloudflare).

Is front end programming knowledge required for the back end?

As previously stated, back end development entails creating a computer on the other side of the world that is responsible for responding to what your users say from their own computers.

If you work as a full-time backend developer, you don't have to be concerned with what happens inside the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files you deliver to the user's browser. Instead, you should concentrate on the server's performance, server code, and throughput.

The Best Way to Learn Backend Web Development

According to the literature, a back end developer is someone who codes an application that can reply to HTTP requests.

However, back end developers can sometimes do much more than just write server programmes. They have the knowledge to set up reverse proxy servers (NGiNX/HAProxy), enable compression and other ways to speed up the site, and set up a production docker environment.

I'd say the bare minimum talents required to qualify as a back end developer are:

• You should be familiar with a programming language that allows you to create HTTP servers. Examples include C#, Java, Node, PHP, Python, and others (there are many!).
• Manage your hosting using cPanel (traditional) or bash (cloud hosting/traditional).
• Using Version Control Systems (VCS) such as git to manage and deploy builds

Start with minimum requirements

As I previously stated, we have a set of minimal and recommended criteria for the back end, similar to games. The minimum criteria are as follows:

1. Learn a backend programming language

People who study on their own frequently do not have a team or someone who can conduct front end development. They're all by themselves. As a result, you'll frequently have to build your own websites and servers, at least at first.

Although there are many options for back end programming languages, I cannot think of any major system language that does not include support for HTTP servers. The benefit of using Node is that your front-end JavaScript expertise can be applied to the back end.

Nonetheless, you have a wide range of languages to select from, including Java, C++, C#, Python, PHP, and others.

Because you may have already done JS front end programming language, Node is simple. However, if you're a Python or Java developer, you might find those easier to learn. It entirely depends on your profession and preferences.

2. Learn about managing hosting

Gone are the days when you had to buy servers, put them up at home, connect to your ISP, and do everything yourself. The cloud computing age is arrived. You now have primarily two options for hosting your website:

• Using managed hosting servers such as HostGator or GoDaddy.
• Choosing cloud hosting providers such as GCP, AWS, or DigitalOcean.

What is the distinction between the two? The servers are owned and operated by the relevant corporations in both circumstances. However, the fundamental difference is that managed hosting is more user-friendly, with a comprehensive set of tools for seeing the filesystem, monitoring usage, managing your official domain emails, uploading/downloading files from your server, and so on.

As a result, I do not suggest managed hosting services like HostGator or GoDaddy to experienced developers. Still, given you normally have prepaid plans for them, it could be a fantastic platform to make mistakes and grow on. You'll also have a beautiful UI for managing things, so you won't mistakenly run up your costs.

However, once you've gained traction, I recommend switching to a cloud service. This removes all of the useful cPanel capabilities for managing files and directories on servers. However, it will force you to significantly improve your talents.

3. Learn about Version Control Systems

Other than Git, there are other options for VCS. However, Git is the most widely used and easiest to grasp.

You may not recognize it right away as an individual. But you'll see why it's so vital once you start working in a team on various features in your project at the same time.

You can organize your workflow using Git by utilizing commits and branches. Commits are like checkpoints in your codebase that you can always revert to if you make a mistake.

Branches are similar to other realms in your project, where something completely different could occur. These parallel worlds can be established at any moment in time and joined at any time.

It's fine if such realities can be reconciled with compatibility. However, if there is a contradiction (for example, if you are living in one reality but dead in another), you must make a manual option. Other changes can be automatically merged.

Git is a fascinating tool, and once you've mastered it, you'll want to use it in every project. You can keep a record of your efforts in an organized manner (it compresses and stores only the difference between commits).

It also enables you to create online git repositories on sites such as GitHub, which serve as a single point of truth for your website.

4. Go for recommended skills

I really believe in learning by doing. And the greatest approach to do something stems from a need or an interest. When you believe you have met the minimum requirements, it is time to learn the recommended talents. This contains all of the tools described above, such as Docker and NGiNX.

DevOps is also something that works well with back end developers. For automated build deployments, you may look into TravisCI or CircleCI. Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD) is a topic worthy of its own blog article, so I won't go into it here. In fact, once properly configured, it will save you a crazy amount of developer time! if you want to bacome a web developer expert then join this online web development course.