How to Become a Backend Developer?

Introduction

Every time you watch a series online or order fast food through a mobile application or even using Amazon, there is always backstage work behind each action. It is the component that enables efficient execution, control and handling of data and user interactions. Today, many businesses use backend systematically to enabling their operations to run efficiently.

Backend development is promising for anyone interested in a career change or a fresher in the field, as the opportunities are promising in the future market.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job growth for backend developers, categorized under "web developers and digital designers," is projected to be significantly positive, with an 8% growth rate expected over the next decade.

So let’s understand what the backend developer does and how to become a backend developer.

Who is a Backend Developer?

A backend developer is responsible for the behind-the-scenes operations of a website or web application and coordinates with a front-end developer to build a fully functional website with a seamless user experience. And together Front-end & Back-end Development skills (Full-Stack Development) are necessary if you're looking to create a fully-functional website.

You can refer to the following blog to learn more on Full-stack Developer Roadmap 2025.

Backend vs Frontend Development

Before getting into the details of the Backend development let's quickly and briefly understand how back-end development & front-end development differ. Though both are the two most important aspects of any web application. They differ from each other in many ways. The following table shows the difference between frontend and backend development:

What does a Backend Developer do?

A backend developer focuses on how a website works rather than how it looks. Their job involves building the structure, logic, and systems that allow websites to store and process data efficiently. Refer to the image below, which shows the various roles and responsibilities of a backend developer.

Why do you become a backend developer?

These are some of the reasons why one should consider becoming a backend developer:

• High demand for skilled developers: There is a lot of demand for specialized backend developers. 
• Impactful work: All the core functionalities, of applications like data storage, security and business logic, industries, etc. are built by backend developers.
• Career Progression: There are a lot of growth opportunities like lead backend developer, architect, functionalities, or technical team leader.
• Variety of industries: There are a lot of diverse industries like e-commerce, healthcare, finance, social media, etc. where backend developers offer diverse career choices.

How to become a backend developer?

Now coming to one of the most important aspects of the blog- how can you become a Backend Developer?

In order to become a successful Backend developer, one needs a lot of hands-on training. So, here's a step-by-step idea on how to become one:

Step 1: Programming language

There are a lot of programming languages for backend development:

• JavaScript
• C/C++
• Java 
• Python

So choose a programming language and start learning it, understand every single step and technique. Focus on developing the skill with practice. Also, it is good if one knows more than one programming language. Recently, python has led the list of programming languages.

Step 2: Understand Data structure and algorithm basics

Data structure and algorithm basics helps one to know how a software is running.

So it is crucial to have a clear picture about the basics of data structure and algorithm.

Step 3: Learn a Framework

Frameworks provide templates where developers can add, edit or alter the coding according to the needs. Frameworks help one to shorten the length of code and simplify the process of development, which was done by a programming language.

Step 4:Learn the database concept

A database is the storage where we can store or retrieve our data. There are two types of databases, i.e. relational and non-relational databases. Learning database concepts is crucial since it helps one know how data is manipulated using programming language. 

Step 5: Build projects

After theoretical knowledge, it is important to build projects to get some hands-on knowledge and understanding the real world application. Write the code in the editor and understand how to analyze the error and debug it.

Some of the projects include:

• User authentication system - A login/logout system with JWT-based authentication.
• URL Shortener - A system similar to Bit.ly that converts long URLs into short ones.
• E-commerce backend - Build APIs for product management, cart, and checkout.

Step 6: Develop your unique idea and develop

After building some projects try to develop your unique idea and develop the project, you can also start by modifying the algorithms of existing projects.

Step 7: Deploy and launch the idea

Deploy your project on cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, Render,the etc. to get a domain. And showcase your project to land at a job.

Skills Required for Backend Developers

There are various backend skills. Some of the skills required are programming language, frameworks, databases and servers, APIs, etc.

Backend Developer Salary

Backend developer salary in India and the US:

Final thoughts

In this blog we understood the steps required to become a backend developer, the difference between frontend and backend developer, job growth salary expectations, etc. 

Overall, becoming a backend developer is an exciting journey with a lot of career opportunities and growth. It requires dedication, continuous learning, and a passion for problem-solving.

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