Here’s a short back-end developer definition to kickstart this topic. A back-end developer is a programmer who defines core computational logic of your application or website. This type of specialists is responsible for the creation of inner functions and features of the app which then are accessed by a user through a front-end interface.
What’s the Difference Between a Front-End and Back-End Developer?
As you may notice there is an inner separation between Front-end and Back-End developers. Although this separation is only used in development of user-facing web and mobile apps. Complex software engineering and development of b2b products that doesn’t care about interfaces, has no segregation between back and front end works.
That’s where the division comes from: front-end developers care about an application’s part that users interact with. They use HTML, CSS, and Javascript to define how your app will look like.
On the other hand, back-end developer will use a different set of tools. They will define how your application will interact with the server, database. Back-end developer actually programs the inner logic of all function and features your app will perform.
Back-End Developers Traits
When we’re talking about back-end developer we’re talking about someone who is more left-brained, logical, analytical. Nevertheless, those specialists should be really passionate about their job. They are interested in tech challenges and want to understand the whole process behind the project.
That’s why back-end developers usually have a background in software engineering, have tried full stack development or changed several positions and technologies before settling in back-end domain. back-end development is a conscious choice, there is no place here for newbies and faint-hearted people.
Unsurprisingly, 80% of back-end developers in GBKSOFT show major interest to projects with challenging tasks, puzzles and tricky use cases. And such kind of interest is exactly what we are looking for when interviewing new programmers or thinking about hiring back-end developers.
What Does a Back-End Developer Do
Right away, here is a short list of typical duties back-end developers do:
- Make a web or mobile app.
- Create sessions and log users.
- Define how to save data to the database.
- Create authentication process.
- Know how to do caching that speeds up your app.
- Develop APIs and connect to RESTfull APIs.
- Integrate Payment gateways.
- Integrate with third-party services like mail server, CMS or CRM system.
Usually, companies split their project between a front-end person and a back-end person. Usually, such splits occur in complex web projects with many interconnected parts and modules within. In such case there a lot of work dedicated to the back-end developer and you need someone who knows more than just Ruby on Rails or even Ruby.
A good back-end developer needs to understand other programming languages like PHP, he needs to know how to integrate with a database, a CMS tool and see the inner logic of the project as a whole. So, understanding how to connect all the dots like that is really important for back-end player.
Required Knowledge & Skills
How to become a back-end developer – a popular question you probably encountered frequently while surfing the Internet. A simple answer is to list all programming language, frameworks, and technologies a typical back-end developer should know in order to deliver tasks.
Let’s start from basic programming language back-end developer should definitely know. There is a bunch of different Server Side Languages by which you can talk to the server or machine that runs your application.
- PHP
- .NET
- Ruby on Rail (Ruby)
- Python
- Node.js
We’re using PHP and Node.js, more on which language (technology stack) to choose you can read in this post. Plus, any back-end developer must have some HTML & CSS knowledge before jumping into any of Server Side Languages.
Once, you know how to talk to the server side you need to jump into the database that is running on the server. A database is essential to any kind of project, whether it is a mobile or a web app. Databases hold user data, passwords, profiles, files, and any other structured data you may need. back-end developer must know how to wire up server side with the database.
- MySQL
- MongoDB
- Redist
MySQL is the most popular and easiest one. Picking MySQL will ensure that you won’t mess up with it during development as well as any of your new team members.
On top of this essentials, there are frameworks. Frameworks can greatly speed up the development process, make it much easier and, with the right approach, they will keep your code clean. There are tons of big and small frameworks. For example, you can familiarise with AngularJS framework and its superpowers.
Bottom Line
Back-end developer may stand behind the scene, but it is their knowledge that makes software apps alive. Professional that design core logic of apps are always in demand and we find the best possible to ensure you’ll get the unbeatable product!
