When you’re developing a website or an application for your business, you’ll need to hire two types of web developers, namely; front-end developers and back-end developers. Because the two developers perform two distinct roles, you have to understand what each developer is responsible for. So, before you start looking for a back-end developer, it’s important to understand what back-end developers do.
In software development, a back-end developer is a person who writes code that serves as the backbone of the website or application. This person is responsible for creating the back-end aspects of your platform so that when your users click on a button, they’re taken to the exact page they need. This part of the platform is only visible to the developer and admin.
Unlike a front-end developer, who’s responsible for developing the visual and design elements of a platform, a back-end developer is involved in developing the core mechanisms of a website or app, such as security, storage, and server-side functions. This part of the platform isn’t visible to the end user.
It’s safe to say that a back-end developer is responsible for developing and maintaining the tools that allow the end user to process data and carry out other important functions on the platform without assistance.
What Does a Back-End Developer Do?
As noted above, a back-end developer works on the server-side software to ensure everything that forms the website or app works perfectly. They also focus on the database, app programming interfaces (APIs), servers, architecture, and back-end logic. A back-end developer also writes code that allows browsers to communicate with the database, store, process, and remove data.
They also collaborate with front-end developers, principal architects, web testers, and product managers to create the overall structure of the site or app. This means that your back-end developer must be conversant with all the necessary tools, software, and coding languages for back-end development. But what languages do back-end developers use? Like front-end developers, back-end developers use several coding languages, including Golang, PHP, SQL, Java, Ruby, and Python.
The developer must be familiar with the available back-end development frameworks because they’re essential to web or app development; the frameworks they use to develop your site will determine the performance and scalability of your platform. A back-end framework is a foundation on which a developer makes a website or app. Here are other important roles of a back-end developer:
- Ensuring the site or app meets the specified requirements
- Maintaining the database
- Debugging the back-end code
- Optimizing performance to ensure efficiency and the best user experience
- Building and maintaining code libraries to allow developers across the organization to reuse them
- Securing the platform from attacks
Back-End Developer Technical Skills
A professional back-end developer must have certain technical abilities and competencies to be able to develop a site or app that delivers the best user experience. Here are the main technical skills that every back-end developer should have:
Frameworks
As mentioned above, a good back-end developer must be conversant with the various frameworks available. These are the libraries of coding languages that enable the developer to develop the server structure. Frameworks are usually linked with coding languages.
Database and Server Configuration
Your back-end developer must be able to configure the database and server. They should also be able to load and retrieve data from the database because the back-end code controls access to this data, including storage and retrieval.
Application Program Interface (API)
An application program interface is a chain of characterizations and guidelines for building application software. Therefore, make sure your back-end developer has deep knowledge of app-building languages like JavaScript.
Access and Security Control
Your back-end developer is responsible for keeping your app or website safe from cyber-attacks. So, they should be aware of the network protocols and security so that they can secure databases and servers.
Coding Languages
As mentioned above, your back-end developer should be familiar with most, if not all, of the available coding languages. These languages are important for enabling your website or app to work effectively when used together with databases, servers, and frameworks. Some coding languages like Python are attuned to artificial intelligence and machine learning to help the developer write clear and rational code.
Lastly, your back-end developer should be fully trained and have prior experience developing complex websites and applications; they should have all the necessary certificates to show their level of training. Fortunately, it’s now easy to find a qualified and experienced back-end developer, thanks to reputable freelance job sites like Guru!
