10 Skills to Become a Backend Developer in 2024

A backend developer is responsible for writing backend codes and communicating when the user triggers any particular action. Today they have become the backbone of web development and they’re in high demand on a vast scale of companies. Whatever you do in your application, the back end is responsible for that as they work behind the curtains. The integrations, logic, and APIs, all are being taken care of by back-end developers. That’s why they are the foundation of web development.

It is trending and has been resembled as one of the most desired jobs. But first, you need to understand the basics of backend development. A successful roadmap in backend development will start from the base itself i.e. in-depth knowledge of programming languages and will go along to applying it in real projects. Besides this fact, it is not mandated that every backend developer needs to follow the same strategy. Certain skill sets will define your career in backend development and those are the fundamental ones. So, today, we’re going to discuss the top 10 skills which are required to become a successful backend developer.

Since we’ve just discussed how important a role of a backend developer is, now is the time to understand briefly about this role before we jump into the required skills.

What Does a Back-End Developer Do?

A backend developer is responsible for writing backend codes of any website and how is it going to communicate when the user will trigger any particular action. Besides, they take care of the whole wireframe of the website, its architecture, coding, scripting, and database accessibility. Moreover, they are also responsible for debugging and testing the backend applications.

Before you move further, make sure that you are well aware of the following things first:

• Working on Internet
• How Does the Browser Work?
• Basic OS Knowledge

Being a backend developer also requires you to understand the basic function of the Internet and how it works and connects with the server. Besides this having a little knowledge of OS (I/O, networking, terminal, etc.) is also recommended so that you can work smoothly.

10 Essential Skills for Back-End Developers

1. Back-End Programming Language

In the field of development, language is the base and for that, you need to have a strong command of languages. This is how a backend developer is going to create a solid frame and its connectivity via servers. The desired outputs and functionality will work only if you’ve mastered the backend programming language. There are three major languages that giant IT firms use Java, Python, and PHP.

• Java: It is one of the most robust programming languages, that is used by many big tech companies (Google, Amazon, Facebook, etc.) that have been using Java due to its portability and extreme performance. Today it is being used to create applications and dynamic websites with high functionality.
• Python: Python is used to automate tasks, perform data analysis, build websites, and much more. It also supports a different range of programming styles such as functions, Object-oriented, etc.
• PHP: It is also one of the highly used languages among developers today. PHP powers today more than 80% of websites and is a useful language for the back end as it automates the task and eases the work of developers.

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2. Knowledge of Front-End Technology

So now you have the basic knowledge of backend programming languages, now it’s your turn to start with basic front-end language. Although it is not mandatory to master it, having basic skills required for this role such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. A programmer needs to have the capability to give instructions to computers for communicating and for applying different algorithms. You need to have a good command of basic languages if you’re looking for perfect output via coding. 

A back-end developer needs to have a command and in-depth knowledge of Jscript as they’re the foundation of front-end development. While working on the back end languages such as JavaScript, CSS, and HTML will work as a pillar while writing codes. JavaScript helps in adding elements and animations on a webpage which offers an engaging view for users whereas CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) gives a style, colors, and layout and HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the sole of the website, just like humans have the skeleton, websites have too, known as HTML.

3. Knowledge of Backend Frameworks

Once you’ve decided on the language which you need to work on, you need to brush up skills with the framework as well. The framework is a backbone of a language on a program/application on which you’re working. There are certain frameworks that you might consider working on while working as a back-end developer.

• Spring Boot for Java: It’s an open-source and free platform built to support the backend coding of an application. It works on JavaScript and is one of the oldest and most popular frameworks so far. NodeJs is cross-platform and compatible with Windows, Linux, macOS, etc.
• Django for Python: Compatible with Python, it is an open-source and free platform that has been highly appreciated and become popular among developers. The best part about Django is, it uses less code and power to craft rapid app development.
• Laravel for PHP : It is an open-source web framework written in PHP that follows the model–view–controller (MVC) architectural pattern. Laravel is intended for the development of web applications following the principles of model–view–controller (MVC) architecture.

4. Version Control System

It is also known as the source control which is responsible for any changes that have to be done from time to time. The version control system tracks every single modification of codes in a different database. This becomes more helpful when a developer makes a mistake and wants to reverse it back and it helps in protecting source code from any such incidents. These are some of the most popular version control systems for backend developers:

• AWS Code Commit: It is another version of the control system which is being hosted by Amazon. By using this, a user can easily store and manage data along with the source code. It is a highly secured platform managed by the Git repository.
• GitHub: Established in 2007, is an open-source community that has been designed to support developers. Due to its availability over the cloud, anyone from anywhere can view the code and it also allows developers to collab and contribute as they want. With the help of this community, anyone can anywhere provide help for those who need and due to its popularity, today millions of users are associated with this platform.
• GitLab: It allows users to collab on a single platform and perform all the tasks. Doing so, helps in reducing the time frame and increases productivity. In other terms, it allows teams to build perfect software with the help of a singular communication channel.

5. Knowledge of Databases

When you’re working on a project, you must understand that the storage of data is very crucial as they carry a large amount of information. So, it is a must to have a good command over the database. The backend developer is responsible for creating a relational mapping so that the data can be retrieved when required. Thus, to handle DBMS, developers use MySQL, SQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, etc.

6. Knowledge of API

Application Programming Interface or API is responsible for establishing connections between different applications. Just take an example, let’s say you are ordering some item from Alibaba via the mobile application, so here you’re establishing a connection with Alibaba’s API. Backend developers use these APIs to establish connections between different applications to enhance user experience. The most popular APIs among developers are JSON, SOAP, REST, GSON, etc.

7. Server Handling

Since backend developers are responsible to perform all the actions behind the curtains so it is a must to have a good command over handling the server. A server is a cloud system that provides all the useful information and offers services such as file storage, database, and security to other systems connected to that network. The details stored in the server are responsible for recovering, rearranging, stored information. Some of the best tools for server handling are Docker, Kubernetes, etc.

8. DSA (Data Structures and Algorithms)

A good knowledge of DSA (Data Structures and Algorithms) is also recommended to become a great back-end developer. It is necessary for efficient management and proper retrieval of data in order to prevent any memory leakage. DSA is also important because it forms the base for modifying, organizing, and accessing data in programming. Also, it is important that you learn Data Structure and Algorithms before becoming a back-end developer because it will help to make the code more optimized and efficient.

9. Problem Solving

Back-end development can be a tricky business therefore, the person handling it must have problem-solving abilities in order to do the work smoothly. A back-end developer is the backbone of any website as they are the main problem solvers and keep a check if the website is working in a proper manner or not. So if you have a passion for becoming a back-end developer – you can also improve your problem-solving skills as much as you can. 

10. Communication Skills

Backend development is a task where you need to focus otherwise things can get hampered. So this unique quality of working hard without any distractions can also make you a loner. But communication is the base of this job because you will have to work with a team on multiple projects with fellow developers. You will also have to discuss various ideas, with clients, the manager, or your fellow teammates. Therefore, be prepared to talk with people as it will lead to successful collaborations and projects too. 

Salary of a Backend Developer:

If you’ll check the trend, the average income of a backend developer varies from country to country and the rough figure is estimated at around USD 110,000 annually (USA) and INR 6, 50,000 (India). However, this can vary depending upon the level of expertise and skillsets, and the company as well. If you’ll compare the Front-end and Back-end then mostly the back-end gives a higher pay compared to the front because the logic is established from the backend and the structure of an app is being built by the backend team only. 

Final Verdict

Hence, after reading the above-mentioned points you must have got an idea about the skills that you need for becoming a back-end developer. If you want to make a career as a back-end developer then you need to focus on the particular path properly and have to be passionate about the development as it will definitely take you toward success. 

FAQs

How is serverless architecture impacting backend development in 2024?

Serverless reduces infrastructure management, improves scalability, and allows developers to focus on code, enhancing backend efficiency.

What role does GraphQL play in modern backend development?

GraphQL simplifies data retrieval, reduces over-fetching, and provides a flexible query language, streamlining communication between clients and servers.

How are microservices changing the landscape for backend developers?

Microservices promote modular development, scalability, and independent deployment, allowing backend developers to build more resilient and agile systems.

What trends are shaping backend security for web applications in 2024?

Emphasis on zero-trust architecture, API security, and continuous monitoring is increasing to counter evolving cybersecurity threats in backend development.