Back end development can be tough and there are so many options on how to get started. I’ll show you the steps that I took to become a back end developer by learning C# and creating my own program.
Pick a back end programming language
A server-side programming language is code that runs on the server. Meaning, code that’s only accessible on a machine. The most common operating systems for servers are Ubuntu and Windows Server. Learning a server-side programming language can seem difficult at first. You might not want to hear this, but it really is!
Server-side languages involve Object Oriented Programming. Meaning all data structures are objects with Inheritance and Polymorphism. I won’t go into detail what these are, as you can find plenty of resources online.
The key takeaway is that server-side programming languages have a lot of data processing involved. Therefore, knowing the correct data structure to perform your data processing is absolutely critical.
So, what language should you learn? If you are a true beginner and are looking to get started on programming, I highly (HIGHLY) recommend choosing Python as your first programming language.
While Python isn’t MY first language, the syntax is simple to understand and gets rid of the boilerplate code that other programming languages use.
Learn basic data structures and algorithms
Data structures isn’t just for organizing data. It’s also used for processing, retrieving and storing data. While I won’t list every data structure to exist, these are the ones that you WILL see very commonly as a back end developer:
- Array
- List
- Dictionary
- Binary Tree
In addition to data structures, you should probably have some knowledge of basic algorithms. I would not go as far as to learn every algorithm out there. Just know 3 algorithms and know how to explain them in case you’re being asked about it in an interview.
The most popular algorithm is binary search. Know this search algorithm religiously and do examples of it in your chosen back end programming language.
Pick a back end development framework
Think of a framework as a group of programming languages that work together in a system. These programming languages are often similar to each other (they are developed by the same company i.e. Microsoft).
For instance, .NET framework by Microsoft supports around 30 programming languages. But there are 3 main languages when it comes to web development:
- C#
- VB.NET
- JavaScript
Ideally before you pick your back end programming language, look at which framework you want to work in. From my experience, .NET is easily one of the more lucrative frameworks to learn as there is still high demand for it in the job market. I go over more about .NET and C# in this article.
Know the basic concepts of databases
If you want to become a backend developer, you will almost certainly deal with databases.
My suggestion? Start with relational databases. More specifically, MSSQL. Microsoft has a sample database called Adventureworks that mimics data you’d have in a real world company. Use this database to query data from particular data from employees. You can check out my other post here where I discuss why you should learn SQL as a developer.
Create your own program
Once you know the basics of back end development, it’s time to get started and create your own program!
If you’re unsure which program to create, think about what process you are doing everyday on your computer that can be repeatable with a program. For example, are you checking if an item on a website is in stock? You can create a simple program that checks the item everyday and email you if it’s available.
If you create a program with a clear purpose, you will be more engaged and motivated to complete it.
Rinse and Repeat
As with all skills in life, practice makes perfect and the same goes for programming. With each mini program that you create, you’d have learned so much from debugging all the errors that came your way.
Many new programmers complain that they can’t apply for jobs because they don’t have experience. Well then, create your own experience!
Thanks for reading and I hope this post gave you some valuable information.
Happy learning!
-Bao