As a self-taught developer, I’ve come to realize just how crucial the role of a back-end software is. We do all the dirty work, ensuring that the server, database, and everything behind the scenes work seamlessly. Whether you’re considering this career or just curious about what I do, I’d like to share my experience and insights into the world of back-end software development. Enjoy!
What I Do as a Back-End Software Developer
In my role, I’m responsible for the server-side logic, database interactions, and overall performance of web applications. While front-end developers create the interfaces users interact with, I work behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly. My day-to-day work includes managing databases, automating processes as per the business, developing APIs, and pretty much everything else. Need a process automated? No problem.
My Key Responsibilities as a Back-End Software Developer
Database Management:
I design and maintain databases to store and retrieve data efficiently. This involves creating schemas, writing queries, and constantly optimizing database performance. While there are many new modern frameworks for storing data, relational databases such as Microsoft SQL is still very reliable and used in many companies.
API Development:
I create and maintain APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that allow different parts of the application to communicate effectively. Additionally, I also utilize APIs from other software companies. It is common for companies to utilizes other softwares for certain automation processes. I’ll read the API documentation and determine which data is needed based on the business requirements.
Collaboration:
I work primarily with my fellow software engineers when it comes to development or database design. After that, my collaboration may vary depending on the nature of the project. If it’s a networking issue, I’ll work with network administrators. If it’s Azure Devops related, I’ll work with the Devops engineers. The nature of software engineering forces you to collaborate with teammates of different skillsets.
The Skills I’ve Mastered
Programming Languages:
I’ve become proficient in C# server-side language. I’ve dealt with other languages such as Javascript and Python. I’ve learned that learning multiple languages isn’t as important as knowing one or a few languages very well. It’s important to pick 1 or 2 languages as your foundational languages.
Web Technologies:
While I was learning how to program, I started with Web Development. I began learning HTML and very basic Vanilla Javascript. Time went on and I moved onto more advanced Javascript libraries like JQuery.
Version Control:
What mostly confused me during the beginning of my career was version control like GIT. At first I was confused with the git commands on console. I soon found out that you don’t need to commit code strictly using commands: There are tons of tools with intuitive, easy to use UI. You can choose whatever program you like, but personally, I’d use the built in GIT GUI on Visual Studio and Visual studio code.
I decided to dedicate an entire week learning and understand GIT versioning. I simply used a word document as a means to play around with Git, completely stress free. I could test every command I wanted.
Problem-Solving:
Perhaps the most important skill a software engineer could have. I soon found out that software engineering wasn’t about learning how to code in multiple languages or what coding framework to use. You are hired for two reasons:
- Can you solve problems the business is having
- Will hiring you yield a positive investment for the business
Problem solving isn’t just strictly from code. You’ll learn that you often deal with non-technical coworkers and have to translate for business stake holders. The more problems you solve, the more valuable you become.
My Career Path and Growth Opportunities
I’m pretty happy with where I’m at so far. The good news is there’s always opportunity for growth in Software Engineering. Most people fall into a few of these categories after 5-7 years of experience.
- Senior Software Engineer: Experience and time will eventually promote you to a Senior Software Engineer. At this point, you can choose to stay as a Senior Software Engineer forever or move up a few levels.
- Software Engineer Manager: At this point you’ll be coding less and doing more people managing. Rather than debug code, you’ll debug your Software Engineers. Your task is to overseas multiple projects to ensure projects are on schedule. Your responsibilities increase as well: if an engineer deploys a code that breaks the system, that becomes your fault.
- Software Engineer Architect: You’ll oversea the entire software infrastructure of the company. You’re responsible for coordinating different services to ensure each process is up and running. Architects deal with code on an infrastructure level, such as on-premise computing and cloud computing.
Being a back-end software developer is both challenging and rewarding. I love working on the core functionalities that power web applications, and I’m always excited about the opportunities to innovate in this field. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to advance your skills, there’s always something new to learn and explore in the world of back-end development. Happy coding!
Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just curious about this path, the journey of a back-end software developer is filled with opportunities to innovate and make a significant impact on the digital world. I’m excited to share my experiences, and I hope they inspire you on your own journey!