How to Learn Back-End Web Development Online

You might be eager to learn about back end web development and find plenty of online courses that look suitable to your needs. But what if you’ve never learned alone before? This guide will walk you through the basics of online learning to ensure that you can easily learn back end web development online. 

What is Back End Web Development?

Back end web development covers the back end, or “server-side,” of websites. Essentially, it’s the part of websites that handles everything that happens behind the scenes. Without back end web development, websites would only have text, images, and sometimes animations. 

Back end web development is important because it helps websites function. While websites can operate using only front end web development, they will be relatively basic and unable to retain anything. Back end web development allows complex programs to operate on the site, store relevant information, and generate new content based on the user’s actions. Modern websites need back end web development to stay current because simple websites can only go so far in the increasingly digital world. 

Read more about back end web development and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Back End Web Development?

While front end web development focuses on the parts of websites that users see, back end web development handles most of its functions. Back-end web development skills are essential when it comes to organizing, cataloging, and saving (or deleting) data. Without these skills, websites are static and lifeless. You’ll need to use back end web development to ensure that your site meets modern standards and user expectations. Front-end-only websites might lead to user frustration if the site is intended for complex uses such as data retrieval. 

Back end web development allows websites to store login information and prevent user frustration from forgetting their password when they revisit your site. If you’ve accidentally logged out of essential websites after clearing your cache, you know how much of a headache it can be to re-login to every site you visit. Your users will appreciate the ease of access to their accounts, which will help enhance their overall user experience.

Live Online Back End Web Development Training

Most people consider live online courses relatively new, but many training facilities, such as Noble Desktop, have taught people online for decades. Live online courses are taught in real-time and are equally as engaging and interactive as their in-person counterparts. The most notable point about live online courses is that they’re taught by the same experts that teach in-person classes, which means you’ll receive the same quality instruction no matter which option you choose. 

The primary drawback of live online courses is that you’ll need to set up your own equipment and learning environment. Thankfully, for the most part, you’ll need a laptop, and then you can learn from anywhere in the world. That can be from your office at work or your living room couch. Once you’ve set up your workspace to fit your needs, you’ll find that the ultimate perk of live online courses is their freedom and flexibility.

On-Demand Back End Web Development Classes

You might want to start learning back end web development but aren’t able to commit quite yet for a variety of reasons. Maybe you’re juggling a tight schedule and having difficulty fitting in new activities. You might also have budget constraints and need to save funds before paying for a full course. If that sounds familiar, you can look into on-demand back end web development classes.

These classes are ideal because they’re often free and self-paced. That means you can pause, rewind, and rewatch as many times as you desire. You can also work towards finding a training center that resonates with you by taking their on-demand courses. Most of these on-demand classes are intended strictly for beginners, and it’ll be hard to progress in these skills through self-paced classes alone. Use these classes to test the waters, and then decide if back end web development and your training center are best for you.

Free Intro Courses & Tutorials

It’s perfectly understandable if you’re not ready to take a full back end web development class. You may have a tight budget or schedule that prevents you from committing as much as you desire. That’s normal, and luckily there’s still a way to learn without spending money. 

While in-person and live online courses are ideal for gaining knowledge because you’re working with an expert, free online classes are helpful to get an overview or obtain foundational knowledge of the subject without needing to pay for a class. The free Intro to Node course goes over how to use it to create servers required for back end programs to run properly. This class will help you get ahead of the curve once you sign up for a full class and make it easier to progress into more complex areas. 

Read about more free back end web development videos and online tutorials.

Comparing Online Methods with In-Person Learning 

Most people are familiar with in-person courses because they’ve taken this training style for most of their education. Just three or four decades ago, in-person classes were the only learning format, but now, you’ll find plenty of learning options available. This section will quickly overview each one. 

In-person and live online courses are two sides of the same coin: they take place in real-time and are known for their interactive nature. The main difference is that in-person classes take place in an agreed location that everyone travels to, and live online courses can have participants from anywhere in the world. It comes down to how you want to spend your time: would you prefer to commute and speak to people face-to-face, or would it be better for you to work from home by using your laptop?

On-demand training has the perk of learning at your own pace. It’s reliably well-suited for beginners and anyone who wants to learn about the topic before fully committing to training. However, it’s hard to progress through on-demand training alone because, at a certain point, you’ll need guidance from an expert to ensure your work is done correctly. Most on-demand training is also pre-recorded, which means there’s a chance that it could be outdated. 

The consensus is that on-demand courses are a solid starting point, but in-person and live online courses are what you should pursue once you become serious about your training. These formats are excellent choices if you’re eager to learn about back end web development. Research courses from each option and see which ones stand out to you.

Tips to Succeed when Learning Back End Web Development Online

It’s important to have a plan of action to approach your online learning before taking your classes. While learning online is different from learning with an in-person or self-paced class, it’s simpler than you may think. Take some time to review the following points and see how you can apply them to your unique situation. 

Set Up Your Workspace

You may know that an effective work environment is essential to success, but what exactly goes into it? Naturally, keeping your workspace clean also declutters your mind and prevents you from thinking about any potential cleaning you need to do later. If you have the time to reorganize your workspace and take random objects off the floor, it’s a good idea to do it before entering study mode. If you’re pressed for time, try to see if you can find another location, such as a library or cafe, that will be quiet, calm, and distraction-free. 

Turn off the TV while you’re working, and avoid working from the couch or kitchen table if possible. Ideally, it would help if you worked in a room without a TV, video game system, or other distracting devices. That includes your phone—ideally, you should keep it off and out of the room altogether. If you’re working in a public location, you can leave your phone in your car instead. If you can’t put your phone away easily, try leaving it in your backpack and setting it in airplane mode to prevent constant notifications from disrupting your studies. 

Have a dedicated spot for your belongings, so you never question where to find everything you need. If you’re traveling to a public location, keep your backpack by the front door so you can grab it without needing to search for it. If possible, place your keys and wallet on top of your backpack as well. Those with their workspace at home can place all their belongings on their desk. Ideally, you can set up your laptop and chargers and be ready to go. 

Inform Your Household

Productivity can be a team effort, especially if you live with others. Take some time to inform your partners, roommates, and children (that are old enough to understand) about your online courses and that you’ll need some quiet time to focus during class. Place your schedule outside your workspace’s door or in a commonly-used location such as your kitchen. You can encourage your household to place their schedules in the same spot, so everyone is on the same page. 

You can also place a whiteboard outside of your workspace. If someone needs to speak with you while you’re in class, they can write their message on the whiteboard. You’ll be able to check it on a break and address any important questions during that time. That way, your phone won’t buzz unexpectedly, and you’ll increase overall communication and productivity between all household members. 

Prepare Your Resources

Once you’ve set up your workspace for your classes and informed your household about your study plans, you’re ready to prepare all the resources you need to succeed. Taking advantage of your productivity and your organizational streak will help you reduce stress and increase your ability to handle any hiccups that happen along the way.

After you’ve signed up for your classes, look through the contact information and write it down. That includes your instructor’s email, phone number (if available), and tech support information. If your course involves any password to access materials, write that down. Make sure to write everything on a physical sheet of paper or sticky note—if there’s a technology error and your computer becomes unusable, you’ll want to be able to contact your instructors as soon as possible to troubleshoot. 

Speaking of troubleshooting, it’s a good idea to have a plan in case there’s a power outage or internet failure. Double-check your internet router’s location and keep any relevant information nearby, such as the Wi-Fi password. If you’re in a public location, such as a library, try to arrive early to give you plenty of time to set up your workspace and internet connection beforehand. 

Once these essentials are done, it’s a good idea to have a few healthy snacks. The snack you choose is entirely up to you, although it’s recommended that you have something easy to make, store, and pack on the go. You’ll also want to ensure that you make something that won’t affect your stomach or force you to go to the bathroom in the middle of class. Check your pantry when you have the chance—you likely have some snacks ready to go! 

Learn Back End Web Development with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Learning back end web development is pretty straightforward, and the process can become easier when working with a well-prepared training facility. Noble Desktop has taught live online back end web development classes and other computer science subjects for over 30 years. They’re an excellent choice when you’re looking to expand your career or start a new one. 

Those fully invested in learning back end web development and related subjects will enjoy taking a Full Stack Web Development Certificate program. This program teaches both front end and back end principles, which will allow you to enter a wide variety of roles. You can also look into a JavaScript Programming Bootcamp since JavaScript is an important skill for back end web development and most other website-related fields. The more you know about these subjects, the better off you’ll be in the long run. 

Key Insights

• Learning online is simpler and easier than it may appear.
• Set your workspace to ensure a distraction-free environment while studying.
• Prepare your resources before class to help make your experience seamless and enjoyable.