Explore the world of back end web development and discover how it works under the surface of websites. Learn about its significance, benefits, and dive into essential skills such as JavaScript, Node.js, and Python to advance your career in the field.
Key Insights
- Back end web development, also known as the "server-side" of websites, handles everything that happens behind the scenes. It is vital for websites to function, store relevant information, and generate new content based on the user's actions.
- Video tutorials are beneficial when learning back end web development as they are usually self-paced, on-demand, and free. They allow a thorough understanding of fundamentals before moving on to a formal class.
- Key skills for Back End Web Developers include proficiency in JavaScript, Node.js, and Python. These can be learned through resources such as Noble Desktop's Intro to JavaScript and Intro to Node video tutorials, and the Intro to Web Development with Python & Django online tutorial.
- Back end web development can be relatively simple to learn for individuals with prior experience in web development or JavaScript. Costs associated with it are primarily related to classes as the topics are free and open-source.
- Learning back end web development can be made easier with a well-prepared training facility like Noble Desktop, which offers live online classes and certificate programs.
- Salaries for back end web developers can vary widely depending on the level of expertise, region, and the specific industry sector. According to Payscale, the average salary for a back end developer in the United States is around $72,000, but it can range from $50,000 to well over $100,000.
Back end web development, also known as websites’ “server-side,” covers everything that happens underneath the surface of websites. Watching video tutorials is an excellent way to start when you're learning back-end web development for the first time. Most people enjoy them because they’re usually on-demand, self-paced, and free! This article will cover a handful of videos, including what they teach and where to find them.
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.
Why Are Video Tutorials Helpful When Learning Back End Web Development?
As mentioned above, video tutorials are useful because they’re typically self-paced and on-demand. That means you can pause, rewatch, and rewind them as many times as you desire, and you’ll be able to start and stop them at your leisure. Most video tutorials are also free, and there’s no limit to how many times you can view them. That’s especially helpful for overviews and lessons on back end web development fundamentals since you’ll be able to see if it’s right for you before you sign up for a formal class.
Types of Back End Web Development Videos
Back end web development is similar to front end web development, but there are a few key differences. That can make it confusing if you’re trying to find your first lesson, especially if you’re looking for them on your own. Luckily, the topics worth your time are listed below and can help guide you when trying to find a back end web development course.
Most Back End Web Developers are proficient in JavaScript, so you must understand its basics before you consider applying for a position. The Intro to JavaScript video goes over JavaScript’s fundamentals, which you can use in various fields. That means you won’t be restricted to back end web development—you can use this knowledge in nearly any field that involves websites or computers.
Most JavaScript programmers use Node.js to increase their websites’ and servers’ processing speed. You can learn more about it through the Intro to Node video tutorial. Finally, Python is a worthwhile area of study for back end programmers, and many people use Django to help them organize data effectively. The Intro to Web Development with Python & Django online tutorial will give you an overview of this topic. From there, you can assess whether you want to learn Python now while you’re still in study mode or if you want to learn it after securing an entry-level position.
Why Learn Back End Web Development?
Back end web development makes it possible for websites and apps to come to life. Without this part of web development, all pages would be static, unmoving, and—most importantly—unengaging. By using the back end of websites, you’ll be able to customize websites that can adapt to their user’s needs and retain important information that they’ll repeatedly access.
For example, if your website is a forum like Reddit, the back end of websites can help store their login information so they can jump right into the website without needing to re-enter their password constantly. That tiny difference can drastically affect how much time a user spends on a platform. Even the most primitive back end programs can greatly impact how well a website runs, and it only takes JavaScript knowledge to get started.
Read more about why you should learn back end web development.
How Difficult is It to Learn Back End Web Development?
While back end web development is fairly accessible to new programmers, there are key concepts you’ll want to learn first. Most people who learn back end web development also take courses in front end web development because Full Stack Developers utilize both skills. This role is common in the web development industry, and you’ll be able to specialize in either front end or back end skills, depending on your preference.
JavaScript is essential to back end web development programming; at minimum, you’ll want to learn JavaScript to perform most of your tasks. Python is also useful because it’s a gateway into more advanced skills such as machine learning.
Read more about back end web development prerequisites.
Most of the costs associated with back end web development and its programming languages are related to classes. These topics are free and open-source, which means they are open to the public, and you can modify them without needing to contact their original creators. Costs also can come into play when you’re building your own website—although, if you’re working for a company, this step is completely optional.
Read more about costs associated with back end web development.
Regarding overall difficulty, back end web development is relatively simple to learn because most of its concepts pull from the first few programming languages new programmers learn. If you have any experience with web development or JavaScript, you’ll have an easy time transitioning into these skills. You can successfully apply for jobs after taking a back end web development certificate program and then look into more advanced topics once you’re securely in the field.
Read more about how difficult it is to learn back end web development.
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.
How to Learn Back End Web Development
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- JavaScript Web Development Certificate at Noble Desktop: live, instructor-led course available in NYC or live online
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