Overview

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Professional Backend Development prepares learners to build the technical skills needed to develop, manage, and maintain the server-side components that power modern web applications. Designed for aspiring backend developers, software engineers, web developers, and technology professionals, this course explores the technologies, programming concepts, and development practices used to create secure, scalable, and efficient backend systems. Learners develop practical experience working with backend programming concepts, databases, APIs, server-side architecture, authentication, application security, and deployment workflows. Through hands-on projects and real-world development scenarios, learners gain experience building backend services, managing application data, and integrating systems that support modern web applications. The curriculum emphasizes practical application and industry-relevant development practices, helping learners build confidence writing backend code, troubleshooting applications, and supporting production-ready software solutions. By the end of the course, learners will be prepared to contribute to backend development projects, collaborate effectively with development teams, and apply professional software development practices across a variety of technical environments.

Syllabus

Introduction to backend web development
- Every website and web application relies on a backend to process data, manage business logic, and communicate with databases and users. In this module, you'll explore the purpose of backend development and compare the features of common backend programming languages used to build modern web applications. You'll develop a foundational understanding of the technologies that power server-side development and prepare for the hands-on concepts introduced later in the course. As you explore different backend languages, focus on the types of problems they solve rather than the differences in their syntax. Understanding each language's strengths will help you recognize why developers choose one technology over another.
Pair programming with AI assistants
- AI assistants are becoming an essential part of the modern software development workflow, helping developers write code, troubleshoot issues, and explore new solutions more efficiently. In this module, you'll learn how to use AI assistants effectively through prompt engineering, integrate AI tools into your development environment, and apply ethical and critical thinking practices when working with AI-generated code. You'll build the skills needed to collaborate with AI confidently while maintaining responsibility for the quality and accuracy of your work. Treat AI as a coding partner, not an authority. The best results come from asking clear questions, evaluating the responses, and using your own expertise to refine the final solution.
Node and Express
- Building a backend application requires more than writing code. It involves organizing requests, managing application logic, and creating reliable server-side functionality. In this module, you'll explore how to use Node and Express to configure a web server, create routes, implement middleware, and handle errors. By the end of the module, you'll understand how these core components work together to support responsive and maintainable backend applications. As you build your applications, think about how each component contributes to the overall request-response cycle. Understanding how requests move through your application will make it easier to troubleshoot issues and develop scalable backend solutions.