In a world where the global digital population rose to 4.66 billion in January 2021, the field of web development has become the ultimate hotspot for high-paid jobs. Back-end developer jobs are in high demand and are especially suited for people with an affinity towards coding languages, algorithms, and a deep understanding of various programming tools.
To decide whether this job is right for you, the following guide explores all there is to know about becoming a back-end developer in 2021.
So,What Exactly Does a Back-end Developer Do?
The first thing aspiring developers need to keep in mind is that there are three categories that separate the web development world:
- front-end development – focuses on the aspects users see and interact with
- back-end development – focuses on the core code of the application server-side, including data architecture and processing
- full-stack development – englobes skills and traits of both aforementioned categories
Back-end developers are in charge of writing the code that makes web applications work the way they’re intended to. The webserver then runs this code. Apart from producing back-end code, these developers are also in charge of creating APIs for mobile versions of these web apps.
What is the Median Salary of a Back-end Developer?
The common belief in the field of web development is that back-end jobs are much higher paid than front-end jobs. This, of course, depends on a variety of factors, including region, experience, acquired skills, and employer. However, one thing is for sure – back-end development jobs are high-paid in almost any corner of the world.
When it comes to the United States, the average yearly back end developer salary varies based on their expertise. Junior developers can expect a salary between $57,500 and $78,051, whereas middle developers can go way over $90,000. For senior back-end developers, the yearly salary can easily reach $145,000. These can vary based on state – usually, the closest you are to a major tech hub, the higher the salary.
Key Responsibilities and Roles of a Back-end Developer
A back-end developer’s job, as you probably know by now, is to create and maintain the server, database, and application of a website so that front-end developers can create the elements users interact with.
Typical responsibilities of a back-end developer include:
- Writing top-notch code
- Building and maintaining applications
- Evaluating the efficiency and speed of these applications
- Managing hosting
- Testing for quality assurance
- Debugging and troubleshooting
Skills Needed to Become a Back-end Developer
Most back-end developers have some sort of academic preparation for the job – usually, a degree in Computer Science or other similar subjects. Most employees will require at least a Bachelor’s degree in one of these fields.
Regardless of your academic background, if you want to work as a back-end developer, you need to master the following skills:
- Fluency in back-end scripting languages, such as Java, PHP, .Net, C#, and Ruby on Rails
- Experience with frameworks such as Django, Express, Laravel, and Ruby
- Experience with database systems such as SQL, MySQL, and Oracle
- Knowledge of version control systems such as Git, SVN, and CVS
- Knowledge of web services such as SOAP and REST
Apart from these technical skills, developers should also focus on soft skills, such as:
- Efficient problem-solving
- Attention to detail
- Analytical thinking
- Communication
- Team-work
Web Developers
Truth be told, there is no set career path for those who want to become back-end developers. Some people know this is their dream job straight out of high school, while others become interested in coding after years of performing in a different field – none of these approaches is wrong.
If you are interested in becoming a back-end developer, these are the steps you should follow:
- Consider getting at least a Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or other similar fields
- Master the basics of Algorithm and Data Structures
- Choose a back-end programing language and become prolific in it
- Learn the basics of at least one framework, such as Ruby on Rails, Django, or Express
- Do lots of practical training to understand how all these principles apply
- Never stop learning – the field of web development is going through continuous change, so you need to stay up to date
- Create something alone – put your skills to the test by developing and working on a back-end project. It does not need to be something new – you can even clone existing products – it just needs to be something where you can test your skills on
- Engage with developers’ communities to make connections and broaden your horizons
- Apply for jobs on various recruitment platforms or consider freelancing opportunities
What's the Future of Back-end Developers?
If there is one thing we can say for sure, especially with the accelerated growth sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, is that the future is digital. This means back-end developer job opportunities will continue to grow in the coming years, making it one of the best industries to set an eye on for a lucrative career path.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor suggests in the following eight years, there will be 19,000 more web developer jobs in the country, but others suggest the growth maybe even bigger. Salaries will also increase in the following years, especially as more and more coding languages gain popularity in the back-end development field and require professionals to properly understand and leverage them.
Become a Back-end Developer
As you can see, becoming a back-end developer does require hard work, but the rewards are just as high. However, high-paying jobs bring about more competitiveness, so if you want to meet the standards, you need to work on improving your skills and stay up to date with everything new that happens in the field. Do this, and you’ve got yourself a profitable career path that goes way beyond 2021.
