What is Back-End? Back-End Fundamentals

In today’s world, most of the applications we use have a layer running behind the scenes that users don’t see but is of great importance: the back-end. In this article, we’ll answer the most common questions about the back-end and explore this mysterious world together. Let’s begin!

What is Back-End?

The back-end is the layer in a software project where data is stored, processed, and managed. The operations requested by the user are sent from the front-end to the back-end. The back-end processes these requests and sends the results back to the front-end. In short, the back-end is like the brain of an application — invisible to the user but absolutely critical.

How Does Back-End Work?

Let’s imagine a website. To log in, a login panel appears asking for your username and password. Everything you see here belongs to the front-end.

Once you enter your username and password, you wait to access the site. But what happens while you wait? When you click the login button, your information is sent from the front-end to the back-end layer, where it is compared with data stored on the server. If your credentials match, the website opens. If not, the system notifies you with an error message or directs you to the registration page to create a new account. All of these processes are handled by the back-end.

Responsibilities of a Back-End Developer

A developer working on back-end development is responsible for:

• Processing user requests and delivering results as quickly as possible
• Storing data securely and in an organized way
• Exchanging data with the front-end
• Ensuring consistency and continuity in the project

Back-End Languages and Frameworks

The choice of language and framework for the back-end depends on the size and needs of the project. Each programming language offers different advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the most commonly used back-end languages and popular frameworks:

C#

Developed by Microsoft, C# is an object-oriented programming language designed to work on the .NET Framework. The most popular IDE is Visual Studio. C#, especially when used with ASP.NET and ASP.NET Core frameworks, provides a powerful and flexible infrastructure for developing web applications, APIs, and dynamic web services.

Java

A powerful programming language known for its platform independence, security, and scalability. Its most popular framework, Spring Framework, is ideal for building modern microservice-based applications. The most commonly used IDEs are IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, and NetBeans.

Python

With its simplicity and readability, Python is one of the easiest languages to learn. It has a strong presence in back-end development. Frameworks such as Django, Flask, and FastAPI are widely used. Popular IDEs include PyCharm, VS Code, and Spyder.

Go (Golang)

Developed by Google, Go offers high scalability and is often preferred for large systems and microservice architectures. Popular frameworks include Gin, Beego, and Fiber. Frequently used IDEs are GoLand, VS Code, and LiteIDE.

PHP

A language specifically designed for web development. With frameworks like Laravel, Symfony, and CodeIgniter, it is used for both small and large projects. Popular IDEs include PhpStorm, VS Code, and NetBeans.

Ruby

An open-source programming language known for being developer-friendly. The most widely used framework for web development with Ruby is Ruby on Rails. Popular IDEs include RubyMine, VS Code, and Sublime Text.

Databases

In back-end development, databases are responsible for storing and managing data. Here are the most widely used database management systems:

• MySQL: Open-source, fast, and secure relational database. Popular tool: MySQL Workbench.
• MSSQL: Developed by Microsoft, known for security and performance. Popular tool: SQL Server Management Studio.
• PostgreSQL: Open-source, object-relational, and flexible system. Popular tool: pgAdmin.
• Oracle: Enterprise-level, scalable, and secure database. Popular tool: Oracle SQL Developer.
• MongoDB: Open-source NoSQL database designed for flexibility and speed. Popular tool: MongoDB Compass.

Web Servers

For the back-end to function, code and data must be delivered to the user. Web servers receive requests from users, forward them to the back-end, and return the response. The most commonly used web servers are:

• Apache: Open-source, reliable, and modular, suitable for small to medium-scale projects.
• Nginx: Offers high performance and low resource consumption, preferred for high-traffic websites.
• Microsoft IIS: Developed by Microsoft, optimized for ASP.NET projects, with a user-friendly graphical interface.
• LiteSpeed: High-performance commercial web server with advanced security features, compatible with Apache configurations.

I hope this article helped you better understand the back-end world. Now, whether you’re building small or large-scale projects, you know which languages and frameworks to consider.