Backend Beginner

roadmap.sh: https://roadmap.sh/backend?r=backend-beginner

Suggested path through the Backend Beginner nodes. Each node links to its lesson when written.

Nodes

Foundations

• What is a backend
• Client–server model
• How HTTP works (methods, status codes, headers)
• The request/response lifecycle

Pick a language

• Choosing a starter language (JavaScript/Node, Python, Go)
• Variables, control flow, and functions
• Reading and writing files
• Package management

The web layer

• What is a web server
• Routing
• Handling query params and request bodies
• Returning JSON

APIs

• What is a REST API
• CRUD operations
• Status codes and error responses
• Testing endpoints with curl / Postman

Databases

• Relational vs NoSQL
• Basic SQL (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE)
• Connecting an app to a database
• Migrations basics

Essentials

• Environment variables and config
• Authentication basics (sessions, tokens)
• Logging
• Version control with Git

Going further

• Deploying a small app
• Reading API documentation

Resources

See resources.md.

Project ideas

• Build a REST API for a notes app with CRUD endpoints and a database.
• Add token-based login to an existing API.
• Write a small URL shortener backed by a relational database.