Skip to main content

Stage 3: Backend Development

In this stage, you'll master the development of enterprise-grade backend services and APIs using TypeScript. This stage integrates type safety principles, architectural patterns, and professional backend development practices to create robust, scalable server-side applications.

Professional Learning Objectives​

Upon completion of this stage, you will demonstrate advanced proficiency in:

API Design & Architecture:

  • RESTful API design following industry standards and best practices
  • Type-safe request/response handling with comprehensive validation
  • Implementation of middleware patterns for cross-cutting concerns
  • API versioning strategies for long-term maintainability
  • Documentation generation with OpenAPI/Swagger specifications

Database Integration & Data Management:

  • ORM integration with TypeORM, Prisma, or Sequelize for type-safe database operations
  • Repository pattern implementation for data access abstraction
  • Advanced query optimization and performance tuning
  • Transaction management and data consistency patterns
  • Database schema design with TypeScript type generation

Security & Authentication:

  • Comprehensive authentication systems (JWT, OAuth, session management)
  • Authorization middleware with role-based access control (RBAC)
  • Input validation and sanitization to prevent injection attacks
  • Security headers and best practices implementation
  • API rate limiting and DoS protection mechanisms

Professional Backend Architecture:

  • Layered architecture (controllers, services, repositories) with dependency injection
  • Error handling and logging strategies for production environments
  • Configuration management with environment-based settings
  • Health checks and monitoring endpoint implementation
  • Caching strategies for performance optimization

Industry-Standard Practices​

This stage emphasizes enterprise-level development patterns:

  • Scalability: Architecting for horizontal and vertical scaling
  • Maintainability: Clean code principles and proper separation of concerns
  • Security: Defense-in-depth approach to application security
  • Performance: Optimized database queries and efficient response handling
  • Observability: Comprehensive logging, monitoring, and alerting systems

Stage Structure​

The Backend Development stage is organized into comprehensive modules:

  1. REST API Fundamentals: Basic API creation, routing, and request handling
  2. Database Integration: ORM setup, model design, and CRUD operations
  3. Authentication & Authorization: User management and security implementation
  4. API Testing: Unit, integration, and end-to-end testing strategies
  5. Performance & Optimization: Caching, query optimization, and monitoring
  6. Security Hardening: Advanced security implementations and vulnerability protection

Prerequisites​

Before beginning this stage, ensure you have:

  • Completed Stage 1: TypeScript Foundations with advanced type system knowledge
  • Completed Stage 2: CLI Development with understanding of Node.js ecosystems
  • Node.js 18+ and npm 9+ installed
  • Basic understanding of HTTP protocol and REST principles
  • Familiarity with database concepts (SQL/NoSQL)

Professional Development Standards​

All backend services developed in this stage must adhere to professional standards:

  • Strict TypeScript compilation with all strict flags enabled
  • Comprehensive input validation and security measures
  • Proper authentication and authorization for all endpoints
  • Unit, integration, and end-to-end tests with 80%+ coverage
  • Proper error handling and logging implementations
  • API documentation following OpenAPI specifications
  • Adherence to RESTful design principles and HTTP standards

Integration with Microservices Concepts​

This stage also introduces foundational concepts for microservices architecture:

  • Service boundaries and domain-driven design principles
  • API gateway patterns for service orchestration
  • Inter-service communication patterns
  • Data consistency strategies in distributed systems

Getting Started​

Begin with fundamental API exercises and progressively build more complex services. Each exercise emphasizes proper architectural patterns and professional development practices. Focus on creating services that follow enterprise-grade standards for security, performance, and maintainability.

The exercises in this stage prepare you for real-world backend development challenges with production-ready code quality.

Continue with the exercises to architect your first professional backend service.