Backend Development

Backend code ( server-side code ) refers to the code that runs behind the scenes to handle the logic of an application. In short, it's responsible for handling the data of an application by enabling communication between the frontend and database. For example:

If a user were to browse on an e-commerce store, the backend server will determine what products might appear in the popular products section, or even handle what products to show based on the filters the user set.

Benefits of Backend Development

Developers use backend code to securely handle sensitive data, perform resource intensive operations of an application, and more.

Security

Due to the private, and inaccessible, nature of the backend it is the best place to handle sensitive data to protect users and the application. Without a server acting as a middleman, you are exposing your database directly to the frontend, which is designed to be easily accessible to users. A malicious user could then easily access sensitive data that could be harmful to users.

With a server, a developer can limit and control how a user requests data, and sanitize malicious attempts on the server and database. A server can also encrypt/decrypt data to and from the database to ensure another level of security.

Performance

Another benefit of the backend is performance. Servers give your application more processing power to handle resource intensive tasks. By freeing up the processes a users device has to preform we can provide them with a more reliable experience on the application.

In addition to performing resource intensive tasks, servers can minimize request to a database and improve application speeds by using techniques such as caching. Caching is the ability to temporarily store previously requested data so that it can be easily accessed in the future.

Why use Backend Development?

Developers use backend development when an application is expected to store, retrieve, and send data in a high traffic environment. Especially if that data is expected to represent updates in real time for the end user.