What are the key fundamental skills to learn to become a Backend Engineer? Check out this Youtube Channel

I have decided to start a blog series on the skills to learn to become a backend engineer. I have started out as a front-end engineer but looking to expand my skills to learn more about backend engineering

I found this awesome YouTube channel called Hussein Nasser and he talks about different topics regarding backend engineering. In the video that I have watched (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3ZPPPKEipA&list=PLQnljOFTspQUNnO4p00ua_C5mKTfldiYT&index=1) he mentions some skills to learn for backend engineering. Here are some things he mentioned:

1. Communication Protocols: Learning the basics of the communication protocols (low level) ex. TCP and UDP to higher level (HTTP), Web Sockets

2. Web Servers: Have the ability to serve content (Static, Caching, Dynamic). Learn the types of web servers

3. Database Engineering: Relational & Non-Relational Databases

4. Proxies: Reverse Proxies, Load balances (Huge Potential)

5. Caching: Caching Layers, Statefull vs Stateless Caching

6. Messaging Systems: Message queue, Pub/Sub

7. Web API Frameworks: (Node.JS, Django, Express)

8. Message Formats: JSON & protobuf

9. Security: TLS, Encryption, Firewalls

Most important thing to take away is that you aren't going to be an expert at everything. Pick a few topics and dive deep into it.

Comments

[Karl Keller]

I would also mention testing. All coding challenges I've had so far for backend positions included requiring me to mock or stub an API call / response.