Journey into Back-end Development: An Introduction

Abderrahmane Lamari — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 18:53:51 +0000

Hi! At 14, I remember writing my first lines of code in Delphi, the OG programming framework by Borland and CodeGear. I didn't know how it worked nor what I was doing. But I found it to be very interesting and full of fun. Since then I have tried learning more about this coding thing with much difficulty since I wasn't good at English and didn't get the idea behind what coding/programming really was.

As time went by, I tried many times to learn how to code, but without much progress. Delphi, then C#. Moving to HTML/CSS then JavaScript. Once I came across web-Dev, it all changed. With the abundance of resources to learn from, and the easy setup (just a code editor - No IDE needed) I got hooked. Started following tutorials learning all about styling, JavaScript (functions, loops, events and DOM, you name it!). But still at this stage, I was reliant on tutorials to build stuff. I knew how to write code, but didn't understand theory yet!

Fast forward to 19, I've landed myself a project where I develop an application (Desktop) for a staffing agency. I built it in Visual Basic. Outdated? Maybe. But that wasn’t the point. For the first time, there was no tutorial to follow. I had to figure it out myself. Which turned out to be a very valuable lesson. I found myself obliged to plan, design, execute and plan tests for the software. It was very challenging at first - but it taught me how to think, not just to follow. Since then, I’ve been able to read documentation, break down problems, and build things without relying on tutorials." suggest to me an additional paragraph.

That project also exposed me to something I had been avoiding without realizing it: responsibility. When you’re following tutorials, mistakes don’t really matter—you can always go back and copy the “correct” way. But in a real project, every decision has consequences. If something breaks, you have to understand why. If something is missing, you have to figure out what. That pressure forced me to slow down, think deeper, and approach problems more methodically. It wasn’t just about making things work anymore—it was about making them work correctly and reliably.

That project changed something in me. I stopped seeing code as a set of instructions to copy and started seeing it as a language to think in. Returning to web development with that mindset, I dove deeper than I ever had before. I picked up React, then Next.Js, and Prisma along the way. I built projects, most of them simple, nothing groundbreaking but each one carried a little more intention than the last. I wasn't just following along anymore. I was making decisions, hitting walls, and finding my way out of them.

Continuing to learn web development, I found myself more inclined towards the back-end that to front-end. It seemed very simple to me, the front-end, While the back-end was full of challenges, stuff that I actually like: Databases, APIs, Caches etc. So I've allocated more time to learn it and ended up picking it up.

So Why Am I Writing This Blog??

Inspired by my dear friend @louaiboumediene, who always encourages me to go outside my comfort zone. I have decided to really start learning what actual back-end development has to offer. One of the best advice I got is learning in public. Which will be the norm from now on. While not being very new to back-end development, I bear witness that I really don't know much, like simple API and Data Base kind of knowledge at the moment.

Armed with the knowledge that I don't know much (best starting point tbh), I embark on this journey trying to make a better developer of myself now.

This blog isn't intended to be an educational one, rather a documentation of the lessons & takeaways along the way.

The Journey that Awaits

Over the next six months, I will be diving into the world of back-end development, posting a weekly blog sharing my journey learning back-end. Each blog will share a glimpse into my week and what I have learned during it. As we navigate together, the blog posts will take one of two shapes mainly. Which are:

Lessons & Takeaways

Where, periodically, will share my non-technical experiences along the way. These are supposed to give insights into the aspects of professional and personal growth.

Learning Back-end Technology

The journey is about learning the fundamentals of back-end development, step by step. Whether it being API-Gateways, DNS, Messaging, caching, etc. We'll dive deep into each topic, learning the basics to mastering it, hopefully.

Research

During this phase, I will try learning all the intricacies of a given topic, till I get a strong command of that said technology. It won't be researching something like: Redis, Kafka or NodeJs, but the topic itself: Caches, Event-Queues, javascript runtimes etc. This way, I don't get stuck in a single technology, but instead comprehend the actual topic I am learning.

Applying the Knowledge

Once I am done with a technology, I will apply the knowledge I have gathered and make a simple project or demonstration. That way I can employ what I know in a real-world setting.

Conclusion

As we wrap up, I want to say that I am very excited to embark on this journey finding out where we'll land!

In this series, I'm gonna share my experience, lessons & problems I face during the journey. We'll discover latest technology and learn how it works in real life.

Come along with me on this journey. We'll explore the intricacies, learn and grow together, having fun as we discover this tech world.

To the journey ahead—filled with curiosity, progress, and new horizons. Let’s keep at it.

DEV Community: Abderrahmane Lamari