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Top Backend Developer Tools in 2021!

a n g e l i n e — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 09:08:30 +0000

Have you ever visited a website that is simply beautiful? No other words to describe it. It has the perfect aesthetic, and everything seems in the right place. And then you start browsing it. Like the world’s most naive Tinder user you discover it's all a façade. Nothing seems to work, and the website itself takes too much time to load. Naturally, you leave the page and take your browsing time elsewhere. In real life, catfish experiences at least give you a story to tell. On the internet, all it gives you is a bounce.
This simple example highlights why backend development is a crucial element of all websites. Users may only see the superficial aspect of a website – the frontend – but what matters is the behind-the-scenes work. If a website doesn't work correctly, they'll leave. And as a result, companies end up losing potential customers.

Technology keeps improving, and websites, too. There are more tools and options available for companies to develop great websites. And backend developers, who are responsible for the server-side of the platform, have a rich amount of tools that help them improve and offer the user the best experience possible. Let's find out more about the technology used for backend development in 2021.

What is backend development?

One thing is how a website looks. Another entirely different thing is how a website works. Both aspects go hand in hand in ensuring the success of a platform. In general terms, frontend development focuses on the client-side of a web application; on what the user sees. Backend focuses on the server-side of a web application.
Backend engineering specializes in the server-side and everything that communicates between the database and the browser. It ensures that a web application has good performance and speed. Additionally, backend developers are constantly monitoring and organizing database information to make it secure.
As the backend implements all users' requests via the frontend part, it is fundamental that developers choose the right backend technology that helps them build a solid web application.
But what tools should backend developers use in 2021?

Top 8 backend development tools in 2021

Best backend programming languages

1. PHP

Hypertext Preprocessor, or PHP as popularly known, is a server-side scripting language and one of the most used programming languages for backend development. It is used to manage dynamic content, databases, tracking sessions, and build different websites. Additionally, its cross-platform compatibility, easy integration with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, community support, and security make it one of the most preferred programming languages among developers.

What is PHP used for:

Collect form data
Generate dynamic page content
Send and receive cookies
Write command-line and server-side scripting
Write desktop applications

. Java

Java is an object-oriented programming language designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible. It was created 26 years ago, and it continues to be one of the most popular programming languages. Its good reputation relies on the fact that it's multipurpose; it can be used for desktop, web, and android development.

What is Java used for:

Image processing
GUI based programs
Networking
Desktop and mobile computing
Develop artificial intelligence
Best backend frameworks

3. Laravel

Laravel is an open-source web framework that follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern, making it easier for developers to start projects as they have their code better structured. This PHP framework also provides tools such as Artisan, pre-installed Object-Oriented libraries, Object Relational Mapping, among others. It is mainly used to build custom web apps and automatizes specific processes such as routing, templating HTML, and authentication.

What is Laravel used for:

Task scheduling
Automation testing
Authorization
Error handling
URL routing configuration

4. Django

Django is a Python-based open-source framework that allows developers to build websites efficiently. When a backend is created with Python, Django is used as an additional tool. It provides developers with great features such as extensibility, rapid development, security, scalability, among others. Businesses, in particular, are using Django to expand web development areas such as social networking platforms and content management systems.

What is Django used for?

Customizable applications
Secure foundation
Scalable applications
Builds SaaS applications
Creates multiple user roles platforms
Best backend tech stacks

5. MEAN

MEAN stands for MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js, and it’s a free and open-source JavaScript software stack suitable for building dynamic websites and applications. When developers use the MEAN stack, the backend can be created faster. This stack is a great backend alternative as it allows developers to create a complete website using JavaScript only. From the client to the server and from the server to the database, everything is based on JS.

What is MEAN used for?

Web applications/sites
Workflow management tools
News aggregation sites
Calendar apps
Interactive forums

6. MERN

The MERN stack includes MongoDB as a database, Express.js as a backend framework, React as a library for front end, and Node.js. So, the only difference from the MEAN stack is the replacement of Angular with React. The MERN architecture allows developers to easily build a 3-tier architecture (frontend, backend, database) entirely using JS and JSON. This tech stack allows data to flow naturally from the front and back, making it easy to build on.

What is MERN used for?

Cloud-native interfaces
Social products
Dynamic websites
News aggregation
Calendar applications
Best backend web servers

7. Apache

Apache is an open-source web server that is currently used by at least 55,698,064 websites. It offers multiple features such as Loadable Dynamic Modules, Multiple Request Processing modes, CGI support, User and Session Tracking, among many others. Additionally, Apache is compatible with almost all operating systems like Linux, macOS, Windows, etc.

What is Apache used for?

Session tracking
Geolocation based on IP address
Handling of static files
Supports HTTP/2
Auto-indexing

. NGINX

NGINX is an open-source web server used for reverse proxying, load balancing, mail proxying, and more. It’s built to offer low memory usage and high concurrency. Instead of creating new processes for every web request, NGINX uses an asynchronous event-driven approach to handle requests in a single thread. With this web server, one developer can control multiple worker processes. Additionally, each request can be executed concurrently without blocking other requests as NGINX is asynchronous.

What is NGINX used for?

Websockets
Handling of static files, index files, and auto-indexing
Media streaming
Proxy server for email
Microservices support

To sum it up

Backend engineering is decisive to make a web application successful. These 8 backend development tools provide everything a developer needs to work on the functional and logical aspects of websites and applications. From the core languages to frameworks and web servers, it is fundamental that development teams understand the company’s priorities and goals to decide which tools will help them create a successful system architecture and consequently provide valuable solutions.

Developer Procrastination when Working Remotely - Is it beneficial?

a n g e l i n e — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 10:02:52 +0000

One comment that is often leveled against remote developers is that they struggle to stay on task. The idea is that the "working" part in "working from home" can often get forgotten. When faced with the temptations of Netflix, gym sessions or the joys of household chores, telecommuters always give in.

This idea overlooks one thing - developers working in an office setting get distracted too. Long lunch breaks, time spent surfing the net to research purchases, or just chatting to colleagues, it all eats away at the working day, but that's usually considered the 'cost of doing business' rather than problem behavior.

The reality: this is about control, or rather a perceived lack of it. Managers can become insecure when they can't see their staffer sat at the desk with their nose to the grindstone (or sneakily playing minefield). That lack of trust can manifest as objections to working from home. But if you don't trust your staff, you might consider your employees. There is always the chance that you maybe made some poor hiring decisions and you should consider recruiting a remote developer that you can be proud of. This guide is quite useful if you’re looking to hire the right remote developer.

Some people say that remote workers should avoid procrastination, while others say it can have some real benefits. So, if your remote programmer takes some time out to water the plants rather than cracking on, they might be doing you a favor. Here are some of the reasons that procrastination can be a real benefit.

1. The Adrenalin Surge

We've all had that looming sensation of a deadline approaching. When you know something has to be done for a specific date and time, and that moment is getting closer. You start to wonder if what's being asked of you is even possible. Then, from somewhere, you get a boost of energy, and you're able to work at double speed. New ideas come to mind, and you finish with seconds to spare and a feeling of immense satisfaction.

Putting yourself into a stressful situation produces adrenalin. That triggers the fight or flight response, and if you don't run away screaming from your workload, it equips you to deal with it. With an increased blood supply and a boost of glucose for energy, the impossible becomes possible. While for some workers this isn't the way to live, others positively thrive by leaving things to the last minute.

2. The Focus Increases

When you're weeks out from a deadline, there are plenty of things competing for your time. Once you're a little bit closer, the need to focus becomes more apparent. By the time your team member has procrastinated to the very last minute, there is nothing else for them to do but get down to the task at hand with a laser focus.

And being focused brings with it a host of other benefits, including improved problem solving and greater clarity. Nothing sharpens the mind like a challenge, and when the clock is ticking that added focus can help generate some great ideas and workarounds.

3. Better Use of Time

It is incredible what some people will do to put off something else. While keeping soooo busy they can't make progress on one job, your staff will catch up with all those other jobs you can't usually persuade them to do. Coding, debugging, implementing, testing - all the tasks that generally fall by the wayside.

There is an argument that if you're not in the mood to work on something, you're better off spending your time elsewhere. I think we should consider applying it form time to time; you gotta be in the right frame of mind to write code. When that hits, you should respect the desire. Do other things instead and wait for the time to be right to work on some killer code.

4. Realistic projects by prioritizing

Often, we can make projects needlessly complicated. We create work for ourselves or others, by setting unrealistic expectations. We want things to be perfect.

But once you get to crunch time, you soon get a good idea of what is essential in a project, and what is 'nice to have.' This more realistic way of looking at things ensures that the core of the project gets completed but without any additional bells and whistles. The heat of the moment can also be a time for seeing how to do things differently.

5. Coding brainstorming

Procrastination also gives you the benefit of more time spent thinking about a project, than actually working on it. This generates extra time to identify any problems, meaning that when the time comes to get started that the solutions have already been considered.

The additional think-time can be a real bonus in creative roles, but the same also holds for any area where problems are solved. Would you prefer your developers to create a quick but mundane solution, or to come up with an alternative that really answers the question and transforms the way you all work? Procrastination is more likely to bring you the latter.

When is Procrastination a Problem?

Of course, this isn't to say that procrastination isn't a problem. It's just that some workers get a benefit from leaving things until the last minute; others don't. While some developers produce great work under pressure, others achieve quality through consistency. Rather than one method of working fitting all, it's better to support the style that works best for each team member.

Measure Developer’s Work by Results

What should count is the results. Whether your programmer thrives while working remotely on tight deadlines or prefers the slow and steady approach, as long as the work product is sufficient, and of a good standard, it doesn't matter when or how it happened. As long as you've been clear when you set your expectations, all should be well.

By allowing your staff to choose their work hours, and trusting them to deliver what is needed, on time, you free yourself up from the stress of micro-managing. Believe that you made the right hiring choice, and let your staff decide whether they get the job done now, or after they've hung up the laundry.

Play to Earn Games

a n g e l i n e — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 10:56:24 +0000

Sorry for the clickbait! But anyone here who has a background with Blockchain Technology?

There is a rise with Play to Earn games brought by NF tokens, I was thinking if I become a blockchain developer today, how far am I to building my own play to earn game?

Would appreciate all your answers