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Roadmap & Syllabus

Backend Development Roadmap

Build the server side of applications: APIs, business logic, authentication, data access and the systems that keep it all fast and reliable.

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  • Java + Spring Boot
  • or Node.js + Express
  • REST APIs
  • SQL & NoSQL
  • Redis
  • Docker
  • Kafka / RabbitMQ

Learning path

Choose where you are today

Each path is written for a different starting point.

Freshers & Students

Starting from the basics and preparing for a first developer job.

Choose Java or Node.js, then learn to build secure, tested, database-backed APIs.

Approximate duration5–6 months

  1. Language & Problem Solving

    6 weeks
    • Java or JavaScript/TypeScript fundamentals
    • OOP (for Java) or async patterns (for Node.js)
    • Basic data structures and 50+ coding problems

    Milestone: Write clean code to solve common interview problems.

  2. HTTP, REST & a Framework

    5 weeks
    • HTTP and REST principles
    • Spring Boot or Express.js
    • Controllers, validation and error handling

    Milestone: Build a well-structured REST API.

  3. Databases & Security

    5 weeks
    • SQL design and queries
    • ORM usage
    • JWT authentication and password hashing

    Milestone: Secure your API and persist data correctly.

  4. Testing, Deployment & Interview Prep

    4 weeks
    • Unit and API tests
    • Docker basics and deployment
    • API documentation
    • Backend interview questions and mock interviews

    Milestone: Deploy a documented, tested API and explain its design.

Want it offline? Download the Backend Development roadmap (PDF) — includes all three paths and the complete syllabus.

Projects to build

  • Authentication service with roles and refresh tokens
  • Booking or appointment API with availability checks
  • URL shortener with analytics

Complete syllabus

Backend Development syllabus

Everything this track covers, grouped by topic. Use it as a checklist.

01 Programming Language

  • Java or JavaScript/TypeScript in depth
  • Data structures and algorithms basics
  • Error handling
  • Concurrency basics

02 Web & HTTP

  • HTTP methods and status codes
  • Headers, cookies and CORS
  • REST principles
  • Idempotency

03 Frameworks

  • Spring Boot or Express.js
  • Routing and controllers
  • Validation
  • Dependency injection / middleware
  • Configuration and environments

04 Databases

  • SQL design and queries
  • ORMs (JPA/Hibernate, Prisma, Mongoose)
  • Transactions
  • Indexing
  • When to use NoSQL

05 Security

  • Authentication vs authorisation
  • JWT and OAuth 2.0 basics
  • Password hashing
  • OWASP Top 10
  • Secrets management

06 Performance & Reliability

  • Caching with Redis
  • Pagination and rate limiting
  • Message queues
  • Timeouts, retries, circuit breakers

07 Testing & Deployment

  • Unit and integration tests
  • API documentation (OpenAPI)
  • Docker
  • CI/CD
  • Logging and monitoring

08 System Design

  • Scalability and load balancing
  • Microservices vs monolith
  • Event-driven architecture
  • Designing common systems

Where it leads

Roles this track prepares you for

  • Backend Developer
  • API Developer
  • Java Developer
  • Node.js Developer

Durations are approximate and assume about 2–3 hours of focused study a day. Move faster or slower as you need — understanding matters more than speed.

Want guidance along the way?

A roadmap tells you what to learn. Guidance helps you learn it in the right depth, practise with real interview questions and explain your projects with confidence.

Technical Support support Ask a question

Roadmaps are for learning guidance. They do not guarantee jobs or placements.

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