Backend Development explained in 2 minutes

Kelechi James — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 20:54:29 +0000

Websites and applications are common these days. However, it's important to understand that behind the cool design and features lies the technology that makes them work. Every website and application has a hidden backend that is responsible for its functionality, such as processing data, managing databases, and handling security.

In this blog article, I will explain backend development for beginners, simplifying the concepts and making it easier to understand.

What is Backend Development?

Back-end development is also known as “sever-side” development.

Backend development is the process of building and maintaining the server-side of a web application. This includes the server, the database, and the APIs that allow communication between the frontend and backend of the application.

The backend is responsible for handling tasks such as processing user data, managing databases, and handling security and authentication. It is essentially the engine that powers the web application.

Backend development uses a variety of computer languages and frameworks, including Java, Python, Ruby on Rails, and Node.js. Each language has its advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of language is influenced by the project's particular specifications.

Model-view-controller (MVC) architecture, which divides the application into three key parts: the model, the view, and the controller, is typically used to build a web application's server-side. The controller is in charge of handling user requests and updating the model and view as necessary. The model is in charge of managing data, the view is in charge of displaying data to the user.

To store and handle data, backend developers also employ databases. A relational database, like MySQL or PostgreSQL, is the most typical type of database used in backend development. Because of their scalability and flexibility, NoSQL databases like MongoDB and Cassandra are also gaining popularity.

Backend developers use APIs to communicate with the frontend of the web application (Application Programming Interfaces). APIs are a set of guidelines and standards that enable interaction between various software programs.

Security and authentication are also important aspects of backend development. Backend developers must ensure that the application is secure and that user data is protected. They use various techniques, such as encryption and authentication, to ensure that the application is secure and that user data is safe.

In summary, backend development is the process of creating and maintaining a web application's server side. Using APIs, it entails managing data, responding to user queries, and interacting with the application's front end.

originally published @ link

Understanding RESTful APIs: A Beginner's Guide

Kelechi James — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 15:13:11 +0000

What is an API?

API stands for Application Programming Interface. it is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other.

APIs are the communication between two computer systems.

What does REST stand for?

REST stands for Representational State Transfer.

RESTful APIs, or Representational State Transfer APIs, is a crucial component in modern web development.
They allow communication between different applications and systems over the internet, enabling the exchange of data and information.

Simply put, a **RESTful API **defines a set of rules and standards for creating, retrieving, updating, and deleting data from a server. The data is typically in the form of JSON or XML, and the API uses HTTP methods such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE to perform these operations.

The HTTP requests allow you to operate with the database, such as:

GET: GET request is used to read/retrieve data from a web server. GET returns an HTTP status code of 200 (OK).

POST: POST request is used to send data (file, form data, etc.) to the server. it returns an HTTP status code of 201

PUT: A PUT request is used to modify the data on the server.

PATCH: PATCH is similar to a PUT request, but the only difference is, it modifies a part of the data. It will only replace the content that you want to update.

DELETE: A DELETE request is used to delete the data on the server at a specified location.

These operations stand for four possible actions, known as CRUD: Create, Read, Update and Delete

The statelessness of RESTful APIs prevents the server from storing any client-specific data and that is one of its distinguishing characteristics. Instead, each request made to the server by the client must contain all relevant information. As a result, RESTful APIs are scalable since they can process several requests at once.

To use a RESTful API, you need to send an HTTP request to a specific endpoint at a specific location on your server where a specific action can be performed. The endpoint then returns a response, which is a confirmation of the action taken or the data requested.

Wrapping up

RESTful APIs are a crucial aspect of modern web development and are essential for the seamless exchange of data and information between different systems. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, understanding RESTful APIs is essential for building robust and scalable applications.

originally published on hashnode:
link

Forem: Kelechi James

Backend Development explained in 2 minutes

Understanding RESTful APIs: A Beginner's Guide

What does REST stand for?