What is a backend developer?

Backend developers are responsible for building software and participating in the full life cycle of the product. They typically work with customers to develop software solutions, focusing on the backend of development. Although these professionals typically operate alone on specific tasks, they frequently collaborate with other professionals during the development process.

Communication and leadership skills are important in this role. Backend developers possess strong technical abilities and can lead other professionals during the development process. They often specialize in niche functions such as programming languages, mobile applications, web development and more.

“While a degree can be useful, I’ve seen many highly capable backend professionals come from nontraditional backgrounds, including bootcamps, self-teaching or even career changes from unrelated fields. What matters most is their ability to think in systems, write maintainable code and solve complex problems under real-world constraints.”

—P. Todd Decker, software engineer

Skills and abilities

To perform effectively in their roles, backend developers often have the following skills:

• Technical knowledge: Knowledge and application of technologies related to development, such as system programming languages like Java, C#, C++ and Rust, and server, APIs and database management.
• Writing code: Experience in writing code for a variety of products or within their specialization.
• Full life-cycle experience: Proficiency in the complete development process from product research to launch.
• Communication: Effective communication with customers and clients to identify software solutions, the ability to give instructions and guide team members involved in development.
• Problem-solving: Ability to identify and resolve problems during the development process.
• Analytical: Research and analyze software needs to design effective solutions.
• Detail-oriented: Ability to identify issues, opportunities and solutions across various stages of development.
• Interpersonal: Ability to collaborate with team members and other professionals.

Duties and responsibilities

Backend developers are primarily responsible for consulting with clients to create solutions and products that support their goals. They develop applications and software that support front-end development.

Their day-to-day duties may include:

• Developing software to meet users’ needs.
• Designing and implementing storage solutions, security improvements and other server improvements.
• Recommending software upgrades and solutions for existing products to clients.
• Using code to write programs according to designs or to delegate and guide programmers to write code.
• Collaborating with team members and professionals for various stages of the development process.

Education

Backend developers typically have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer and information technology or related fields such as engineering or mathematics. These degrees provide a broad understanding and working knowledge of backend development strategies. Some organizations hiring for more advanced roles may prefer backend developers with master’s degrees.

It’s increasingly common for candidates to enter the field through alternative paths. Bootcamps, self-directed learning, industry certifications and hands-on project experience can all provide the skills necessary for success. Employers often prioritize demonstrated problem-solving ability, proficiency in relevant technologies and real-world application over formal credentials alone.

If a candidate can show they understand core backend concepts and have practical experience building systems, a traditional degree may not be required.

Career development

Backend developers are in high demand to build the backend systems required to support web and native mobile applications in a variety of industries. Over time, backend developers may advance in their existing roles to project managers or systems managers.

What is a backend engineer?

A backend engineer is responsible for applying engineering principles to the overall structures related to software development. This includes design, development, maintenance, testing and evaluation. They possess the technical abilities of developers but use them in more advanced ways to incorporate analytics and testing into their tasks. They focus on backend functions such as server scripts, data management and APIs on a larger systematic scale.

Backend engineers collaborate with clients, customer success teams and quality assurance to gain better insight into their projects. This role requires regular interaction and communication with collaborators.

A backend engineer role requires exceptional skills in math and science as they are involved in every stage of the development life-cycle and develop solutions methodically and with consideration to the structural design and optimization.

Backend engineers may also include application engineers who design, implement and maintain software at scale. They should not be confused with system engineers, who are responsible for maintaining IT systems and infrastructure.

Skills and abilities

Successful backend engineers typically possess the following skills and abilities:

• Mathematical skills: Methodically apply mathematical skills to the structural design of software solutions.
• Technical knowledge: Possesses working knowledge of databases, APIs and other server-related functions.
• Writing code: Ability to write code in several programming languages.
• Leadership skills: Able to delegate tasks to developer teams.
• Communication: Collaborate with team members and communicate effectively with clients to understand software needs.
• Analytical: Identify structural improvements and opportunities to develop processes.
• Problem-solving: Solve structural issues to improve overall development efficiency and effectiveness.
• Broad understanding: Experience working with a wide range of software development structures and applying engineering principles.

Duties and responsibilities

Backend engineers are responsible for the overall software structure design, focusing on systems that support software design with consideration for all users.

Their daily duties may include:

• Performing testing, analysis and scaling with application to backend software features like database, APIs and server scripts.
• Communicating and collaborating with colleagues and users to gain insight and relay information.
• Solving structural technical issues of considerable scope and complexity.
• Recommending improvements and upgrades for backend products to clients and collaborators.
• Identifying and resolving efficiency impediments and technical debt.
• Writing code to a high degree of quality and with attention to precision and long-term planning.

Education

Backend engineers typically have a bachelor’s degree in software engineering, computer science or related fields such as math or information technology. More advanced positions may require backend engineers to have further education, such as a master’s degree or specialized boot camps.

Backend developer vs. backend engineer

Backend developers and backend engineers are related in many ways and are often referred to interchangeably, but there are core differences. Both participate in the full life-cycle of product development and may have overlapping functions. However, they have slightly different tasks and use different approaches and principles in their work.

The primary difference is that backend developers apply creativity to smaller solutions, while backend engineers use scientific methods and engineering principles for technologically efficient design structures. They have similar skills, such as a working knowledge of programming languages and backend systems, but engineers apply these skills in a more advanced way to the overall design structure, while developers focus on smaller tasks within the structure.

Backend engineers perform tasks similar to developers but on a larger scale. Although they respond to problems as they appear, they also anticipate issues and systematically resolve them. They’re interested in solving structural inefficiencies and minimizing technical debt. Backend developers resolve issues as they arise and have greater creativity since their solutions typically don’t influence the broader structure of the software.

At the beginning of the life-cycle process, backend developers collaborate with clients to identify their software needs. They use their creative skills to design and develop functional solutions. Backend engineers, however, assess client needs systematically, applying engineering principles in the design of technological solutions to minimize technical debt.

Developers and engineers are usually required to have a bachelor’s degree, but developers may focus on computer science and information technology, while engineers typically obtain software engineering or mathematics degrees. Both can pursue master’s degrees or other educational programs like coding boot camps.

While developers may substitute a degree with boot camp education, engineers usually have a formal degree. Depending on their location, engineers may also need to obtain a license in their state of employment.

Hiring backend developers

Evaluating resumes

When screening candidates for backend developer roles, you can evaluate for skills and traits that demonstrate experience solving backend issues on a smaller scale. Software developers often have specialized abilities, such as with specific programming languages or software types. You can also scan for languages listed in their resumes, including Ruby or JavaScript.

Take note of other terms they may use to describe past employment. Front-end developers don’t work with backend systems, but full-stack developers can perform backend developer work.

Qualified backend developers possess both analytical and creative skills to problem-solve issues efficiently and innovatively. Evaluate candidates for attention to detail, as many of their functions require them to focus on small-scale software solutions.

Skills assessment

You can test the skills and traits of backend developers by providing them with problems and reviewing previous projects. Consider how they approach the tasks you assign them with attention to important characteristics such as creativity, analysis and technical skill.

During interviews, ask candidates to describe previous projects and identify various obstacles and the solutions they implemented to ensure their combination of skills and traits align with your team.

Hiring backend engineers

Evaluating resumes

If you’re hiring for a backend engineer role, search for candidates with full-stack or specific backend experience.

Qualified candidates will typically have experience working with broad structural projects and focusing on collaborative solutions. A strong backend engineer’s resume includes advanced mathematical and analytical skills in addition to technical developer skills. Since they’re responsible for creating long-term structural solutions, their resume ideally demonstrates logic and planning skills.

Skills assessment

You can often test backend engineers with the same problems you provide to backend developer candidates. Qualified applicants can demonstrate efficient solutions concerning technological debt and structural optimization. Review their previous work to gauge how they approach problems and if they’d fit your organizational culture well.

Backend developers generally focus on creative, task-specific solutions for server-side software, while backend engineers apply scientific principles to broader system design, scalability and technical debt reduction. Choosing between them depends on needs: developers are for targeted implementation, while engineers are for structural optimization.