Back-End Developer

🔰 Basic Level (30+ Exercises)

Goal: Understand the fundamentals of server-side programming, databases, and basic APIs.

Core Programming (Node.js, Python, PHP)

• Create a simple HTTP server using Node.js.

• Build a “Hello World” API endpoint in Express.js.

• Develop a CLI app for note-taking in Python.

• Write a program that accepts user input and stores it in a text file.

• Create a RESTful route for GET, POST in PHP.

• Implement a basic calculator API in Python Flask.

Database Fundamentals (MySQL / MongoDB)

• Create a database and tables using SQL.

• Insert, update, delete, and select records in MySQL.

• Create and query collections in MongoDB.

• Connect a Node.js app to MongoDB using Mongoose.

• Write a SQL query to join two tables.

• Build a Python script to import CSV data to MySQL.

Basic Authentication & Sessions

• Implement user login with session storage in Express.

• Create a registration and login form in PHP.

• Hash passwords using bcrypt in Node.js.

• Validate login credentials against a database.

• Store login sessions using cookies.

APIs and HTTP Concepts

• Build a static JSON REST API.

• Use Postman to test CRUD endpoints.

• Log incoming requests to the server.

• Respond with dynamic data based on query parameters.

• Create a basic middleware for request logging.

🚀 Intermediate Level (40+ Exercises)

Goal: Design RESTful APIs, integrate databases, manage user sessions, and handle asynchronous tasks.

Advanced API Development

• Build a CRUD API for blog posts.

• Implement pagination and filtering in APIs.

• Create file upload API using multer (Node.js).

• Handle request validation using Joi.

• Implement rate limiting to prevent API abuse.

• Build an authentication system using JWT.

Database Operations

• Build relational models and foreign keys in MySQL.

• Use MongoDB aggregation for analytics.

• Create backup and restore operations for a database.

• Manage DB connection pooling in Node.js.

• Write stored procedures and triggers in MySQL.

• Implement indexing and performance optimization.

Middleware and Error Handling

• Create a custom error handler middleware.

• Catch unhandled exceptions and rejections.

• Log errors to a file using Winston or custom logger.

• Secure APIs with helmet, CORS, and sanitizers.

• Structure Express app using MVC pattern.

Session Management

• Implement login/logout flow with JWT tokens.

• Build a session-based shopping cart.

• Implement “Remember Me” functionality.

• Use Redis to store session data.

Background Jobs and Task Scheduling

• Schedule a cron job for cleanup tasks.

• Send emails using nodemailer or SMTP.

• Process image uploads in the background.

• Create a worker queue using Bull (Node.js).

🧠 Advanced Level (40+ Exercises)

Goal: Design full-scale applications, microservices, and implement CI/CD, caching, websockets, and performance tuning.

Full Stack Backend Projects

• Develop a user management API with roles and permissions.

• Create an e-commerce backend with product, cart, and order services.

• Build a multi-user blog system with comment moderation.

• Develop a forum API with threads and replies.

• Implement a movie booking backend with seat reservation logic.

Microservices and Architecture

• Split an app into microservices using Docker.

• Implement service-to-service communication using REST.

• Use message brokers like RabbitMQ or Kafka.

• Build a service registry and discovery mechanism.

• Add API gateway using NGINX or Express Gateway.

Caching & Optimization

• Cache responses using Redis.

• Implement data caching with ETags and headers.

• Profile and optimize SQL queries.

• Use lazy loading and batching with GraphQL.

• Implement database replication and sharding.

Real-Time and WebSocket

• Create a real-time chat server using Socket.io.

• Build a live notification service.

• Implement WebSocket authentication.

• Broadcast stock ticker updates in real-time.

• Monitor user typing status in chat.

Security & Testing

• Secure REST API endpoints with RBAC.

• Write unit and integration tests using Jest or Mocha.

• Perform penetration testing using OWASP ZAP.

• Implement CSRF protection for forms.

• Validate user inputs to prevent SQL injection.

DevOps and Deployment

• Write a Dockerfile for a backend app.

• Create a CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions.

• Deploy Node.js app to Heroku or DigitalOcean.

• Configure NGINX as a reverse proxy.

• Set up environment variables securely.