Back-End Developer

Primary Activities

A Back-End Developer in the Technology function is typically expected to perform the following activities as a part of their job. Expect questions delving deeper into these areas depending on your level of experience. This is a representative list and not a complete one; the latter are generally based on the exact nature of the role

Developing & Maintaining Server Side Applications: Designing, coding, and testing software components that handle the logic and data processing on the server side
Integrating Databases & Data Storage Solutions: Implementing and optimizing database schemas, queries, and data access layers to ensure efficient and reliable data storage and retrieval
Implementing Ap Is & Web Services: Creating and maintaining APIs and web services to enable communication between different systems and applications
Troubleshooting & Debugging: Identifying and resolving issues in the back-end code, including performance bottlenecks, security vulnerabilities, and system failures
Collaborating With Front End Developers: Working closely with front-end developers to ensure seamless integration between the back-end and front-end components of an application
Optimizing Application Performance: Analyzing and improving the performance of server-side code, including optimizing database queries, caching strategies, and overall system architecture
Implementing Security Measures: Implementing security best practices, such as authentication, authorization, and data encryption, to protect sensitive information and prevent unauthorized access
Keeping Up With Industry Trends & Technologies: Staying updated with the latest advancements in back-end development, frameworks, and tools to continuously improve skills and knowledge
Collaborating With Cross Functional Teams: Working with other teams, such as UI/UX designers, product managers, and quality assurance, to ensure successful project delivery and meet business requirements
Documenting Code & Technical Specifications: Creating and maintaining documentation for back-end code, APIs, and system architecture to facilitate future maintenance and knowledge sharing

Key Performance Indicators

Back-End Developers in the Technology function are often evaluated using the following KPI metrics. Address atleast some of these metrics in your resume line items & within your interview stories to maximize your prospects (if you have prior experiences in this or a related role). This is not a comprehensive list and exact metrics vary depending on the type of business

Code quality: Measure of the quality of code written by the back-end developer, including adherence to coding standards, maintainability, and readability
Bug resolution time: Average time taken by the back-end developer to resolve reported bugs or issues in the system
System performance: Measurement of the performance and efficiency of the back-end system, including response time, throughput, and resource utilization
Database optimization: Efficiency and optimization of database queries and operations performed by the back-end developer, aiming to improve overall system performance
Security implementation: Evaluation of the back-end developer's ability to implement secure coding practices, including protection against common vulnerabilities and adherence to security standards
API integration: Successful integration of back-end APIs with other systems or services, ensuring seamless communication and data exchange
Scalability: Ability of the back-end developer to design and implement scalable solutions that can handle increasing user loads and data volumes without performance degradation
Code review participation: Active participation in code reviews, providing constructive feedback and suggestions to improve code quality and maintainability
Adherence to project timelines: Ability to deliver back-end development tasks within agreed-upon timelines, ensuring timely completion of project milestones
Collaboration with front-end developers: Effective collaboration and communication with front-end developers to ensure smooth integration and functionality between front-end and back-end systems

Selection Process

Successful candidates for a Back-End Developers role in the Technology function can expect a similar selection process as the one outlined below. Actual process may vary depending on seniority, size/type of company etc.

Phone screening
Initial phone call to discuss qualifications and experience
Technical assessment
Online coding test or assignment to evaluate technical skills
Technical interview
In-depth technical interview to assess knowledge and problem-solving abilities
Behavioral interview
Interview to evaluate soft skills, teamwork, and cultural fit
Final interview
Meeting with senior management or team lead to make the final decision
Reference check
Contacting provided references to verify qualifications and work history
Offer
Job offer extended to successful candidate

Interview Questions

Common Interview Questions that a Back-End Developers in the Technology function is likely to face. Prepare stories that tailor to your own experiences that may help you answer these questions effectively. This is not a complete list and more questions will be added over time. Use the topic tags in the search box below to filter by specific topics

Link	Question	Topic(s)
Link	What is the difference between front-end and back-end development?	General
Link	What programming languages are commonly used for back-end development?	Technical Skills
Link	Explain the concept of RESTful APIs.	Technical Skills
Link	What is the purpose of a database in back-end development?	Technical Skills
Link	How do you ensure the security of data in a back-end system?	Security
Link	What is the role of caching in back-end development?	Performance
Link	How do you handle errors and exceptions in your code?	Technical Skills
Link	What is the difference between synchronous and asynchronous programming?	Technical Skills
Link	How do you optimize the performance of a back-end application?	Performance
Link	Explain the concept of scalability in back-end development.	Scalability
Link	What is the role of version control systems in back-end development?	Technical Skills
Link	How do you ensure code quality and maintainability in your projects?	Technical Skills
Link	What is the difference between SQL and NoSQL databases?	Technical Skills
Link	How do you handle data migration in a back-end system?	Technical Skills
Link	Explain the concept of API documentation and its importance.	Technical Skills
Link	What is the role of unit testing in back-end development?	Testing
Link	How do you ensure the reliability of a back-end system?	Reliability
Link	What is the role of design patterns in back-end development?	Technical Skills
Link	How do you handle data validation and sanitization in your code?	Security
Link	Explain the concept of session management in back-end development.	Security