Course
Backend Development
Learn how real backend systems are designed and built.
main.pyPreview
@app.post("/courses", status_code=201)async def create_course( payload: CourseIn, user: User = Depends(require_admin),) -> CourseOut: return await repo.create(payload)Overview
What this track covers
The part of software most tutorials skip: designing an API, modelling data, protecting routes and putting the whole thing on a server.
- FastAPI fundamentals
- REST API design
- PostgreSQL & data modelling
- Authentication & authorization
- Testing & error handling
- Deployment
Who it's for
- Students who already know basic Python
- Frontend developers who want to own the full stack
- Anyone targeting backend or API engineering roles
Curriculum
Module by module
Taught in order. Each module builds directly on the one before it.
API foundations
- HTTP, status codes and request lifecycle
- FastAPI routing and dependency injection
- Request validation with Pydantic
- Designing resources and versioning
Data layer
- Relational modelling and normalisation
- PostgreSQL and SQL that performs
- ORMs, migrations and seed data
- Transactions and data integrity
Security
- Password hashing done correctly
- JWT sessions and refresh flows
- Role-based access control
- Rate limiting and input sanitisation
Production
- Automated tests for endpoints
- Structured logging and error reporting
- Environment configuration and secrets
- Containerising and deploying the service
Projects
What you will have built
- Authenticated REST API with role permissions
- E-commerce backend with orders and inventory
- Task management API with a Postgres schema
- Deployed, documented, containerised service
Outcomes
What you will be able to do
- Design an API another developer can consume without asking questions
- Model data in PostgreSQL and write queries that scale
- Implement authentication you would trust with real users
- Deploy and monitor a running backend service
Other tracks
Continue in another direction
Ready to start Backend Development?
Tell us where you are right now and we will place you at the right point in the track.