Introduction to Back-End Development

Emmanuel BRUNO
emmanuel.bruno@univ-tln.fr

Université de Toulon

LIS UMR CNRS 7020

2024-11-03

Session Structure

  • Introduction to Back-End Development Concepts
  • Types of Back-End Solutions
  • Web Servers and Data Storage
  • Rest and WebSockets for Communication

What is Back-End Development?

  • The server-side of web development, handling data processing, logic, and database communication.

  • Responsibilities of Back-End Developers

    • Building APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to communicate with the front-end.
    • Managing databases and data security.
    • Implementing server-side logic and business rules.

  • Various programming languages and frameworks can be used for back-end development.

PHP

  • PHP: A widely-used open-source scripting language especially suited for web development.
  • Frameworks:
    • Laravel: A PHP framework known for its elegant syntax and robust features.
    • Symfony: A PHP framework for web applications and a set of reusable PHP components.

JavaScript

  • Node.js: An open-source, JavaScript runtime environment built on Chrome’s V8 engine.
  • Frameworks:
    • Express.js: A minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework.
    • NestJS: A progressive Node.js framework for building efficient, reliable, and scalable server-side applications.

Other Languages and Frameworks

  • Python: Django, Flask
  • Ruby: Ruby on Rails
  • Java: Spring Boot, JakartaEE
  • C#: ASP.NET

Why Focus on JavaScript Frameworks?

  • Unified Language: JavaScript can be used for both front-end and back-end development, reducing complexity.
  • Large Ecosystem: Extensive libraries and tools available for JavaScript.
  • Performance: Node.js is known for its non-blocking, event-driven architecture, making it efficient for I/O operations.

Front-End and Full-Stack Development

  • React for Front-End:
    • React is a popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces.
    • It allows developers to create reusable UI components, making front-end development more efficient and maintainable.
    • React’s component-based architecture promotes reusability and scalability.
  • Remix for Full-Stack:
    • Remix is a full-stack web framework built on top of React.
    • It simplifies full-stack development by providing tools for both front-end and back-end development.
    • Remix focuses on performance and user experience, offering features like server-side rendering (SSR) and static site generation (SSG).
    • By using Remix, developers can build modern web applications with a unified language and framework.

Node.js

  • Event-Driven Architecture:
    • Non-blocking I/O operations.
    • Efficient handling of multiple concurrent connections.
    • Ideal for I/O-heavy applications.
  • Single-Threaded:
    • Uses a single-threaded event loop for asynchronous operations.
    • Simplifies concurrency management.
  • Package Ecosystem:
    • npm (Node Package Manager) provides access to thousands of libraries and modules.
    • Facilitates rapid development and code reuse.

Why Focus on React and Remix?

  • React: A JavaScript library for building user interfaces, known for its component-based architecture and virtual DOM.
  • Remix: A full-stack web framework built on React, focusing on performance and user experience.
  • Integration: Seamless integration between front-end (React) and back-end (Node.js) using Remix.
  • Modern Development: Emphasizes modern web development practices, including server-side rendering and static site generation.

Web Servers (Apache, Nginx)

  • Overview of Common Web Servers:
    • Apache:
      • One of the most widely used web servers.
      • Known for its flexibility and extensive module support.
      • Suitable for serving both static and dynamic content.
      • Highly configurable with .htaccess files.
    • Nginx:
      • Popular for its high performance and low resource consumption.
      • Excels at handling concurrent connections.
      • Often used as a reverse proxy and load balancer.
      • Efficient for serving static content.
  • Key Functionalities:
    • Serving Static Content:
      • Delivering files such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, and videos directly to the client.
      • Both Apache and Nginx are optimized for fast and efficient static content delivery.
    • Routing Requests:
      • Directing incoming HTTP requests to the appropriate application or service.
      • Supports URL rewriting, redirection, and proxying to backend servers.
      • Essential for handling dynamic content generated by web applications.
    • Plugins and Modules:
      • Extend the functionality of the web server.
      • Allow for additional features such as running server-side scripts, load balancing, and enhanced security.
      • Both Apache and Nginx support a wide range of plugins and modules to meet various needs.

Data Storage

  • Relational Databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL): Structured data with tables and relationships.
    • Benefits: strong consistency, complex queries.
    • Drawback: schema rigidity.
  • Non-Relational Databases (MongoDB): Flexible schema, stores data in JSON-like documents.
    • Benefits: scalability, rapid development.
    • Drawback: complex querying for relational data.

Communication Protocols

  • REST (Representational State Transfer):
    • Pros:
      • Simple and easy to implement.
      • Uses standard HTTP methods and status codes.
      • Well-suited for CRUD operations and stateless interactions.
    • Cons:
      • Not ideal for real-time communication.
      • Requires multiple HTTP requests for continuous updates.
  • WebSockets:
    • Pros:
      • Enables real-time, bidirectional communication.
      • Reduces latency by maintaining a persistent connection.
      • Ideal for applications requiring instant updates (e.g., chat apps, live notifications).
    • Cons:
      • More complex to implement compared to REST.
      • Requires additional considerations for scalability and security.
  • Video Streaming Protocols (e.g., RTMP, HLS):
    • Pros:
      • Optimized for delivering video content over the internet.
      • Supports adaptive bitrate streaming for varying network conditions.
      • Provides low latency and high-quality video delivery.
    • Cons:
      • Requires specialized servers and infrastructure.
      • More complex to set up and manage compared to REST and WebSockets.

Key Takeaways

  • Understanding Back-End Development:
    • Grasp the fundamental concepts and responsibilities of back-end development.
    • Learn about different types of back-end solutions and their use cases.
  • JavaScript and Node.js:
    • Explore the advantages of using JavaScript for both front-end and back-end development.
    • Understand the event-driven architecture and single-threaded nature of Node.js.
  • PHP:
    • Understand the role of PHP in web development.
    • Learn about popular PHP frameworks like Laravel and Symfony for building robust web applications.
  • Frameworks and Tools:
    • Get familiar with popular frameworks like Express.js and NestJS for building scalable and efficient server-side applications.
    • Learn about the integration of React for front-end and Remix for full-stack development.
  • Web Servers and Data Storage:
    • Understand the roles of web servers like Apache and Nginx in serving static and dynamic content.
    • Learn about different data storage solutions, including relational and non-relational databases.
  • Communication Methods:
    • Compare REST and WebSockets for machine-to-machine communication.
    • Understand the pros and cons of each method and their suitable use cases.

E. Bruno