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Web Development

Backend

Ship real websites and web apps from day one.

Duration
8 weeks
Format
5 live sessions per week + daily mentor office hours
Track type
Cohort
Open seats
Next cohort soon

About this course

Why students take this

Where frontend ends, backend begins. This course is for students who want to understand how the data layer actually works — not just call an API and hope. We build real services from scratch with Node.js + Express, learn SQL the way a senior would, and ship them behind a proper auth layer.

By the end you will have built a small SaaS backend end-to-end: signup + login, role-based access, REST + JSON, a Postgres schema you're proud of, and a deployment that survives real traffic. You'll also know how to debug a slow query, write a meaningful test, and read someone else's codebase without flinching.

What you'll master

  • Node.js, Express, async/await, error handling the right way
  • PostgreSQL — schema design, indexes, joins, migrations
  • REST APIs, JWT auth, request validation, rate-limiting
  • Docker basics — running services locally + on a VPS
  • Logging, monitoring, and how to read production errors

Outcomes

What you’ll walk away with

Every outcome below is something a graduate can demonstrate on the last day of class — not a vague promise.

  • 01

    Ship 3+ real projects deployed on the open web

  • 02

    Read other people's code and contribute confidently

  • 03

    Land a developer role or freelance with paying clients

Syllabus

How the 8 weeks actually unfold

We move in deliberate phases. Each one builds on the last, so by week 8you’re working on real briefs — not still typing your first hello-world.

  1. W1

    Node.js + Express foundations

    How the server side actually works. Request lifecycle. Express routes + middleware.

    You can…
    • Spin up an Express server with proper routes
    • Write middleware for logging and error handling
    • Return JSON, redirects, and static files correctly
  2. W2

    PostgreSQL + schema design

    Relational modelling that scales. PRIMARY KEY, FK, indexes.

    You can…
    • Design a 5-table schema with proper relations
    • Write joins, GROUP BY, and CTEs
    • Create indexes for read-heavy queries
  3. W3

    Auth — sessions + JWT

    Password hashing, sessions, JWT, refresh tokens.

    You can…
    • Implement signup/login with bcrypt-hashed passwords
    • Issue and verify JWTs
    • Protect routes with auth middleware
  4. W4

    REST API patterns

    Resourceful URLs, status codes, request validation, error envelopes.

    You can…
    • Design a CRUD API following REST conventions
    • Validate request bodies with Zod or Joi
    • Return consistent error envelopes across endpoints
  5. W5

    File uploads + transactional email

    S3 / R2 uploads, image processing, sending email with Resend.

    You can…
    • Accept file uploads + store in object storage
    • Send transactional email (verification, receipts)
    • Resize images server-side before storing
  6. W6

    Background jobs + cron

    Queues, scheduled jobs, retry semantics.

    You can…
    • Move slow work off the request thread
    • Run a recurring job with a cron-style scheduler
    • Handle job failure with retry + dead-letter
  7. W7

    Docker + deployment

    Containerise the API. Deploy to a VPS with Caddy + HTTPS.

    You can…
    • Write a Dockerfile for a Node.js app
    • Deploy with docker compose to a VPS
    • Set up HTTPS, custom domain, and zero-downtime restarts
  8. W8

    Observability + project finale

    Logging, metrics, alerting. Final API + handover.

    You can…
    • Ship structured logs to a centralised viewer
    • Measure p95 latency and error rate
    • Hand off a documented API with example clients

Who this is for

A great fit if you’re…

  • Beginners who want a real coding career, not just tutorials
  • Designers ready to take their work live
  • Business owners building their own product

Tools you’ll use

The stack you’ll get fluent in

  • HTML, CSS, JavaScript
  • React or Node.js (track-dependent)
  • Git, GitHub, Vercel, Netlify
  • VS Code, Chrome DevTools

Format: 5 live sessions per week + daily mentor office hours.

FAQ

Questions students ask before joining

Do I need a powerful laptop?+

Anything from 2018 onwards with 8GB RAM works. We'll help you set it up on day 1.

Is this enough to get hired?+

Combined with the portfolio you'll build, yes. We also run a weekly job-prep session in the last month.

Do I need to know maths?+

No advanced maths. Comfortable with basic arithmetic and logic is enough.

What if I miss a class?+

Every session is recorded and stays in your portal forever. You can also book a catch-up with the mentor.

Next step

4-minute application. Quote in 24 hours.

Tell us about your background and goals. We’ll send the syllabus, fee plan, and a cohort that fits.

Apply for Backend