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Backend Development Syllabus
Design and build server-side applications, APIs, authentication, and database integration.. The complete Backend Development outline — 6 subjects, 36 chapters and 165 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
Backend Development subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
6 chapters · 31 topics
APIs and Web Services6 chapters · 28 topics
Databases and Data Modeling7 chapters · 31 topics
Authentication, Authorization and Security5 chapters · 22 topics
Architecture, Scalability and Distributed Systems6 chapters · 28 topics
Testing, DevOps and Deployment6 chapters · 25 topics
Backend Development flashcard decks
306 question-and-answer cards across 6 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
How to work through the Backend Development syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: Programming Foundations and Server Runtimes carries 31 topics while Authentication, Authorization and Security carries 22. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for Backend Development.
The ~125 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
Backend Development syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the Backend Development syllabus?
Backend Development covers 6 subjects: Programming Foundations and Server Runtimes, APIs and Web Services, Databases and Data Modeling, Authentication, Authorization and Security, Architecture, Scalability and Distributed Systems and Testing, DevOps and Deployment. Together they contain 36 chapters and 165 named topics.
How big is the Backend Development syllabus?
The full Backend Development outline breaks down into 36 chapters, 165 topics and 0 sub-topics. Programming Foundations and Server Runtimes is the largest single subject with 31 topics across 6 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole Backend Development syllabus?
Roughly 125 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 6 weeks.
Are there Backend Development flashcards?
Yes — 306 question-and-answer flashcards across 6 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this Backend Development syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the Backend Development syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too. No account is needed to start.
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