Backend Development with Python: backend basics, intro to Python, Django and first applications

This skill path will teach you everything you need to get started with back-end development using Pythin as your main programming language. We start teaching you the basic concepts of back-end development and we then move into more details about Python, Django, and even a bit of front-end development to make sure you can complete the tutorials and exercises inside the path. 

This path is curated by Chris Koch who is a senior and professional back-end developer with several years of knowledge programming on Python. Chris has a YouTube channel where he teaches coding and Python with more than 200,000 subscribers. Chris is also active on several other platforms like Udemy and Shareable where his courses are watched by more than half a million people every month. 

By Chris Koch · YouTuber and Coder at Clear Code channel

Skill objectives

Chapter 01

Introduction to Backend Developpment

In this first chapter you will learn what it means to develop software for the backend. We cover initial basic steps like backend concepts and fundamentals and we then introduce you to Python, SQL and Front-end Development, to give you a full overview.

Skills: Back-End Development, Back-End Development Tools, Django, Python, SQL

Video3min

Back-end web development - a complete overview

Short video on the basics of back end development. It covers the basics concepts like servers, programming languages and databases and shows how the various parts connect. 

Video9min

What is a server ? How does a server work?

This connects to the previous part and goes a bit more into detail to introduce what a server is and how that gets to a website functioning in the browser. 

Link10min

Mastering back-end development: fundamental concepts and terminologies

A more detailed guide on the major concepts within back-end development along with more explanations. 

Video2min

Introduction to Python in 100 seconds

This is a super brief overview of Python and what it is used for. Python is the most common programming language used for back-end development. 

Link6min

What is Python?

Another resource on Python, this one gives you a few more examples and resources that you can explore 
 on your own. Just have a look on the site and click on the links to see the examples. Beyond that, you can also look around on Youtube or google to see what people are doing with Python. Besides things like websites and games the language can also be used to control robots or automate your computer. 

Video5min

What is Django? A Python Web Framework

An overview of the Django framework that will be used to create the actual backend. The video also does a good job reiterating the basic concepts and links them back to the overview. 

Link15min

What is SQL and what is it used for?

An introduction to databases and how they can used along with some examples. To build back-end applications you will regularly use databases to store and read data, and that's why SQL (Structured Query Language) will help you get confidence with one of the most popular database languages. 

Video6min

Front-end web development - a complete overview

Useful information to get the other side of website development: How the actual website is designed and how that links back to the back end stuff. 

Chapter 02

Learn the Python programming language

This is a long chapter that will teach you the basics of the Python programming language. We have structured this chapter to be used by beginners that never used Python. Toward the end you will also build a simple application in Python and get introduce to Git and Github.

Skills: Python

Link6min

What are the basic fundamental concepts of programming?

An introduction to the basics of programming, this covers just theory, implementing things will come next! 

Link5min

How much Python should you know to learn Django?

How much Python do you need to know? 

Link5min

How to get learn coding

Some forum tips to get started on programming. 

Link10min

Useful resources when you need help

A list of resources that can help when you get stuck. These are usually forums where people are eager to answer questions. 

Video11h 9min

Python in a single video

A complete intro to Python in a single video. If you want to follow one course this should give you a good structure. 

Video14min

Installing Python and setting up a code editor

A short video covering how to install Python and a code editor. 

Video1h

Python in 1 hour

A really brief introduction to Python that covers variables, functions and the general logic. While this is very basic it conveys a lot of fundamental knowledge. 

Video21min

Controlling the flow of the code

Controlling the flow of code in Python (if, else, while). 

Video10min

Functions

Learn Python functions. 

Video12min

List Comprehension

Python list comprehension. 

Video43min

Decorators

Understand decorators. 

Link15min

Writing Pythonic code

To finish up the basics of Python you should be aware of some broad style patterns. 

Video9min

How to fix the 10 most common Python errors

How to understand and fix the most common errors. 

Video3h 48min

Practice project 1 - Create games in Python

Making games in Python. 

Video4h 25min

Practice project 2 - Make apps

Make apps in Python. 

Link10min

Git version control

How to store your work and make sure you don't accidentally delete or change something. 

Video46min

Git and GitHub Tutorial for Beginners

A detailed tutorial on how to use GitHub and Git. 

Chapter 03

Learn the basic of Front-end to build and operate your applications

Let's take a break from back-end development: in this chapter I want to teach you enough about front-end development to let you build applications on the back-end side that you can still use and expose to your users.

Skills: Frontend Development, Front-End Development Tools, JavaScript, React, HTML

Video9min

As a back-end developer, how much should you know about front-end?

To be a good back-end developer you should know the basics of front-end development. You shouldn't spend too much time on this though so here is a list with the main concepts you should know. 

Video1h 10min

Learn HTML the easy way

A basic overview of HTML5 to help you understand how websites are built.
HTML (and css) is the default language to create websites and it is a very easy one to learn; it hardly even qualifies as a programming language: It is mostly just a way to place various elements on a browser page; there is basically no interactivity or complex logic. For your journey as a back-end developer though, you should know the basic skeleton that creates a website. 

Video48min

Learn Javascript the easy way

A JavaScript crash course, this is the language that makes websites interactive and will be used to send data. It's a very famous language in the front-end world and something you will constantly use, sometimes even in your back-end development. 

Link1h

Practice projects to test your front-end skills

Some practice projects to test your skills. Now that you have learned enough about front-end applications, you should be able to open some of these projects and build them. 

Link10min

Javascript framework overview

An overview of Javascript frameworks for more interactive websites. Most developers don't actually use pure Javascript to make interactive websites. Instead, they use a framework that automates the complex work; really famous examples are react and angular. Both make it much easier to develop pretty and interactive websites; but that is basically it. For a back-end you don't need to know too many details but keep in mind that they exist. 

Link30min

Introduction to ReactJS

An introduction to ReactJS, the most popular front-end framework. While this is not something you should learn as part of this skill path, you might want to learn more about it. Anthropos has a dedicated skill path if you want to learn React. 

Chapter 04

Django: building wen applications with Python

This chapter is completely dedicated to Django and it will teach you everything to adopt it to build your first application. Django is a popular framework supported by thousands of people using it.

Skills: Django

Video8min

Basic intro to Django

Introduction and overview of Django. 

Link8min

Django introduction

With the basics out of the way we can start properly with Django and start on the major concepts. 

Link15min

Django alternatives

Alternatives to Django along with their strengths and weaknesses. 

Link30min

Version management with pyenv

When developing back-ends, especially in a team, you need to make sure  that you keep control over the version that you use; this can be done via Venv. 

Video1h 3min

Django overview

A basic intro to Django. 

Article23h

Django course - Practical guide

Paid Django course. 

Video18h 33min

Django full course

Free Django course. 

Video2min

SQL explained in 100 seconds

A brief overview of SQL. 

Link20min

Performing raw SQL queries with Django

Linking Django to SQL. 

Link20min

Django ORM

An introduction to Django ORM. 

Link2h

Django projects

Django practice projects. 

Link30min

Security in Django

Security is a really important part of any project, as a back-end developer you will be in trouble if your website gets hacked! 

Video1h

Hidden Forces podcast

Hidden Forces: This is how they tell me the world ends is a really good book on  hacking, it will give you a good understanding of how widespread hacking is. 

Chapter 05

Soft skills and other skills to consider as back-end developer

Becoming great at building back-end applications doesn't require just hard skills like Python or Django. In this chapter you will learn how mastering soft skills, team collaboration and project management can really help you succeed and move faster.

Skills: Collaboration & Teamwork, Communication, Problem Solving

Link20min

10 Soft skills every programmer needs

Soft skills that would make your life much easier as a programmer. Programming is more than just writing lines of code. You will almost certainly work with other people: You will have coworkers, clients, managers, other teams or maybe even government officials.
Let's learn a few soft skills that will completely change the way you work. 

Link20min

The programmer’s guide to working on a team

Working in a team can be difficult and but being able to get this right is crucial. You should really invest time and constantly improve in this area: it will make you incredibly more successful, trusted by colleagues and able to quickly get things done. 

Video14min

Can a "DIY mindset" keep programmers from growing

It is fine to ask for help! 

Link10min

How to communicate your ideas to developers

Learn strategies to communicate your ideas. Things like know the knowledge level of your audience or how to focus your ideas for presentations. 

Link8min

Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up problem solving approaches at McKinsey

You can approach any problem from the bottom up or the top down; depending on the approach you might want to think differently. 

Link15min

Planning a programming project

Being able to plan your projects with the proper requirements and achievable deadlines is incredibly helpful. 