Backend web architecture refers to all of the technology and infrastructure that powers the part of a website or application that users don’t directly interact with. As a beginner learning about web development, understanding backend architecture is key to being able to build fully-functional web applications. In this article, I’ll explain in simple terms exactly what backend web architecture is, why it’s important, and break down the main components that make up a typical backend system.
Why Should You Care About Backend Web Architecture As A Beginner?
When starting out in web development, it’s easy to get caught up in just the frontend – the part of the website that you see and interact with. However there’s a whole world of important stuff happening behind the scenes on the backend that makes dynamic websites possible.
As a beginner, you need to learn what the backend is doing so that you can:
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Build websites that can handle user input and data persistence (saving user data beyond just a page load).
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Understand common web architectures to make informed decisions for your own projects.
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Communicate effectively with backend developers as part of a web dev team.
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Expand your skills to full-stack development in the future.
So in short, understanding backend web architecture gives you a more complete picture of how the web works and sets you up for building more advanced websites and web applications down the road.
Key Components of Backend Web Architecture
The main parts of a typical backend architecture include:
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Server – The server is the computer that receives requests from clients. It hosts the backend code and software.
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App logic – This code handles the core backend functionality like handling requests, getting data from the database, authentication, etc.
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Database – Stores, organizes and retrieves data. Allows data to persist across requests.
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API – Provides a interface for frontend and clients to get data from the backend.
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Web framework – A software framework like Ruby on Rails or ExpressJS that makes backend web development easier.
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Web server – Software that helps serve web content like Nginx or Apache.
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Caching – Stores copied data for faster retrieval. Improves performance.
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Message queue – Handles asynchronous communications for distributing work.
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CDN – Content delivery network that hosts static assets like images, CSS, JS.
Let’s look at each of these components in a bit more detail:
The Server
The server is the physical computer that hosts all of the backend software and logic. It receives incoming requests from clients (like a web browser), executes backend code to handle the request, and returns a response.
There are a few key things to know about servers:
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They are often dedicated machines optimized for hosting websites and applications.
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They have a constant network connection and are always online.
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They have much more processing power and memory than a typical consumer computer.
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Large web apps may use multiple servers or a server cluster for handling higher traffic loads.
Application Logic
The application logic is all of the backend code that handles critical tasks like:
- Receiving incoming HTTP requests
- Executing any relevant request handler functions
- Querying or making changes to the database
- Controlling user authentication and access
- Implementing API request endpoints
- Processing data and executing core business logic
This code controls the core functionality of the backend. It might be written in languages like JavaScript, Ruby, Python, C#, Java or PHP. The app logic is hosted and run on the server(s).
Database
The database is used for storing, organizing and retrieving data in a persistent way. This allows data to be saved beyond the lifetime of a request so it can be used across multiple users and requests. Common examples of databases include:
- SQL-based like MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL
- NoSQL like MongoDB, Cassandra
- Cloud-hosted like Firebase Firestore, AWS DynamoDB
The backend application logic will use a database connector library to execute queries, insert data, update or delete data based on application requirements.
API
An API (application programming interface) provides a interface that enables clients like frontend apps, mobile apps and third-party services to interact with the backend and access its data and functionality in a standardized way.
APIs often provide data via common formats like JSON. APIs enable much more dynamic and complex websites and web apps compared to traditional static HTML sites.
Web Framework
Web frameworks like Ruby on Rails, Django, ExpressJS and Laravel are very common in backend web development. These provide libraries, structure and conventions that speed up building the different parts of a backend application like routing, database connections, templating and more.
Web Server
Besides the main backend application server, there is often also a dedicated web server like Nginx, Apache or IIS installed. This helps serve static web assets efficiently. The web server and app server may be on the same machine or separate machines.
Caching
Caching is used to store copied data and assets in a faster retrieval system than the main data store. Retrieving from cache is much faster than querying the main database. Caching helps optimize performance and reduce load on the main data stores.
Message Queue
A message queue handles asynchronous communications and background work distribution. It enables spreading out CPU-intensive or time-consuming tasks across multiple worker systems to improve performance.
CDN
A content delivery network (CDN) like Cloudflare or Akamai helps serve static assets like images, CSS, JavaScript, etc from data centers spread geographically closer to users. This speeds up asset load times. CDNs remove this work from the main application servers.
Common Backend Architecture Patterns
Some common patterns used when architecting the backend for web applications include:
Monolithic
- All backend code and services bundled in one app
- Simpler initial setup but less flexible
- Difficult to scale individual services
Microservices
- App broken into smaller independent services
- Changes can be deployed separately
- More complex system
- Individual scaling of services
Serverless
- Use on-demand cloud services and resources
- No server management required
- Scales automatically
- Pay-as-you-go pricing model
Hybrid
- Mix of multiple architecture styles
- Balance benefits of different models
- Gradual migration from monolith to microservices
Why Are APIs and Databases So Important?
In a typical modern web application, the API and database play critical roles in the backend architecture:
API Importance
- Enables dynamic content and interactivity
- Allows different frontends to access backend data and logic
- Standardized way to expose backend functions
- Flexibility to use variety of client devices and platforms
Database Importance
- Persists data across users and requests
- Structured way to store and organize data
- Enables complex data relationships and queries
- Scalability to support many users
- Backup and redundancy for data
Backend web architecture might seem mysterious as a beginner, but having a high-level understanding of its common components and patterns will give you a great mental model of how complete modern web applications work from frontend to backend.
So while your focus may be on developing frontend skills right now, always keep in mind that there is a whole other side of web development dedicated to building robust, scalable backends that make amazing web experiences possible.
What is a server?
A server, in the context of back-end web architecture, is a physical or virtual machine responsible for hosting, processing, and managing the resources required to run a web application. Servers receive client requests, execute the necessary logic, and return responses through a communication protocol, typically HTTP.
Servers can be either on-premise, in a data center, or hosted on cloud-based platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Cloud-based solutions offer increased flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness by allowing developers to utilize a pay-as-you-go model and dynamically allocate resources based on demand.Try AppMaster no-code today!Platform can build any web, mobile or backend application 10x faster and 3x cheaper
Web servers, such as Apache, Nginx, or Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), play a crucial role in handling HTTP requests and responses. These web servers can be configured to work alongside server-side languages and frameworks to streamline the processing of client requests.
Another key element of server architecture is the use of load balancers and caching mechanisms to optimize performance and ensure that the application remains responsive under high traffic loads. Load balancers distribute incoming traffic across multiple servers, preventing any single server from being overwhelmed and ensuring high availability. Examples of load balancers include HAProxy, Amazon Elastic Load Balancing (ELB), and Google Cloud Load Balancing.
Caching mechanisms store frequently accessed data temporarily, reducing the time required to retrieve the data and the load on the server. Various caching strategies include in-memory caching, content delivery networks (CDNs), and reverse proxy caching. Popular caching tools include Memcached, Redis, and Varnish.
The server is the backbone of the back-end web architecture, providing the necessary infrastructure for processing client requests, executing application logic, and managing data storage. By incorporating efficient server-side languages, databases, security measures, and performance optimization techniques, developers can build robust and scalable web applications that meet the demands of todays digital landscape.
What is a database, and why do we need to use them?
A database is an organized collection of structured data that enables efficient storage, retrieval, modification, and management of information. Databases are an essential component of software applications, particularly web applications, as they provide a systematic and reliable way to store and manipulate data generated by users or required for the applications functionality.
There are several reasons why databases are crucial in software development:
- Data Persistence: Databases allow for the persistent storage of data, ensuring that information is not lost when an application is closed or the server is restarted. This is particularly important for applications that manage user accounts, transactions, or any data that needs to be retained over time.
- Efficient Data Management: Databases are designed to handle large volumes of data and provide efficient mechanisms for inserting, updating, deleting, and retrieving information. Database management systems (DBMS) offer various querying and indexing capabilities that enable developers to access and manipulate data quickly and easily.
- Data Integrity and Consistency: Databases help maintain data integrity and consistency by enforcing constraints, relationships, and validation rules. For example, a relational database can define foreign key constraints to ensure that relationships between tables are maintained or unique constraints to prevent duplicate entries.
- Concurrency Control: Databases allow multiple users or applications to access and modify data simultaneously while ensuring data consistency and preventing conflicts. Database management systems employ various concurrency control mechanisms, such as locking or optimistic concurrency control, to manage concurrent access and maintain data integrity.
- Data Security: Databases provide built-in security features that help protect sensitive data from unauthorized access or modification. These features include user authentication, role-based access control, and data encryption, which can be configured to restrict access and safeguard data.
- Scalability: Databases are designed to scale both vertically (by adding more resources to a single server) and horizontally (by distributing data across multiple servers) to accommodate growing data volumes and increasing numbers of users. This allows applications to maintain performance and availability as their user base and data storage requirements expand.
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There are different types of databases available, such as relational databases (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server) and non-relational (NoSQL) databases (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra, Couchbase). The choice of a database depends on factors such as the applications data structure, query requirements, and scalability needs. By leveraging databases, developers can create efficient, and reliable software apps that effectively manage and manipulate data.
Backend web development – a complete overview
What is backend Web architecture?
Backend web architecture is the process of creating the structure and logic of a website’s backend, which includes all the components of a website that aren’t visible to users. When users enter interact with a website by entering inputs like clicking or typing, the backend dictates the programming of outputs, like text that appears on the screen.
What is a back-end in a web application?
The back-end is the server’s code that gets the clients’ requests and sends the necessary data back. It also includes the application’s database that stores all the information. HTTP and REST guarantee the request-respond cycle’s structure between servers and clients. Clients. What are those?
Why is backend architecture important?
Backend architecture is a critical aspect of web development, providing the foundation for robust, scalable, and efficient web applications. Understanding the key components of backend architecture, such as servers, databases, APIs, and frameworks, enables developers to design and build powerful backend systems.
What is the difference between a framework and a backend Web architecture?
Programmers in backend web architecture create logic that runs almost exclusively on servers, interpreting inputs and producing outputs. A framework is a guide that you use to structure your code, logic and other aspects of your web architecture.
