Become a Backend Developer: Career Roadmap

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ No fluff. No outdated tutorials. No overpriced Bootcamp. This Backend Developer Career Path is your step-by-step roadmap to go from beginner (at any age!) to getting hired as a Backend Developer. You’ll be guided through our curated curriculum of courses, workshops, challenges, and action items to build your skills, portfolio and experience to become a Backend Developer.

Build enterprise-level backend applications and deploy them to the cloud (AWS) Learn to build secure and performant, large-scale applications like a Senior Backend Developer Strong focus on security best practices so you can be confident with your deployments Authentication, File I/O, Databases (SQL, MongoDB), Express Framework, Sockets, plus many other important topics a Backend Developer should know How to ace all of your interviews, get more job offers and a higher salary This Career Path includes: Exact steps to go from an absolute beginner to a confident Backend Developer Access to our supportive Discord community of 1,000s of students, alumni, TAs and instructors Projects that will challenge you and make your portfolio and resume stand out Unlimited access to all courses, workshops, career paths and resources 214.5 hours of video 8 courses 29 projects 3 workshops 3 blogs 2 code challenges 4 actions

How to Become a Backend Developer & Get Hired

Become a Backend Developer

This Backend Developer Career Path is your step-by-step roadmap to go from beginner (at any age!) to getting hired as a Backend Developer. You will learn multiple programming languages, cloud architecture & system design, APIs, databases (SQL), AWS and much more. This is an industry-crafted roadmap featuring hands-on real world projects.

Your career path

What You'll Learn

Build enterprise-level backend applications and deploy them to the cloud (AWS)
Learn to build secure and performant, large-scale applications like a Senior Backend Developer
Strong focus on security best practices so you can be confident with your deployments
Authentication, File I/O, Databases (SQL, MongoDB), Containers, Sockets, plus many other important topics a Backend Developer should know
How to ace all of your interviews, get more job offers and a higher salary

Action

Backend Programming Language?

Which programming language do you want to use? We recommend going with JavaScript (NodeJS) for the best job demand, but we let you decide what is best for your situation.

Pick one course below to start: NodeJS, Go, C#, Django, Java, or PHP

Course

Intermediate

48 Hours ·447 Lessons Complete Node.js Developer in 2025: Zero to Mastery

Learn Node.js from two industry experts. The only NodeJS course you need to learn Node, build large-scale apps from scratch, and get hired as a Backend Developer or Node JS Developer. Go from Zero to Node Mastery.

Course Details Take the Course

Course · optional for you

Intermediate

13.5 Hours ·140 Lessons Go Programming (Golang): The Complete Developer's Guide

Learn Golang from scratch, from an industry expert. Build real-world apps. You'll learn Go fundamentals all the way to advanced concurrency so that you go from beginner to being able to get hired as a Go Developer!

Course Details Take the Course

Course · optional for you

Beginner

15.5 Hours ·228 Lessons C#/.NET Bootcamp: Full-Stack Web Development (w/ ASP.NET Core and Blazor)

Learn C#/.NET, among the most popular and in-demand coding tools. Learn to build applications for web, mobile, IoT, and gaming. No previous experience needed.

Course Details Take the Course

Course · optional for you

Intermediate

8 Hours ·106 Lessons Django Bootcamp: Zero to Mastery

Learn Django from an industry expert. You'll learn Django fundamentals all the way to advanced skills while building real-world apps so that you can go from beginner to being able to get hired as a Django Developer!

Course Details Take the Course

Course · optional for you

Beginner

12 Hours ·336 Lessons Java Programming Bootcamp: Zero to Mastery

Learn Java from scratch. The only Java course you need to go from complete beginner to learning Java from scratch (fundamentals all the way to advanced skills) and being able to get hired as a Backend Developer!

Course Details Take the Course

Course · optional for you

Beginner

24 Hours ·332 Lessons PHP Development Bootcamp: Zero to Mastery

This is the only PHP course you need to go from complete beginner to coding your own PHP applications. Includes CRUD, File Uploads, Authentication, MySQL, Deployment, Containers and more!

Course Details Take the Course

Course

Intermediate

5 Hours ·80 Lessons Career Guide to Your Dream Job: Resumes, Interviews & Promotions

Learn how to take the next step in your career. Whether you’re job hunting or aiming for a promotion, this course gives you the ultimate career advantage no matter your industry or experience level.

Course Details Take the Course

Action

Apply To 5 Jobs

Believe it or not, you now have enough skills to start applying to jobs and even get hired! This process usually takes a while and it's good to start even if you don't feel "ready". Apply to 5 jobs online right now and see what happens. You don't even need to "want" these jobs. The goal is to practice applying and practice going through the interview process. Once you finish applying to 5 jobs (you don't need to hear back), move on to the next step in this Career Path.

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Course

Beginner

26 Hours ·293 Lessons Complete SQL + Databases Bootcamp

This SQL Bootcamp will teach you SQL, database management, and database design using real-world exercises working with all database types. No experience needed.

Course Details Take the Course

Course

Advanced

4 Hours ·28 Lessons Master the Coding Interview: System Design + Architecture

Become a Senior Engineer. Learn the systems and architecture of web applications. Understand the technologies and trade-offs needed to design the right system.

Course Details Take the Course

Course

Beginner

25 Hours ·213 Lessons DevOps Bootcamp: Learn Linux & Become a Linux Sysadmin

This DevOps Bootcamp will take you from an absolute beginner in Linux to getting hired as a confident and effective Linux Sysadmin. Includes Ansible, Docker, IPFS + more!

Course Details Take the Course

Course

Intermediate

21 Hours ·270 Lessons Master the Coding Interview: Data Structures + Algorithms

The ultimate coding interview bootcamp to ace your coding interviews and land your dream job. Learn data structures & algorithms and the exact steps to take to get more interviews, more job offers, and a higher salary.

Course Details Take the Course

Action

Apply To 5 Jobs You Really Want

This time around, you have more knowledge and more practice. It's now time to take your job hunt seriously. Find 5 companies/jobs that you REALLY want to work for and make a serious effort applying to these jobs based on the tips you learned in the previous lessons. Don't take no for an answer and see if you can land an interview at one of these companies you chose. Once you have an interview lined up, move to the next section.

Course · optional for you

Beginner

5.5 Hours ·110 Lessons Learning to Learn [Efficient Learning]

Become an efficient learner and best version of yourself. You'll learn scientifically proven strategies, techniques & skills used by the world's top performers!

Course Details Take the Course

Course

Advanced

37 Hours ·436 Lessons The Complete Junior to Senior Web Developer Roadmap (2025)

Go from Junior Developer to Senior Developer. Learn all the technical and non-technical skills you need to become a Senior Web Developer. Includes SSH, Node, Docker, React, TypeScript, Load Balancing, Redis, JWT + more!

Course Details Take the Course

Course

Intermediate

11 Hours ·98 Lessons Complete Cybersecurity Bootcamp: Zero to Mastery

Go from zero to hired as a Cyber Security Engineer. Learn the latest cybersecurity best practices, techniques, and tools so that you can build and defend your digital assets against hackers.

Course Details Take the Course

Course

Beginner

9 Hours ·110 Lessons The Networking Bootcamp (CompTIA Network+ Certification)

Go from complete beginner to acing the globally-recognized CompTIA Network+ certification exam. You'll learn the latest networking best practices, techniques, and tools.

Course Details Take the Course

Action

Read the Principles for Programmers

Take this book with you and revisit some of the principles every once in a while to keep you on the right track during your career. These principles stand the test of time and will help you be a successful Programmer.

Download Ebook

Course · optional for you

Beginner

1 Hours ·3 Lessons Future Proof Yourself: Goal Setting for Your Career

Learn how to set strategic, actionable goals, adapt to changing trends, and create a career roadmap that keeps you on track for success.

Course Details Take the Course

Action

Take Your Next Step

Now that you have completed this path, it's time for you to specialize and upgrade your skills into a specific market. You are now at the point where you need to decide what you want to do in your career. Take the career path quiz again and update your answers based on your newfound knowledge from this path. We will generate a new personal career path for you to take based on your new interests and skills.

Take Career Path Quiz

See less career path

Still have questions?

Who is this Backend Developer Career Path for?

Anyone who wants a clear step-by-step guide to learn to code, become a Backend Developer from scratch and actually get hired. Oh ya, and you don't want to waste your money on overpriced bootcamps and degrees.

Also, let's be honest. Some of the topics can be a little dry. So, we're even going to have a bit of fun along the way. No way! Crazy right?!

This Backend Developer Career Path is perfect for you if:

You're a complete beginner (of any age!) and want a full bootcamp + CS Degree curriculum and experience without having to pay $1,000s
You don't want to waste your valuable time. You want to learn everything needed to become a Backend Developer in one place
You want to build real-world, full-scale projects that will push you, challenge you and make your portfolio and resume stand out
You don't want to learn and take this journey alone. You will learn alongside 100s of other students at your same level and 1,000s more that are just a few steps ahead of you
You can handle our amazing sense of humour (it's not spelled wrong, we're Canadian... see what we mean... you've been warned)

And it's definitely for you if you're sick of:

Outdated coding tutorials
Free courses and tutorials that don't go beyond the basics
Learning topics and concepts that are mostly irrelevant in the real-world and don't even get asked in interviews
Courses with no community or support system
Tutorial hell
Feeling like you're going in circles with no clear path or end in sight

Let's be 100% clear. You aren't going to do 100 coding challenges or 50 projects or learn topics that aren't going to get you hired or even be used in the real-world. That's a waste of your time.

The sooner you get hired, the sooner you'll be learning more than you can from any course. That's our goal.

Why become a Backend Developer?

Everyone has their own reason(s) as to why they want to become a Backend Developer. But here are a few of the best reasons:

Lots of jobs available. As we're writing this, there are over 4,000 Backend Developer jobs available on Glassdoor (not to mention Linkedin, Indeed or elsewhere). And it isn't going to slow down. More demand for technology means more demand for Developers.
High demand = High salary. The average annual salary for a Backend Developer in the United States is over $100,000 across all levels (entry-level to senior).
No degree required. It's very possible to get hired as a Backend Developer without having any college degree. You also definitely do not need a Computer Science degree to be a Backend Developer.
Work remotely. Many backend development jobs are remote. Work from the comfort of your own home, a coffee shop or even while travelling the world. Some roles even allow you to work on your own schedule.
It's fun. And rewarding. You get to have a real-world impact. The work you're doing on a daily basis can have a huge impact on hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people.

Generally, Backend Developers are more logic-focused and Frontend Developers are more design-focused. Some Developers say they believe the backend is "where the magic happens" (just don't tell your Frontend Developer friends). Many Developers do some of both, they're called Fullstack Developers. If you like problem-solving, backend will be right up your alley.

How long does it take to become a Backend Developer (and complete this Career Path)?

Everyone is different. So it's hard to give a specific amount of time. The two biggest variables are the number of hours per week you're dedicating to completing the steps in the Career Path and your current experience level.

Don't hold us to it but here's a rough guideline based on feedback we've received from past ZTM students on how long it takes to become a Backend Developer:

20-40 hours a week = 4-6 months. Students who have started from scratch as complete beginners (no matter their age!) and spend a few hours per day.
40-80 hours a week = 2-3 months. Students who are able to learn basically full-time and/or already have some experience (ex: CS students / Coding Bootcamp grads).
0-10 hours a week = 7-12+ months. Students from all experience levels but are only able to dedicate a few hours a week.

What’s the ZTM Discord community and how can it help me?

The ZTM Discord is our exclusive online community for ZTM students, alumni, TAs and instructors.

How it helps you, short version: Increase the chances that ZTM students achieve their current goals and help them continue to grow throughout their career.

Longer version: Learning alone is hard. We've all been there. We've all tried to learn new skills and struggled. It can be frustrating, daunting, and just plain challenging, especially if you're trying to change careers.

We feel strongly that the Zero To Mastery Discord community is an essential part of the learning experience and greatly increases the chances for students to achieve their goals.

It's crazy to think that Colleges and Coding Bootcamps charge you tens of thousands of dollars to provide you with this type of experience. It doesn't have to be that way!

In fact, ~20% of ZTM students are also enrolled at a College or in-person Coding Bootcamp but feel like they just aren't getting all of the skills and support they need. But with ZTM, they do.

Within the Zero To Mastery Discord community, you can:

Connect with other Developers, Engineers, Data Scientists, Designers
Form study groups and complete ZTM Career Paths and Courses together
Ask questions and get advice from other people at your same level as well as more experienced professionals
Get feedback on projects
Meet other students around the world (and likely even someone from your hometown!)
Learn how to answer questions and help other students which will accelerate your own learning
Get help from others with questions and exercises
Work on coding challenges and real-world open-source projects with other students

It’s pretty awesome to see many ZTM alumni also active every single day, continuing to engage with the community, give back, and level up their own skills and career.

Are there any prerequisites for this Career Path?

A computer (Windows/Mac/Linux) and access to the internet. That's it! No previous experience is needed.

If you haven't already, take our tech career path quiz. We'll give you our recommendation for which path is the best fit for you.

How is a Career Path different from a course?

Career Paths are like a full College curriculum. Our Career Paths give you the exact courses, workshops, challenges, articles and actions to take to go from absolute beginner to getting hired.

Career Paths start with ensuring you know the foundations from scratch. But they go far beyond by teaching you advanced topics and non-technical skills that are essential for your career but aren't taught in Computer Science Degrees or Coding Bootcamps.

Courses are more focused. Different courses have different goals. Some courses are a great fit for experienced Developers, Engineers and Programmers who want to level-up their skills in a specific topic or framework. Other courses cover a wider range of topics teaching the foundations and fundamentals for beginners.

Can I change my Career Path?

Yes. You can change your Career Path anytime. As a member of Zero To Mastery, you have unlimited access to all ZTM courses, workshops, challenges, articles and other materials needed to complete any of the ZTM Career Paths.

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Never worry about staying up to date with the industry again, for life. You'll get access to all ZTM PRO features and future courses for life.

Become a Backend Developer

Earn on average $119,222 per year

6 Months

Your career path

What You'll Learn

Backend Programming Language?

Apply To 5 Jobs You Really Want

See less career path

What ZTM students are saying

Meet your instructors

Andrei Neagoie

Maaike van Putten

Adam Odziemkowski

Jayson Lennon

Still have questions?

Who is this Backend Developer Career Path for?

Why become a Backend Developer?

How long does it take to become a Backend Developer (and complete this Career Path)?

What’s the ZTM Discord community and how can it help me?

Are there any prerequisites for this Career Path?

How is a Career Path different from a course?

Can I change my Career Path?

Invest in a better you. For less than a coffee a day.

Only pay once, ever