Backend Developer

Syllabus

1. Module 1: Language foundations

   1. Py
      1.Python FoundationsFree to start

      Output, input, variables, types and your first functions.

      Beginner6 lessons, 59 exercises, about 4 h
   2. Py
      2.Python Logic and Numbers

      Make decisions with booleans and if, and do real math with numbers.

      Beginner5 lessons, 68 exercises, about 5 h
   3. Py
      3.Python Lists and Loops

      Store collections and repeat work with for and while.

      Beginner7 lessons, 84 exercises, about 6.5 h
   4. Py
      4.Python Strings and Text

      Slice, search, clean and format text like a working developer.

      Beginner5 lessons, 65 exercises, about 5 h
   5. Py
      5.Dictionaries and Data

      Model real data with dicts, tuples, sets and nested structures.

      Beginner7 lessons, 84 exercises, about 6 h

2. Module 2: Writing real programs

   1. Py
      6.Python Functions in Depth

      Defaults, scope, *args, lambdas, closures and decorators.

      Intermediate6 lessons, 71 exercises, about 5 h
   2. Py
      7.Errors and Exceptions

      Read tracebacks, handle failure and raise errors that help.

      Intermediate6 lessons, 72 exercises, about 5.5 h
   3. Py
      8.Comprehensions and Generators

      Write concise, fast, Pythonic data transformations.

      Intermediate5 lessons, 73 exercises, about 5.5 h
   4. Py
      9.Object-Oriented Python

      Design your own types with classes, inheritance and dataclasses.

      Intermediate8 lessons, 90 exercises, about 6.5 h
   5. Py
      10.Modules and the Standard Library

      Import, organize and lean on Python's batteries-included library.

      Intermediate7 lessons, 91 exercises, about 6.5 h
   6. Py
      11.Files and Data Formats

      Read, write and transform files: text, CSV and JSON.

      Intermediate7 lessons, 74 exercises, about 6 h

3. Module 3: Working like a developer

   1. Py
      12.Testing Python

      Prove your code works with unittest, pytest-style tests and TDD.

      Intermediate7 lessons, 76 exercises, about 6 h
   2. Py
      13.Type Hints and Clean Code

      Write Python other developers are glad to read and maintain.

      Intermediate5 lessons, 34 exercises, about 3 h
   3. Py
      14.Python Projects and Tooling

      Set up, structure and ship real Python projects.

      Intermediate5 lessons, 36 exercises, about 3 h
   4. $_
      15.Git and the Command Line

      Navigate the terminal and version your work like a pro.

      Beginner8 lessons, 108 exercises, about 7 h
   5. Py
      16.Python for the Web

      How web backends work, from HTTP requests to database queries.

      Intermediate7 lessons, 84 exercises, about 6 h

4. Module 4: Data and databases

   1. SQL
      17.SQL Fundamentals

      Query, filter, join and summarize relational data.

      Beginner8 lessons, 88 exercises, about 5.5 h
   2. Py
      18.Databases with Python

      Connect, query, model and migrate data from Python code.

      Intermediate8 lessons, 82 exercises, about 5.5 h

5. Module 5: Backend engineering

   1. Py
      19.Building Web APIs

      Design REST APIs with validation, pagination and clean errors.

      Intermediate7 lessons, 70 exercises, about 5.5 h
   2. Py
      20.Authentication and Security

      Hash passwords, manage sessions and tokens, and defend against attacks.

      Intermediate8 lessons, 88 exercises, about 6.5 h
   3. Py
      21.Caching, Queues and Background Jobs

      Keep services fast and reliable with caches, queues and retries.

      Advanced9 lessons, 101 exercises, about 7.5 h
   4. $_
      22.Deploying Python Services

      Containers, CI/CD, configuration and monitoring in production.

      Intermediate11 lessons, 123 exercises, about 8 h

6. Module 6: Getting hired

   1. Py
      23.Backend Capstone Projects

      Build and ship complete backend services end to end.

      Advanced6 lessons, 75 exercises, about 9 h

What you get

• A certificate anyone can verify

  Finish a program and you get a public certificate page plus a signed Open Badges 3.0 credential that employers can check with any Open Badges verifier.

• Capstone projects you own

  Each capstone is a real project with its own tests and a CI workflow. Publish it to your own GitHub account in one click, or download it as a zip.

• Grading that means something

  Code you submit runs in your browser for instant feedback, then again on our servers before it counts toward your certificate.