Introduction to Web Application “Backend”

Sebastien Filion
3 min readOct 28, 2019

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This is the first chapter in a special series on backend development and why a well-designed backend architecture is becoming ever more critical for the future of SaaS products.

Throughout my work as a senior software engineer and tech lead, I frequently have to answer a high level question, from both front-end developers, non-technical co-founders and business users: “What is the backend?”

On a high level, the answer can be incredibly simple: “If the front end is what the user sees — for example, a website, an iOS or Android app, the backend is basically everything else.” While this answer is elegantly simple, it often elicits more inquisitive looks and follow-up questions. So let us dive a little deeper into the “backend”.

Front end typically means all things a browser can read, display and/or run. This means HTML, CSS, JavaScript.

What is Backend?

In most cases, the backend of any software or web application takes the form of a server, essentially a remote computer permanently connected to the internet.

Top 3 Use Cases for Software Backend

  1. The primary purpose of the backend is to receive, store, and provide data that are collected via the front end user interface. Data can represent any information type. For example, a user’s first and last names, a room reservation’s date and time, a product’s serial number, or even the number of “likes” and “shares” on your most recent LinkedIn post.
  2. Once the data is there, the backend is responsible for securing that data through various technical strategies such as data encryption. For that reason, developers will commonly choose to leverage the backend to securely connect with other third party services needed to run a SaaS product. For example, when processing a user’s payment information at checkout, your backend would typically be responsible for communicating with a third party payment service like Stripe (a popular payment processing service for SMBs). Once payment is confirmed, your backend will communicate with another 3rd party service such as Twilio in order to send out a payment confirmation email or SMS to the end user.
  3. Finally, developers often use the backend to hide business logic (simple or complex business rules translated into a programming language, in order to execute actions that correspond to your desired business process) or proprietary algorithms from prying eyes.
Your backend can also encompass your custom business process design

So, there you have it. To Summarize:

  • The backend can take the form of one or more servers — remote computers connected to the internet
  • The servers are there to receive, store, and provide information in the form of data. On top of that, servers can also execute code and connect to databases and other servers or services
  • The server is ideal for obfuscating (hiding from view) business logic code and other proprietary algorithms

About the Author

Sebastien Filion is the Co-Founder and Tech Lead of DMFX Darkmatter. He is a serial entrepreneur and senior software engineer with over 10 years of experience in the Montreal startup scene. He led technical teams at three SaaS startups and advised on 11 early-stage startups over the course of his career.

Darkmatter is PaaS startup based out of Montreal, Canada, and is a recent graduate of the Founder Institute 2019 Accelerator. Follow our launch journey on our LinkedIn and Facebook channels.

Images courtesy of pexels.com

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Sebastien Filion

Sebastien Filion is the Co-Founder of DMFX Darkmatter, a Montreal startup. He is a serial entrepreneur and software engineer with over 10 years of experience.