Boot.dev Blog
What is Backend Web Development?
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
The boring answer is that backend web development is the process of building the server-side of websites and web applications. It primarily focuses on handling the logic, data processing, and communication between the user's web browser and the server.
The Boot.dev Beat. August 2023
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
As I'm writing this on July 28th, we've had 118,984 lessons successfully completed by students on Boot.dev so far this July. This marks the first time we've had over 100k lessons completed in a month. While I'm ecstatic that we've been able to join you in so many of your learning journeys, I just want to emphasize that it's your journey. We're here to provide the best resources and experience that we can, but you deserve every ounce of credit for your hard work. Keep it up friends.
The Pros and Cons of Django for Backend Development
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
Django is a popular Python-based framework for building web applications. It provides pre-built components and conventions, which simplifies the web app development process and allows developers to focus on writing their application's specific logic rather than dealing with repetitive tasks. Basically, it’s all about reusability.
I Mock Your Mocks
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
Several years ago I started my first job as a "senior" Go developer. You see, after a modest 3 years in the industry, my arcane ability to use the Go standard library's strings.Contains() function managed to leave a powerful impression on the hiring team.
The Best Backend for Vue: 6 Options
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
Part of being in the software development space means I’m near a lot of entrepreneurs. Code is a powerful building block, and that appeals to a lot of self-taught big thinkers.
Frontend? Gross. This is Why I've Always Preferred the Backend
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
As a kid, I always wanted to be good at drawing. I practiced drawing my favorite anime characters, but frankly, my mom was the only one who thought they were good.
Build Your First Coding Project and Avoid Tutorial Hell
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
While "real" hell may or may not exist (no need to get into religious beliefs here), tutorial hell is very real.
What’s the Best Backend For React? 5 Options to Choose From
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
"I already know React," mused my friend. "What popular backend language should I learn that will make me a useful hire to companies?"
The Boot.dev Beat. July 2023
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
June was hot. I got sunburned. What else happened... Oh yeah, I finished the new CI/CD course! It's slated to launch on July 10th, so watch out for that. We also are in the process of hiring a new Boot.dev team member to help us build harder better faster and stronger.
Awww, do I Really Need to Learn X to Get a Job as a Developer?
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
A developer's life is a never-ending saga of learning new things. It's like you're playing Diablo where every new Jira ticket can feel like the next mini boss to slay. Exciting? Absolutely. Scary? Sure. Especially at first.
Boot.dev Team Handbook
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
Our goal: To make the best place to learn to code. The most effective, the most fun, and the most thorough.
Boots, a Wizard Bear that Codes
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
Boots is the heart and soul of Boot.dev. Not only is he capable of helping you through any lesson on Boot.dev, but he's a friendly wizard bear with a charming personality. Some things you should know about Boots:
The Boot.dev Beat. June 2023
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
May was a historic month for Boot.dev. We added more students to the backend learning path than we ever have in a single month before, and we're doing everything we can to build and release new, better courses at a faster clip. Thanks for hanging out and learning with us.
Format on Save in Go with VS Code [2026]
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
Go has hard opinions about how you should style and format your code. Setting up your VS Code environment to enforce the standard linting and formatting rules can save you a ton of time.
Programming types and (incorrect) mindsets
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
DHH, the creator of Ruby on Rails, Hey, Basecamp, and a few other things, recently wrote an article titled "Programming types and mindsets", and I just have to chime in on this one.
12 Codecademy Alternatives That Will Get You Where You Need to Go
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
Just last month, Codecademy was sold to Skillsoft for $525 million. Not too shabby, and entirely well-deserved if you ask me. I'll be straight with you, I love Codecademy. Maybe you're wondering why I'm opening with that in an article about its alternatives, but I want to start with the history so you can grasp what Codecademy alternatives are good for.
The Boot.dev Beat. May 2023
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
We hit some amazing milestones in April. We now have over 40,000 registered students and over 500,000 lessons completed on the platform! I hope your learnings are going well, and that everything we're building is helping you, even if it's in a small way.
The 28 Best Places to Learn Python Online
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
For anyone who wants to learn Python online, it can be a bit overwhelming. When I Googled it, I came up with over 200 million hits.
C Sharp vs Python: Which Is the Best Programming Language?
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
"You're comparing apples to oranges," Susan, a developer at my company, said when I asked her which programming language she preferred, C \# or Python. "It's like asking me if I prefer wrenches or hammers. One language is a compiled, statically typed language, the other is a ducktyped scripting language. Each is excellent in its correct context."
JavaScript? Python? Go? Which Tech Stack Should You Learn?
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
Ah, the age-old question: which tech stack should I learn? Aspiring developers often get bogged down in this dilemma, and it's not hard to see why. The tech industry is an ocean of opportunities, and the fear of diving into the wrong waters can be paralyzing.
Which is More Important: Hard or Soft Skills for Programmers?
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
You're waiting at the front-desk of Google's campus in Boulder, Colorado, waiting for your coding interview to start. Across from you in the lobby sit two other candidates:
As a Developer, What Hardware Do You Truly Need?
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
Let's be real here: we live in an age where everyone and their dog seems to think they need the latest, most expensive gadgets to get anything done. But when it comes to learning how to code, do you really need that shiny, wallet-draining powerhouse of a machine?
Do You Need to Blog to Get a Coding Job?
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
As the founder of Boot.dev, I've worked with countless students who are eager to break into the tech industry. And time and time again, I see the same question pop up: "Do I need to start a blog to get a coding job?"
Matlab vs Python: 6 Key Differences [Updated 2026]
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
This is one of those arguments where, outside of a few very specific examples, there's a clear answer. Python is better than MATLAB in (almost) every situation. But you're searching for the differences between MATLAB and Python, so clearly you're not convinced. Let's take a deeper look comparing Python vs MATLAB so you are finally persuaded.
The Boot.dev Beat. April 2023
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
We released more this last March than I think we've ever released in a single month before. I've been biting my nails waiting to share it all in this month's newsletter.
