Boot.dev Blog
Is Computer Science Really that Hard?
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
Yes, computer science is hard, but you already know that. You don't want to know if computer science is hard. You want to know if it's too hard. You want to know if having to learn computer science is going to be a real obstacle in your way to achieving your goal.
It's Not About the Job Openings
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
I talk to boatloads of students who are starting to learn to code, and invariably they are hyper-concerned about which programming languages and technologies they should be learning.
How can I Get a Job as a Python Programmer?
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
"How much Python do I need to know to get a job? Do I need a degree?" I asked Jo, a hiring manager I'd met at a Python networking event, nervously.
How to Get a Job as a Golang Developer
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
Step 1: Learn Golang. Step 2: Apply for jobs. Step 3: Get accepted.
Introduction to Asynchronous Flows and Webhooks
by Nick Abbene
In this post, we'll be talking about coding with a common integration pattern with an external API called a webhook. Loosely speaking, there are three main types of communication you'll see when building an application.
Introducing Boots, the Artificially Intelligent Bear that Explains Code
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
Learning to code isn't easy; frankly, I'd be wary of anyone who tells you that it is. Hopefully, you're primarily learning by writing and reading a lot of code. As you code, you'll run into roadblocks and bumps, and having a mentor that can answer your questions is an unbelievable advantage.
Do Backend Developers Need to Know SQL?
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
A while back, one of my friends bragged that he bagged a six-figure backend developer job after watching a few YouTube videos on APIs and reading parts a bit of the PostgreSQL documentation.
Boot.dev Beat. February 2023
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
I'm back from paternity leave! My new son is healthy, and my daughter is... busy. It's good to be back writing code, writing courses and filming videos.
How to Become a Golang Engineer (on the Back-End)
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
"Guys, I've got an idea. What if we could design a language that's easy to read like Python, but fast? That has a slim feature-set like C, but is good for web development? That's compiled like Java, but doesn't need a VM?"
Want to Become a Python Back-end Developer? Start Here.
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
Myth #1: "Python is too slow for back-end development."
What is in a Back-End Developer's Job Description?
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
What's it like being a back-end developer? Well, it's different depending on which developer you ask.
Your Architecture is Bad, So Make It Easy to Change
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
Have you ever started a new software development job and thought:
Boot.dev Beat. January 2023
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
If you can't tell from my absurd profile photo below, I've been having too much fun with AI art this month.
5 Critical Differences Between DevOps and SRE Jobs
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
To someone who isn't familiar with these roles, it's easy to think that DevOps and systems reliability engineers (SREs) might have the same job. After all, both of them involve automation, coding, scaling, and reliability to one degree or another. Both roles are trying to make an organization more efficient. It's reasonable to wonder if there's any daylight between DevOps vs SREs.
How does HTTPS encryption work?
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure or HTTPS is an extension of the HTTP protocol. HTTPS secures the data transfer between client and server by encrypting all of the information communicated.
Cryptography Course Released on Boot.dev
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
Greetings! We're excited to announce that we've unveiled a brand-new cryptography course on Boot.dev. We're convinced that this new experience is truly one of a kind. If you want to learn cryptography while writing real code in the Go programming language, you should check it out.
4 Key Differences Between DevOps and DevSecOps
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
Doesn't it seem like every day there's a new mishmash of responsibilities into a job title? One day soon, someone will be hired as a DevOpSysSecInfraArc engineer.
6 Differences Between DevOps and Cloud Engineers
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
The deeper you get into the tech sphere, the more unintelligible the job titles seem to be. Plus, the same title at different companies often encompasses different responsibilities. Ask twenty data scientists what they do and you'll get twenty different answers.
I Didn't Explain Clearly, but Still Don't Learn Frameworks First
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
I wrote an article about not starting with frameworks that got some attention from /r/programming on Reddit yesterday. While a good number of people must have enjoyed the article (some people upvoted? idk) I was rightfully blasted with a lot of criticism. Here are some of my favorite comments:
If You're Learning Back-end, Don't Start with Frameworks
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
Look, I don't hate frameworks. I'm not as starry-eyed as some other developers, especially when it comes to back-end frameworks, but I don't think there's anything wrong with using tools that make you productive. On the contrary, I'm always trying to find tools that make me as productive as possible.
Boot.dev Beat. December 2022
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
I hope you've been able to enjoy some time with family! I took (almost) an entire week off from writing code, which I haven't done in a long time. It's good to be back though, and I can't wait to see you around the Discord community.
Is Golang Best For Backend or Frontend Development?
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
Put simply, Golang is best for the backend side of a web application or website. There are many reasons that this is the case, so let's dive in, but before we do, let's cover some quick definitions.
What do Frontend and Backend Development Mean?
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
Soon after you dip your toe in the water of software development, you're guaranteed to come across the terms "frontend" and "backend". There are also frontend and backend developers, but what's the difference? What do frontend and backend mean?
Snake Case or Camel Case? A Guide to Programming Naming Conventions
by Lane Wagner - Boot.dev co-founder and backend engineer
The following names are all valid variable names in nearly every programming language:
What is Backend-as-a-Service?
by Natalie Schooner - Computer science educator and technical writer
Plenty of people have heard of SaaS, or Software-as-a-Service, which is simply software made available by a third party over the internet. Think Salesforce, WordPress, or MailChimp. And most people know what a "backend developer" is, that is, someone who is responsible for things building server-side systems like user authentication and data storage.
