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Backend Development Track

Build Robust APIs.
Power Modern Apps.

A 12-week intensive internship focused on database design, server-side logic, and secure authentication. Build the engines that drive today's most successful startups.

Duration
12 Weeks (3 Months)
Commitment
10–20 hours/week
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Core Backend Stack

Master the industry-standard tools used by top remote engineering teams.

Node.jsExpress.jsMongoDBMongooseTypeScriptJWT AuthREST APIsPostmanGit & GitHubRender/Railway

Internship Phases

Structured progression from server basics to complex system design.

Weeks 1–3

Phase 1 — Backend Foundations

Learn core backend concepts quickly.

Weeks 4–8

Phase 2 — Real API Development

Build production-like systems.

Weeks 9–12

Phase 3 — Team Collaboration

Work like a real backend engineering team.

Backend Roadmap

A comprehensive week-by-week guide to your learning and development.

Week 1Phase 1 — Backend Foundations

Orientation + Backend Fundamentals

Topics
  • Internship orientation
  • Backend vs Frontend architecture
  • How APIs work (HTTP methods, Status codes)
  • Request/Response cycle
  • Node.js basics
  • Express.js basics
  • Postman setup
Tasks
  • Build a Simple Express Server
    Initialize a Node.js project and set up a basic Express server. Create multiple routes using different HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE). Test them using Postman.
Deliverables
  • Working Express server repo
  • Postman collection exported
Soft Skills
  • Backend communication
  • Naming conventions
  • RESTful mindset
Week 2Phase 1 — Backend Foundations

MongoDB + CRUD Operations

Topics
  • MongoDB fundamentals
  • Collections and Documents
  • Mongoose ODM
  • Defining Schemas and Models
  • CRUD operations logic
Tasks
  • Build a Notes API
    Create a RESTful API for a note-taking app. Implement full CRUD functionality using Mongoose models. Ensure data is persisted in MongoDB.
  • Build a Student Management API
    Build an API to manage student records. Include fields for name, email, and track. Implement search by email functionality.
Deliverables
  • REST API with MongoDB integration pushed to GitHub
Week 3Phase 1 — Backend Foundations

Authentication System

Topics
  • JWT (JSON Web Tokens)
  • Password hashing with bcrypt
  • Custom middleware
  • Protected routes
  • Authorization levels
Tasks
  • Build a Signup/Login System
    Implement a secure authentication API. Include user registration with hashed passwords and a login endpoint that returns a JWT. Protect user-specific routes using middleware.
Deliverables
  • Secure authentication backend with JWT
Week 4Phase 2 — Real API Development

Professional Backend Structure

Topics
  • MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture
  • Scalable folder structure
  • Controllers, Services, and Routes
  • Environment variables (.env)
  • Global error handling
Tasks
  • Refactor to Professional Architecture
    Take your previous project and refactor it using MVC architecture. Separate business logic into services and use a centralized error handling middleware.
Deliverables
  • Clean, production-ready backend structure
Week 5Phase 2 — Real API Development

Advanced Backend Features

Topics
  • Pagination and Sorting
  • Advanced Filtering
  • Search implementation
  • File uploads with Multer
  • Cloudinary integration
Tasks
  • Build a Blog Backend with Image Support
    Create a blog API where posts can have images. Implement image uploads using Cloudinary. Add pagination and category filtering to the post listing endpoint.
Deliverables
  • Advanced CRUD API with file upload support
Week 6Phase 2 — Real API Development

Real-World API Development

Topics
  • Database relationships (Refs/Populate)
  • Database optimization (Indexes)
  • Request validation (Joi/Zod)
  • Reusable middleware
  • API Security basics (Helmet, Rate Limiting)
Tasks
  • Build an E-commerce or Logistics Backend
    Build a complex system with related models (e.g., Products, Orders, Users). Implement request validation and secure your endpoints using standard security practices.
Deliverables
  • Complex backend application with schema relationships
Week 7Phase 2 — Real API Development

Backend Collaboration Workflow

Topics
  • Git branching for backend teams
  • Pull request reviews
  • API documentation (Swagger/Postman)
  • Shared Postman collections
Tasks
  • Document Your API & Set Up Team Workflow
    Generate comprehensive API documentation for your project. Prepare a GitHub repository for team collaboration, including PR templates and branch protection.
Deliverables
  • Documented API repo
  • Team project setup
Week 8Phase 2 — Real API Development

Deployment + Production Concepts

Topics
  • Deployment to Render/Railway
  • Environment configurations
  • CORS configuration
  • Monitoring and Logs
  • Database hosting management
Tasks
  • Deploy Your Backend to Production
    Deploy your project to a cloud platform like Render or Railway. Connect it to a managed MongoDB Atlas instance. Verify all environment variables are correctly configured.
Deliverables
  • Live deployed API link
  • Production-ready GitHub repo
Week 9Phase 3 — Team Collaboration

Team Sprint 1 — Real Internship Simulation

Topics
  • Sprint planning
  • Task breakdown (GitHub Issues)
  • Collaborative development
  • Peer code reviews
Tasks
  • Sprint 1: Build Team Project Backend
    Teams build the backend for systems like: Internship Management, CBT System, or Logistics Platform. Focus on API architecture and database design in this sprint.
Deliverables
  • Sprint 1 progress: Essential endpoints merged via PRs
Week 10Phase 3 — Team Collaboration

Team Sprint 2 — Scalability & Optimization

Topics
  • Backend scalability
  • Query optimization
  • Error debugging
  • Collaborative testing
Tasks
  • Sprint 2: Optimize and Scale
    Refine the API architecture, optimize slow database queries, and improve error handling based on team testing. Review teammates' code for security and performance.
Deliverables
  • Sprint 2 progress: Optimized and tested endpoints
Week 11Phase 3 — Team Collaboration

Final Backend Project Build

Topics
  • Feature finalization
  • Production hardening
  • Load testing basics
  • Final documentation
Tasks
  • Finalize and Harden Backend
    Complete all features, ensure full security (auth/validation), and finalize documentation. Prepare for the final live demo.
Deliverables
  • Fully functional, documented, and deployed production API
Week 12Phase 3 — Team Collaboration

Demo Week + Final Evaluation

Topics
  • API presentations
  • Architecture walkthrough
  • Database design explanation
  • Mentor evaluation
  • Final portfolio review
Tasks
  • Live API Demo
    Present your team's backend architecture, database schema, and key API flows to mentors. Demonstrate endpoint functionality using Postman.
  • Final Portfolio Submission
    Submit your complete GitHub portfolio with links to all backend projects and live APIs built during the internship. Include clear documentation for each.
Deliverables
  • Live demo presentation
  • Backend portfolio (8+ projects)
  • Final internship report

Evaluation Criteria

Focusing on code quality, security, and collaborative engineering.

Technical Skills

40%
  • API quality
  • Architecture
  • Database design

Collaboration

20%
  • GitHub workflow
  • PR participation
  • Teamwork

Consistency

20%
  • Attendance
  • Submissions
  • Communication

Final Project

20%
  • Deployment
  • Security
  • Documentation
  • Presentation
Power the Future

Master Backend Engineering

Join the next cohort and learn to build high-performance, secure, and scalable backend systems from expert senior engineers.

Apply for Backend