Architecture is the foundation of any back-end system. But, what does it mean for modern back-end development? How can we design a good architecture?
This course explores a variety of back-end architectural patterns and compares several popular frameworks. You will learn to design resilient and scalable back-end systems while applying testing strategies and understanding the interactions between different system components. Emphasis will be placed on robust coding practices to ensure high-quality development.
This course will help you gain a strong grasp of back-end frameworks, enabling you to create scalable and maintainable systems in real-world environments. You will develop the knowledge needed to build the back end of a website, code in Python or TypeScript, and apply AI tools to the development process.
Upon completion of this course, you will be on your way to earning a certificate in the Back-End and Intelligent Systems Development Program.
This course is eligible for OSAP funding as of June 2026. Learners are encouraged to apply as early as possible. In many cases, applications may still be submitted up to approximately 60 days before the end of the study period. For more information, please visit our Financial Support page.
Learning Outcomes
- Build the back end of a website using a popular framework
- Demonstrate the ability to adapt quickly between different back-end frameworks
- Demonstrate proficiency in robust coding in Python and/or TypeScript
- Apply AI tools to the development process
- Recognize areas and strategies for coding improvement
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Module 1: IDEs and Chrome tools |
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Module 2: HTTP, APIs, and Modern Development |
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Module 3: Web Servers and Receiving Messages |
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Module 4: Script and Domain Model Patterns |
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Module 5: Services and Mapping |
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Module 6: HTML Templating |
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Module 7: Relational Databases |
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Module 8: Integrating with External Web Services |
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Module 9: File Handling (Serving Other File Types) |
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Module 10: Back-End Frameworks and Architecture Review |
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This course is intended for individuals with an understanding of web development who want to deepen their expertise in back-end systems. Specifically, it is appropriate for:
- Early-career developers who have a primarily front-end focus or have completed a general programming bootcamp and want to level up their skills.
- Front-end developers who want to accelerate their career progression with back-end skills and knowledge.
- Programmers with experience in JavaScript, TypeScript, or Python who want to learn how to build reliable, resilient back-end systems.
This 10-week course combines synchronous and asynchronous delivery modes and includes:
- A one-hour live online orientation session
- Weekly one-hour optional live code-along sessions
- Weekly independent online learning and group coding assignments
- Regular online interaction with peers and instructor via discussion boards
- Major group project with real-world applications
Academic requirements
- Prior experience with Python, TypeScript, or JavaScript
- Basic understanding of web development
- Basic understanding of version control using Git
System requirements
- Visual Studio or your preferred IDE
- GitHub Classroom for coding assignments
Receive a certificate and badge from the University of Waterloo
Upon successful completion of this program, you will receive a professional education certificate and badge from the University of Waterloo. To earn the certificate, students must achieve a minimum grade of 70 per cent in the course.
Other courses in the program
Larry Simon
Founder and Managing Director, Inflection Group
Larry Simon is an entrepreneur, management consultant, and angel investor with a specialization in IT strategy and data analytics. He is the founder and a managing director of Inflection Group, bringing over 30 years of experience in advising startups, global corporations, and government institutions.
Previously, Simon served as a Partner with Ernst & Young Consulting, where he held the positions of CTO and National Director of their strategy and delivery centres. His experience also includes serving on the faculty of the Rotman School of Management, acting as the Head Judge of the Canadian Information Productivity Awards (CIPA), and as a Councillor of the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Ontario.
Simon holds an MBA from the University of Toronto and a B.Math (Computer Science) from the University of Waterloo. His extensive experience and diverse roles demonstrate his commitment to the field and his ability to drive strategic initiatives.
Jerome Ortega
Founder, Happopei Inc. | Course Instructor
Jerome Ortega has more than 20 years of experience helping organizations improve their software development and operations through DevOps practices, cloud engineering, and platform architecture. Based in the Greater Toronto Area, he focuses on building solutions that drive cost efficiency, accelerate product delivery, and enhance developer engagement.
As the founder of Happopei Inc., Ortega has worked with enterprises and startups across North America and Europe, delivering results including cloud cost reductions and improvements in software development and operations efficiencies. His expertise includes serverless and microservice architectures, cloud-native solutions, and security.
He holds professional certifications including Certified Kubernetes Administrator and Security Specialist, AWS DevOps Engineer Professional, and AWS Solutions Architect Professional. He also holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering from the University of the Philippines, and a certificate in Data Science from the University of Waterloo's WatSPEED.
Prem Rara
Senior Cloud Architect, Tidal Cloud | Course Instructor
Prem Rara is a senior cloud architect and technical leader with more than 15 years of experience in back-end systems development, cloud infrastructure, and software engineering. Currently at Tidal Cloud, he leads cloud transformation initiatives and migration strategies for enterprise clients. Previously, as director of cloud engineering at Cascadeo Inc., he built and mentored engineering teams and architected distributed systems, microservices orchestration, Big Data analytics platforms, IoT backends, and scalable monitoring systems.
Rara's development background spans low-level systems programming in C and Linux kernel development, as well as modern cloud-native applications. His technical foundation was built through research at the University of the Philippines Computer Networks Laboratory, where he developed embedded Linux systems, VoIP platforms, device drivers, and wireless sensor networks. He holds professional certifications in cloud architecture and security.