The backend is the part of an application that stores data and handles requests from users. It's often written in a programming language called "server side code."There are several different technologies available for backend development. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. In general, server side code tends to be more powerful than client side code because it runs on a server instead of a user's device. However, it's harder to write and debug.Table of Content

Role of backend development in website development

The primary focus of backend development is on the server-side of the website. In general, the backend consists of three major parts:

Database
Application
Server

At the server-side, backend power-ups the working of the website. In addition, the programs written here by the backend developers are used to communicate the database information to the browser.In 2021, backend development is going to be even more vital as businesses look to expand at a rapid rate. We will look at the 5 best languages for backend development that are going to rule the roots in 2021.Let us set the ball rolling!

5 leading future of backend development programming languages

Before beginning, we have seen everything from cloud computing to AI, everything making its mark in the software realm. Moreover, apart from development, the technical craft too will hold an important place in backend development in 2021.Therefore, keeping every aspect in mind, we have curated a list of the backend programming languages that will be important in the future of backend development.

Node.js for consistency purposes

If you're looking for something more lightweight, then NodeJS might be what you need. It's an open source JavaScript runtime environment that runs on the server side. You can use it to build APIs and perform tasks such as data processing. It's very fast and scalable.Node.js has its own runtime environment. This is the reason why it is popular among the developer community. Since Node.js is efficient, it is preferred to develop high-end apps development as well as video streaming.

Best for real-time apps

Node.js is asynchronous, non-blocking, and single-threaded in nature. That’s why Node.js is the best backend language for real-time applications.

Easy to hire developers

Node.js is a JavaScript-based solution so the majority of the front-end developers are familiar with this language. In fact, JavaScript was the most used programming language according to a survey by Stack Overflow in 2019. So if you plan to hire Nodejs developers, it’s not going to be very hard or time-consuming.

When it comes to switching to the back-end, the developers can benefit themselves with all the advantages of JavaScript development. Because of a dynamic community of developers, Node.js is one of the best backend programming languages. The dynamic developer’s community contributes to the development of the language.

Irresistible microservices in Nodejs

Node.js is best for microservices architecture as it is a lightweight technology. It allows breaking application logic into small modules, thus has better flexibility. The developers can add more functions to the existing ones, making Node.js a preferred backend programming language. Also, as the developers can reuse the codes, the performance and productivity of the website are increased.

Nodejs tools and frameworks

The default package manager of Node.js is NPM, which is a marketplace for open-source JavaScript tools. The marketplace has more than 350,000 tools available in its registry. This gives the developers a plethora of options to choose from.In recent years, Express.js has become one of the most popular Node.js frameworks. The reason behind this is simple. Express.js is a minimalist, fast and opinionated solution. Moreover, it renders enough mobile app and website features to enhance the backend development process. What’s more, Express.js is flexible and doesn’t impose any strict rules to handle a respective task.

Python for high-level dynamics

To put into perspective. Python is very similar to the English language we use in everyday life. The backend programming language has a simple syntax which allows even the rookie coders to learn the language fast. Because it is immaculately easy to read, developers working on the same projects can have better communication in understanding the code.Python has no research contentions or deadlocks. Thus, it doesn’t take much effort to write and maintain asynchronous code using Python. Moreover, as each unit of the code runs separately, it is easier for the developers to handle them. Because of such an immaculate feature, the Python backend programming language has been able to maintain its longevity even after 30 years.According to CodinGame’s developer survey of 2020, Python is the third-best programming language in the developer’s community.

Python is the third-best programming language

The scale of Python’s popularity is exceptional. For instance, in 2020, it was awarded the title of TIOBE programming language of the year. Its popularity is a testimony to its top-notch features.Python has a less-limited programming approach in comparison to other backend programming languages. Because of its flexibility and multiple paradigms, It is an ideal language for budding startups. Since we are living in a dynamic business world, it is best suited for the established players of the market.Let us now see some of the leading frameworks for website development using Python.

Web development frameworks

Django

This framework is highly used for mid-range projects and fully-fledged web applications. Moreover, Django has built-in features that simplify the web development process and allows code reuse. The framework synchronizes well with MySQL, Oracle SQL, and other databases.

Flask

This Python backend development framework provides management solutions that can be easily customized. Moreover, Flask is a micro-framework that is used for solutions that mainly prefer lean functionality. Also, it is used to create prototypes.

Pyramid

With Pyramid, the developers can start small and scale big according to the requirement. This framework is used with either extended plugins or various databases. Pyramid is mainly used when there is a need of implementing various solutions in one task.

Kotlin: The answer to developer’s common problems

Kotlin is a backend programming language for Java Virtual Machine. It is highly preferred for Android development as it has Google’s official support.With Kotlin, besides writing fewer codes, you get improved readability as well. Less coding results in fewer bugs and allows the developers to focus on other important tasks. In 2021, Kotlin backend programming language will hold an important position as it increases the website’s performance.Another interesting fact about Kotlin is that it came from the industry and not from academia. Thus, it a simpler tool than Java which solves challenges and problems faced by the programmers. For example, it assists the developers to get away from null-pointer exceptions.Thus, this becomes an effective tool to use with Java and is as ubiquitous as Java. Kotlin will have a huge impact in future backend development as it is fully-compatible with Java. Besides this, the developers would have access to huge libraries enabling them to write concise codes. This is why over 61% of the developers with more than 5 years of experience prefer working with Kotlin.

The learning curve of Kotlin is very easy. Moreover, if the businesses is looking for streamlining product development, they can move the project to Kotlin easily. Besides, it doesn’t require more than 2-3 engineers to work on product maintenance with Kotlin.Android development is not the only USP of Kotlin. Since the backend programming language has high interoperability, it suits multi-platform development as well. What’s more, JetBrains has also added Gradle support in Kotlin which enables the developers to write in Gradle files. Thus, writing native iOS applications in Kotlin becomes very easy.

Business benefits of Kotlin

As businesses are looking to get out of the horrors of 2020, Kotlin can be a great ally for them. It facilitates faster development and is comparatively very cheap. Also, Kotlin is a universal backend programming language. Therefore, transfer from one platform to the other becomes very easy.As mentioned above, Kotlin has a very easy learning curve. Thus, the language is less error-prone and gives the developers a chance to find the errors easily.Kotlin is a very safe and secure backend programming language. Everyone understands that data security is the most essential thing to rise in the modern business world. The Kotlin developers are integrated into the semantics principles. These principles prevent the occurrence of common mistakes that often happen during the execution of the program.

Ruby and Ruby on Rails for standardized web app creation

Ruby on Rails is slower than Python but still is one of the top three well-known backend programming languages. David Hansson in 2003 first wrote Ruby on Rails with an aim to simplify the process of web and app development.In 2021, Ruby on Rails will play a pivotal role as it helps in reducing the time spent on standardized tasks. It minimizes the website development time by 25% as compared to other languages. In addition to it, there are some amazing advantages of Ruby on Rails that will help businesses in the long run.

Top Ruby on Rails advantages for developers and businesses

We have listed some of the top advantages of this backend development below.

The code which is written in Ruby on Rails is crisp, clear and very consistent. In addition, this programming language is one of the most time-efficient frameworks in the world.
It has a large community of developers. Thus if the developers face any problem during web app development, they have a large pool to rely upon.
It reduces the time taken for web app development as the developers can reuse the codes to a greater extent
Ruby on Rails (RoR) works on Model-View-Control-Format. This simply means that it is easier to separate the business logic from the other parts of the app

The coding process in RoR is self describable and easily readable. Therefore, the rookie developers do not need any extra documentation to start any new project
The developer can develop a prototype of the future website at a faster rate with Ruby on Rails

The backend programming language is further known for its predictability and stability. Due to its predictable nature, the developers find it easier to add new features according to the requirement. Moreover, the framework is suitable for long-term projects and can be used in all kinds of business industries.Below is a list of projects which can benefit immensely from Ruby on Rails

Database solutions
Content sites
Social media sites
Ecommerce sites

Moreover, we have also listed some of the top companies who prefer Ruby on Rails as their backend programming language. They are:

Dribble
Groupon
Airbnb
Apple
Hulu
YellowPages
Zendesk

PHP for creating immaculate websites and apps

PHP is a convenient backend programming language that is very flexible and has immaculate features. This is why PHP is considered to be the future of backend development in 2021. Moreover, the syntax of PHP is very expressive which provides creative freedom to the developers.PHP has inbuilt website development capabilities. It promotes rapid website development by simplifying it with a basic structure. The developers can add features to the app without writing complex and lengthy codes.This backend programming language allows developers to work with a wide range of relational databases. Moreover, PHP automates common web development tasks like session management, URL mapping, caching, etc. Its built-in security features guards the website against threats.Besides the established players of the software world, budding entrepreneurs can also use PHP as it is cost-effective. Besides this, the developers can perform the unit test in an efficient manner with PHP. PHPUnit is the object-oriented unit testing framework for PHP. It helps the backend developers to run and write the tests in an efficient manner.Most of the frameworks in PHP are open-source thus the developers have no dearth of options.

Conclusion

The listed backend development programming languages will be essential for companies to rise in 2021. Business organizations can use them to the core once they understand their requirements and select the backend programming language accordingly.It is necessary for the businesses to select the best language for backend according to their requirement. Apart from the language, you need to ensure that you have the best backend developer for your project. Do not compromise on the quality of backend developers as it can make or break your project.

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Krunal Shah

Krunal Shah is the CTO and Co-founder at Third Rock Techkno. With extensive experience gained over a decade, Krunal helps his clients build software solutions that stand out in the industry and are lighter on the pocket.

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