Module 1

Backend Foundations

Understand APIs, business rules, permissions, integrations, background work, and operational evidence.

109 minutes across 11 published lessons

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Lessons in This Module

Lesson 1
What the Backend Actually Does
The backend receives requests, applies business and permission rules, coordinates data and external services, and returns controlled results. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.
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Lesson 2
APIs and Endpoints
An API is a defined way for software systems to communicate; an endpoint is a specific address and operation within that interface. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.
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Lesson 3
Business Logic
Business logic is the set of product-specific rules that decides what may happen, in what order, and with what consequence. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.
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Lesson 4
Authentication and Authorisation
Authentication establishes identity; authorisation determines which data and actions that identity is permitted to access. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.
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Lesson 5
Roles and Permissions
A role groups responsibilities, while permissions state the specific actions and resources available to an identity. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.
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Lesson 6
Files, Emails, Payments, and External Services
External services perform work outside the product's direct control, such as storing files, delivering messages, or processing payments. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.
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Lesson 7
Background Jobs and Queues
A background job performs work outside the immediate request, and a queue stores that work until a worker can process it. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.
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Lesson 8
Rate Limits and Abuse Protection
Rate limiting restricts repeated requests over time, while abuse protection combines limits with identity, validation, monitoring, and product rules. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.
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Lesson 9
Errors, Logs, and Audit Trails
Errors describe failed operations, logs record technical events, and audit trails preserve who performed important business actions and when. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.
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Lesson 10
Monoliths and Microservices
A monolith deploys product capabilities together, while microservices separate capabilities into independently operated services. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.
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Lesson 11
Reviewing a Backend Proposal
A backend proposal review tests whether the suggested rules, data flows, integrations, permissions, and operating model fit the product's actual risk. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.
Open Lesson

Lessons in This Module

Lesson 1

What the Backend Actually Does

The backend receives requests, applies business and permission rules, coordinates data and external services, and returns controlled results. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

Open Lesson

Lesson 2

APIs and Endpoints

An API is a defined way for software systems to communicate; an endpoint is a specific address and operation within that interface. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

Open Lesson

Lesson 3

Business Logic

Business logic is the set of product-specific rules that decides what may happen, in what order, and with what consequence. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

Open Lesson

Lesson 4

Authentication and Authorisation

Authentication establishes identity; authorisation determines which data and actions that identity is permitted to access. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

Open Lesson

Lesson 5

Roles and Permissions

A role groups responsibilities, while permissions state the specific actions and resources available to an identity. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

Open Lesson

Lesson 6

Files, Emails, Payments, and External Services

External services perform work outside the product's direct control, such as storing files, delivering messages, or processing payments. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

Open Lesson

Lesson 7

Background Jobs and Queues

A background job performs work outside the immediate request, and a queue stores that work until a worker can process it. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

Open Lesson

Lesson 8

Rate Limits and Abuse Protection

Rate limiting restricts repeated requests over time, while abuse protection combines limits with identity, validation, monitoring, and product rules. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

Open Lesson

Lesson 9

Errors, Logs, and Audit Trails

Errors describe failed operations, logs record technical events, and audit trails preserve who performed important business actions and when. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

Open Lesson

Lesson 10

Monoliths and Microservices

A monolith deploys product capabilities together, while microservices separate capabilities into independently operated services. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

Open Lesson

Lesson 11

Reviewing a Backend Proposal

A backend proposal review tests whether the suggested rules, data flows, integrations, permissions, and operating model fit the product's actual risk. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

Open Lesson