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TLDR: Codecademy Back-End Engineer Career Path Review
๐ฅ Behind the scenes: A back-end engineer is responsible for the server side of a website.
๐ฅ A career path is a curated combination of materials to teach you skills in a specific career.
๐ฅ Codecademy’s Back-End Engineer career path has 47 courses (yes, I said courses) to prepare you for a career in back-end engineering.
๐ฅ Codecademy’s Back-End Engineer career path takes about 4 months to complete.
Sign up for the Codecademy Back-End Engineer career path
๐ here.๐
๐ฐ Exciting News! ๐ฐ
Codecademy Pro has added new features to their skill and career paths:
โ
curated external content: tutorials, articles and videos
โ
portfolio-ready projects
โ
“connective tissue”: informational reviews and next steps
So Codecademy Pro paths are more robust than ever.
Want to know more about Codecademy Pro? Check out our full review:
Back-End Engineer Job Description
A back-end engineer is responsible for programming, database management, and framework utilization. They write the server scripts that are used by front-end devs.
Basically it’s the person behind the curtain: the front-end user doesn’t see it, but it powers everything the front-end user interacts with.

Let’s take a quick look at some tech stuff:
Front-End Engineer | Back-End Engineer | |
Client Side | โ | โ |
Server Side | โ | โ |
Common Languages/Technologies | JavaScript, HTML, CSS | Node, Ruby, PHP, .Net, Java |
Database Management Systems (DBMS) | โ | โ |
And Codecademy’s Back-End Engineer career path covers all of this back-end stuff… and MUCH more.
Plus you’ll take some front-end courses that are necessary to fully comprehend back-end engineering.
Let’s take a look.
๐ฅ Geena’s Hot Take:
This career path is huuuuuge!
I mean, this is seriously only for the most serious of web devs.
They say this career path can be completed in 4 months.
I say BS! I think it’ll take longer than that.
If you don’t have at least 4 months to dedicate to this career path, the Codecademy Back-End Engineer career path probably isn’t for you.
But if you do have the time, this is probably as close to a boot camp as you’ll get without paying $10,000.
What is a Codecademy Career Path?
A career path is a curated bundle of courses targeting a specific career. In this case, the career is Back-End Engineer.Codecademy Pro Front-End Engineer Career Path
Each course contains interactive lessons, videos, tutorials, projects and quizzes.
Note: This career path is only for developers serious about a career as a back-end engineer.
โฐ It’s expected to take 4 months to complete. โฐ
โจ Codecademy Back-End Engineer Career Path
โ ๏ธ Level: Beginner
๐ Courses: 47
๐จโ๐ซ Learning style: Interactive text and video
๐ Portfolio-ready projects: 5
โฒ๏ธ Estimated completion time: 4 months
โจ๏ธ Embedded code editor: Yes
By the time you’ve finished the Codecademy Back-end Engineer career path, you’ll learn how to:
- set up your own dev environment
- version control your work with Git and GitHub
- write client-side and server-side JavaScript code
- build Node and Express back-ends
- design and build PostgreSQL databases
- understand design and development principles like OOP, KISS, YAGNI, and DRY
- pass a JavaScript whiteboard interview
And more.
Now this is a ton of information. And a lot of it probably doesn’t make sense.
But don’t worry.
It will in a few short months. ๐

๐ Codecademy Back-End Engineer Career Path Layout
The first thing you’ll learn in the Back-End Engineer career path is how to set up your dev environment by:
- setting up the command line
- installing Visual Studio Code (VS Code)
- customizing VSCode by adding extensions
And much more.

Note: In addition to the Codecademy curriculum, you’ll see some curated content from outside sources. These resources help to reinforce concepts you’ve learned in the career path.

Courses within the Career Path
Back-End Engineer starts you off with the absolute basics. Then it leads you to intermediate to advanced concepts.
Using interactive text, video, tutorials and an embedded code editor, you’ll learn:
โ JavaScript Syntax
โ Git and GitHub
โ Basics of Back-End Development
โ Fundamentals of Operating Systems
โ Designing Relational Databases

โ Connecting your Database to a Server
โ SQL for Back-End Development
โ Common Design Patterns
โ Web and Database Security
โ Intro to DevOps Strategies
And much, much more.
You’ll also work on advanced concepts such as complex data structures and algorithms.
Then you’ll work on your interview skills.
In this chapter you’ll learn how to navigate:
- soft skills
- whiteboard interviews
- real-world interview problems
- JavaScript algorithms
And beyond.
๐ Quizzes
There are dozens of multiple choice quizzes in the Codecademy Back-End Engineer career path.
๐ Projects
There are multiple mini projects throughout this career path.

In addition, you’ll create 5 portfolio-ready projects:
- Mixed Messages – Build a Node.js console app that generates random messages
- Personal Budgeting, Part I – use Node.js and Express to build an API for a personal budgeting app
- Personal Budgeting, Part II – add a PostgreSQL database layer to your app and implement software architecture principles
- Photo Caption Contest – build an API with Node, Express, and PostgreSQL that uses authentication and authorization best practices
- Final Back-End Project – use everything youโve learned in this career path to build your choice of an API
๐ค Community
Codecademy Pro has an active community where you can:
- chat with other students
- share your projects
- get answers to frequently asked questions
And much more.
๐๏ธ Certificate of Completion
You’ll earn a Certificate of Completion for every course, skill path and career path on the Codecademy Pro platform.
Certificates are only available with paid subscriptions.

๐ฐ Cost
You need to have a monthly or yearly subscription to Codecademy Pro to access the Back-End Engineer career path.
And because it will take longer to complete, it might be worth investing in the yearly subscription.
Basic $0/month | Monthly: $40 per month | ๐คฉ Yearly: $20 per month | |
Access to Courses | Limited | โ | โ |
Skill Paths | โ | โ | โ |
Career Paths | โ | โ | โ |
Real-world Projects | โ | โ | โ |
Peer Support & Community | โ | โ | โ |
Sign up for the Codecademy Back-End Engineer career path
๐ here. ๐
Codecademy Back-End Engineer: Conclusion
So is the Codecademy Back-End Engineer career path worth it?
With over 40 beginner to advanced courses and 5 portfolio-ready projects, we certainly think so.
Plus you’ll have the opportunity to brush up on your interview skills.
So if you have 4 months to dedicate to a lucrative career path, Codecademy Back-End Engineer is for you.
Sign up for the Codecademy Back-End Engineer career path
๐ here.๐
Want to know about interviewing with FAANG companies?
We dig into one of the most popular FAANG interview prep platforms out there: AlgoExpert. So is it all that? Here’s what we think.
Is the Codecademy Back-End Engineer career path worth it?
The Codecademy Back-End Engineer career path is worth it if you have the time to dedicate to it. With over 40 courses, this career path takes approximately 4 months to complete. In addition to back-end courses, you’ll take some front-end courses. Then there’s a course dedicated to helping you develop interview skills and practice real-world problems. Plus you’ll work on 5 portfolio-ready projects.
Where can I learn back-end engineer skills?
While there are countless places to learn back-end engineer skills, Codecademy has a new Back-End Engineer career path. With over 40 courses and 5 portfolio-ready projects, you’ll learn beginner to advanced back-end engineer concepts. In addition, you’ll learn front-end essentials such as JavaScript syntax. And while Codecademy has plenty of videos, quizzes and interactive lessons, they also have a curated list of external resources to help you.