Backend Developer (Python)
Developing and maintaining server-side logic, APIs, and microservices in Python
Backend Developer (Python) is a role in the Backend Engineering family. It has 75 skills across 5 levels (from Junior to Principal). 210 skills are mandatory. Key domains: Programming Fundamentals, Backend Development, Frontend Development.
Technology Stack
Focus by Level
Building simple API endpoints from specifications. Writing unit tests. Fixing bugs. Working with ORM (SQLAlchemy/Django ORM). Participating in code review as a reviewee.
Independent microservice development. Designing REST/GraphQL APIs. SQL query optimization. Code review. Junior mentoring. External service integration. Writing integration tests.
Designing service architecture. Technology selection for new tasks. System-level performance optimization. Managing technical debt. Setting up observability. Mentoring mid-level engineers.
Designing domain system architecture. Team technical roadmap. Establishing development standards. Cross-team coordination. Hiring. Build vs buy decisions.
Company-level backend technology strategy. Cross-team architecture. Organization-level technology choices. Public speaking. Open-source contributions.
Skill Matrix
75 skills × 5 levels. Click on a cell for details.
AI-Assisted Development
4 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | W | W | A | E | E |
| Cursor IDE | A | W | A | A | — |
| ChatGPT / Claude | W | W | A | E | E |
| Prompt Engineering for Code | A | W | A | E | — |
API & Integration
9 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REST API Design | W | A | E | E | E |
| GraphQL Design | A | W | A | E | E |
| WebSocket API Design | A | W | A | E | E |
| gRPC & Protocol Buffers | A | W | A | E | E |
| gRPC & Protocol Buffers | A | W | A | E | E |
| API Versioning Strategies | A | W | A | E | E |
| API Documentation | A | W | A | E | E |
| API Testing | A | W | A | E | E |
| Rate Limiting & Throttling | A | W | A | E | E |
Architecture & System Design
7 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| System Design Fundamentals | A | W | A | E | E |
| High Load Architecture | A | W | A | E | E |
| Microservices Decomposition | — | A | W | A | — |
| Clean Architecture | A | W | A | E | E |
| CQRS | A | W | A | E | E |
| Event-Driven Architecture | A | W | A | E | E |
| DDD Tactical Patterns | — | A | W | A | — |
Backend Development
8 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Python Web Frameworks | W | W | A | E | E |
| Apache Kafka | A | W | A | E | E |
| RabbitMQ | A | W | A | E | E |
| Message Broker Patterns | A | W | A | E | E |
| Redis | A | W | A | E | E |
| Caching Strategies | A | W | A | E | E |
| Task Queues | A | W | A | E | E |
| Elasticsearch / OpenSearch | A | W | A | E | E |
Cloud & Infrastructure
6 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Docker | W | A | A | E | E |
| Container Security Scanning | A | W | A | E | E |
| Kubernetes Core | A | W | A | E | E |
| Terraform | A | W | A | E | — |
| AWS | A | W | A | E | E |
| Network Fundamentals | A | W | A | — | — |
Database Management
8 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PostgreSQL | W | W | A | E | E |
| MongoDB | A | W | A | E | E |
| Database Indexing | A | W | A | E | E |
| Query Optimization | A | W | A | E | E |
| Connection Pooling | A | W | A | E | E |
| Database Sharding | A | W | A | E | E |
| Data Modeling & Schema Design | A | W | A | E | E |
| Database Migrations | A | W | A | E | E |
DevOps & CI/CD
2 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Actions / GitLab CI | A | W | A | E | E |
| Feature Flags | A | W | A | — | — |
Frontend Development
1 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Fetching | A | W | A | E | E |
Observability & Monitoring
6 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structured Logging | A | W | A | E | E |
| ELK Stack | A | W | A | E | E |
| Prometheus & Grafana | A | W | A | E | E |
| OpenTelemetry | A | W | A | E | E |
| SLI / SLO / SLA | A | W | A | — | — |
| On-Call Management | A | W | A | E | E |
Performance Engineering
4 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Profiling | A | W | A | E | E |
| Memory Profiling | A | W | A | E | E |
| Latency Optimization | A | W | A | E | E |
| Performance Budgets | A | W | A | E | E |
Programming Fundamentals
9 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algorithms & Complexity | A | W | A | E | E |
| Data Structures | A | W | A | E | E |
| OOP & SOLID Principles | A | W | A | E | E |
| Design Patterns | A | W | A | E | E |
| Multithreading | A | W | A | E | E |
| Async Programming | A | W | A | E | E |
| Code Quality & Refactoring | A | W | A | E | E |
| Type Safety & Type Systems | A | W | A | E | E |
| Memory Management | A | W | A | E | E |
Security
4 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OWASP & Application Security | A | W | A | E | E |
| Secure Coding Practices | A | W | A | E | E |
| Secrets Management | A | W | A | E | E |
| JWT / OAuth2 / OIDC | A | W | A | E | E |
Testing & QA
4 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TDD & BDD | A | W | A | E | E |
| Unit Testing | W | W | A | E | E |
| Integration Testing | A | W | A | E | E |
| E2E Testing | A | W | A | E | E |
Version Control & Collaboration
3 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Git Advanced | W | W | A | E | E |
| Code Review | A | W | A | E | E |
| Documentation as Code | A | W | A | E | E |
FAQ
What skills are needed for the Backend Developer (Python) role?
The Backend Developer (Python) role requires 75 skills, of which 210 are mandatory. Skills are distributed across 5 levels: from Junior to Principal. See full matrix.
How to advance to the next level in the Backend Developer (Python) role?
Use the Grade Calculator to assess your current level and get personalized recommendations. The system will show which skills need to be developed for the next level.
What tech stack is used in the Backend Developer (Python) role?
The stack includes 5 technologies at different levels. Python 3.11+, FastAPI/Flask/Django, PostgreSQL, Git, Docker basics, pytest, REST API basics, Python 3.12+, FastAPI/Django, PostgreSQL/Redis, Docker Compose, REST/GraphQL, Celery/Dramatiq, pytest + coverage, CI/CD (GitHub Actions/GitLab CI), SQLAlchemy, Alembic, Python 3.12+, asyncio/aiohttp, PostgreSQL/Redis/MongoDB, Kubernetes basics, gRPC/GraphQL, Kafka/RabbitMQ, Prometheus/Grafana, OpenTelemetry, Sentry, load testing (Locust)...
How does the community define requirements for the Backend Developer (Python) role?
Role requirements are shaped by the community through a proposal system. Any member can suggest changes that go through voting and expert review.