The Backend Lowdown

Hard-earned backend lessons. No fluff. No theory detours.

This book gives you the inside scoop on backend engineering - the kind of practical knowledge developers usually only pick up after years of production experience. From safe migrations and caching strategies to job queues, retries, and operational safety, you'll learn how to avoid common pitfalls and build systems that hold up under pressure.

Whether you're transitioning into backend work or looking to sharpen your instincts, this book will help you understand the why behind the patterns, spot the footguns before they go off, and think more like a Staff engineer - even if you're not one yet.

Note: This book is actively being written and improved based on feedback. You're getting early access and will receive all future updates automatically. If you spot something confusing or want to suggest a topic, I'd love to hear from you!