Become a Backend Developer with Next.js and Relational Databases
Step into the powerful world of backend development—the engine room of the modern internet. This course is your introduction to the fundamentals of building robust, scalable server-side applications using Next.js and relational databases like PostgreSQL. Whether you're aiming to become a full-stack developer or specialize in backend systems, this is the course to help you level up.
Class Summary
Class Time:
20 hours of learning!
Class taught in:
English
Rating:
5.0 out of 5
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Learning from an Experienced Engineer
Hi, I’m Joe. I’ve got a Master’s in Computational Science & Engineering from Harvard, with years of professional experience in data science (Etsy, Dealix), software engineering (AlphaSense), and startup ventures—including developing the full PassionClass platform from the ground up. My goal is to teach you the practical skills I’ve used in real-world backend systems and data-driven applications.
What You’ll Learn
This course focuses on the server-side of modern web applications:
SQL & Relational Databases: Learn how to design schemas, write complex queries, manage relationships, and structure data efficiently using PostgreSQL.
APIs & Backend Logic: Use Next.js API routes to handle server-side logic, authenticate users, process form submissions, and more.
This course is part of a 3-part web development sequence, following Frontend I & II. If you’ve already started with React or feel confident with basic JavaScript, this is your next step. All three together are designed to get you ready for a junior full-stack role in 6 months—if you're willing to put in the effort.
Course Format
Each week includes:
Sunday Group Session: A live 2.5-hour deep dive into backend concepts and walkthroughs.
Breakout Assignments: Partner programming exercises to implement what you’ve learned (async or live with rotating partners).
Weekly Challenges: A algorithms problem to sharpen your logic and coding fluency (1 hour each, due Fridays if you want feedback from me).
Either offer a 1+-hour group session mid-week if we can agree on a weekly time via Doodle, or put out my Calendly where each of you can book a 20-minute individual slot with me to discuss any breaking points on the homework or work through something else, on a weekly basis. (Free bonus learning!)
Prerequisites: Comfortable with JavaScript Basics
You’ll need to understand basic programming concepts (e.g. for loops, if statements) and feel reasonably comfortable in JavaScript or a similar high-level programming language (e.g. Python). Familiarity with HTML, CSS, and React is helpful, but not required.
Join Us!
Backend development is where your code meets real-world data and logic. By the end of this course, you'll be able to build dynamic backend services, store and retrieve data, and power full-stack applications using Next.js and SQL. Whether you're building your own app or aiming for your first dev job—this is where it starts.
Meet Your Teacher
Meeting Times
Thursday, Jan 8, 2026 12:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Thursday, Jan 15, 2026 12:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Thursday, Jan 22, 2026 12:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Thursday, Feb 5, 2026 12:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Thursday, Feb 12, 2026 12:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Thursday, Feb 26, 2026 12:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Thursday, Mar 5, 2026 12:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Thursday, Mar 12, 2026 12:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Times are listed for your brower's timezone: UTC
What you need
Stable Internet Connection
Phone or PC with video conferencing capabilities
Reviews
Class Rating: 5.0 / 5
Sav: We collaborated on several projects & followed a shared tutorial that guided us through the process. This approach helped each of us develop our own individual projects, which we later combined into a cohesive team project. Class struck a great balance between individual work & collaboration.
Gavin: Joe has been a great & knowledgeable teacher. He has given me a good entry point for furthering my understanding of front-end web development. I like how he takes the time to see where everyone in the class & ensures they have a good grasp. This has been great for my style of learning.
Ginny: Joe, at PassionClass, has the ability to detect how you learn so as to maximize what you learn and be productive asap. No books or on line videos can compare to actual live hands on learning with Joe at PassionClass. If you need to start learning or continue learning, this is for you!
