Top 6 Backend Developer Languages In the Most Popular Websites

Websites are an important component for any business today to stay competitive. As of June 2021, the Internet consists of more than 1.8 billion websites. Building a website that meets all potential customers’ expectations will be impossible without efficient backend developer languages.

If you choose the right backend developer languages, you can have a well-functioning web backend development in no time at all. But since there are hundreds of web backend languages, which one should you choose? 

Let us show you the Top 6 backend developer languages used in the most popular websites. This will then be accompanied by the skills of a great backend developer and the cost of hiring one for your company. Finally, you can choose a backend developer that suits your business needs.

Sounds interesting? Let’s buckle up and dive in!

Key Summary

• Overview: The article explores popular programming languages used for backend development, detailing their features, strengths, and use cases for building server-side applications.
• Key Backend Languages:
  • Java: Robust, platform-independent, used in enterprise apps (e.g., banking, e-commerce) with frameworks like Spring; verbose but scalable.
  • Python: Simple, readable, versatile for web development (Django, Flask), AI, and automation; slower performance but developer-friendly.
  • JavaScript (Node.js): Enables full-stack JavaScript; fast, event-driven, ideal for real-time apps (e.g., chat apps) with a vast npm ecosystem.
  • PHP: Widely used for web development (e.g., WordPress, Laravel framework); cost-effective but declining in modern microservices.
  • Ruby: Known for Ruby on Rails; rapid development for startups, e.g., Shopify, (e.g., Basecamp); smaller community compared to Python or JavaScript.
  • Go (Golang): High performance, simple syntax, built-in concurrency; suited for microservices and cloud apps (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes, smaller community.
  • C#: Strong for Microsoft ecosystems (.NET Core); used in enterprise apps and gaming (e.g., Unity); less common in open-source web projects.
• Use Cases:
  • Java, C#: Enterprise-grade apps requiring scalability and security.
  • Python, Ruby: Rapid prototyping, startups, and data-heavy apps (e.g., analytics).
  • Node.js, Go: Real-time, high-performance, or microservices architectures (e.g., APIs, IoT).
  • PHP: Content-driven websites and CMS platforms.
• Benefits:
  • Diverse languages cater to specific needs, from performance (Go) to rapid development (Python, Ruby).
  • Mature ecosystems with frameworks and libraries simplify backend tasks.
  • Scalability and community support vary, enabling flexibility.
• Challenges:
  • Performance trade-offs (e.g., Python vs. Go) require careful selection based on project needs.
  • Learning curve for less common languages (e.g., Go, C#) or complex frameworks (Spring).
  • Maintaining legacy code in older languages (e.g., PHP) can be costly.
• Conclusion: Backend developer languages like Java, Python, Node.js, and Go offer diverse strengths, with the best choice depending on project requirements, scalability needs, and team expertise, ensuring efficient server-side solutions.

1. Web frontend Vs. Web backend development: What’s the Difference?

Frontend and backend are the two most commonly used terms in web development. What skills does a frontend developer need compared to a backend developer?

[su_box title=”In short:” box_color=”#ef5808″]• Frontend developers build how a website looks. (the images, style, and presentation)
• Backend developers build how a website works. (the database, as well as the site’s users, security, and site performance issues) [/su_box]

Backend developer languages – how to check website backend language

1.1 Web Frontend Development Skills

A website’s user interface is the part that users interact with; everything you see while browsing the web, from fonts and colors to drop-down menus and sliders, is a combination of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript created by your browser is controlled.

Frontend development is the part of web development that codes and creates frontend elements of a website, i.e., functions that are directly visible and accessible to the end-user or customer. Essentially, a front-end developer is responsible for everything they see and improves the seamless user experience. They help with the overall design and aesthetics creation, debugging, and static code analysis.

Frontend developers are responsible for implementing visual components on a website and interactive features such as navigation, buttons, or anything that improves overall usability. HTML, JavaScript, and CSS are widely used to ensure that the visual (or client-side) website works smoothly so that users can interact with it freely and conveniently. While some frontend developers do web design, others work with the mockups of a web designer.

>> Skills required for a frontend developer include:

• Good knowledge of frontend programming languages ​​
• The ability to create a responsive design
• Knowledge of testing and debugging
• Understanding of front-end development tools and functions such as automation, content management systems, version control systems, APIs, and frameworks

1.2 Web Backend Development Skills

So what makes a website interface possible? Where is all of this data stored? This is where the backend comes into play. Website backend development consists of a server, an application, and a database.

A backend developer creates and maintains the technology that powers the components that together make the user-side of the website possible in the first place.

Back-end developers ensure that websites and applications work through web backend languages ​​and frameworks such as Java or Ruby on Rails. They also monitor the website’s performance and make changes and updates to improve the functionality behind the scenes.
>> Skills required for a backend developer include:

• Database administration: This is critical, especially when collecting user information. Server programming requires maintaining a database that can be scaled as needed. Some important systems are Oracle, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, etc.
• Framework utilization
• Programming
• Awareness of accessibility and security compliance: This is about security compliance, especially concerning access control. Data is attractive to cyber attackers.
• API integrations

2. TOP 6 picks web backend languages for development

Best website backend languages

1. The most used backend developer languages for web development – NodeJS

Starting its journey way back in 2009, Node.js was built basically for Linux and macOS to deliver a more scalable solution compared to the Apache HTTP Server. Closely followed by this, a native Windows version of the framework appeared in 2011.

The best thing about Node.js is that being a JavaScript-based framework allows you to Hire Node.JS Developers to use other languages for cross-compiling to JavaScript. Node.js also helps developers with ready-to-use modules coming with the Node.js repository called NPM. This repository comes loaded with thousands of useful packages that can help the development process.

NodeJS Frameworks for Website backend development: Express.JS, Hapi.js, Meteor.js, Total.js, Socket.io, etc.

Popular websites that are using NodeJS: PayPal, Walmart, Netflix, Medium, etc.

2. The most popular backend developer languages – PHP 

PHP (or you can say Hypertext Preprocessor) is a veteran player in the web development world. This open-source server-side scripting language is created in 1994 and is specifically used for website backend development. As it is an interpreted language – it doesn’t require a compiler either, and also it can run on almost every major operating system like Windows, Linux, macOS, Unix, etc.

Talking about the enriching features of PHP, there are numerous like easy to find out nature, cross-platform compatibility, OOPs features, support to varied standard databases like MySQL, SQLite, etc., huge community support, and many others. Besides that, PHP is very secure as a server-side scripting language as there are numerous hash functions available in PHP for the encryption of users’ data. In particular, if you’re a beginner – you’ll prefer to accompany PHP for backend web development. 

PHP Frameworks for Website backend development: Laravel, CodeIgniter, Symfony, etc.

Popular websites that are using PHP: WordPress, MailChimp, Flickr, etc.

3. The most popular backend developer languages for websites – .Net Core

.NET Core is made with the object-oriented programming language C#. Starting its journey in 2016, it had been quickly recognized as a strong, cross-platform framework for many .NET projects. It also allows the use of other languages besides the .NET framework.

.NET Core framework also offers class libraries of ready-to-use code, supporting both simple and complex data structures. It offers libraries for almost everything, including security, encryption, and database access. They are also able to use class libraries for various development needs like XML manipulations, rendering graphics, and lots more. 

Popular websites that are using .Net Core: Speedtest. Slideshare, etc.

4. The most popular backend developer languages – Golang

If you think that Go is not that popular among developers, then let us tell you, as per last year’s report of Stack Overflow – it was one of the top 5 most popular programming languages for backend by developers across the world. Go is a statically typed programming language for backend development designed at Google and has syntax quite similar to C language. The language allows the developers to build scalable and secure web applications more efficiently. 

One of the major advantages of using Go is that it provides excellent support for multithreading and the garbage collection feature for automatic memory management. Some of the other considerable features of Go language are – easy to learn, readable code, backed by Google, compiled language, package management, a powerful standard library, concurrency support, high performance, and many more.

Go Frameworks for Backend Web Development: beego, echo, revel, etc.

Popular websites that are using Golang: Dropbox, SoundCloud, Dailymotion, etc.

5. The most popular backend developer languages – Python

Though Python is sort of famous among individuals for its compatibility with advanced technologies like Machine Learning, Internet of Things (IoT), Data Science, etc. – let us tell you that this enriching programming language is widely used and very suitable for backend web development. Even one of the leading IT giants of the present times, Google, significantly relies on Python, and it’s one of the most popular back-end languages employed by Google (the other two are Java and C++).

One of the main advantages of using Python for web development is its huge collection of ordinary libraries that make the work of developers comparatively easier and more efficient. The additional prominent and unique features of Python like better code readability. Easier integration with other languages, GUI Programming support, portability, and various others make it a preferred language among web developers. 

Python Frameworks for Backend Web Development: Django, Flask, Pyramid, etc.

Popular websites that are using Python: Spotify, Pinterest, Instacart, etc.

6. The best backend language – Ruby

Ruby is a general-purpose, interpreted programming language that helps numerous programming paradigms consisting of procedural, functional, and object-orientated programming. The language is being broadly used for net improvement internationally. It could be very plenty encouraged to novices for purchasing began out with backend net improvement as it’s miles relatively less difficult to learn. Like Python, Ruby additionally specializes in growing the developers’ productiveness which, in the end, fastens the net improvement process. The precise language helps nearly every important platform consisting of Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Let us know that Ruby is exceptionally primarily based on many different back-end web programming languages like Perl, Lisp, Eiffel Ada, etc. Dynamic typing and Duck typing, Automatic rubbish collection, Large fashionable library, Custom dispatch behavior, Flexibility and scalability, Centralized bundle control via RubyGems, etc., are several outstanding capabilities that give you Ruby.

Ruby Frameworks for Backend Web Development: Ruby on Rails, Sinatra, Grape, etc.

Popular websites that are using Ruby: Airbnb, Shopify, Slideshare, etc.

Cost to Hire a Web Backend Developer 

Web Developer salaries vary drastically based on experience and employment model. So how much does a Web Backend Developer earn? Let’s discover!

Salary of web backend developers based on experience

The level of experience is the most important factor in determining the salary—the more years of experience, the higher your salary, of course. We’ve broken down web developer salaries by skill level, and this’s what we found according to Payscale:

The average backend developer salary in the US is $115K per year. The developer’s experience also influences this amount. Similarly, a senior backend developer in the US has an average salary of $145K. 

However, a middle backend developer makes around $100K a year, and junior backend developers earn around $72K.

Salary of web backend developers based on employment model

backend web development languages

1. In-house developer

Of course, if you decide to hire a full-time in-house developer, you will have to offer a monthly salary and pay various financial and non-financial benefits.

If you have to hire a developer for a long-term project for your company, a freelancer turns out to be risky, which is why many companies prefer to hire an in-house backend developer.

With a monthly salary, you add a motivated developer to your software development team. So if you have large development projects, an in-house backend developer is a safe (but expensive) solution.

2. Offshore developer

That is why IT outsourcing is proving to be a smart solution for many companies. According to Chang et al (2018), offshore outsourcing is becoming a better alternative for hiring web developers, and the reasons are compelling.

The methodology for outsourcing development services is straightforward: all you have to do is hire one or more web developers through a software development company overseas or a marketplace like InApps. Then a team of backend developers will work remotely on your project. This company is not based in your country, making this solution more affordable than in-house developers.

Although this solution is relatively more expensive than the self-employed, it is preferred for its security. Developers with the characteristics of an in-house team can hire an offshore developer. We have already explained how this type of service works. IT Outsourcing Services is a great solution for companies that can’t afford expensive US salaries but need a large development team or person.

Maybe you want to read: How to lead your offshore team efficiently?

3. Freelancer

Compared to the other two options, hiring a freelancer is the cheapest solution. Still, it has been shown that many specific problems arise when working with a freelancer: delays, difficulties with time differences, or even project cancellations are just a few of them. These barriers make hiring a freelancer for web development cheaper, but it’s not always a safe option.

Hiring a freelancer is the best solution for businesses that need to offer the lowest prices possible. Because of the competition on autonomous platforms, in most cases, you can find a backend developer who can do the job for a relatively low cost.

Working with independent developers can also be a good solution if you need to clear up your backlog and not have long-term development tasks. So you might consider hiring a freelancer if you need someone to tackle a startup web development project.

Salary of web backend developers in Vietnam

The salary will fluctuate according to the candidate’s actual ability, programming language, and English skills.

1. Junior web backend:

A web developer with less than two years of experience earns approximately around $520 – $650 per month. 

2. Middle web backend:

Someone with experience between two and five years is expected to make $650 – $1,100 per month, 70%more than someone with less than two years of experience.

3. Senior web backend:

A developer with 5+ years of experience will result in a future salary of up to $2,600 per month, more than double of middle developer salary.

In addition, this price is when the recruitment market is stable. If companies urgently need and have a rich budget, the dev price can increase by 10-20% compared to the market price.

Which is the best place to hire offshore Web Backend Developers?

The United States and Western Europe are the regions where backend developers generate the highest revenue. Based on our company’s research, the average hourly rate for backend engineers in New York (2020) is $ 55.94. Kingdom costs $ 71,

However, Asian countries are profitable and full of great web developers. The average hourly earnings of a backend engineer in Vietnam range from $25 – $33.

In recent years, Outsourcing to Vietnam has become a popular choice for IT solutions. thanks to the competitive labor costs compared to other countries, a large pool of IT talents with foreign language proficiency, and open policies regarding foreign companies of the government. During COVID-19, Vietnam is also one of the Safest Countries. 

• Ho Chi Minh City in Top Outsourcing Cities in 8 consecutive years (Tholons, 2009-2016)
• Vietnam is ranked 1 in pioneering location and cost environment (Cushman & Wakefield Business Process Outsourcing and Shaped Service Location Index, 2016-2017)
• Top 10 countries with the most engineering graduates (Forbes, 2015)

View more: How do I set up an offshore development center in Vietnam?