How to find the best back-end development company for a web project

One of the most important aspects of any web development project is choosing the right IT company to handle the back-end development. This is because the back-end is responsible for powering the web application and ensuring that it runs smoothly.

But how can you know which web development company to trust? Whether you're starting a brand new software project or you're doing work on your existing infrastructure or you are embarking on a legacy system modernization initiative, you need a company that is confident and has experience in the back-end technologies and back-end languages you need.

Today, we're going to discuss the ins and outs of finding a back-end development company. What exactly is a back-end development company? Why would you hire one—and how can you compare multiple web application development companies?

We’ll take a look at what makes a good back-end programmer.

What is Back-End Development?

Back-end development is the process of building and maintaining the server-side of a web application. This includes the database, server-side scripts, and the overall functionality of the web application.

The back-end developer is responsible for ensuring that the web application runs smoothly and can handle traffic as it needs to scale.

Examples of back-end development include writing scripts in PHP, ASP.NET Core, Python, or Ruby; maintaining databases like MySQL or SQL Server, and working with APIs to connect the web application to other services.

Backend vs. Frontend

One of the most common questions we get asked is: what's the difference between back-end and front-end development?

In short, front-end development refers to the process of building the user interface and user experience (UI/UX design) including graphic design. This includes everything that the user sees and interacts with on the web application.

Back-end development, on the other hand, is everything that happens behind the scenes. This includes the server-side scripting, database design, getting data into and out of the database, and overall functionality of the web application.

Most organizations hire a full-stack development company. So, why would you need a back-end development company and not a front-end development company?

The answer is simple - building and maintaining the back-end of a web application requires a great deal of specialized knowledge. It's not something that most general web developers have experience with, which is why you need to hire a company that specializes in back-end development for your project.

Some organizations may already be using Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, or DotNetNuke. Or they may have already developed their own product but may need someone to modify and maintain it. While they may be capable of handling the front-end aspect of the design, they may not be able to manage back-end development.

What Are the Most Popular Back-End Frameworks?

At present, there are a number of popular back-end frameworks that most companies use. The two most popular programming frameworks among developers are ASP.NET and PHP. There are extensive frameworks for both.

If you’re developing a CMS or ecommerce web application, PHP is a good choice. If you’re developing a web application that requires a lot of data processing and custom programming, ASP.NET with the C# Language is a better option.

Other popular back-end programming languages include Java, Node.js, and Ruby on Rails.

What role does a framework provide? A framework is a set of tools and libraries that helps you build a web application. It provides a structure for the code, which makes it easier to develop and maintain the web application. Common tasks can be handled by widgets in the framework library instead of writing everything from scratch.

Frameworks also make it easy to scale a web application. This is because they’re built with scalability in mind. When you use a framework, you can be sure that your web application will work well even under a heavy load.

There are also front-end frameworks like Angular, React, and Vue.js that help you build a user interface.

Overall, if you need to develop and maintain a complex web application, it’s important to seek out the help of an experienced back-end development company. They will be able to handle all aspects of web application development and ensure that your software project is successful.

Which Backend Frameworks Should You Use?

Frameworks for PHP include CakePHP, Laravel, Symfony, Yii, Zend, and more. .NET frameworks include ASP.NET MVC and ASP.NET Core. There are also Java frameworks like the Play Framework or JavaScript frameworks like jQuery and ReactJS.

When choosing a framework, consider:

• The complexity of the project and its requirements
  
  
• The desired functionality and features for your web application
  
  
• Developer experience and skill level

Ultimately, the best framework to use will depend on the specific project you’re working on. But it’s important to do your research so that you can select a framework that offers all the benefits.

But if you're outsourcing your back-end development, you don't need to know about the frameworks —at least, not at this stage. Your back-end development company should be able to tell you which frameworks will work best for your organization’s business process automation efforts.

The Microsoft .NET Framework is by far the most flexible and robust of all the frameworks. It has been around for more than 20 years and is constantly being improved as market demands change.

What Backend Developer Skills Are Needed?

When it comes to choosing a back-end development company to say, move a paper process to a web application for example, there are several important factors that you need to consider. These include:

1. Experience and expertise. When it comes to back-end development, experience and expertise are essential. You want to work with a team that has extensive knowledge of the various server-side scripting languages and database design.
   
   
2. Understanding of your project requirements. It's important that the company you choose has a good understanding of your project requirements and is well versed in software design. They should be able to provide you with a detailed proposal outlining their approach and how they plan on meeting your needs.
   Creating your software requirements is the first step to a successful web application development project.
   
   
3. Ability to scale. As your web application grows, you will need a partner that can scale with you. This means that they should have experience working on high-traffic, high-volume web applications and be able to offer solutions for handling the increased demand as well as functioning as a virtual scalable IT department that can scale their staff.
   
   
4. Technical skills. In addition to expertise in back-end development, you also want a web application development team with strong technical skills. This includes skills in server administration, performance optimization, and security.
   
   
5. Good communication. Good communication is essential for any type of web development project. But it's especially important when working with a back-end developer. This is because they will need to be able to communicate effectively with your front-end developers. See: The 12 Most Important Skills to Look for of Every ASP.NET Developer.
   
   
6. Flexibility. Finally, it's important to work with a team that is flexible and willing to adapt as your project progresses. The back-end development process can often involve many iterations and changes, so you need a partner that will be responsive and able to work through these changes effectively. This methodology is called Agile Software Development. It allows the most flexibility during the business software development lifecycle. 

Hiring an IT consulting firm for your business for your back-end development needs can make a big difference in the success of your project. By keeping these factors in mind, you can be sure to find an outsourced development team that will be a good fit for your needs.

Benefits of Hiring a Back-End Development Company

There are several benefits to hiring a back-end development company for your project. These include:

1. Lower cost. Otherwise, you would need to hire an internal expert or team of internal experts to maintain your back-end infrastructure.
   
   
2. Bring in outside expertise. If you have individuals who aren't otherwise skilled in back-end development trying to perform back-end development, you're more likely to experience issues. Outside expertise can help you produce a more robust, scalable end product.
   
   
3. Team scalability. Your organization can't compensate for fast scaling without hiring. But an outsourced high-performance team can.
   
   
4. Finish development faster. Rather than waiting around, you can instead finish your development process much faster. Then you can take advantage of the results right away.
   
   
5. Bigger talent pool to choose from. You have access to specialists and software experts within an outsourced talent pool, rather than having to train employees from scratch.
   
   
6. Project flexibility. As your needs for a project grow and evolve, you'll be able to take the next steps with agility.

Of course, there are also challenges when outsourcing, too:

1. Communication issues. Challenges with communication between your organization and the development team can lead to increased costs, delays, and other missteps. Be sure to choose a reliable web developer agency that has good communication skills.
   
   
2. Lack of control. Working with an IT consulting firm may require you to relinquish some control over certain aspects of your project. This is something that often makes internal teams uncomfortable, but which outsourcing can provide.
   
   
3. Security risks. When outsourcing software development, you're sharing your intellectual property with an external organization. This can increase the risk of security breaches and data leaks. Be sure you cave a good contract in place that spells out your rights i.e. that you own the code not the web application developer.

At the end of the day, an outsourced software development team of back-end developers can generally produce an end product faster and with greater levels of competency. Ultimately, that means that you'll be able to produce results faster for your organization or get software products to market faster if you are developing a commercial product.

The right company will be able to head off any major communication issues before they cause problems. Good outsourcing relationships are built on trust, so it's important to partner with an organization that you feel you can trust. Transparency and collaboration are essential for a successful back-end development when you are trying to automate a business process.

How to Find a Back-End Development Company

The right back-end custom software development services firm is one that has the experience and expertise to deliver high-quality results. When choosing a custom software development company, it's important to consider factors such as their experience, technical skills, communication abilities, and flexibility. Additionally, you should make sure that the company has good reviews from past clients and is willing to work with you to understand the specific project requirements of your digital transformation strategy.

1. Start by doing research online to identify potential back-end software development services companies. Ideally, you want a company that has worked with your industry and your technology but don’t get hung up on that. The right IT consulting services firm can work across numerous industries.
   
   
2. Once you have a list of potential candidates, take some time to read reviews and evaluate their technical skills, communication abilities, and past projects. Notice how the web app development company responds to negative reviews. Not every firm can keep every client happy all the time. And pay particular attention to the questions they ask about your requirements. If the ask few or no questions they are assuming they know what you need and are most likely wrong in their assumptions.
   
   
3. Take a look at their web development case studies. This will give you a good idea of their experience and the kinds of projects that they work on.
   
   
4. Once you have a shortlist of companies that you feel could be a good fit, reach out to them to discuss your project in more detail. Be sure to ask about their process, timeline, and pricing. Ask if they have business analysts on staff who can help scope and define your project.
   
   
5. Make sure to also ask for proposals from multiple companies so that you can compare pricing and services. Don't just go with the most affordable estimate out there; the cheapest estimate doesn't always translate into the cheapest project that produces everything you need.
   
   
6. Finally, choose the company that you feel is the best fit for your corporate culture.

Red flags when hiring a company include:

• The company doesn't have any online reviews or mostly negative online reviews.
  
  
• The company refuses to provide estimates or clear pricing information.
  
  
• The company is not transparent about their processes or timeline.
  
  
• The company is not willing to answer your questions or address your concerns.

Hiring a back-end development company can be a great way to get the results you need for your web development project. By taking the time to find the right web application development company, you can be sure that your project will be completed on time and within budget.

If you keep these factors in mind, you can be sure to find the right web development services company for your needs. With the help of a skilled and experienced software team, you can create a web application that is scalable, reliable, easy to use and meets 100% of your business needs.

To find out more information about our ASP.NET software development outsourcing capabilities, or if you’d like to discuss your ASP.NET needs with Keene Systems CEO, Lance Keene click here to book a call with him. You can also download our great new eBook - Why ASP.NET Development Services Fuels Business Growth - to learn more about this essential topic.