In today’s review, we’re looking at the Meta Back-End Developer Professional Certificate, and how it can provide students with the core skills they need to launch a new career in web development.
By the end of this review, you’ll know all about the different courses of this certificate, and how the lessons will prepare you for new opportunities in back-end development.
Created by expert engineers and technicians at Meta, the Meta Back-End Developer certificate is great for anyone wishing to start a career in web development.
Not only do students develop the technical knowledge they need to build their own back-end portfolio, but they also gain access to the Meta Career Programs job board.
This certificate ensures learners are ready to thrive in the competitive digital developer landscape, with programming knowledge, and interview skills.
What is Meta Back-End Developer Certificate?
The Meta Back-End Developer Professional Certificate is a step-by-step introduction to the world of back-end development. Designed for beginners considering a career in software development, the course covers everything students need to know about backend programming.
Created by Meta and offered via Coursera, the program is divided into 10 focused courses, each covering different elements of the development landscape. Students discover how to use programming languages like Python and develop strategies for critical problem-solving.
Upon completion of this course, students will have a portfolio of projects to showcase to employers, as well as an approved certification. The course also comes with access to the Meta Careers Programs job board, which connects accredited learners to 200+ employers.
Who Should Follow this Certificate?
You won’t require any prior knowledge or a degree to get started with this Meta development course. However, a basic knowledge of computer systems will be useful. Meta recommends having a good understanding of simple internet navigation skills.
The Meta back-end certification is intended for anyone with a passion for technology and programming. There’s a strong focus on behind-the-scenes operations, so if you like the thought of finding out how apps and websites work, this could be the course for you.
Upon the completion of the 10 courses, you’ll have credentials from Meta you can share within your resume and portfolio.
Following this course, you can pursue careers in back-end development, full-stack development, web design, and database engineering.
What You’ll Learn?
This comprehensive back-end developer certification covers all of the key knowledge a programming expert needs to work with databases, applications, and websites. You’ll learn how to use common programming systems and tools, from Git and SQL, to cloud hosting and APIs.
The actionable certification provides students with frameworks for problem-solving via coding skills and prepares learners to create their own Django web app using industry-standard capabilities.
There are numerous hands-on components to this course, with quizzes and projects to help you practice your skills in solving issues with Python code, and managing projects in GitHub. By the time you’ve completed this certification, you’ll know how to:
- Leverage Python programming for data science, AI, and machine learning
- Confidently leverage code to complete various projects
- Use Git repositories for version control
- Implement data storage strategies using MySQL
- Create apps using the Django web framework and APIs
- Leave a lasting impression on employers with interview techniques
Time Investment and Certification
The time needed to complete the Meta Back-End Certificate is eight months (studying 6 hours per week) and can be completed 100% online.
In total, the 10 courses consist of over 75 hours of videos, readings, and quizzes. This doesn’t include the capstone project, which you will complete in your own time.
Successful students will receive an accredited back-end development certification from Meta and Coursera. To access this certification, you will need to complete all 10 courses, the capstone project, as well as all included assignments.
How Much Does Meta Back-End Developer Certificate Cost?
The total cost to get the Meta Back-End Certificate is $312. The course is offered by Coursera through the Coursera Plus subscription which costs $39 per month. On average it takes 8 months for students to complete the course and get certified.
Coursera offers a 7-day free trial to review the course material before committing to a paid plan.
Meta Back-End Developer Certificate Contents
- Introduction to Back-End Development
- Programming in Python
- Version Control
- Databases
- Django Web Framework
- APIs
- The Full Stack
- Cloud Computing
- Back-End Developer Capstone
- Coding Interview Preparation
Course 1: Introduction to Back-End Development
The first course in your Meta Back-End Development certification will introduce you to all of the basics of back-end development. You’ll learn about the common responsibilities of a web developer, and explore the difference between front-end, back-end, and full-stack development.
The course is divided into four weeks. During week 1, you’ll explore everything you need to know about core development technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You’ll also take a closer look at frameworks, APIs, and internet protocols. This week has a total of 5 practice exercises.
Weeks 2 and 3 introduce HTML, CSS, and UI frameworks. You’ll start with an overview of HTML and CSS basics, and complete 3 practice exercises to test your skills. Next, you’ll learn how to use the Bootstrap framework for building responsive exercises, and use 5 quizzes to test your knowledge.
Week 4 in the course is when you’ll complete your graded assessment, covering all of the topics covered in the previous 3 weeks. The full course will take approximately 18 hours to complete.
| Topic | Time To Complete | |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Get started with web development | 5 hours |
| Week 2 | Introduction to HTML and CSS | 6 hours |
| Week 3 | UI Frameworks | 6 hours |
| Week 4 | End-of-Course Graded Assessment | 2 hours |
Course 2: Programming in Python
The second course in the Meta back-end certification focuses on the Python language – one of the most important tools in the back-end development space. The course introduces the basics of Python Syntax and shows students how to solve problems with code. You’ll also explore some popular libraries, modules, and tools for leveraging Python.
This course includes 45 hours of content, broken down into 5 weeks. The first week will introduce you to foundational Python concepts, like Python syntax and looping constructs, then test your knowledge with control flow and loops.
Week 2 covers basic programming with Python, showing students how to recognize and handle common errors, and implement data structures.
Weeks 3 and 4 dive deeper into the components of Python, like programming paradigms, modules, packages, libraries, and tools.
In week 3, you’ll explore object-oriented programming and algorithms, while week 4 shows users how to supercharge coding with popular modules libraries, and tools. These 2 weeks include a total of 17 quizzes.
Week 5 is when you’ll complete your end-of-course graded assessment, highlighting all the key features of using Python.
| Topic | Time To Complete | |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Getting started with Python | 8 hours |
| Week 2 | Basic Programming with Python | 10 hours |
| Week 3 | Programming paradigms | 15 hours |
| Week 4 | Modules, packages, libraries, and tools | 10 hours |
| Week 5 | End-of-Course Graded Assessment | 1 hour |
Course 3: Version Control
In your third course of the Meta back-end development certification, you’ll learn all about version control, and the nuances of working with other developers. This course covers around 13 hours of content, broken down into four weeks of learning.
The first week covers insights into how developers collaborate in the modern world, with a case-study insight into Meta’s own collaboration flow. You’ll also complete a module quiz on software collaboration. In the second week, you’ll dive deeper into command-line executions in Linux.
Week 2 covers how to use commands to manage files in your ecosystem, and use tools like “Bash” and “Unix commands”. In week 3, students can explore how to work with Git to manage team files. You’ll install Git, create your own local repository, and complete a total of 4 quizzes on Git functions.
In the fourth week, there’s a graded assessment where you’ll practice the skills you learned during your course. The assessment will contribute towards your final certification.
| Topic | Time To Complete | |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Software collaboration | 2 hours |
| Week 2 | Command Line | 3 hours |
| Week 3 | Working with Git | 5 hours |
| Week 4 | Graded Assessment | 2 hours |
Course 4: Databases
Meta’s fourth course in the back-end developer certification covers the realm of databases and storage. Here, students learn how to create, edit, and manage databases with MYSQL.
You’ll explore common data warehousing processes like Load (ETL), and database administrator analysis, and get hands-on experience with writing SQL queries.
The Databases section of the course provides a clear overview of how to manage common storage methods and tools like Mongoose and MongoDB.
The lessons are broken down into 5 weeks, requiring a total time investment of 27 hours.
| Topic | Time To Complete | |
|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | Create, Read, Update and Delete (CRUD) Operations | 11 hours |
| Week 3 | SQL Operators and sorting and filtering data | 5 hours |
| Week 4 | Database design | 6 hours |
| Week 5 | Graded Assessment | 1 hour |
Course 5: Django Web Framework
The Django Web Framework course is the fifth module in the Meta back-end development certification. Here, students will learn how to use one of the most common web framework solutions to design and secure their own web server.
You’ll have a hands-on opportunity to configure and administer a web app using your Django framework, complete with step-by-step guidance and resources from the experts in the Meta team. You’ll also have access to various example models to guide you through how different developers use Django, and how the framework links to databases.
By the time students finish this course, they’ll have a complete understanding of how to use views to render crucial data to meaningful template structures to build an effective UI (User Interface). The course also covers how to implement proactive security practices to reduce common risks.
Course 6: APIs
In course number six, learners will get a behind-the-scenes view of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and how they influence the usability of websites and apps.
This section of the course provides a step-by-step insight into the various crucial concepts which underpin API development. There’s a strong focus on the principles of the Representational State Transfer Architectural Style (REST) and how REST APIs can support your development strategy.
Meta also provides an interesting overview of how API technology is evolving in the modern world, and how you can build your own creations. At the end of the course, you will develop, optimize, and test your own documentation for an API.
Course 7: The Full Stack
Course 7 allows students learning to become backend developers to expand beyond the back end, and to look at “full stack” programming. Leveraging the knowledge, you’ve already developed with the use of databases, APIs, and the Django framework, you’ll be able to create your own full-stack app.
This segment of the programming provides a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to develop an environment for a local, practical full-stack project in Django. Once you’ve designed the foundations of your app, you’ll learn how to customize the back and front ends of your application.
This course ensures back-end developers have the foundations in place to expand their knowledge to other areas of app and website design, beyond the back end. You can learn entirely at your own pace, leveraging the online resources available from Meta.
Course 8: Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is an important concept in the development and programming world. Course 8 of the Meta back-end developer certification ensures students are ready to operate in a flexible cloud environment. This is a relatively straightforward course; you can take it at your own pace.
Learners will start by discovering the various tools and systems commonly used in cloud computing and the Dev Ops environment. You’ll discover core cloud architecture concepts, and how to manage a cloud environment. Meta also covers important information about cloud pipelines, integration techniques, and building workflows in Dev Ops.
By the time you’ve finished this learning module, you’ll know all about the tools involved in the delivery and deployment of cloud tools. Meta provides an insight into containers like Kubernetes and Docker, and their use in the development space. You’ll also discover how to combine various Dev Ops principles for a more reliable site.
Course 9: Back-End Developer Capstone
A crucial component of gaining your back-end development certification, the 9th course in the Meta certification allows students to put their skills to the test with a capstone project. Here, learners will access all the resources they need to leverage their knowledge in solving a real-world development problem.
You’ll test your abilities not just in back-end development, but also in full-stack creation, by composing a comprehensive Django web app.
With step-by-step guidance and resources at your disposal, you’ll be able to create a clean, bug-free coding environment for your own Django web server. Students will also enhance their capstone project with multiple APIs, and connect the system to an MYSQL database.
The capstone project will also require you to create a template system inspired by Django views. Your capstone project will be evaluated at the end of the course, and you’ll be able to add it to your portfolio when you’re seeking new back-end career opportunities.
Course 10: Coding Interview Preparation
The final course in the Meta back-end development certification will ensure you can showcase your skills correctly when applying for jobs in the programming world. This module covers everything you need to know about preparing for a technical job interview.
You’ll learn how to showcase your knowledge correctly with tailored answers to common interview questions. Students can also explore helpful tips on how to structure responses to competency-based interview questions.
The community forum within the course will also allow students to openly discuss any concerns they have about interviewing other students in the Meta specialization.
Meta Back-End Developer Certificate Exams
To successfully complete your Meta Back-end developer certification, you will need to complete numerous quizzes and graded assignments throughout each course. Many of the courses have their own graded assignments, and quizzes to help you test your knowledge with multiple-choice answers to common questions.
Your performance in all of the graded assignments throughout the 10 weeks of courses will contribute to your certification at the end of the program. However, you will also need to successfully complete a capstone project demonstrating all of your practical skills.
There will be opportunities to re-take graded quizzes and assignments if you do not pass on the first attempt. However, this could mean you spend longer on your course.
Here are a couple of examples to get an understanding of what the exam questions look like:
How Hard is the Meta Back-End Developer Certificate?
The Meta Back-End Developer Certificate is not hard to get as it’s designed specifically for beginners.
Designed to guide people with no prior knowledge of programming through the world of back-end development, this course is easy to follow and consume.
You won’t need any prior coding knowledge to get started, although you will find basic computer and internet navigation skills to be helpful. The structure of the course also allows you to complete a number of the modules at your own pace, so you can go through various resources multiple times if you’re unsure about a topic.
Regular quizzes and self-assessments also allow you to test your knowledge as you progress and reach out for assistance if you’re feeling uncertain. What’s more, the resources are organized into multiple formats, from readings, and videos, to support different kinds of leaders.
This is a relatively simple certification option for anyone hoping to start a career in back-end development.
Is the Meta Back-End Developer Certificate Worth it?
The Meta Back-End Developer Certification is definitely worth it if you want to become a certified back-end web developer.
Interest in specialists with back-end development skills has increased significantly in recent years, as concepts like “user experience” have gained popularity. Companies today need to ensure the technology on the backend of their websites and apps is aligned with customer needs.
Meta’s back-end developer certificate is excellent for students hoping to take advantage of this growing landscape. The collection of courses is carefully curated to provide you with all the job-ready skills you need to thrive as a back-end developer.
What’s more, you’ll also learn about concepts associated with full-stack development, so you can take your career to the next level.
Certified by Meta, this course is well-respected among business leaders, and it provides users with full access to an exclusive job-searching platform, where they can find the ideal role.
Overall, this is a course well worth considering for anyone interested in back-end development.
Other Meta Career Certifications
You can read our detailed reviews of other popular Meta certifications and Google Certifications to decide which is the best certification for your career.
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