u/No-Rise-9375

Hi everyone. I'm a backend developer working with Java/Spring Boot, and I'm also a fresher. I'm starting to figure out a lot of things and realizing the skills I need to do well in my day-to-day job. One of those things is having a strong understanding of the business rules behind a project, which helps write solid and reliable logic. So I'm trying to work on that.

But here's the thing: if I'm not working on a project for a client who explains all the processes of their organization, where do I find those rules? For example, if I want to work on a finance, banking, or stock management project — where do I find the right business rules? By "right," I mean realistic ones, actually used in the real world.

I feel like this is a big differentiator when it comes to developer levels. So if you guys know any resources that could help, it would be greatly appreciated.

Hello. I'm a software engineering student who graduated last year and is currently preparing for a master's degree. I'm a developer focused on backend development with a Java/Spring Boot stack.

Recently, I got a job where the stack was far beyond what I was used to and had learned. So I had to adapt and learn on the go. But I felt I couldn't learn properly that way, because there were things that needed to be done and implemented, which made what I was learning shallow and vague. I certainly wouldn't remember it days later or be able to explain it properly.

I've read many developers saying that they learn just what they need, when they need it — but that doesn't seem to work for me, because the surrounding context is sometimes broad and it just becomes more difficult to grasp the whole picture. Yet you're supposed to understand it, to truly own it.

So I'm trying to take some time to learn essential things like design patterns and algorithms that teach you how to think and solve problems. But I just feel like there are so many things I don't know yet — things I need to understand well (even as a junior) — and that it would take a full year or two.

As I said, I've already graduated and I'm supposed to be in the workforce, gaining experience and learning. But why do I feel like I would learn so much more, and so much better, by taking the time to do it properly? It feels like what I'd learn by going at my own pace would be worth more in the long run than learning on the go in a company — even if the code I write doesn't bring any value to anyone. It just feels like that's the better way for me to grow as a software developer.

Could you tell me how you learn technical topics so that they actually stick?

Hello fellow backend developers. I taught myself Spring Boot by following a course that was quite good — it provided enough detail to really understand Java, the framework, and get good. However, I ended up neglecting some parts of the course and rushed through them. I knew the topics and when they were useful, but that was about it. I did some practice, but nothing deep or complex, and the only project I completed was one from a Udemy course I followed to get started with Spring Boot. I never redid the project on my own and barely understood Spring Security mechanisms.

Honestly, I neglected most of what they taught us at uni, like Git or Docker. I knew the basics of Git — I could pull, push, commit, etc. — but that was it. Even though I was aware of commands like git log or git status, I wasn't in the habit of using them. I was spending most of my free time playing video games.

After graduating, since I was obsessed with Java and Spring Boot and backend development in general, I was looking for those kinds of opportunities — even though they are not very common in my area. There are companies using it, but job offers online rarely mention Java internships. Still, I came across a posting for a 3-year experienced Java Spring Boot developer. I reached out and asked whether I could apply despite not having 3 years of experience. They said I could, but that my application would be reviewed, followed by a technical test and an interview. I decided to apply, got invited for the technical test, and passed it. Honestly, it was fairly straightforward — it was a CRUD task and I had information on the expected response format and edge cases.

One month later, I started the job, and as the months went by, I felt my lack of deep understanding more and more. There were things I simply had never encountered and had to learn from scratch — like Liquibase, JPA Criteria (since I was only used to repositories), XML-based configuration, etc. — because the project was legacy. But beyond that, I felt like I knew nothing and couldn't do much without Googling or using AI.

I had zero prior experience in backend development, and I was on a team where I was the sole Java backend developer on the project. I had to adapt, be autonomous, communicate clearly about what I was doing, and demonstrate some aptitude — and I failed on all of those fronts. As a result, my tech lead ended up telling me I didn't have the aptitudes of a backend developer, and that I lacked basic common sense. Those comments led me to quit, as I felt he was speaking to me without any consideration for the fact that I was a newcomer. Yes, I know — it was a 3-year experience role and I put myself in that position — but I hadn't lied on my resume, so I wasn't expecting such harsh comments.

Now I'm trying to go back to the course and learn properly: do projects on my own without tutorials or AI, learn Liquibase, deepen my knowledge of Git and Docker, learn to read and understand codebases without getting overwhelmed, and eventually learn to communicate and explain my work clearly.

I feel like until I've done all of that and become more confident in myself and my skills, I won't be ready for my next Java/Spring Boot job — and the same situations, the same feelings, will happen again. Meanwhile, most of my classmates who graduated with me are doing internships in Vue.js, Next.js, Laravel, Node, and other things. And here I am, still obsessing over Java and Spring Boot, trying to truly figure out backend development before going back into the workforce.

Hi everyone. I'm a newbie in the backend development job market, so I don't have the big picture of the actual day-to-day tasks of a backend developer and the skills required to succeed in them. From my last job, I learned that the ability to read someone else's code and understand the business logic behind it is a most needed skill. My research on this has shown that there is no tool to help with that, and you have to walk through the codebase to actually understand the business rules. So I would like to know what your approaches are with this — especially when the codebase is huge, like a microservices architecture or a modular monolith. And also, which other skills have you found mandatory for your job but are not talked about much? Thank you for your answers.

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I decided to pursue a career in backend development and learned Spring Boot. Initially, I considered myself average and had no professional experience in backend development. Despite this, I applied for a job that required a Spring Boot Java developer with at least three years of experience. I succeeded in the technical interview and was offered the position. A month later, I started the job.Being the only Java backend developer on the project, I was solely responsible for the backend and the code I wrote. The project was built on a legacy stack, which differed from what I had learned (it included tools like Liquibase and various XML configurations). This required me to adapt and learn on the go, which I managed to do. The most challenging aspect was understanding the project itself—it was vast, outdated, and in the medical domain, adding layers of complexity.However, the reason I ultimately decided to leave wasn’t due to the difficulty or the steep learning curve. It was because my mistakes were not taken lightly. I had no prior professional experience in backend development with Spring Boot—something my employer should have been aware of from my resume. Yet, I felt like I was being treated as though I had claimed extensive expertise in the backend field. The feedback I received was harsh, and I felt an immense amount of pressure. I felt like no matter how much effort I'd put in, it'll never seemed to be enough.This led me to resign. Now, I often question whether I made the right decision. Was this just a natural part of every backend developer’s journey to becoming proficient? Should I have persevered and tried harder? Or was I simply looking for an easier, less stressful path? These thoughts linger as I reflect on my choice.

I’m trying to break into the backend development field with Java and Spring Boot. For a long time, I believed that mastering the framework, the language, the architecture, and the technical aspects would be enough to make me a good developer. But now I realize that none of this really matters if I don’t know how to write strong business logic. I often find myself struggling with this and I don’t know how to improve. What should I learn, and how? More importantly, how to think and build business logic that don't break easily. I would really appreciate advice from experienced backend developers, because I don’t know who to ask.