A backend that works is not the same as a backend that works fast under real traffic. Two of the most effective tools for that are caching, which keeps frequently used data close at hand instead of recomputing or refetching it, and the web servers that sit in front of your application and decide how requests reach it.
You'll start with the many places data gets cached, from the browser to the database, then look at Redis, a popular in-memory store often used as a cache, and at CDNs, which serve content from servers near your users. The second half covers NGINX and the difference between a proxy, a reverse proxy, and a load balancer, so you know what each one does and when to put it in front of your app.
With a fast, well-fronted backend, you'll be ready to make sure it keeps working as it changes in Testing & CI/CD, the next module in this course.
A tour of the places data gets cached, from the client and CDN to load balancers, message brokers, and databases, and what each layer is for.
A quick look at Redis, the in-memory data store that backends commonly use as a fast cache, and what makes it different from a traditional database.
How a content delivery network improves site performance by serving files from servers geographically close to your users.
How NGINX is used as a web server, reverse proxy, load balancer, and HTTP cache to handle the demands of high-traffic sites.
The difference between a forward proxy, a reverse proxy, and a load balancer, with examples of where each one sits in a system.