Backend development: APIs and services that stay in production

Services and APIs other teams can keep running

Behind every application is a backend that holds data, enforces rules and connects systems. We design and build this layer so that it is documented, testable and ready to hand over.

That includes APIs and services, authentication and permissions, connections to legacy systems and headless CMSs, and automation of processes that still run manually today.

For us, being ready for handover is a requirement, not a side effect: what we build should be something the client's team can keep developing without us after the project.

The typical situation

New services are rarely greenfield projects. At ImmobilienScout24, backend and routing run on PHP and Laravel, with the React frontend on top. At NotarPartner, the existing software had aged so much technically that every new feature cost more than it was worth.

How we approach it

• Services with a clear interface: For MediaMarktSaturn we built the Coupon Management Service with a GraphQL API and a microservice backend.
• A pragmatic choice of tools: For NotarPartner we use Supabase with REST interfaces and LibreOffice for Word document generation.
• Integration with what exists: At ImmobilienScout24, custom Webpack configurations keep the boundary between Laravel routing and the React frontend clean.
• Tests and handover from the start: End-to-end tests with Cypress and Playwright, documentation and knowledge transfer to the internal teams.

The coupon tool was handed over to MediaMarktSaturn's internal teams in 2023 and has been running without us ever since. At ImmobilienScout24, 5 alm engineers work inside the client's team.

How it works

We approach backend work in three phases. Each phase ends with a result you use to decide whether and how to continue.

1. Consulting and architecture, from one week: We map your existing systems and interfaces and decide with you whether to modernize, replace or build new. The result is a decision paper with architecture, options and an effort estimate.
2. Prototyping and pre-study, typically 2–6 weeks: We test critical integrations and data models and assess what the build will take. The result is a clickable prototype, a risk assessment and a solid implementation plan.
3. Engineering and operations, months to years: We build services and APIs with tests and documentation from the start and hand them over to your internal teams. The result is software in production, documented and ready to hand over to your team.

For NotarPartner, the successor platform took shape in an initial six-month phase, from architecture to a working templating core. You can find an overview of the phases under Services.

Technologies

We choose tools pragmatically, based on what your team can run later. In backend projects we use:

• Services and APIs: Node.js and TypeScript, GraphQL and REST
• Data: PostgreSQL and Supabase
• Existing systems: integration with PHP and Laravel, as at ImmobilienScout24
• Documents: LibreOffice for Word document generation at NotarPartner
• Headless CMS: Storyblok and Contentful
• Infrastructure: Docker and GitHub Actions, cloud on AWS, Azure and Google Cloud
• Testing: Cypress and Playwright for end-to-end tests

For MediaMarktSaturn we built the Coupon Management Service with a GraphQL API and a microservice backend.

Frequently asked questions