Enterprise Backend Checklist

A comprehensive checklist for building and maintaining modern enterprise-grade backend systems, with focus on security, scalability, reliability, performance, API design, and infrastructure management. This enhanced checklist covers traditional backend concerns while embracing cloud-native architectures and emerging technologies.

Security & Authentication

Required

Authentication System
Implement robust authentication using JWT, OAuth 2.0, or OpenID Connect with proper token management and refresh mechanisms.
Authorization Framework
Implement role-based access control (RBAC) or attribute-based access control (ABAC) with fine-grained permissions.
Data Encryption
Implement encryption at rest and in transit using industry-standard algorithms and proper key management.
Security Headers
Configure security headers including CORS, CSP, HSTS, and XSS protection.
Input Validation
Implement comprehensive input validation and sanitization to prevent injection attacks.

Suggested

MFA Implementation
Support multi-factor authentication options including TOTP and hardware keys.
Security Monitoring
Implement intrusion detection and prevention systems with real-time alerts.
Audit Logging
Maintain detailed audit logs for security-relevant events and access patterns.

API Design

Required

RESTful Standards
Follow REST principles including proper HTTP methods, status codes, and resource naming.
API Documentation
Maintain comprehensive API documentation using OpenAPI/Swagger specifications.
API Versioning
Implement proper API versioning strategy to manage changes and maintain backward compatibility.
Rate Limiting
Implement rate limiting and throttling to protect APIs from abuse and overuse.

Suggested

GraphQL Support
Consider implementing GraphQL for flexible data querying and reduced over-fetching.
API Gateway
Use API gateway for centralized request handling, authentication, and monitoring.
API Analytics
Track API usage patterns, performance metrics, and error rates.

Database Management

Required

Data Model Design
Design efficient and scalable data models with proper indexing and relationships.
Database Security
Implement secure database access, encryption, and proper credential management.
Backup Strategy
Implement automated backup procedures with regular testing of restore processes.
Migration Strategy
Maintain database migration scripts and version control for schema changes.

Suggested

Database Replication
Set up read replicas and failover mechanisms for high availability.
Query Optimization
Implement query optimization and monitoring for performance improvement.
Data Archival
Implement data archival and cleanup processes for efficient storage management.

Performance & Scalability

Required

Caching Strategy
Implement multi-level caching using Redis/Memcached for improved performance.
Load Balancing
Set up load balancing for traffic distribution and high availability.
Horizontal Scaling
Design systems for horizontal scalability with stateless services.
Performance Monitoring
Implement comprehensive performance monitoring and alerting.

Suggested

CDN Integration
Use CDN for static content delivery and edge caching.
Auto-Scaling
Implement auto-scaling based on load metrics and traffic patterns.
Performance Testing
Regular load testing and performance optimization cycles.

Microservices Architecture

Required

Service Discovery
Implement service discovery and registration mechanisms.
Circuit Breaking
Implement circuit breakers for fault tolerance and graceful degradation.
API Gateway
Set up API gateway for routing and cross-cutting concerns.
Service Communication
Define clear service communication patterns and protocols.

Suggested

Service Mesh
Consider implementing service mesh for advanced networking features.
Event Sourcing
Consider event sourcing for complex business domains.
CQRS Pattern
Implement CQRS for complex query and command scenarios.

DevOps & CI/CD

Required

Automated Testing
Implement comprehensive unit, integration, and end-to-end tests.
CI/CD Pipeline
Set up automated build, test, and deployment pipelines.
Infrastructure as Code
Manage infrastructure using tools like Terraform or CloudFormation.
Monitoring & Logging
Implement comprehensive monitoring, logging, and alerting solutions.

Suggested

Blue-Green Deployment
Implement blue-green deployment strategy for zero-downtime updates.
Chaos Engineering
Implement chaos engineering practices to test system resilience.
Container Orchestration
Use Kubernetes or similar tools for container orchestration.

Compliance & Governance

Required

Data Privacy
Ensure compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations.
Audit Logging
Maintain comprehensive audit logs for system activities.
Access Controls
Implement proper access controls and permission management.
Data Retention
Implement data retention and deletion policies.

Suggested

Compliance Monitoring
Implement automated compliance monitoring and reporting.
Policy Automation
Automate policy enforcement and compliance checks.
Third-Party Audits
Regular third-party security and compliance audits.

Documentation

Required

API Documentation
Maintain comprehensive API documentation with examples.
Architecture Docs
Document system architecture, components, and interactions.
Setup Guide
Provide clear setup and deployment documentation.
Runbooks
Maintain operational runbooks for common scenarios.

Suggested

Decision Records
Maintain architectural decision records (ADRs).
Change Log
Maintain detailed changelog for system changes.
Knowledge Base
Maintain internal knowledge base for team reference.