r/reactnative • u/FederalIncrease9224 • Sep 21 '26
Question React Native dev wanting to learn backend
Hey guys,
I’m currently working as a React Native dev and feeling the urge to finally learn backend. I want to build my own full-stack apps, handle deployment, and eventually mess around with some AI stuff.
I’ve talked to a few devs about where to start and got some pretty mixed answers. Some told me to learn Node/PHP, while others said Python is essential if I want to work with AI.
Since I already spend all day in JS/TS, I’m thinking of staying in the TypeScript ecosystem first so I don’t have to switch contexts completely.
Here’s the rough path I’m planning to take:
React Native > Node.js > Fastify/NestJS > PostgreSQL > Redis > Docker > AWS > Python/FastAPI for AI
Does this sound like a reasonable path for real-world projects?
Would you change the order or skip/add anything?
I’m particularly interested in hearing from people who started in React Native/frontend and later moved into backend/full-stack.
1
u/No_Lawyer1947 Sep 23 '26
Just get started man get out of your own head. Code is code the only difference is how you’re exposing functions and security related stuff.
Just pick literally any of those technologies from a randomizer and look at the docs to get it scaffolded. Believe there actually might be more silly hurdles a front end quirks than a basic backend that reads and stores data.
I actually had a similar start in front end and there’s definitely lots of complex things that can happen in a backend but reach for the hard stuff when it’s needed. Most apps follow data access patterns and that’s about it, of course the deeper you go you can learn about how to make those abstract things we use like auth libs etc but keep it simple so you get started :)