Backend, API & System Design — Useful Sites

Enable CORS

2026-10-18T00:00:00Z

A small reference site that explains CORS with copy-paste configurations for dozens of servers and frameworks (Apache, nginx, Node, IIS and more). Unlike general HTTP docs it answers the narrow question of how to turn CORS on for a given server.

https://enable-cors.org/

HTTPie

2026-10-18T00:00:00Z

A readable alternative to curl that sends HTTP requests with coloured JSON output and a simple syntax. Unlike curl it needs far fewer characters for typical API calls; desktop and web apps exist too, and some of those ask for an account.

https://httpie.io/

Hurl

2026-10-18T00:00:00Z

A command-line tool that runs HTTP requests and checks their responses (status, JSONPath, XPath, headers) from plain-text files, usable as tests in CI. Unlike Postman collections the files stay readable in git.

https://hurl.dev/

The C10K problem

2026-10-18T00:00:00Z

The classic article on how one server can handle ten thousand concurrent connections (select/poll, epoll, threading models, kernel support). It explains historically why modern event-loop and async servers are designed the way they are. Unlike the docs of modern async frameworks, it explains the historical reason for the design.

https://www.kegel.com/c10k.html

Wasmer

2026-10-18T00:00:00Z

A WebAssembly runtime that lets you choose between several compiler back ends (Singlepass, Cranelift, LLVM), with a package registry and paid Wasmer Edge hosting alongside. Unlike Wasmtime it is not only a runtime but a commercial platform covering packaging and deployment too.

https://wasmer.io/

Wasmtime

2026-10-18T00:00:00Z

The Bytecode Alliance’s runtime for running WebAssembly outside the browser; written in Rust, compiling with Cranelift, and among the first to implement WASI and the component model. Unlike Wasmer it sells no package registry or hosting; it focuses on tracking the standards and on being embedded.

https://wasmtime.dev/

Classy Class-Based Views

2026-10-09T09:00:00Z

Shows every Django class-based view with its methods, inheritance chain and source. Unlike the docs it lets you see which method to override and where it comes from.

https://ccbv.co.uk/

Django Girls Tutorial

2026-10-09T09:00:00Z

A step-by-step tutorial that builds a blog with Django, written for workshops but followable alone. Unlike the official docs it assumes no programming background.

https://tutorial.djangogirls.org/en/

The Flask Mega-Tutorial

2026-10-09T09:00:00Z

Miguel Grinberg’s long, project-based Flask tutorial covering authentication, databases and deployment. Unlike the official quickstart it follows one application from hello-world to production.

https://blog.miguelgrinberg.com/post/the-flask-mega-tutorial-part-i-hello-world

Any API

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A directory gathering the docs and console of hundreds of public APIs in one place. Unlike individual API sites you can try them all in a common interface.

https://any-api.com/

Awesome CakePHP

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A list of plugins and resources for the CakePHP framework. Unlike general PHP lists, it focuses only on CakePHP plugins and its ecosystem.

https://github.com/friendsofcake/awesome-cakephp

Awesome Dash

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A resource list for Dash, building data dashboards with Python. Unlike Streamlit it is Plotly-based, and its callback model gives more control over interactivity.

https://github.com/ucg8j/awesome-dash

Awesome DDD

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A list of resources, books and samples for domain-driven design (DDD), CQRS and event sourcing. Unlike general architecture lists it focuses on these three connected approaches.

https://github.com/heynickc/awesome-ddd

Awesome Deno

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A resource list for Deno, a security- and TypeScript-focused alternative to Node. Unlike Node lists it gathers modules specific to this secure runtime.

https://github.com/denolib/awesome-deno

Awesome Directus

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A resource list for Directus, the headless CMS offering a real-time API and dashboard. Unlike headless CMSes such as Strapi, it sits on top of an existing SQL database without forcing its schema into its own shape.

https://github.com/directus-community/awesome-directus

Awesome Drupal

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A list of modules and resources for Drupal, the PHP-based CMS. Unlike general CMS lists, it gathers only Drupal modules, distributions and developer tools.

https://github.com/nirgn975/awesome-drupal

Awesome FastAPI

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A list of plugins, examples and tutorials for FastAPI, Python’s fast web framework. Unlike the official docs it gathers community libraries and production examples.

https://github.com/mjhea0/awesome-fastapi

Awesome Fiber

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A resource list for Fiber, the Express-inspired Go web framework built on fasthttp. Unlike general Go lists, it gathers only Fiber middleware, templates and examples.

https://github.com/gofiber/awesome-fiber

Awesome Firebase

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A resource list for Firebase, Google’s app-development platform. Unlike the official docs, it gathers community libraries, sample projects and write-ups from experience.

https://github.com/jthegedus/awesome-firebase

Awesome Integration

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A resource list for linking different IT systems together (integration).

https://github.com/stn1slv/awesome-integration

Awesome Laravel

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A list of packages and resources for Laravel, PHP’s most popular framework. Unlike searching Packagist, it picks widely used packages and learning resources by topic.

https://github.com/chiraggude/awesome-laravel

Awesome Low Code

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A list of platforms letting business professionals build apps with little code. Unlike a single platform’s docs it lists them side by side; it is maintained by a security company (Zenity).

https://github.com/zenitysec/awesome-low-code

Awesome Magento 2

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A resource list for Magento 2, the open-source e-commerce platform built with PHP. Unlike general e-commerce lists, it gathers only Magento 2 modules, developer tools and learning resources.

https://github.com/DavidLambauer/awesome-magento2

Awesome Node-RED

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A resource list for Node-RED, wiring hardware and services together visually. Unlike writing integrations in code, you build the flow by wiring nodes in the browser; the list gathers community nodes and sample flows.

https://github.com/naimo84/awesome-nodered

Awesome Node.js

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A list organising Node.js packages and resources by topic. Unlike an npm search it is a curated, quality-checked starting point.

https://github.com/sindresorhus/awesome-nodejs

Awesome PHP

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A list gathering PHP libraries, frameworks and tools by topic. Unlike a Packagist search it is curated and organised around modern PHP practice.

https://github.com/ziadoz/awesome-php

Awesome Plone

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A list of add-ons and resources for Plone, the open-source Python CMS. Unlike WordPress or Drupal lists, it focuses on the ecosystem of a Python-based CMS aimed at institutional use.

https://github.com/collective/awesome-plone

Awesome Prisma

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A resource list for Prisma, the ORM turning a database into a type-safe client. Unlike ORMs such as TypeORM, you define the schema in a separate file (schema.prisma) and the client is generated from it.

https://github.com/catalinmiron/awesome-prisma

Awesome Serverless

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A resource list for serverless computing and architecture. Unlike a single provider’s docs, it sets services such as AWS Lambda and Azure Functions beside open-source frameworks.

https://github.com/pmuens/awesome-serverless

Awesome Software Architecture

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A list of resources for designing and documenting software architecture. Unlike a single book it gathers patterns, case studies and tools together, topic by topic.

https://github.com/simskij/awesome-software-architecture

Awesome Symfony

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A list of bundles and resources for the Symfony PHP framework. Unlike general PHP lists, it focuses on Symfony bundles and tools specific to the framework.

https://github.com/sitepoint-editors/awesome-symfony

Awesome Vapor

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A resource list for Vapor, server-side development in Swift. Unlike Node or Go frameworks, you use your iOS app’s language on the server too; the list gathers packages and guides.

https://github.com/vapor-community/awesome-vapor

Memcached

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

A distributed memory cache that speeds up sites by holding hot data in RAM. Compared with Redis it stores only key-value pairs with no persistence; in exchange it is multi-threaded and extremely simple.

https://memcached.org/

Swagger

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

An OpenAPI toolset to design, document and try RESTful APIs. Unlike clients such as Postman, you write the spec first and generate docs and client code from it.

https://swagger.io/

Convex

2026-08-21T20:53:20Z

A backend platform folding the database, server functions and real-time subscriptions into one product. Where Firebase has you write rules, here queries are TypeScript functions with real transactional guarantees — document flexibility without giving up consistency.

https://www.convex.dev/

Free Public APIs

2026-08-21T20:53:20Z

A directory of over three hundred free public APIs, each carrying a liveness status and a last-checked date. That is what separates it from the old awesome-list compilations: it actually keeps scanning whether the APIs still answer.

https://www.freepublicapis.com/

Porkbun

2026-08-21T20:53:20Z

An ICANN-accredited domain registrar where WHOIS privacy, SSL and email forwarding are included rather than upsold. What separates it from the GoDaddy school is that renewal prices stay close to the first-year price instead of tripling.

https://porkbun.com/

High Scalability

2026-08-19T23:34:09Z

An archive of architecture write-ups spanning fifteen-plus years. Unlike current tech blogs the technology in older posts may be dated, but they are still read for how scaling pressure was actually met.

https://highscalability.com/

System Design One

2026-08-19T23:34:06Z

Breaks down real company architectures as case studies with actual numbers and the trade-offs taken. Unlike abstract system-design write-ups, it is concrete.

https://systemdesign.one/

Martin Fowler · Architecture

2026-08-17T20:53:20Z

Martin Fowler’s canonical collection of essays and patterns on software architecture. Unlike scattered blogs it gives the most-cited definition of concepts like microservices and event sourcing.

https://martinfowler.com/architecture/