Having worked with the web and backend for quite some time, I have to say that backend development never has been more fun than it is today.

In my career as a backend developer one of the greatest challenged i have faced is finding a girlfriend😂😂. Just Kidding

I will be talking about Optimizing API Response Time, a challenged which i faced and the steps i took in solving them

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Introduction

I had the opportunity to work on a project where the API response for getting user data was slow. With response times of around 5 seconds. The idea was to reduce the API response time to about 1 second.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Optimizing the Database Queries

• Indexing: I identified frequently queried columns and added appropriate indexes.

• Query Refactoring: I rewrote complex queries to make them more efficient.

jsCopy codeconst getUserByEmail = async (email) => {
    const query = 'SELECT id, name, email FROM users WHERE email = ?';
    return db.query(query, [email]);
};

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Step 2: Implementing Caching

• In-Memory Caching: Integrated Redis to cache the results of common queries.

• Cache Expiry: Set appropriate expiry times to ensure data freshness.

jsCopy codeconst redis = require('redis');
const client = redis.createClient();

const getUserByEmail = async (email) => {
    const cacheKey = `user:${email}`;
    const cachedUser = await client.get(cacheKey);

    if (cachedUser) {
        return JSON.parse(cachedUser);
    }

    const user = await fetchUserFromDB(email);
    client.setex(cacheKey, 3600, JSON.stringify(user)); // Cache for 1 hour
    return user;
};

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Step 3: Load Balancing

• Setup Load Balancer: I Used Nginx to distribute incoming API requests evenly across multiple backend servers.

• Configure Servers: I Ensured all backend servers were properly configured to handle requests.

nginxCopy codeupstream backend {
    server backend1.example.com;
    server backend2.example.com;
}

server {
    location /api/ {
        proxy_pass http://backend;
    }
}

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Step 4: Asynchronous Processing

• Task Queues: I Implemented task queues using Bull to handle background processing.

• Asynchronous Calls: I Used asynchronous programming to manage tasks without blocking the API.

jsCopy codeconst Queue = require('bull');

const emailQueue = new Queue('emailQueue', 'redis://127.0.0.1:6379');

const sendWelcomeEmail = async (userId) => {
    emailQueue.add({ userId });
};

emailQueue.process(async (job) => {
    const { userId } = job.data;
    // Code to send email
});

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My Journey starting with HNG Internship

HNG is a company that works with the very best techies to help them enhance their skills through the HNG internship program and build their network. They also work with clients to find them the best technical talent across the globe.

Solving complex backend problems requires a systematic approach, combining analysis, optimization, and the right tools. By addressing the root cause of the API slowdown, I was able to significantly improve performance and user experience. The HNG Internship is a stepping stone toward achieving my goals, and I am excited to learn, grow, and contribute to the field of backend development.

To Join the the HNG Internship, click the link below:

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