In web and mobile applications, the backend handles the core business logic, data processing, and communication between the application and databases or external services. Behind the facade of the user interface, it extracts data from databases, processes it, and provides results to users. The quality of backend architecture is critical not only for the stability of individual services but for the functioning of entire industries that depend on digital platforms – from banking and healthcare to e-commerce and media. In today’s economy, where billions of dollars flow through online systems daily, a single architectural flaw can disrupt business operations, erode user trust, and even result in significant financial losses on a national scale. Building backend systems that are both scalable and resilient is, therefore, one of the central technological challenges of our time. Elnur Abdurrakhimov, a software architect with nearly two decades of professional experience, is widely regarded in the developer community for his expertise in backend architecture, a critical element for modern, high-performance applications, having repeatedly transformed technically constrained systems into scalable and resilient infrastructures. These kinds of transformations are increasingly vital across industries, where even minutes of downtime can cost millions, ensuring that businesses remain operational and that users remain confident in the services they rely on.
The requirements for the performance and reliability of applications have been growing every year. As Abdurrakhimov explains, clients are increasingly relying on Service Level Agreements (SLAs), which establish strict criteria for uptime and fault tolerance. For instance, such agreements may permit as little as a few minutes of downtime per year, depending on the required service availability level (for example, 99.99% uptime allows about 52 minutes annually). The company’s striving for higher SLA works as a motivation to provide better reliability, although the SLA improvement is not an easy process. It also creates transparency between the departments within the organisation in terms of inner cooperation and support.
In this challenging environment, Abdurrakhimov undertook the task of systematically modernizing the backend infrastructure to ensure that it could meet rising expectations for reliability, security, and scalability. His innovative approach provides a practical model for technology leaders facing similar challenges across the industry.
Backend Transformation: Starting Point
When Abdurrakhimov joined his current role in 2016 as backend architect at Simple Booth – a U.S.-based technology company that develops software and equipment for photo booths – the product was already profitable but faced technical limitations. The backend infrastructure could not fully cope with the demands of rapid growth and seasonal spikes in traffic. Developers often had to intervene manually around the clock, which created stress and slowed down the release of new features. The presence of technical debt further complicated the situation.
Rather than opting for short-term fixes, he initiated a systematic modernization program. The goal was not only to enhance current stability but also to develop a scalable and flexible architecture that could support long-term growth.
As Abdurrakhimov recalls: “When I joined the team, Simple Booth was already a successful company, even with scalability and maintainability problems on the backend. I initiated the update of all the weak spots, consequently starting with refactoring the legacy codebase, followed by the migration of core systems to cloud infrastructure and the gradual introduction of microservice elements. There’s always something to improve or optimize on the backend, so my work never ends.”
Step 1. Rewriting the Legacy Codebase
The platform’s original code had particular disadvantages, which made it difficult to introduce modifications and updates. Modern business conditions require scalable and flexible backend systems, so it was crucial to make significant changes. Abdurrakhimov didn’t replace the old system completely but designed a special bridge architecture that enabled the coexistence of old and new code. “Since I’m not a fan of risky and expensive big bang rewrites, I’ve introduced a custom “bridge” so that we could write new code in a modern way while also having all the legacy code work alongside it without interruption and interference. Then, over the years, I have since rewritten almost all of the backend code according to modern practices.”
To prevent unnoticed bugs, Abdurrakhimov also introduced a special system of unit and integration testing. Unit testing checks separate components of legacy code, and integration testing checks connections and interactions between components. As he recalls, “The introduction of automated tests increased the quality of the backend, reduced production failures, and gave us the confidence to deploy at any time without the stress of breaking existing functionality.”
Today, this method of transition is recognized by many backend specialists as a benchmark for safe modernization.
Step 2. Moving to the Cloud and Autoscaling
Global trends of Cloud services implementation speak for themselves: rapid growth of popularity means a higher level of efficiency, which is proven by users. 71% of respondents agree that cloud capabilities helped their organization achieve increased and sustainable revenue. Abdurrakhimov also decided to follow this path by migrating the core infrastructure to AWS cloud services.
Cloud hosting alone provided better fault tolerance and security, but the real breakthrough was the implementation of autoscaling. The system could now automatically adapt to changes in demand, from thousands of users to tens of thousands connecting simultaneously at festivals and mass events. This virtually eliminated outages during peak periods and significantly reduced costs by minimizing overpayments for idle server capacity.
As Abdurrakhimov explains, “You can’t just keep adding servers forever – you need smart infrastructure that grows and shrinks automatically with demand. That’s why I migrated the core systems to the cloud and built autoscaling from the ground up.”
Step 3. Transition to microservices and NoSQL
Another key step in modernization was the introduction of elements of microservice architecture. This approach allows the system to be divided into smaller, independent components, making it a suitable solution for different services. With microservices, a failure in one component no longer threatens the entire system.
Abdurrakhimov also introduced NoSQL technologies, enabling the system to process diverse and growing datasets more efficiently, thereby accelerating development and reducing costs. Thanks to microservice architecture, it becomes possible to implement different technologies within one system without monolith architecture limits. These innovations strengthened the platform’s resilience and made it future-proof.
As he puts it, “With a big monolith, you’re limited by a single technological stack. Microservices gave us an opportunity to implement certain parts of the system using better-suited technology. And it also allowed us to extract some critical components into microservices that are rarely touched and hence are very stable. Also, adopting NoSQL database systems allowed us to use the best tools for highly specialized parts of the system.”
Step 4. Automation of CI/CD and Development Environments
Abdurrakhimov then focused on automating release processes. Continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) transformed deployment: code updates that once required careful manual effort could now be deployed to production in minutes with a single command.
In addition, he created isolated and standardized development environments for engineers. Before this, each developer’s setup was a patchwork of configurations that caused the infamous “works on my machine” problem. After automation, development environments became uniform, which significantly improved reliability and boosted productivity across the team.
As he emphasizes, “Automating CI/CD and creating clean development environments was my way of letting engineers focus on features instead of repetitive manual and error-prone work. It raised the whole team’s productivity and reduced stress.”
Step 5. Testing and Training
Abdurrakhimov understood that sustainable improvement required both strong processes and well-trained people. Drawing on his own years of study in test automation, he designed and implemented continuous testing with automated unit and integration tests. This gave the team confidence that new features could be released without compromising existing functionality.
At the same time, he focused on education. He personally trained developers in software design and testing principles such as SOLID (Single Responsibility, Open/Closed, Liskov Substitution, Interface Segregation, and Dependency Inversion), TDD (Test-Driven Development), and BDD (Behavior-Driven Development), embedding these practices into the company’s development culture. His mentorship not only improved code quality but also elevated the overall engineering culture of the team.
As he explains, “Test automation is probably the most misunderstood area in software development. I spent years learning to do it properly, and once it finally clicked, I started teaching everyone I worked with. At Simple Booth, I ensured that testing was not an afterthought but a foundation of development.”
Key Results and Impact
According to Gartner, poor-quality data resulting from inadequate backend architecture сosts companies worldwide an average of $12.9 million annually. By implementing modern tools, processes, and engineering practices, Elnur Abdurrakhimov achieved significant improvements for the company with relatively modest investments.
The modernization reduced system outages during peak demand to a minimum, accelerated release cycles so that new features could be deployed in minutes, and optimized operational expenses through more efficient use of cloud resources. Developer productivity also increased, as standardized processes and automation allowed engineers to focus on creating new functionality rather than troubleshooting environment conflicts.
The updated backend infrastructure demonstrated its resilience, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person events were disrupted, and many services had to transition to remote formats. One of the problems associated with the pandemic was high infrastructure and operating costs, with a dramatic drop in traffic: “We have survived thanks to the autoscaling system. It not only scales up the business if that’s required, but it can also go down. We didn’t have to spend money on unutilized infrastructure.” The platform remained stable, scalable, and secure, supporting clients without interruption. Today, the system operates so reliably that thousands of professionals use it seamlessly, without even realizing the scale of architectural work taking place behind the user interface.
Before joining Simple Booth, Abdurrakhimov had already made significant technical contributions to the global developer community. Through open-source projects such as Symfony and through his extensive guidance on Stack Overflow, his solutions have been adopted and referenced by developers around the world. By 2024, his posts on Stack Overflow alone had been read by more than 2.5 million engineers, showing how practices he helped to shape had become resources for the wider engineering community. The wide adoption and referencing of his solutions highlight his substantial impact on the practices and knowledge base of developers worldwide.
The modernization led by Abdurrakhimov demonstrates how thoughtful engineering can turn routine technical challenges into lasting advantages. What began as a series of updates evolved into a comprehensive transformation of the system’s architecture, making it stable, flexible, and poised for growth. For Abdurrakhimov, the project became another example of how passion for technology and attention to detail can influence not only a single product but also the way colleagues think about building reliable digital services. Time and again, he was among the first to spot structural problems in the system and to propose concrete fixes – a habit that turned him from a developer into the driving force behind lasting improvements. His work is a reminder that behind every smooth user experience are specialists whose solutions quietly shape the tools we take for granted.
