For Module 01 (Mathematics for Systems)

• Basic algebra (exponents, logarithms)
• Familiarity with code in at least one language
• No calculus required

For Module 02 (Data Structures)

• Completed or familiar with Module 01 (Big-O notation)
• Can write loops, conditionals, and functions in Python, Go, or Node.js

For Module 03 (Operating Systems)

• Understand what a process is (colloquially)
• Have run commands in a terminal
• Know what a file descriptor is conceptually

For Module 04 (Computer Networks)

• Know that HTTP is a protocol that runs over TCP
• Have used curl or fetch

For Module 05 (Network Programming)

• Completed Module 04
• Can write a Python or Go program that reads from stdin

For Module 06 (Databases)

• Know how to write a basic SQL SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE
• Completed Module 02 (need B-tree knowledge from trees module)

For Module 07 (Core Backend Engineering)

• Completed Modules 03, 04, 06 (or have equivalent production experience)
• Have used an ORM in at least one language

For Modules 08–12

• Completed Module 07
• Have shipped at least one backend service to production