What steps would you take if you find yourself as the only backend developer on a project without a predecessor?

If I found myself as the only backend developer on a project without a predecessor, I would take the following steps:

1. Studying the current state of the project:

   • Familiarize myself with the codebase, architecture, and technologies used.
   • Check the documentation, if available.
   • Run the project locally to understand how it works.

2. Analyzing the infrastructure:

   • Understand how deployment is done and which services are involved.
   • Check the version control system and CI/CD processes.

3. Ensuring stability:

   • Write or supplement tests for critical parts.
   • Set up monitoring and logging.

4. Documentation:

   • Start maintaining documentation on the project and processes.

5. Planning development:

   • Define task priorities and possible improvements.

6. Communication:

   • If there are other teams (frontend, QA), establish interaction.

This approach will help quickly understand the project, ensure its support, and facilitate further development.