What is a Full Stack Developer?

This blog discusses the following contents:

• What is Full Stack Developer?
  • Front End Developer (Client Side)
  • Back End Developer (Server Side)
• Full Stack Developer Skills
• Front End vs. Back End vs. Full Stack Developers
• Why Become a Full Stack Developer
• Education and Background to Become a Full Stack Developer
• Full Stack Developer Salary
• Summing up

Understand all the vital concepts of Full Stack Web Development through this video:

What is a Full Stack Developer?

Every job role requires specific skill sets. As the name suggests, a Full Stack Developer has got a full stack of skills for working with both the backend and the frontend of websites and mobile applications. They are well acquainted with CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and many more. A Full Stack Developer who works on apps can be called a software engineer. But not all software engineers are Full Stack Developers.

Front End Developer (Client Side)

Front-end developers take care of designing and implementing the user interface. They are responsible for creating and managing website design. These professionals see to it that the design is able to perform when online. Front-end developers are proficient in coding languages such as HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.

They also take care of the infrastructure and databases in the system and monitor the entire process—from start to end. It is named ‘Client side’ because the client here refers to the user and the user side is the view that is visible to the users (Clients). Some of the tools used by Front-end Developers are shown in the following image.

Back End Developer (Server Side)

The backend is the server-side development- the part not visible to the clients (users). Back-end developers deal with servers and databases that ensure that the process is running smoothly. Back-end development has a clear focus on databases, website architecture, and scripting.

The back-end developers write codes that help the system fetch the required data from the database and display it on the front-end website. A Back-end developer is skilled in writing scripts, and web development languages and working on databases and cache, etc.

Need for a Full Stack Developer

Full Stack Developers constitute around 48 % of the overall Developer profiles. Below we will discuss what are the various reasons behind the need for a Full Stack Developer:

• Having a Full Stack Developer in your team will lead to lower wastage of resources for hiring multiple developers for the process. Full Stack Developers are skilled in single-handedly taking care of the entire process. They can very well handle an entire small-scale project on their own.
• Full-stack developers are known as the best fit for communicating with UI or UX designers and others.
• They are well equipped to provide guidance and help to other members of the development team and hence reduce the technical cost.
• They also play the most important role in ensuring the smooth running of the development system.
• They are well equipped in using various technologies and hence can resolve any issue promptly.

Full Stack Developer Skills

• HTML: HTML is the markup language that is used to create the structure of a web page. Full stack developers should be able to use HTML to create well-organized and visually appealing web pages.
• CSS: CSS is the style sheet language that is used to control the appearance of a web page. Full stack developers should be able to use CSS to style web pages to match the company’s branding guidelines and to create a user-friendly experience.
• JavaScript: JavaScript is a programming language that is used to add interactivity to web pages. Full stack developers should be able to use JavaScript to create dynamic web pages that can respond to user input.
• Programming languages: Full stack developers should have experience with at least one programming language, such as Python, Java, or C++. These languages are used to create the logic and functionality of web applications.
• Databases: Full stack developers should be able to create and manage databases. This includes creating tables, schemas, and relationships.
• Web frameworks: Web frameworks are pre-made libraries of code that can be used to speed up the development process. Full stack developers should be familiar with at least one web framework, such as Django, Rails, or Spring Boot.
• Git: Git is a version control system that is used to track changes to code. Full stack developers should be able to use Git to collaborate with others on projects and to revert to previous versions of code if necessary.
• Problem-solving skills: Full stack developers should be able to identify and solve problems that arise during the development process. They should also be able to think critically and creatively to come up with new solutions.
• Communication skills: Full stack developers should be able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences. They should be able to explain complex concepts in a clear and concise way.
• Collaboration skills: Full stack developers should be able to work effectively with other developers, designers, and project managers. They should be able to take feedback and work towards a common goal.

Front End vs. Back End vs. Full Stack Developers

So far we studied Full Stack developers, Front-end and Back-end developers. Now let us clearly understand the difference between the 3.

In this ‘What is Full Stack Developer?’ blog, let us now discuss the reasons why you should consider building a career in this domain.

Why Become a Full Stack Developer?

A Full Stack Developer is a jack of all trades who hasn’t acquired specialization in a particular discipline. The developer needs to have adequate knowledge about the overall processes undergone in the application development, along with the vital technologies involved.

How relevant is a Full Stack Developer position? Let us check it out.

Opportunities

• Full Stack Developers can communicate well with frontend and backend teams with ease. This aids in avoiding miscommunication between them.
• They serve well in startups or small teams as they have a fewer number of techies to work around.
• They are capable of solving multiple problems simultaneously, which are not surface level.

Obstacles

• Prioritizing projects will be difficult.
• There will be speculation about the quality of the work delivered by Full Stack Developers as they are not specialists in specific disciplines.
• As they are hired to carry out the jobs of frontend and backend developers, they are expected to settle for more working hours than is considered normal for each team separately.

Education and Background to Become a Full-Stack Developer

To become a Full-Stack Developer, it is recommended that you have a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related domain. Having any of these degrees is essential to better understanding the concepts and technologies involved in Full-stack development roles.

Also, you must have the necessary knowledge and skill set in both back-ends as well as front-end web development because a Full Stack web developer performs the functions of both these roles. Some of the skills that you must develop to become a Full-Stack web developer are:

• Version control/Git
• JavaScript frameworks and libraries (React JS, jQuery, etc.)
• Responsive/mobile design
• Programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• Database management
• API architecture (SOAP/REST)
• Basic understanding of front-end technologies
• Programming languages such as Ruby on Rails, Python, and PHP

Full Stack Developer Salary

We have mentioned below the salaries of Full Stack Developers in various countries:

Summing up

As interesting as the job role may sound, the journey to becoming a Full Stack Developer is quite rewarding. It provides a creative outlet for anyone whose passion lies in programming. This article discussed What is Full Stack Developer? is, Full Stack Developer’s roles and responsibilities, Full Stack Developer’s salary, essential skills required, and finally the path to becoming one. I hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned!