Full-Stack Developers – Who are They?

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By Gulshan Negi

In this day and age, professional versatility is of the essence. In this context, a full-stack developer represents everything “versatile”. Full-stack developers are both frontend and backend mavens. They are multifaceted skilled professionals that all companies have their hearts set on.

In this article, we will be discussing everything about the full stack developer role and the essential skills required to become a proficient full stack developer.

Who is Exactly a Full Stack Developer?

In order to gain an in-depth understanding of the full stack developer role, you must know the essential components that take in web development. In essence, web development consists of two parts, namely:

  1. Frontend development
  2. Backend development

The front end constitutes the application’s visible part. It puts forward a user interface (UI) that helps the users to interact with the application.

On the other hand, the backend hosts the business logic to determine the precise functioning of the system, the data flow through a sequence of tasks, and the location where the solution operates. The business logic also comes into play to find out the mechanism of data storage.

A full-stack is composed of the frontend and backend. in general, developing a complete application requires making use of a tech stack that consists of the following elements:

  • An operating system
  • A server
  • A database
  • Important tools such as frameworks, libraries, and environments

A full-stack developer is well-versed with a particular tech stack. Some of the most popular web development tech stacks include LAMP, MEAN, and MERN.

Full-stack developers gain proficiency in developing both the client-side or frontend and server-side or backend of an app. They get clued up with all the layers of a tech stack that are involved in the creation of a web application. They know the nature of the functioning of each layer inside out. And, most importantly they can use each backend component to their own advantage.

Full-stack developers have considerable knowledge and an all-inclusive skill set. So, a software professional needs vast years of experience to finally hold the position of a full-stack developer. They are very much in demand by SMEs and large corporate houses alike.

Essential Skills for Full-stack Developers

Following are the 10 key skills that full-stack developers must possess:

1. HTML/CSS

  • HTML – Hypertext Markup Language
  • CSS – Cascading Style Sheets

HTML allows the creation of the basic structure of a website with the help of various HTML elements. On the other hand, CSS is a customization tool employed to design and stylize a website or we can say HTML elements. The visual appeal of a website is fully dependent on HTML and CSS.

A full-stack developer needs to be adept in HTML for defining web page structures. A full-stack developer should likewise have proficiency in CSS for styling and presenting the HTML components in an effective manner.

Therefore, a full-stack developer must have in-depth knowledge of both HTML and CSS to create an engaging, intuitive, and interactive frontend for applications.

2. JavaScript

As far as web development is concerned, JavaScript is a compulsory skill that a full-stack developer must acquire. JavaScript is an object-based scripting language and is widely used to add behaviors to HTML documents.

JavaScript language is extensively used to write frontend as well as backend code for servers. Moreover, it is a one-off programming language capable of running natively on the server-side (Node.js) as well as on the client-side or web browser.

A full-stack developer must be thoroughly familiar with JavaScript and should also be familiar with some of its most popular front-end development libraries such as Angular and React. JavaScript is highly popular in the creation of responsive web pages with the help of many useful features such as:

  • Functions
  • Prototypes
  • Higher-order event delegation and closure

In addition, a full-stack developer must also have a clear knowledge of JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) and DOM (Document Object Model).

3. Git and GitHub

Git is a “distributed version control system” that helps to manage all the source code of your projects with ease. It aims to bring efficiency and speed in the development of small, medium, as well large-scale projects.

With Git in place, developers can effortlessly manage all the changes made to different code files and documents associated with a project. Github, on the contrary, is a repository hosted and served by Git. In GitHub, millions and millions of developers contribute to shaping up the future of software together. So, having a GitHub profile is mandatory if a number of developers work as a team.

When it comes to full-stack developers, Git enables them to keep track of all minor modifications that are executed in the application codebase. They must have a complete awareness of all the basic commands associated with Git.

The comprehensive knowledge of Git empowers full-stack developers to effectively team up with fellow frontend and backend developers that are a part of the same project.

4. Backend languages

Apart from having knowledge of crucial front-end technologies and programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, learning a programming language that supports backend development is equally significant. Even though backend development is an altogether different ballgame there are programming languages aplenty to select from.

The need for a full-stack developer to have knowledge of at least one of the following popular programming languages for backend development is imperative:

  • PHP

PHP is a highly sought-after server-side scripting language that is also open-source. It is compatible across various OS platforms such as Windows, UNIX, and macOS.

  • Python

Python is also one of the most popular languages among coders and developers all across the world. Its syntax is quite simple and somewhat resembles the English language, which is also the reason for it being one of the easiest programming languages to learn. It supports a broad-based array of frameworks and libraries.

  • Ruby

Ruby is also one of the most powerful programming languages. It is backed by developers that have joined forces to form an active community. Ruby also owns an impressive set of documentation and dependencies. It is often regarded by many coders as the perfect choice for backend development.

  • Java

This multifarious programming language finds extensive use in the web as well as mobile application development. Also, Java possesses a wide array of frameworks that can make the backend development process simpler.

5. Web Architecture

It is important for full-stack developers to know the fundamentals of web architecture. Their foremost responsibility is focused on developing sophisticated applications from the very beginning. That is why they should know:

  • How to structure codes
  • How to categorize files
  • How to arrange data in databases
  • How to perform essential computation-based tasks

6. HTTP and REST

The functions of HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Representational State Transfer protocol (REST) are unique. HTTP facilitates setting up client communication. On the other hand, REST acts as an interface to connect systems that use HTTP. REST helps collect data or execute various operations on data in different formats. Therefore, REST behaves like an interpreter between the frontend and backend.

Full-stack development involves the use of HTTP and REST. So, developers must have the expertise to work with both these protocols.

7. Database Storage

Each web application is supported by a database which allows developers to gain access to critical data afterwards. Only a thoroughly seasoned and skilled full-stack developer can handle database storage efficiently.

Knowing RDBMS inside-out along with the ability to understand, design, and manipulate database queries are compulsory for a full-stack developer. Also, the know-how on the working of JSON and FXML is an added bonus.

Vital things associated with database storage and management that any full-stack developer must be aware of including the following:

  • Characteristics of relational and/or non-relational databases
  • Knowledge of NoSQL databases
  • Knowledge of web data storage

8. Basic Design Skills

Since full-stack developers take care of both the frontend and backend, having the possession of basic design skills is a must. How to design the frontend is all-important due to the fact that it is the frontend that adds more visual appeal to a website.

One that boasts of an immaculate, easy-to-use design is forever the winner among users. So, full-stack developers must have the technical prowess in handling fundamental design principles that include prototypes, UI/UX design, and scalability.

9. NPM

NPM or Node Package Manager is the most popular package manager for JavaScript. It comes to aid while installing various packages. NPM comes up with appropriate solutions for a variety of dependencies. Also, NPM enables full-stack developers to optimally position modules. It helps to identify the modules used by an application and accordingly handle any dependency conflicts.

10. Soft Skills

When you want to be a full-stack developer, only having the requisite technical know-how will not be sufficient. You must be able to carry a perfect equilibrium of technical expertise as well as soft skills. All full stack developers must have the following soft skills and qualities:

  • An analytical bent of mind
  • Attention to detail
  • Creative vision
  • Curiosity to learn
  • Good time management skills
  • Patience

Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Full-stack Developer

By now, it is clear that full-stack developers have the competence to develop both the frontend and backend of applications. Also, you may be interested in knowing that they are preferred by most companies.

Apart from having several advantages of working as a full-stack developer, there are also certain disadvantages that any aspiring developer should know about. We will shed light on both the good and the bad side of being a full-stack developer below:

Advantages

  • They are multi-tasking

Full-stack developers are fully cognizant of the different stages involved in web and software development projects. Plus, they boast sundry skills, such as frontend and backend development, defining code architecture, planning and implementation of UI/UX design, and QA testing.

  • They are preferred for projects with a shoestring budget

By hiring a full-stack developer, a company can effectively do cost-cutting on several development projects. This is because full-stack developers are adept at handling various processes and this may eliminate the need to hire multiple professionals for managing certain development stages like database management, QA, etc. As a result, the company can minimize its project budget to the best possible extent.

  • They can adapt to different settings

In general, all full-stack developers are thoroughly conversant with both frontend and backend technologies. This implies their intervention is required both on the client-side as well as on the server-side. In this way, they can adjust to different project environments based on the requirements.

Disadvantages

  • They can be unproductive

On the off chance, a company’s operations depend on only one or two full-stack developers, this may result in severe piling of tasks over time. This in turn may decrease their productivity and result in poor time management.

  • They may not keep up with the latest trends

Since full-stack developers are usually involved in several processes at a time, it may become challenging for them to remain abreast of the most recent technologies, tools, and trends.

  • They may mix up their responsibilities

In a software development team, the full-stack developers may end up taking up an excessive amount of workload and start doing all jobs. At times, it becomes tough for them to focus on the main tasks as they may get involved in smaller tasks that can be handled by other team members.

Conclusion

Full-stack developers are adroit professionals who can manage the whole process of app development all by themselves. The extensive skills set them apart from explicit frontend and backend developers. There are a huge load of full stack developer tools. From IDEs to project board applications, you’ll discover plenty of choices to browse. That is the reason it can get somewhat aggravating for an engineer. As the interest for full-stack designers increments so does the quantity of devices.

A full-stack developer tool has everything- – front-end show layer, back-end worker side, an information base layer and everything in the middle. What’s more, the devices incorporate front-end, back-end innovations, systems, libraries, DBs, bundle supervisors and code editors to give some examples.

The transient idea of web advancement implies that consistently, there is an ever-increasing number of devices being accessible on the lookout. You can become more acquainted with a portion of the Full Stack Web Development Tools here. You can utilize the full stack developer tool guide to sort out a request to learn.

With so numerous choices around, you can’t simply depend on experimentation and see which device works with you and which doesn’t. You’ll wind up sitting around idly along these lines, and you probably won’t discover the device you required.

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