What is the Best Practice For Full Stack Developer

Becoming a full stack developer requires hours upon hours of learning, skill development and experience on the field. To transform from a complete beginner to an experienced professional takes time and effort but most of all, it takes clever self-management and quite a few tips and tricks.
While there’s no rulebook to becoming a full stack developer, there are a few best practices that function as a roadmap to success in the career.

Gain certifications through a full stack developer course

For a full stack developer, a full portfolio is always a good sign, as is a collection of certificates. This is because the field in itself is growing, which means that full stack developers are expected to keep abreast of all new technological advancements that affect their field, however big or small A good way to do this is by enrolling in a full stack developer course or two, where the curriculum is thorough and as focused on practical learning as it is on theory. A branded certificate, endorsed by industry leaders if possible, will go a long way in securing a rewarding job as a full stack developer.

Have a solid foundation rooted in the basics

The primary ammunition in any full stack developer’s arsenal is their knowledge and understanding of the basic technologies and programming languages. Full stack is usually spread across three layers– presentation, logic and database– and each layer has its own programming language and technology. Good full stack developers are well-versed in these technologies so much so that they can call upon this knowledge during any problem or trouble-shooting situation. Since with newer projects, there will always be a lot of ground to cover and new problems to face, a foundation rooted in the basics of the trade will serve in your toolkit for years to come.

Master one or two of the core technologies

As more and more projects come their way, full stack developers will inevitably realise that there is so much more to learn than they can master. To avoid the slump that may come with this, and to avoid biting off more than you can chew, consider really throwing yourself into one or two of these full stack technologies. You can go as niche or as general as you prefer, but a good place to start is by mastering a tool or language that your clients or organisation prefers within the front-end layer (HTML, JavaScript) or the back-end (Angular, React). With a base such as this, it becomes that much easier to branch out to other languages without sinking too deep.

Take on personal projects

The more experience a full stack developer gains, the more likely they are to be valuable to an organisation or a client. However, when already employed, it becomes difficult to pick and choose between projects or have them reach you at the opportune moment. Instead, consider building your own personal projects– this will help you introspect on your own skills and abilities, but also function as a playground within which you can safely make mistakes without costing a third party in time, effort or money. Since the fear of failure is minimal, you’re more likely to engage better with the tools and technologies as well as gain an understanding of how well you work at each stage, making you all the more valuable to external parties.

Chat with the experts

If you know someone who is a dab hand at what you aim to learn, consider approaching them for a chat on how they reached where they are and how you can do so, too. This is invaluable information because it comes of understanding and practice, rather than a book of theory or stringent frameworks at a workplace. If this expert isn’t someone you know, but a public figure, consider immersing yourself in all the content they’ve produced, to understand how they do what they do. This could be through reading their books, researching on their use cases, even attending conferences where they’re a speaker or a focal point. This will enable you to also interact with like-minded people, opening up more opportunities for collaborations and networking.

The journey to becoming a full stack developer may look mammoth and challenging at the start, but by adopting these practices, you’re more likely to find your niche and flourish as a professional!