What Should a Full-Stack Developer Know?
Full stack development is all the rage in today’s tech-fueled industry, for reasons that run the gamut from high demand to competitive salaries. However, it’s a challenging field to enter and navigate and only the best of the best make it to the top. Before delving into what a full-stack developer needs to know, here’s the lowdown on who they are and why they’re important:
Who is a Full Stack Developer?
A full-stack developer works on the front end and back end of applications and websites. On the front end, they take care of the design and functionality while on the back end, they code and prepare the proverbial ‘engine’ that powers the app or website. There’s also a. third layer to this equation that is considered highly useful– the database layer, which involves maintaining repositories of data that is displayed and used on the website or app.
A full-stack developer is more of a Jack of all trades that an expert at each level– the benefit of a good full-stack developer is that they can understand client-facing and server-oriented sides of a platform, know where to make tweaks and understand the overall functionality.
Why Do You Need a Full Stack Developer?
A full-stack developer keeps the entire system running efficiently. This is because they know the function of each end and can therefore make changes where required if. There are hiccups in the process.
Companies generally prefer full-stack developers over singular front end or back end developers because that developer is all of these rolled into one. This means the expenses are less, but the quality of work and timelines are adhered to.
In the long run, this reduces the costs and repercussions of internal communication between developers because chances are, the full-stack developer knows the ins and outs of the product and can very well introduce changes themselves.
What Should a Full Stack Developer Know?
Now that the skeleton of the profile is in place, here’s the lowdown on the hard skills a full-stack developer needs to know to be able to market themselves as just that:
Front-end technologies: A good full-stack developer is well-versed in the basics of technology such as HTML, JavaScript and CSS3, which form the core of front-end development. Third-party libraries also aid in the development of UX/UI, so knowledge of libraries such as LESS, Angular and React JS is highly favored.
Basics of design: To be able to build a functional, user-friendly interface, every full-stack developer needs intermediate or higher knowledge of web and product design. Principles of prototype designs and UI/UX design go a long way, especially in companies that are very much product-oriented or SaaS-based.
Development languages: To successfully build the back-end engine of the application or website, a full-stack developer needs to know at least one of the main server-side programming language, including Ruby, Java and Python. Without knowledge of these, it is highly impossible to get into the thick of back-end development.
Database building: Every website or app has a database it heavily relies on to store and retrieve data. As a full-stack developer, you need to understand the use and benefits of at least two databases, as well as understand how to use and implement it. Databases vary depending on the use, so picking up skills in the one you plan to use the most, or the one the job of your dreams demands, is a good way to approach this. Some of the more popular databases are Oracle, Redis and MongoDB.
No job is complete with just a repository of hard skills– soft skills are equally important even in full-stack development:
Problem-solving: This is a crucial aspect of full-stack development as a website or an app could run an error any time– the true test of your hard skills is being able to think clearly and put knowledge to practical use before too much damage is caused.
Business dynamics: A full-stack developer must understand the product within its financial and business use, too. It’s not enough to build it and call it a day– full-stack development also ties in with how the product will be marketed by the firm and used by the client.
Web architecture is no easy feat, which is why full-stack developers and full-stack developer courses are so in demand today. It’s a lucrative field, to say the least, and with enough knowledge and soft skills, the transition is challenging and growth-oriented.
