Anatomy of a full stack developer: Everything you need to know

Have you often come across the terms “back-end”, “front-end”, and “full stack”, but you’re not really sure what they mean in the web development world? We’ve got you covered with this detailed article that explains what these terms mean, and also what skills and job roles are associated with them. Full Stack Development is the development of both Front-End and Back-End that comprise a website/web app.

1. Front-End Developer

A front-end developer is basically someone who takes care of the user-facing end of the website. These guys know a few coding languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc which also form the base of a website on the Internet today.

The knowledge & application of these varied languages also grants developers the ability to design how a website looks & feels.

With ‘user experience’, web design, UX & UI becoming the buzzwords in the industry, front-end developers are quintessential for any website to be even click-worthy.

2. Back-End Developer

A typical website today needs a robust architecture to keep things running consistently and securely. Most websites are also connected to one or more databases for storing user information, website data, logins, and more. All of this is the responsibility of back-end developers.

They are those behind-the-scenes guys who take care of the specific coding requirement for the site to work flawlessly online.

Most of the time, they are masters of programming languages like Python, PHP, Ruby.

Along with this, an expertise in server handling & a working knowledge of content management systems or DBMS like MySQL, Oracle, MongoDB, Apache, etc is common. A strong back-end aids the front-end and vice-versa.

3. Full Stack Developer

A full-stack developer is someone who has a working knowledge, experience & expertise in both ‘ends’.

Within an organization, front-end developers or back-end developers might be promoted to this position.

Today’s websites are made of multiple interactive elements & engaging user interfaces. To maintain and keep them running, one needs to have an exposure of both front-end design expertise & back-end data & server-side intelligence.

A full-stack developer has the ability to equate these seemingly distinct work capabilities & bring synergy into the web development process.

Full Stack Developer Vs. Full Stack Engineer

A full stack engineer is an expert of all things web software.

A full-stack engineer can often be thought of as a more advanced version of a full stack developer. Hiring managers and software leads will often prefer an engineer, as they would describe an engineer as being everything a developer is and more – someone who has an in-depth understanding of computer science and has the ability to create robust, secure applications from scratch.

Skills required to become a full stack developer-

A fusion of front-end & back-end development skills along with some management know-how can help you to become a full stack developer. Here’s the summary of skills you can vouch for:

• Coding skills for server languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript etc
• Working knowledge of programming languages like PHP, Python, Ruby and DBMS like MySQL, Oracle, MongoDB etc
• Peculiar design sense and audience understanding are pivotal to planning the UX & UI of the website.
• A certain level of know-how of the server-side languages like Apache & Nginx
• Expertise in version control to stay up-to-date about the latest coding algorithms on the internet
• Security management of the website to preserve the privacy of users, admin and visitors
• Feedback handling abilities to cope up with various facets of the job simultaneously
• A keen eye for detail is a must to be aware of multiple components & stay focussed on keeping the website working smoothly

Full-stack developers have been in demand for the last decade. Many industries including gaming, media & film are fast employing these skilled professionals. The need for digital presence, better marketing through technology and the interactive potential of the web is also creating more opportunities.

As per, LinkedIn’s 2020 Emerging Jobs Report, “full-stack engineer” is number 4 on top emerging jobs for 2020. And the demand is expected to grow. This certainly bodes well for aspirants who want to make it big in the field.

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Our focus is singular – to provide you with the best education in the technological field with focus on employability.

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