Who do you usually think is responsible for an application when you work with it? I’m sure you would be thinking about a web developer. Although you’re partially correct, a Full Stack developer is a canopy term for the people who design full-fledged applications.
What is a Full Stack Developer?
Full-stack technology means the complete depth of a computer system application, and full-stack web developers can develop both the front and back end of web development. All of the features noticeable to the client, or the viewer of the website, are included in the front end.
- Programming a browser (By using JavaScript, jQuery, Angular, or Vue)
- Programming a server (By using PHP, ASP, Python, or Node)
Let’s assume you’re using your Instagram application. Every time you refresh, several new contents pop up on your screen. You can like a picture, upload a new one, search for profiles, and do much more. Although it provides a seamless user experience, a lot goes on in the back-end. HTTP requests are made to the Instagram servers to recover and load information. This is expedited with the help of back-end frameworks.
Usually, every application consists of the front-end, the back-end, and the database.
A Full Stack Developer is concerned with developing an application from initiation to completion. He designs an application’s front and back end while ensuring its efficiency, security, and other crucial features.
Skills of a Full Stack Developer
Now that you know what a full-stack developer does let’s glance at the skills required to become one.
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Front-end Languages and Frameworks
HTML and CSS
HTML, short for Hypertext markup language, directs the visibility of text/images on the screen. It also formats the text as headings, paragraphs, pop-ups, etc. It typically comprises of tags that give a different interpretation to the text in a document structure.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a style sheet that permits you to modify and style various web components for font, size, spacing, and more. It makes the content on the webpage look more attractive.
JavaScript
It is a robust client-side programming language mainly used to improve user interaction with the application. It offers libraries and frameworks like React, Angular, Vue, and JQuery. A full-stack developer must be skilled in one or more of these tools.
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Back-end Technologies and Frameworks
- JavaScript and its environments, such as NodeJS and ExpressJS: Node is an open-source, cross-platform runtime environment that lets developers create server-side tools and JavaScript applications. Knowledge of the primary command line like npm (Node Package Manager) is significant.
- Java, in particular, was designed from the ground up to be run on the server side. Famous Java frameworks include the Spring and Java Server faces.
- Python is the most popular language used. It is flexible and simple to use. We employ Python frameworks like Django and Flask for back-end development. Django is a high-level Python web framework that boosts the rapid growth of websites. It is free and open-source and has a vast and active community of users.
- C# language is, for most of them, the most preferred architecture regarding back-end programming in Windows environments.
- Other languages include PHP, Perl, and Ruby.
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Database Management Systems
A full-stack developer writes code to perform Relational mapping to fetch data from the database. Some popularly used DBMSs are MySQL, SQL SERVER and PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Oracle Database. A decent understanding of their functioning is crucial.
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Version Control
Version control systems help store the project files and track the complete history of the user’s things. Popular ones are Git, Github, and Subversion.
GitHub is a web-based solution for version control using Git. Git helps in managing the project files.
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Web Hosting Platforms
Web hosting platforms lets you position your product on a cloud service provider so everyone can access it from the Web. Prominent ones are the Amazon web services, Google cloud platform, Heroku, and Microsoft Azure.
Responsibilities of a Full Stack Developer
- Development of front-end – With the assistance of HTML/CSS and JavaScript frameworks and libraries, the coder must be able to build interactive user interfaces.
- Design the application’s back-end – He must make a robust back-end architecture to retrieve data from the servers.
- Creating databases and servers – Such systems must be resilient to outages and function efficiently.
- Ensuring Cross Platform compatibility – Applications must operate smoothly on all operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Meet all technical and consumer requirements – The coder must be able to design responsive applications that meet customer needs and keep them engaged.
How to Become a Full-Stack Developer
There are a few important key points you need to keep in mind if you want to become a Full Stack developer:
- You need a solid understanding of the technologies used to design web applications. These include HTML, CSS, JavaScript, AJAX, and PHP.
- You should be able to use these technologies to develop a functioning web application.
- You should be able to deploy and maintain your web applications.
If you have these three things down, you’re well on becoming a full-stack developer. Let’s take a closer peek at each component so you can start building your skills.
Experience Required to Become a Full-Stack Developer
It takes tons of experience and skills to become a Full Stack developer. Some might argue that you just need a computer science degree or a related field. But, many developers have become highly successful without a four-year college degree. So, while a degree might give you a leg up, becoming a Full Stack developer is not necessary. Earning a certification in an accredited online program can be a more cost-efficient and a smart way to learn the skills required to succeed in this domain. It can also be concluded in a fraction of the time compared to a college education.
To become a certified Full Stack developer, you need to understand both the back-end and front-end technologies. This implies that you should be able to build websites and applications and know how they work behind the scenes. You must be comfortable working with multiple programming languages, databases, and frameworks. And you need to be able to learn new technologies as they emerge quickly.
Undoubtedly, becoming a Full Stack developer isn’t easy and doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years and years of experience and continued learning to achieve the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in this field. But it’s achievable if you’re passionate about web development and willing to work hard.
