Full-stack development might be the most controversial discipline in tech. 

The idea of developers working in both client-side and server-side environments seems simple enough. But not everyone agrees on what makes a “full-stack developer.” Some adamantly defend the need for the role. Others are convinced that full-stack developers don’t even exist.

What is clear is that no two full-stack developers are exactly alike. Each represents a unique combination of breadth and depth in front-end and back-end development. But all this complexity can make it confusing to hire full-stack developers or pursue a career in full-stack development. 

And it raises a question: what languages does a full-stack developer actually need to know?

Defining Full-Stack Development

By definition, a full-stack developer needs to know a combination of technologies that allows them to work on both the front end and back end of a website. 

There are two main ways of accomplishing this. The first is to learn one or more languages for each environment. For example, pairing JavaScript with Python.

The second is to use frameworks to extend the functionality of a language to a different environment. For example, using JavaScript for the front end and using Node.js to extend its functionality to the back end.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the core programming languages full-stack developers need to know.

Front-End Programming Languages

Unlike back-end languages, the options for front-end languages are pretty fixed. The core front-end languages are JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. However, some developers are turning to TypeScript for full-stack development.

JavaScript

JavaScript is a dynamic scripting language used for adding interactive behavior to web pages and applications. The main way developers use JavaScript is to manage the behavior and user experiences of websites. But there are a number of other interesting use cases for JavaScript. Node.js is a framework that extends the functionality of JavaScript to server-side applications. And libraries like D3.js make JavaScript useful for data visualization. There are also a range of powerful JavaScript frameworks, including React, Angular, Vue, jQuery, ExpressJS, and Backbone.

A staggering 97.3% of all websites use JavaScript as a client-side language. And with usage increasing at a rate of 157% per year, JavaScript’s popularity with full-stack developers is only going to grow.

TypeScript

TypeScript is an open-source, object-oriented language that is an extension of JavaScript, meaning JavaScript code is valid TypeScript code. Developed by Microsoft in 2012, TypeScript describes itself as “all of JavaScript, and then a bit more.” 

TypeScript has been gaining popularity for years, and was the fastest-growing programming language in 2022.

HTML

HTML is a standard markup language used for structuring and marking up web pages. While HTML may seem very basic compared to other languages, its ability to structure content has largely created the internet as we know. Necessary for publishing text, headings, tables, photos, and video, HTML is an essential front-end skill. Developers primarily use HTML in conjunction with another front-end language, CSS.

CSS

CSS is a stylesheet language used to design the layout and presentation of web pages. Developers pair CSS with markup languages like HTML or XHTML to control the presentation of web documents. While HTML provides the structure of a page, CSS dictates the style of the page.

CSS frameworks include Bootstrap, Bulma, Foundation, Skeleton, and Tailwind CSS.

Back-End Programming Languages

While the selection of front-end languages is pretty standardized, a full-stack developer’s options for back-end programming languages are pretty open. In theory, a full-stack developer has hundreds of back-end languages to choose from. 

Here, we’ve highlighted the popular, general purpose languages developers often turn to first.

Python

Python is an interpreted, high-level, general-purpose programming language, and one of the most popular languages for rapid development.

There are a number of reasons behind Python’s popularity with developers. It’s easy to learn, usable on nearly every project, and vital for the field of data science. There’s also a range of powerful Python frameworks, including Django, Bottle, and Web2Py. 

For use in full-stack development, Python is a safe choice for a general-purpose programming language. Particularly relevant for full-stack developers is PyScript, which allows them to create front-end applications using Python.

Java

Java is a high-level, object-oriented programming language used to create complete applications. The language is platform independent, allowing it to run on any device that supports its environment. 

This combination of performance and versatility made Java the most popular programming language with developers in 2021 and 2022. You can do just about anything with Java. (Well, almost anything.) 

Like Python, Java is a reliable pick for full-stack developers trying to choose a back-end programming language.

PHP

PHP is a widely-used open source and general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for web development. PHP’s popularity is owed to the fact that it was one of the first server-side languages that developers could embed into HTML. It’s also fast, secure, versatile, and supported by a strong open source community.

While PHP isn’t as popular as other general-purpose languages, its specialization gives it an advantage in web development over languages like Python.

Go

Go is an object-oriented programming language that Google created in 2009 for networking and infrastructure. But since launch, it’s evolved into a general-purpose language used in a wide range of applications. In 2022, Go was the second fastest-growing programming language, making it a worthy choice for full-stack development.

One framework that’s expanding the language’s full-stack potential is Bud, a full-stack framework used for the fast development of web applications. Known as “Ruby on Rails for the Go ecosystem,” Bud offers a unique combination of simplicity and scalability that helps full-stack developers expand front- and back-end code to meet the needs of users.

C++

C++ is a general purpose, compiled, and statically typed programming language. Known as “C with Classes,” C++ is an extension of C with the functionality of user-defined data classes. 

The high performance of C++ has made it the top language for use cases requiring fast rendering, including browsers, banking applications, and motion design software.

Another major contributor to C++’s ubiquity is its ability to work closely with system hardware. Developers often use C++ as their first choice for hardware-oriented applications, including video game engines, operating systems, and cloud systems. C++ is ideal for full-stack developers who prioritize performance and code reusability.

C#

C# is a general purpose, object-oriented, component-oriented programming language developed around 2000 by Microsoft as part of its .NET initiative. C# is based on the C family of languages, and has similarities to C, C++, Java, and JavaScript. 

An extension of C, C# adds on a number of features, including variable checking, type checking, bound checking, and garbage collection. 

Database Languages 

If you’re working across the tech stack, at some point you’ll need to consider the storage of data, user data in particular. Some, but not all, full-stack developer roles involve database management, which requires competency in a domain-specific query language.

What database language a developer knows will depend on whether they’re working with relational or non-relational databases.

SQL

SQL is an industry-standard structured query language for creating, defining, implementing, accessing, and maintaining relational databases. Usage of SQL is widespread. Not only is it the industry’s go-to query language, it was also the sixth most popular programming language in the world in 2022.

MQL

Non-relational databases store data using a flexible, non-tabular format. Also known as NoSQL (not only SQL) databases, non-relational databases use either SQL or an alternative query language. MongoDB Query Language (MQL) is, unsurprisingly, a query language used for working with the NoSQL database program MongoDB.

The post The Top 11 Languages for Full-Stack Development appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

Full-stack developers have endless options for developing, deploying, and managing software at every layer of the tech stack. Because full-stack development is multi-disciplinary, its innovations sit at the intersection of front-end and back-end development. In this article, we break down trends and tools that full-stack developers should know for 2023.

What is Full-Stack Development?

Full-stack developers have the unique ability to build both the visual and server environments that define the internet as we know it. Full-stack developers have an understanding of front-end design and interactivity, as well as the back-end databases and architectures.

With competency in both environments, full-stack developers are able to work at multiple levels of the website development process. By definition, they’re the ultimate generalists, able to independently build minimum viable products and integrate different technologies.

Trending Full-Stack Tools and Technologies

Full-stack developers are constantly finding new ways to improve their tech stacks.  Here are a few of the trending tools and technologies full-stack developers are using to create innovative online experiences for users.

Low-Code and No-Code Development

With the rise of low-code and no-code development platforms, anyone can become a developer through “virtual programming” — just point and click! These models also have a lower barrier to entry, making them exceptionally popular for businesses to lower costs of hiring full-stack developers. 

While there may be a few drawbacks such as limited control over code and reduced functionality, no-code development enables non-technical developers to build products and services faster. These low-code and no-code options mean basic application development can be distributed to non-technical or junior roles. Meanwhile, full-stack developers can focus on solutions and more complex coding enhancements. It’s also interesting to note that no-code/low-code tools themselves can be thought of as full-stack solutions, which may influence the future of full–stack developers.

Popular low code and no code platforms include Appian, Mendix, Quickbase, Zoho Creator, and Nintex.

Artificial Intelligence

The last several years have seen a surge in technological advancements for artificial intelligence, and it’s expected to be just as popular in 2023. Recent advances in data analysis, machine learning, and high-performance computing have pushed the limits of exciting use cases, including speech recognition to robotics.

As artificial intelligence adds new innovations to the technology stack, having a single developer who understands how all these disparate parts fit together will be invaluable. With holistic technical expertise, full-stack developers are playing a key role in the ongoing advancement of artificial intelligence.

Popular AI tools and frameworks include SciKit Learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Google ML kit.

Machine Learning

Machine learning (ML) is a subset of AI dealing focused on the development of computer systems that learn and adapt without following explicit instructions. Key to the success of machine learning is an endless supply of data from every layer of the tech stack. Full-stack developers can use their big-picture perspective of the tech stack to help data engineers and scientists feed this endless appetite for new data,

Full-stack developers can also leverage automations from machine learning to build faster and make data-driven decisions. 

Popular tools for machine learning include Pandas, TensorFlow, SciKit, and NLTK.

Blockchain

You may be familiar with Blockchain for cryptocurrencies, but it can be used for so much more, including identity management and supply chain management. Blockchain is decentralized and its security is unrivaled, but it does have a few limitations like scalability. Regardless, the encryption and transparency Blockchain offers continues to rise in popularity in many industries. Especially for financial industries, Blockchain simplifies complex financial and banking operations. As businesses become more aware of the benefits, they’ll need full-stack developers to move their operations to the blockchain.

Popular Blockchain development tools include MetaMask, Embark, Web3j, and Prysm.

Internet of Things

From smart home sensors to autonomous vehicles, the Internet of Things (IoT) development trend is all about connecting physical devices to the internet. Making our daily lives easier is always trendy, and now nearly every device is connected to the internet.  

While IoT development involves professionals from many different disciplines, full-stack developers are particularly valuable for their ability to build and integrate disparate systems. Full-stack developers have the challenge of understanding how to integrate devices, what information can be collected from devices, how to make the data usable, and how this information could benefit users.

Popular IoT platforms and tools include Node-RED, OpenRemote, Flutter, and Arduino.

Progressive Web Apps

While browsing the web, you probably came across a progressive web application (PWA) and may have not even realized it. 

PWAs are a type of web application built using common front-end technologies including HTML, CSS, JavaScript. A helpful way to think of PWAs is that they’re apps written in web programming languages that perform and feel like mobile apps built for iOS or Android. PWAs are reliable and function like native apps, but can use a single codebase to reach anyone, anywhere, and on any device. Because of these benefits, full-stack developers can be expected to deliver PWAs as a cost-effective solution for any business they’re a part of.

Popular PWA development tools and frameworks include Vue.JS, Angular, ReactPWA Library, and Polymer.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

Mixed reality, including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), is here to stay and advancing quickly, making it a trend to watch out for. With the release of Apple’s ARKit, Google’s ARCore, and Meta, more businesses will start incorporating AR and VR to keep up with bigger businesses. Many are already leveraging these new mixed reality technologies to revolutionize remote and long distance training, education, healthcare, and even gaming. Full-stack developers will play a vital role in the development of this technology by designing and implementing software at all levels of the stack, from the user interface all the way down to systems software.

The post Top 7 Full-Stack Development Trends for 2023 appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

Full-stack developers have the unique ability to build both the visual and server environments that define the internet as we know it. With an understanding of both  front-end and back-end development, full-stack developers are able to work at every level of the website development process. 

This mix of generalization and specialization can make it challenging to write job descriptions for full-stack roles. Each full-stack developer job description has to capture the specific technical requirements and opportunities for the role. In this post, we break down how hiring managers and recruiters can write successful full-stack developer job descriptions.

What Does a Full-Stack Developer Do? 

The first step to writing a compelling job description is having a clear understanding of the discipline of full-stack development and the core requirements of the role.

Full-stack developers have the unique ability to build both visual and server environments. Full-stack developers have an understanding of front-end design and interactivity, as well as back-end databases and architectures. Their specific tasks draw from both disciplines depending on the company and role. With competency in both environments, full-stack developers are able to work at multiple levels of the website development process. 

Any company that’s building its own website or online applications need to hire developers to build the front-end and back-end environments. Often, companies hire developers who specialize in one of those two environments. However, companies also hire full-stack developers who can work throughout the tech stack.

What Should a Full-Stack Job Description Include?

Company Value Proposition

From 2020 to 2030, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the number of employed software developers in the U.S. to grow by 22% — almost triple the 8% average growth rate for all occupations. With this level of demand for their skills, full-stack developers have endless opportunities to choose from. What makes your open role stand out? The first section of your job description needs to address this question.

Communicating the opportunity of the role at – along with the employer brand, value proposition, and company culture – is essential to crafting a successful job description.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities section lists the core activities of the role. There are a number of different ways to represent these responsibilities, including daily tasks, monthly responsibilities, objectives of the role, and key outcomes. 

In this section, it’s important to clarify the specific type of full-stack development skills the position requires and the depth of expertise in each skill. Each full-stack developer will have a unique combination of generalization and specialization across the entire stack. Even a senior full-stack developer might have working knowledge of both the front and back ends, with true expertise in only a few layers. What specific front-end and back-end skills are you looking for?

Common front-end responsibilities include:

• Designing front-end interfaces
• Building tools that improve site interaction 
• Creating and implementing UI/UX designs
• Coding in client-side programming languages

Common back-end responsibilities include:

• Designing back-end systems
• Supporting the full application lifecycle
• Building relational or non-relational databases
• Coding in server-side programming languages

Responsibilities required by any development role include:

• Planning
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Agile development

Basic Qualifications

The basic qualifications section has two main components.

First, list any degree requirements. A common qualification for full-stack roles is for the candidate to have either a BS/BA degree or equivalent experience. If the role is open to applications from bootcamp graduates and self-taught developers, this is also the section to communicate that.

Next is the required years of experience scaled to the seniority of the role. This requirement is communicated with either a range or minimum requirement. 

For example:

• Entry-level: 0-2 years
• Mid-level: 3-5 years
• Senior-level: 5+ years

Some companies also use this section to list experience with a minimum number of programming languages as a basic qualification.

Required Qualifications

The required qualifications section is one of the core sections of a job description. While basic qualifications focus on education and experience, this section gives employers the space to list the must-have technical competencies and soft skills required for the role.

Common front-end languages found in this section include:

• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript
• TypeScript

Common front-end frameworks found in this section include:

• Angular
• Ember
• jQuery
• React
• Vue.js

Common back-end languages and technologies found in this section include:

• C/C++
• Go
• Java
• PHP
• Python
• Ruby
• Rust
• SQL
• AWS
• Azure
• GCP

Common back-end frameworks found in this section include:

• Backbone
• Django
• ExpressJS
• Laravel
• Ruby on Rails
• Spring Boot

Common technical competencies found in this section include:

• Hands-on development experience with front-end and back-end languages
• Familiarity with key front-end frameworks
• Mobile-first development experience
• Strong sense of web and user interface design
• Knowledge of system design and infrastructure architecture disciplines
• Knowledge of cloud computing and infrastructure
• Advanced knowledge of user experience design, accessibility standards, API development, and information architecture
• Knowledge of industry-wide technology trends and best practices

Common soft skills found in this section include:

• Technical communication
• Project management
• Time management
• Problem solving

Other Desired Skills & Nice-to-Haves

While not present on every job description, some companies elect to mention additional skills that the company desires but not required to succeed in the role. An example of a “nice-to-have” skill for a full-stack developer is experience in search engine optimization.

Sample Job Description

The job descriptions for full-stack roles can vary widely, depending on the responsibilities, compensation, and seniority of the position. That said, there are commonalities between descriptions you can take advantage of. Here’s an example of a job description for a mid-level full-stack development role.

Title: Full-Stack Developer II

Full-time. Associate.

Responsibilities

Development – Responsible for design, development, testing, deployment, and support of front-end and back-end software.

Delivery – Agile delivery of solutions aligned to business needs while maintaining a high standard of quality. Participate in code reviews and troubleshoot bugs.

Collaboration – Partner with product owners to understand business and product requirements to translate them into design solutions.

Communication – Clearly communicate roadmap, backlog, and team updates across the organization.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience in software development
• BS/BA degree or equivalent experience

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of hands-on front-end development experience with HTML5, CSS, JS, Vue, and React.
• Prior experience with a server-side programming language
• Advanced knowledge of user experience design, accessibility standards, API development, and information architecture
• Hands-on experience with SQL and relational database management systems (Oracle, MySQL)
• Knowledge of industry-wide technology trends and best practices

Other Desired Skills

• Experience with search engine optimization
• Experience with AWS, Azure, or GCP

Resource for Hiring Full-Stack Developers

Front-End vs Back-End vs Full-Stack Developers: What’s the Difference?

What Does a Full-Stack Developer Do? Job Overview & Skill Expectations

Best Practices for Hiring Software Developers: Front-End, Back-End, & Full-Stack

18 Full-Stack Developer Interview Questions + Checklist

A Data-Driven Guide to Hiring Full-Stack Developers

The post How to Write a Full-Stack Developer Job Description [Template] appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

Front-end, back-end, and full-stack development are distinct but essential disciplines of software development. And understanding the difference between the three is significant. In this post, we break down the difference between the three types of developers and how it affects developers, hiring managers, and recruiters.

Front-End vs Back-End Environments

When you load a website or application, the experience consists of two environments. 

The back end is what you don’t see that underpins the digital experience, including servers, applications, and databases.

In contrast, the front end is everything that a user sees and interacts with in their browser. The front end includes buttons, text, links, design, and the overall user experience.

Think of it this way: If a website were a car, the front end would be the exterior, the wheel, the seating, and paint. The back end, on the other hand, is the engine, ignition, and transmission that make the car function.

What Does a Front-End Developer Do?

Front-end developers create everything the user sees and interacts with in their browser. On a more technical level, the core job responsibilities of front-end developers include:

• Coding in client-side programing languages
• Building tools that improve site interaction 
• Ensuring high performance on every browser
• Troubleshooting, debugging, and optimizing performance
• Creating and implementing UI/UX design
• Designing information architecture
• Prototyping application interfaces with graphic design tools
• Integrating APIs

Technical Skills

Front-end developers use a range of programming languages to build websites. These include:

• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript

Out of the above languages, the most widely known is JavaScript.

Front-end developers also work with a number of programming frameworks, including:

• React
• Angular
• Ember
• jQuery
• Backbone
• Bootstrap
• Tailwind CSS
• Bulma
• Foundation

What Does a Back-End Developer Do?

Back-end developers build the server-side infrastructure that users don’t see, also known as the back end or server side. On a more technical level, the core job responsibilities of back-end developers include:

• Working with web server technologies 
• Coding in server-side programming languages
• Supporting the full application lifecycle
• Troubleshooting, debugging, and optimizing performance
• Building automation tools
• Developing and integrating APIs

Technical Skills

Back-end developers use a range of programming languages to build applications. These include:

• PHP
• Ruby
• Python
• Java
• .Net
• C
• C++
• C# 
• SQL
• Rust
• Go

Out of the above languages, the most widely known are Java, C, and Python.

Back-end developers also use a number of programming frameworks, including:

• Zend
• Symfony
• Ruby on Rails
• Django
• Laravel
• Express.js
• Flask
• Gin

Back-end developers may also have a number of competencies beyond programming languages. These include cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and database tools (SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL)

What Does a Full-Stack Developer Do?

Full-stack developers have the unique ability to build both the visual and server environments that define the internet as we know it. Full-stack developers have an understanding of front-end design and interactivity, as well as back-end databases and architectures. 

Full-stack developers have a combination of front-end and back-end responsibilities, and their specific tasks vary depending on the company and role. With competency in both environments, full-stack developers are able to work at multiple levels of the website development process. 

Any company that’s building its own website or online applications will need to hire developers to build the front-end and back-end environments. Often, companies will hire developers who specialize in one of those two environments. However, companies will also hire full-stack developers who can work throughout the tech stack.

The demand for — and feasibility of — full-stack development has fluctuated throughout the history of software development. When development environments are relatively simple, the demand for full-stack developers increases. Under these conditions, it’s more efficient for companies to hire developers who can own the development of features from design to implementation. 

But when application development is more complex, the need for full-stack developers decreases. That’s because it’s harder for one person to understand the full technology stack when it’s more complicated or going through periods of rapid iteration.

With the technology industry in the early stages of developing Web3, this trend may change, with the demand for full-stack developers continuing to grow. As developers introduce innovative new technologies to the technology stack  — including machine learning, decentralization and the metaverse — full-stack developers who understand how all these pieces fit together will be invaluable. It’s possible that during this change the titles and roles of full-stack professionals may shift from development to integration.

It’s worth noting that an individual full-stack developer won’t necessarily use all of the front-end and back-end technologies we’ve listed. The number of technologies a developer knows — and the depth at which they know them — will vary on a case-by-case basis. Full-stack developers at the beginning of their careers won’t have complete mastery over both back-end and front-end, but they will increase the depth and breadth of their skills throughout their careers. Even a senior full-stack developer might have working knowledge of the entire stack, with true expertise in only a few layers.

What’s the Difference?

Depth of Expertise

Front-end and back-end developers both build deep expertise in a single development environment. Full-stack developers, in contrast, are defined by a combination of breadth and depth.

There are several different types of full-stack developers, each with varying levels of expertise in the two disciplines:

• Experts in front-end with an understanding of back-end
• Experts in back-end with an understanding of front-end
• Generalists with equal competency in both disciplines
• Experts in both disciplines

Compensation

Lastly, these types of developers earn different salaries. Back-end developers typically earn the most, with an average base salary in the U.S. of $115,129. Front-end developers, in contrast, earn the least of the three with an average salary of $100,139. Average compensation for full-stack developers sits between the two at $106,167.

The important takeaway here is not specific compensation levels, as salary data can quickly change due to market conditions. Instead, it’s the relationship between these numbers and what it communicates about how the industry values certain developer skills. Back-end skills are priced at a premium. And having both back-end and front-end skills is priced slightly higher than front-end skills but lower than back-end skills.

Why Does the Difference Matter?

Having a clear understanding of the different specializations of developers is critical. However, the reason for its importance depends on your role.

For aspiring developers, understanding the different possible career paths is key to choosing a specialization and learning the right skills to succeed.

While hiring managers will be familiar with the particulars of front-end and back-end development, knowing when to hire generalists or specialists is less straightforward. Understanding the nuances of each role is key to making good hiring decisions and building teams with the right skill sets.

Lastly, for recruiters, having fluency over each discipline will make it easier to attract skilled candidates and sell the technical opportunities of the role.

Resources

What Does a Front-End Developer Do? Job Overview & Skill Expectations

What Does a Back-End Developer Do? Job Overview & Skill Expectations

What Does a Full-Stack Developer Do? Job Overview & Skill Expectations

The Strange Politics of the “Full-Stack Developer”

The post Front-End vs Back-End vs Full-Stack Developers: What’s the Difference? appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

Full-stack developers have the unique ability to build both the visual and server environments that define the internet as we know it. Full-stack developers have an understanding of front-end design and interactivity, as well as the back-end databases and architectures.

That’s why companies of every size and industry are in an arms race to hire the best full-stack talent. As of this writing, there are more than 58,000 openings for full-stack developers in the U.S. alone.

In this post, we’ll break down the statistics, job requirements, and responsibilities of a career in full-stack development.

Overview of the Duties of a Full-Stack Developer

When you load a website or application, the experience consists of two environments. 

The front end is everything the user sees and interacts with in their browser. This includes buttons, text, links, design, and user experience. This is known as the client side.

The back end is what the user doesn’t see — the servers, applications, and databases that underpin the digital experience. This is known as the server side.

A full-stack developer has an understanding of both front-end and back-end development and is able to work at every level of the website development process. 

On a more technical level, the core job responsibilities of full-stack developers include:

• Web server technologies and server-side programming languages
• Client-side technologies and programming languages
• Supporting the full application lifecycle
• Troubleshooting, debugging, and optimizing performance
• Building automation tools
• API integration
• Creating tools that improve site interaction 
• Troubleshooting, debugging, and optimizing performance
• Creating and implementing UI/UX design
• Designing information architecture
• Prototyping application interfaces with graphic design tools
• Working in an agile environment
• Keeping up-to-date with advancements in technology

What Kinds of Companies Hire Full-Stack Developers?

Any company that’s building its own website or online applications will need to hire developers to build the front-end and back-end environments. Often, companies will hire developers with skills focused on one of those two environments. However, companies will also hire full-stack developers who can work throughout the tech stack.

The demand for — and feasibility of — full-stack development has fluctuated throughout the history of software development. When web development environments are relatively simple, the demand for full-stack developers increases. Under these conditions, it’s more efficient for companies to hire developers who can own the development of features from design to implementation. 

But when application development is more complex, the need for full-stack developers decreases. That’s because it’s harder for one person to understand the full technology stack when it’s more complicated or going through periods of rapid iteration.

With the technology industry in the early stages of developing Web3, it’s likely that this trend may change, with the demand for full-stack developers continuing to grow. As developers layer innovative new technologies on the technology stack  — including machine learning, decentralization and the metaverse — having a single developer who understands how all these disparate parts fit together will be invaluable.

The biggest employers of full-stack developers are the some of the world’s largest companies, including Infosys, FedEx, Fidelity Investments, IBM, and Google.

But it’s not just Silicon Valley and new startups driving the demand for full-stack talent. All companies are becoming tech companies — now more than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic and work-from-home era only accelerated this trend. Companies in every industry will need technical talent to help them modernize and innovate their business practices. 

Marketing, logistics, financial technology, financial services, telecommunications, manufacturing, entertainment, retail, healthcare, pharmaceuticals — the demand (and opportunity) for full-stack talent is nearly endless. 

While there isn’t much data on the growth rate of full-stack developers specifically, we do have data for software developers as a whole. From 2020 to 2030, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the number of employed software developers in the U.S. to grow by 22 percent — almost triple the 8 percent average growth rate for all occupations.

Types of Full-Stack Developer Positions

The job title a full-stack developer may hold varies depending on their experience and the company or industry in which they work. The title of a graduate from a coding bootcamp might look different than a candidate with a bachelor’s degree. And the job function of a full-stack developer in a 5,000-person company will differ from one at a five-person startup.

At the beginning of their career, a full-stack developer will typically start with an entry-level title like junior full-stack developer, full-stack developer 1, or web design developer, and will typically work in that role for one to three years.

From there, they often have the opportunity to move into slightly more senior-level roles with hands-on web and software development responsibilities, with job titles like senior full-stack developer, lead software developer, and senior software architect. Spending several years honing their tech skills and mastering a code base, their responsibilities often expand to include taking more ownership of projects, working independently in a team environment, and mentoring project team members. Senior full-stack developers might also start specializing in particular technologies, such as databases, cloud computing, user experience design, or systems architecture. 

At this point in their careers, some front-end and back-end developers will choose to transition to different environments or to full-stack development roles. This is true for full-stack developers, but they often have more flexibility in the roles they occupy. With a skill set covering the entire tech stack, they can feasibly transition into a broad range of roles.

With some additional experience under their belt, a full-stack developer may also face a crossroads in their career. The first path for experienced developers is to pivot into people and team management functions, where hiring, mentoring, resource planning and allocation, strategy, and operations become a larger component of the role. At the higher levels of an organization, these titles might include:

• IT Director
• Chief IT Architect
• Information Systems Manager
• Web Architect
• Webmaster 
• Engineering Director
• Software Engineering Director
• VP of Engineering
• Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
• Chief Information Officer (CIO)

The other possible career path is to continue as an individual contributor, where they can develop deeper technical expertise in various programming languages and frameworks. A large number of developers opt to stay in roles as individual contributors, and they enjoy equally fulfilling careers. 

Salary Comparisons & Job Outlook

On average, full-stack developers tend to receive a salary much higher than the national average in their country. For example, in the U.S. the average salary in 2020 was $53,400. In contrast, the average base salary for full-stack developers in the U.S. is $106,167. That’s 98.8 percent more than the national average.

Entry-level full-stack developers can expect to occupy a lower salary band at the beginning of their career. In contrast, senior positions provide a higher average compensation, though data for this specific salary band is hard to find. Industry and company size also affect the salary band dramatically.

It’s worth noting that the compensation for full-stack developers trends higher than their front-end peers, who make an average of $100,139. And they trend lower than their back-end peers, who command an average base salary in the U.S. between $115,129 and $125,924.

Historically, geography has had a significant impact on the compensation of full-stack developers. The U.S. leads the world in developer salaries by a wide margin of 23.3 percent. The remaining members of the top five highest paying countries are Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

But compensation also varies within each country, not just internationally. For example, while full-stack developers in San Francisco earn an average of $142,401 a year, a full-stack developer in Atlanta might earn $106,802. That’s a 33.3 percent variation in compensation.

What remains to be seen, though, is how the rise of remote work will affect developer compensation. Should employers determine compensation based on where the company is located, where the employee is located, or the national average? The answer to this question depends on who you ask. 

In 2020, Reddit announced it won’t lower compensation for remote employees. Instead, it will scale their compensation packages to reflect the pay ranges of high-cost areas. Meanwhile, both Facebook and Twitter announced they would decrease the compensation of remote employees who move to regions with lower costs of living. 

Companies will take their own approach, the prevailing trend appears to be the latter.

“We’ve seen salary convergence, or the removal of location-based pay scales, for C-suite executives over the last several years,” said Vivek Ravisankar, CEO of HackerRank, in an article for Fortune. “This coming year, we will see the same trend pick up steam for individual developers’ salaries. The remote-first model and ongoing tech talent shortage will further drive this convergence. We have started to see this convergence taking place across the globe as well.”

Requirements to Become a Full-Stack Developer

Technical Skills

Full-stack developers use a range of both front-end and back-end technologies to build websites and applications. 

Some of the front-end technologies full-stack developers use include:

• HTML
• CSS
• CSS frameworks (Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, Bulma, and Foundation)
• JavaScript (JS)
• JS Frameworks (React, Angular, Ember, and Backbone)
• jQuery

Some of the back-end technologies full-stack developers use include:

• Python
• Ruby
• Java
• .NET
• C
• C++
• C# 
• Rust
• Go
• PHP
• PHP frameworks (Zend, Symfony)
• SQL
• Database tools (SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, Hadoop)
• Linux experience
• Cloud frameworks

Out of the above languages, the most widely known is JavaScript.

Full-stack developers also have to learn a number of general web development skills, including:

• Git 
• SSH
• GitHub
• Algorithms
• HTTP / HTTPS
• Terminal usage
• Data structures 
• Character encodings

Depending on their area of focus, full-stack developers might also have an understanding of front-end and design concepts, such as:

• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• User experience (UX)
• Content management systems
• E-commerce
• Mobile-first design
• Graphical editing tools (Photoshop, Illustrator, Sketch, Figma)

It’s worth noting that the above lists are an overview of both front-end and back-end technologies that a full-stack developer might use. The number of technologies a developer knows — and the depth at which they know them — will vary on a case-by-case basis. Full-stack developers at the beginning of their careers won’t have complete mastery over both back-end and front-end, but they will increase the depth and breadth of their skills throughout their careers. Even a senior full-stack developer might have working knowledge of the entire stack, with true expertise in only a few layers.

One thing that technical recruiters and aspiring developers alike will notice is that there’s no standard way to learn these skill sets. There’s a huge variety in the technologies full-stack developers know and the order they learn them.

Take, for example, the first programming language developers start with. JavaScript is the best known language, but it isn’t a language most developers learn to code in — only 5 percent of respondents reported it as their first programming language.

This is likely because developers are strongest in classic languages taught in computer science programs, like C, C++, Java, and Python. Front-end-heavy languages, though, are often excluded from traditional CS programs, leading developers to learn JavaScript through on-the-job experience or self-directed learning.

Soft Skills

Technical competency alone isn’t enough to succeed in a full-stack role. Mathematical, design, analytical, and problem-solving skills are a must in any software development job. And soft skills are even more critical in a digital-first or digital-only environment.

Employers may put even more stock into developers with strong soft skills, such as:

• Time management
• Communication
• Project management
• Creativity
• Problem solving

Experience

After competency, the most important qualification for full-stack developers is experience. On-the-job experience and training is a critical requirement for many employers.

Then there’s education. Worldwide, about 75 percent of developers have a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree. Many companies still require developers to have a four-year degree. While hiring developers, it’s likely that many of them will have a degree. 

But competition for skilled full-stack developers is fierce, and it’s common for job openings requiring degrees to go unfilled. Companies looking to hire developers should be prepared to recognize other forms of education and experience. Employers will have access to a much larger pool of talent if they prioritize skills over education and pedigree.

Online training and bootcamps are popular ways to learn new technical skills. And research has shown that 86.7 percent of developers have taught themselves a framework, language, or tool outside of a classroom or course. 

The career of a full-stack developer is one of constant learning. Even if they have a formal education, full-stack developers will rely on online courses, on-the-job training, and self-directed learning to stay up to date with the latest advancements in front-end and back-end technologies.

Increasingly, developers with no higher education or on-the-job experience are becoming ideal candidates for many roles. Many of the world’s leading tech companies have taken notice and no longer require a four-year degree. Employers that hire developers from a diverse range of backgrounds will be able to scale their team with ease.

Resources for Hiring Full-Stack Developers

Best Practices for Hiring Software Developers: Front-End, Back-End, & Full-Stack

Developer Hiring Solutions

15 Common Problem-Solving Interview Questions

Resources for Becoming a Full-Stack Developer

HackerRank for Developers

Software Engineering Questions to Know in 2022

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In a perfect world, full-stack developers are developers that can—in theory—create a usable end product with minimal input or support.

It seems simple enough, not everyone agrees on what makes a “full-stack developer.” Some don’t think the term should be used. Some adamantly defend the need for it. Some don’t even believe full-stack developers exist.

The strife over what constitutes a “full-stack developer” doesn’t just lead to online arguments (though it does incite a…lot… of… them). It also spurs misalignment in how to assess, attract, and hire full-stack candidates.

And while it’d be easier to put this dispute on the back burner, the term “full-stack developer” isn’t going anywhere. Not only has the job seen 198% growth in demand in the last year, but it’s also the most popular occupation for developers across the world (per our 2018 Developer Skills Report). In other words, it’s not a disconnect teams can afford to ignore.

In this piece, we’ll help clarify why there’s confusion around the oddly political job title, explain each side of the debate, and help you align with your hiring team to ensure you identify the skills you really need for your team.

To better understand the current disagreement over the term “full-stack developer,” we’ll have to unpack how the argument started.

The birth of the full-stack developer

The term “full-stack developer” hasn’t actually been en vogue for long at all. One of the earliest known mentions cropped up in 2008, and the first Google queries for a “full-stack developer” didn’t happen until 2010—and it’s only increased in popularity since:

“Full-stack developer” Google search trends since 2004 – this uptick in popularity is mirrored in alternate representations of the term, e.g. “fullstack developer” and “full stack developer”

But if this role has existed in some form since pre-internet times, why don’t we see this search term gain popularity until the early 2010’s? It turns out, answering that question requires a little bit of a tech history.

Per the history of the term, “full-stack developer” originally gained popularity in the mid-2000’s, where simpler, more streamlined technologies meant that many developers could feasibly execute a project end-to-end. The approach was a total 180 from the siloed responsibilities that defined the previous era of the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.

But as time wore on, a shift back to more complicated technologies and more layered stacks in the early 2010’s once again encouraged stratification of roles. Server-side and client-side work became increasingly polarized, contributing to the popularization of the terms “front-end developer” and “back-end developer.”

In response, in the same era, “full-stack developer” regained popularity in an attempt to distinguish developers that didn’t identify with the front-end/back-end specialist binary. Instead, they defined themselves as a third type of developer—one that could tackle both front and back-end responsibilities.

But of course, not everyone in the tech community agreed with that interpretation. And while it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when this debate surfaced, most credit two happenings for catalyzing it: first, a 2010 piece from former Facebook Engineer Carlos Bueno on the definition of full stack, and second, a claim that Facebook “only hire[d] ‘Full Stack’ developers” in 2012, as heard by Laurence Gellert at OSCON.

The result? A broiling terminology debate that’s still alive and well almost a decade later.

The case against the full-stack developer

The anti-full-stack developer camp is perhaps one of the most dominating voices in the argument over what does (or doesn’t) constitute full-stack. In short, their argument is hinged around the idea that a full-stack developer is someone with “the ability to easily navigate the back-end and front-end with a senior level of expertise.”

While there’s some variety within this view, this camp believes that full-stack developers should be able to:

• Write all around top-notch client side (or, front-end) code at the same level as a front-end specialist
• Write equally top-notch server side (or, back-end) code at the same level as a back-end specialist
• Manage the server infrastructure
• Handle the non-technical project management and business demands of coordinating their work with product
• Oversee QA, DevOps, and security

And while this group concedes that many developers can do some work that spans both disciplines, they feel very few can do both well. In short: they allege that a truly full-stack developer is a unicorn, and that too many people bill themselves as a full-stack developer without having full-stack qualifications.

This camp’s gripe with the “full-stack developer” term can be summed up in the following points:

• It’s a way for companies to make unrealistic demands of their employees. It allows them an avenue to task one employee with massive amounts of responsibility, which benefits the company, and at the expense of the developer. Companies ask for huge amounts of work and expertise at a low price (compared to the price of hiring multiple specialists).
• It implies a global level of expertise that most developers don’t have. Being a true full-stack developer entails “dual mastery” of both front and back-end tasks, which just isn’t possible, given the speed at which new tech evolves. Calling oneself “full-stack” with any less expertise is a misuse of the term.
• It encourages wide breadth, shallow depth knowledge. A full-stack developer can never fully immerse themselves in either the front-end or the back-end. A focus on the entire stack makes developers a jack of all trades, master of none.

This argument alleges that true full-stack developers are few and far between. Instead, they’re more apt to believe that self-identified full-stack developers are actually front-end developers with some back-end capability, or vice versa.

The case for the full-stack developer

On the other hand, the pro full-stack developer camp argues for a broader interpretation of the term. They refute the idea that a full-stack developer has to be an authority in every layer of the stack; instead, they need working knowledge of the entire stack, with true expertise in only a few layers.

Their definition of “full-stack” opts for a less restrictive set of requirements, describing someone who can:

• Comfortably write both front and back-end code to some extent
• Generate a MVP (minimum viable product) on their own with minimal support from others, if necessary
• Provide expert-level specialty in a small handful of technologies
• Show at least a basic understanding of technologies they don’t specialize in

In other words: from this view, a full-stack developer doesn’t have to be an all-around expert in every layer of the stack. Instead, here, a “full-stack developer” refers to being an effective and seasoned generalist: someone with a wide knowledge base, a solid specialty, and the willingness to admit when they’re out of their depth.

Their defense of the term “full-stack developer” is rooted in a few key thoughts:

• A good developer doesn’t silo their knowledge. While most developers are either front-end or back-end focused, to be good at either, you need to understand both sides of the table; forcing a strict line between the two sides discourages developers from learning beyond their specialty. On some level, the boundary between back-end and front-end is artificial.
• Companies need all around developers. Specialization isn’t suitable for everyone, or for every business goal. Small companies and startups need the broad expertise and the versatility of full-stack knowledge to build projects with limited people and resources. Large companies tend to have more work for specialists, but can still utilize full-stack developers in a project management context.
  
• They bridge the worlds of front and back-end. Specialized front-end and back-end developers have their place, but developers with full-stack knowledge help to bridge the gap between the two of them. Because they understand both sides of the coin, they can identify issues and opportunities that lifelong specialists might not. It promotes cross-layer functionality.

This argument alleges that full-stack developers don’t replace, but build on and complement the work of front and back-end specialists. Their core value lies in their ability to understand and work on the full breadth of a project, and to bring a more global technical knowledge to everything they touch.

In a nutshell, the philosophy can be summed up in this quote from The Pragmatic Programmer:

“The more things you know, the more valuable you are…the more technologies you are comfortable with, the better you will adjust to change.”

Aligning on a meaning that works

Amidst the debate, there’s some good news for those of us trying to decipher a definition for the term: both sides do align one thing. That is, they expect at least a basic understanding in all layers of a given stack. Their primary difference lies in how much expertise they expect from a full-stack developer in each layer.

Inching closer to alignment, a paper published by the Association for Information Systems (AIS) recently analyzed the top 5 most referenced and visited definitions of “full-stack developer” in an attempt to distill a common interpretation.

Here’s the universal definition they proposed based on that research:

Full stack development is a methodology which addresses all stack layers and in doing so creates a complete, implementable solution to business requirements. Full stack developers have broad experience among all stack layers and expertise in a few layers. They should be able to render a minimum viable product in a given stack.

– “Towards a Consensus Definition of Full-Stack Development”, Shropshire et al, 2018

While this definition is still bound to stir opinions from extreme viewpoints on either end, it’s certainly a step in the right direction to aligning on what, exactly, a full-stack developer is. From here on out, it’s up to the technical community to adopt a working definition—tech hiring teams, especially. After all, they do write the job descriptions.

With that in mind, here’s what recruiters and hiring managers can do to navigate the discussion:

• Make sure your asks are reasonable. No matter which camp you ask, nobody expects a full-stack developer to deliver the output of a full development team. If you decide that a full-stack developer makes sense for your team, be sure you’re not inadvertently asking for a “unicorn”, or asking one person to provide the output of many. Most importantly: be willing to consider that there may be more than one skill set that can succeed in the role.
• Clarify how developers work together at your company. How does your team split work, and who oversees them? What kind of front to back-end flexibility do they expect out of any given individual, full-stack or not? If hiring managers and recruiters align on this point, it can be easier to understand how a full-stack developer would function in context. And better role alignment means a more efficient hiring process.
• Keep your company’s needs in mind. Generally speaking, the bigger the company is, the more specialized developers (and all other roles) can be. If you’re in the process of growing your team, be mindful of how a full-stack developer would work in the team—not just today, but in the long run, as your team scales. A 300 person team might have room for more full-stack developers than an 8,000 person team.
• Consider that “full-stack” is a moving target. The spectrum of opinions on the term “full-stack” mean that full-stack developers can come in many varieties. Just because a candidate labels themselves a full-stack developer doesn’t necessarily indicate a match. On the flip side, a candidate that calls themselves a front-end or back-end developer may have just enough all around knowledge to suit your full-stack role. Don’t ignore the terminology, but take it with a grain of salt, and let the candidates’ skills speak for themselves.

Which camp do you and your team fall in? Let us know what you think in the comments.

You definition of full-stack won’t always align with your candidate’s. Standardize your process with coding challenges.

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