When you are considering a career in coding, you might have heard of the term ‘full-stack developer’. Full-stack technology refers to the entire depth of the computer application system. The term ‘ full-stack developer’ means having an end-to-end visibility of the project. They have the visibility as they have worked, and have experience in working on all the layers of the application development viz., frontend, backend, database, version control tools like GIT and Git Hub, Web Services like APIs, Cloud technologies, Hosting, etc.,
The ‘front end’ includes everything that the user can see and interact with on the screen viz User Interface. The front-end designers work to optimize the visible part of web applications and mobile applications. The skills required in designing the front end include HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, JQuery, Bootstrap, etc., and Added learning of frameworks like Angular, Vue.js, and React JS can be favorable during the hiring process. The ‘back end’ known as the business layer or logic, includes programming languages like Python, Java, PHP, C#, etc., The database management systems include creation, extractions, manipulation, and deletion of records. The developer needs to be skilled in operational functionalities of database management systems viz., MySql, SQL Server, Oracle, etc.
Full-Stack Developers originated during the early days of web development, when web applications were simple, small, and less complex, which allowed a single person to develop the entire application all by himself. But, with the exponential growth of web technologies over the years, the process has become more complex and difficult to handle by a single person. The rise of machine learning, predictive computing, and responsive design has made things much more challenging for developers to handle tasks.
Today, modern companies rely on the entire team of developers to understand emerging technologies and spot errors between the front end and back end for applications that incorporate Artificial Intelligence and other sophisticated technologies into their programming. Also, these developers help to build a minimum viable product ie an application with enough functionality to please early customers and spark feedback for continuous development. These days it’s mission-critical to have at least one full-stack developer who has a passing understanding of all the components that run at enterprise-level applications.
Role of a Full-Stack Developer :
These professionals work on a product from its inception to its final launch using industrial-standard practices and ensuring that technical concerns are addressed at every stage of the development process. At the design stage, they design the product based on the product specification, review prototypes, and discuss with clients before moving into the development process. Their responsibilities include:
1) Working on User Interface using HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, etc
2) Creating and managing databases and Servers.
3) Coding using the languages agreed on.
4) Communicating and co-coordinating with graphic designers and developers at regular intervals about the development life cycle.
5) Keeping up with emerging technology that serves business needs.
6) Prototyping a minimal viable product to convince the client about the viability of the product.
7) Automate day-to-day operations.
Front-End vs Back-End Development
While the demand for a full stack developer will depend on the specific industry and their job profile, they will need to have a complete skill set of a front-end designer and back-end developers.
Front End Development: This includes the Presentation area and the task is designing a user interface that the user can view and interact with on the screen. Since users access the UI from various sources such as desktops, smartphones, tablets, etc, the designers should ensure that the interface screen supports responsiveness. Also, they need to ensure that the site renders correctly with different browsers, operating systems, devices, etc. The requirements for front-end development is a specialized job and is constantly evolving with new technologies emerging. However, there are universal front-end development skills that include:
1) HTML
2)CSS
3) JavaScript
4)DOM Manipulation
This role is handled by Software Designers.
Back End Development: This role includes the Business Logic and Database operations part, along with integrating applications with Application Programming Interface (APIs), Version Control Systems like GIT and GIT HUB, Hosting, Cloud Operations, etc., In other words, it is the development that happens in the background. A question may arise why APIs are used. It is to reduce the burden on the developers. For instance, take the case of PayPal for making online payments. When we are using these web services like Paypal to integrate into our application from an external source, for online payment for course enrolment or payment of examination fees, we are saving a lot of time and work which otherwise takes days to develop.
This role is a specialized role handled by Software Engineer/Software Developer.
Now, coming to the role of a full stack developer. A full-stack developer is a professional who handles both the Front End and Back End roles. Ideally, he could be a Sr. Software Engineer reporting to the Tech Lead OR Tech Lead/Project Lead of that company reporting to the Project Manager. The Project Manager also does have a stack full of skills in his kitty.
A Full Stack developer can be:
1) Full Stack Web Developer
2) Full Stack Mobile Developer
Top 5 Languages to become a Full-Stack Web Developer:
There are so many full-stack languages around that it’s easy to get confused, trying to figure out where to start. Thankfully, there are many different ways to pick up the expertise necessary to become a knowledgeable full-stack developer. There is python, java, JavaScript, PHP, C#, and many others. To become a Full Stack developer, it is important to learn multiple programming languages to enable you to work on client-side and server-side while working on projects.
1) Full-Stack Web Developer: The following are the top five languages for web development. They are
- a) HTML5 and CSS3 (Client Side): It is a primary language used for web development. With HTML, you can structure your web page and with CSS you can create a look and feel for your web page.
- b) JavaScript (Client Side): it is a scripting language that provides interaction with the users. For instance, validate forms created in HTML. It provides various frameworks like Angular, React JS, Vue JS, and many others frameworks. It also supports server-side NodeJS for building Server Side applications. Developers skilled in React JS and Node.js are sought-after these days. React is a popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces, while Node.js is a powerful runtime environment that lets developers create scalable server-side applications.
- c) Python (Server Side): Python is a versatile language where you can develop web applications with the libraries Django and Flask. Also, Python supports Data Analytics and Visualization by providing various libraries like Pandas and Numpy, for accessing data from the database. It also supports a machine learning algorithms for making predictions from the given data. For the database, you can either use an in-house server or a cloud server.
- d) Java (Server Side): Best language for developing enterprise-level applications because of its stability. Its ‘write once, run anywhere’ functionality allows the code to be initially set up in one machine and run the code in multiple systems. Also, Java comes with automatic memory allocation and garbage collection features that ensure optimal memory utilization. Also, its security functionality makes it a secure language for building software applications.
- e) C# (server Side): is a product of Microsoft that has made a significant name for itself in web and games development. It provides utility software for a game engine that is used for building 2D and 3D video games. Along with web applications, it also enables users to create Windows applications, and also allows external sites to utilize its database resources (from the SQL Server database) through API. It also has rich built-in libraries. It is generally used to make desktop applications, web applications, mobile applications, video games, and embedded Systems.
2) Top Languages for a Full-Stack Mobile Developer:
To be a full-stack mobile developer, you need to have an understanding, or vision, of the big picture in app development. Broadly, the client side can be broken down into native and cross-platform development. Generally, when you need a higher performance for your App or need specialized App development, you would prefer for native development. If you are opting for generic performance for your app, you can opt for cross-platform development.
Languages for mobile development:
1) Android Development:
a)Native Development:
In the earlier stages, Java was the language used for Android mobile development. Today, Kotlin, another language, is used for Android mobile development instead of Java. What sets Kotlin apart is that it’s completely operable with Java. Moreover, it supports functional programming too.
- b) IOS Development:
For IOS development, you need to arrange for a MAC system. Previously, the language used was Objective C language. Today Swift, another language is used for IOS mobile development instead of Objective C. Swift is a programming language created by Apple for making iOS applications. This language is definitely on the rise, as iOS applications are extremely in demand.
2) Cross-Platform Development:
- Reactive Native: developed by Facebook and it requires a good knowledge of JavaScript for developing apps.
- Flutter: developed by Google and the language used is Dart (which is an Object Oriented language). Use Flutter framework along with dart for creating widgets and logic for your apps.
The database part is taken care of by Firebase, which is a web service, and you need to configure it in order to integrate it into your app. Also, you can access external web servers such as SQL Server, by using the API’s keys.
A Full stack developer occupies an important position to interact with front-end designers, back-end developers, database architects, etc in an organization. In the past, most developers specialized in either front-end or back-end development. While the demand for Full Stack Developers in the future is only expected to grow, a few factors could impact this trend. First, the need for traditional back-end developers will decrease as more businesses move to cloud-based solutions. Additionally, the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, IoT, Augmented Reality Virtual Reality, etc may lead to more automated development jobs, reducing the need for human intervention. However, despite these potential challenges, the demand for full-stack developers is still expected to remain strong in the years to come. Full-stack developers will continue to be in high demand through 2023 because they are well-rounded and can work on various projects, which is why many companies are looking for these skilled professionals. Such developers, who we call ‘jacks of all trades’, simplify the whole process by providing a single point of contact for everything, from digital product ideation to application deployment. It lowers development errors, allowing businesses to leverage all their talents in a cost-effective manner. Efficiency and cost are two of the essential aspects of full-stack mobile development. Whilst the above list showcases some of the most popular languages, it is by no means exhaustive. As a developer, it’s always vital to know which programming languages to learn or adopt in the coming year. While all the languages we’ve looked at are great, your choice should depend upon your own specific goals. What is true today will invariably be out of date in the near future. Full-stack mobile developers embrace change, as it is the only constant that is always true.
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