Full Stack Developer: When we tell people that our web developer is a Full Stack Developer, we see their facial expressions change from one of interest to one of confusion. Generally, people simply don’t know the difference between what a full stack does and what a general developer does.
This article looks to explain those differences and therefore the benefits, in a little detail.
Fahd is Fully Stacked with the ability to develop both front end and beck end on websites. In addition to this, he needs to understand a number of different layers, which includes:
- Project Management: To be able to manage a team of developers on any given website project
- In-depth Understanding: To be able to understand a client brief and relay that to a team of people
- Wireframes and Flows: To be able to take a given project brief and ma out visually how it should all pull together, and what impact one thing will have on another, which includes a knowledge of Boolean
- Coding Languages: To be able to understand a number of development languages, along with JavaScript, CSS and more
- Database: To be able to create, manage, interrogate and manipulate data within a database at any level
- Front End and Back End Development: To be able to use multiple languages to turn a design into HTML and then apply a CMS or other back end to a website in order to make it useable for the likes of you and me
- Hosting: To be able to launch a website on any server environment, and troubleshoot and resolve issues
- DNS: To be able to understand and make changes in DNS either on the server, within a Firewall environment, or via the Domain Control Panel. This managing both a website and emails
- Security: To be able to secure a website both Front End, Back End, within the Database and also on the Server
There are many differences between this level of ability and that of a web developer, who may be limited and restricted in his or her ability to manage a web based project from start to finish. A Full Stack Developer needs to be able to manage a whole project, and will work with developers to achieve this.
Again, this also differs from a Software Engineer, who may understand how to develop a system that is used Internally for example, but may not understand the Front End look and feel side of things. A Software Engineer may be used by a Full Stack to complete a part of an entire project.
As you can see, the advantages of employing someone who can take a project from start to finish is enormous for any company. But also for you, the client, knowing that it is all handled in the one place, by the one company, and that you can discuss the project with the FSD during progress meetings has to be a good thing.
