Should You Consider Becoming a Full-Stack Developer?
What exactly is a Full Stack Developer?
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Front-End Developer
When you visit a website, everything on the screen is part of the front end. Front-end developers write the code that powers the user interface. These developers must be fluent not only in HTML, JavaScript, and CSS but also in a variety of frameworks. Foundation, Angular JS, Ember JS, Backbone, and Bootstrap are examples of frameworks. Front-end developers can collaborate with designers and other specialists to transform a mockup into a working model.
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Backend Developer:
A network of servers, databases, and applications work together to deliver the website pages and data you request daily. Backend developers are in charge of creating the structures for these components. To create programs, they must be fluent in languages such as Python,.Net, Ruby, Java, and PHP. Database programs such as MySQL, SQL Server, and Oracle are also used to manipulate data and deliver it to users. Backend developers work with various organizational managers and staff members to assess their specific needs.
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Full-stack Developer:
Full-stack developers understand both the back and front end of development. These are "big picture" developers who understand server- and client-side user experiences. Full-stack developers comprehend every aspect of the web development process and advise and guide stakeholders on overall strategy and best practices. Check out the full stack software development course in Canada, to master the skills and become a certified developer.
As computing evolves, so do roles.
In the early days of desktop computing, it was common for a single person to create software for an application. As programs became more complex and more technology was introduced into the mix, it became too difficult for one person to keep track of all of the application's various facets. By the turn of the century, specialists with knowledge and training in various technology areas began to emerge.
Because of the increasing complexity, when Web 2.0 sites appeared, many programmers reverted to a simpler approach. Developers began to deploy stable LAMP stacks (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP) and create flexible object-oriented languages such as Django and Ruby on Rails rather than complex databases and enterprise computing networks. Full-stack developers play important roles in such a setup because they are familiar with most of these modern frameworks and languages.
The Reintroduction of Complex Operations
However, the rise of mobile computing and the iOS and Android platforms; low-cost cloud servers such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft's Azure; databases such as MongoDB; front-end technologies such as Node.js and Angular.js; and container technologies such as Docker are ushering in a new era of complexity. Each of these platforms, services, and frameworks has its own set of quirks and features, making it nearly impossible for a single person to be a full-stack developer and oversee an entire project.
Specialists vs. Generalists
The benefit of becoming a full stack software developer in today's environment is that few people have the knowledge, experience, and communication skills to manage projects that use a wide range of platforms and frameworks such as HTML5, machine learning, and Scala — so quality full stack developers will always be in demand.
The disadvantage is that staying on top of all of these components — and any new ones that emerge in the future — is becoming increasingly difficult. No matter how talented you are, these components are complex enough on their own — and new languages and platforms emerge every few months. It is difficult to stay current in so many areas of knowledge.
As a result, specialization will always have distinct advantages. Organizations tend to hire for specific roles, so if you can demonstrate deep knowledge and experience in a specific area, you will have an advantage over other developers.
