Make Way for the Full Stack Web Developers

There was a time when only a few of were skilled in web development and areas pertaining to Information Technology (IT), but education and technology have witnessed a hundred and eighty degree shift and it has become far easier to acquire skills and education in web development than it was around a decade ago. Short term certificate courses and diplomas are enough to teach you the essentials of web development and all the other aspects pertinent to it. Online tutorials and information adds to the person’s existing knowledge and also enables them to absorb even more information which they can use to their benefit. Coming across web developers and web designers is no big deal in the present for there are a plethora of them available at every other corner. You can find a web developer online, in reality everywhere. The rise of technology has given rise to web development and as such, we are coming across the term ‘Full Stack Development’.

Increasing demand for Full Stack Web Developers

Once upon a time only the high and the mighty possessed a website but since there is a ginormous amount of people available having expertise in designing websites; small businesses and organizations with a low scale budget can easily have themselves put on the internet with a fully functional website. In fact, digital marketing has seeped into all organizations and every other business, ranging from small scale to large scale, is in the race to garner online presence. Employment prospects for the IT experts are skyrocketing but saturation is also occurring in the parallel. Since a majority of businesses prefer hiring a ‘know-it-all’ who can solely handle plenty of responsibilities, the demand for Full Stack Web Developers is witnessing a surge. Who in the devil are these guys??

Understanding Full Stack Web Development

The IT industry is one which shall never cease to bring about innovative solutions to everyday problems and every once in a while we are taken aback by a new invention which sweeps the feet from underneath us. Website designing and development is also an industry which is ever-growing in nature and this has given birth to the ultimate solution known as Full Stack Development.

In layman language, full stack development pertains to working on the entire solution relating to website development which includes front-end, back-end programming, databases, servers and much more. The tasks are strenuous but the work is rewarding and one which does not become monotonous in the long run, similar to BTEC assignments. The diploma is quite strenuous in the initial but guarantees success after its completion.

In order to become a Full Stack Web Developer, below listed are the essentials you need to major in:

Front End Development

HTML, CSS and Javascript constitute front-end development basics and further frameworks are based on these only. These three languages build the foundation for further frameworks such as;

• CSS pre-processors like Sass or LESS
• JavaScript frameworks like AngularJS, React, or Ember etc., or JS-based build tools like Grunt, Gulp, and Bower
• Libraries like jQuery or Backbone.js
• Front-end (CSS) frameworks like Foundation or Bootstrap
• AJAX

The main purpose of front-end development is to convert the code into a graphical layout and present an outlook of the overall website using the basic languages which are HTML, CSS and JavaScript. It is favourable if front-end developers are also well versed in designing the layouts through graphic designing software or wireframing software as they need not rely on another designer for providing a mock-up of the website. Front-end Development also requires skills in testing and debugging so that all problems arising in the layout are resolved with ease. The front-end is the client side, and front-end developers are enlisted with the responsibility of perfecting the experience on the client side.

Back-end Development

Back-end development comprises of all the tasks which lead to the functionality of a website and render it operational. The back end programming is crucial to making the website work and connecting it to a database server is just as vital. Back end programming languages necessary for back end development consist of;

• PHP
• Python
• Ruby
• Java
• JavaScript
• .Net

The listed languages are the key to mastering frameworks related to their server-side languages of choice such as Express.js, Ruby on Rails, CakePHP, etc. The purpose of programming languages and frameworks is to connect the servers and the back-end to make it accessible to the user on the front-end. If you ever wonder how you retrieve any sort of data on the web layout; that is back end development for you.

Knowledge of database servers such is highly indispensable in this regard so that the programmer is able to manipulate data and built an application which eases interaction between the database and the server. Server-side is the code and language that runs behind the scenes on the web server or the back-end. Apart from ensuring that a website is running smoothly without any obstacles and that the speed is eligible, back end developers create a data storage solution with a database, which is a crucial component for all web applications since it stores information (like users, comments, posts, etc.). Common databases include MySQL, MongoDB, and PostgreSQL. Constructing and managing the perfect hosting environment in addition to database administration and handling load changes also form the core responsibilities of a back end developer.

Back end developers and programmers are also highly skilled in front end languages and frameworks which often blurs the line between back-end and front end developers.

In addition to programming languages and frameworks, database server scripting and connections; Back End Developers are also required to be well versed in Version Control Systems such as Git nowadays so that any problems occurring can be resolved without any obstacles through collaboration with other developers.

Do Full Stack Web Developers make well?

It can be discerned from the above-listed components of Full Stack Web Development that the companies prefer to hire developers who can provide them with the complete solutions so that any issue occurring can be solved with simplicity. Being a full stack developer boasts a variety of benefits including;

• Full Stack developers are aware of the entire design structure ranging from the website layout to sending a database query to linking the database and the server together to debugging which is suffice to say that a full stack developer will not be dependent upon any other person to cope up with any problems or errors. This gives the full stack developer leverage as compared to a front end developer or only a database server specialist
• The salary scale for full stack developers is much higher as compared to other IT specialists and the demand has escalated simultaneously. Full stack developers enjoy lucrative benefits and market saturation is also not foreseeable in the nearer future.
• The wide range of knowledge possessed by Full Stack Developers allows them to upgrade their skills without hardships and learn without complexities. They can master a diverse set of areas and skills and enhance their knowledge pool.
• Considering the increasing demand for Full Stack Developers, they can find freelance work as well as full-time jobs and switch easily between jobs. Either way, they can do much more than making ends meet.