Complete List of Skills for Full Stack Developer

If you’re interested in a career in web development, you might consider becoming a full-time web developer. Understanding the skills required for this position and how it incorporates knowledge of the front end and back end of an application is critical. In this article, we will talk about what a full stack developer does, what skills for a full stack developer are essential, and how to become one.

Who is a full stack developer?

When a company advertises that they are looking for a full stack developer, they usually expect to find a person who has mastery over complex technical solutions. In other words, a full stack developer is a professional who comprehends and masters the frontend (client-side), backend (server-side), and databases of the web application.

However, to clearly understand what a full stack developer is, you must be well versed in the components of web development, i.e., the user interface (frontend) and server-side (backend).

We are confident that we have what it takes to help you get your platform from the idea throughout design and development phases, all the way to successful deployment in a production environment!

What is frontend development?

Front-end development (another name is client-side development) is the part of a website that a user can see or interact with. Such an element provides visual functionality to a website or application. If you decide to make your company website, some images and content will not make up your website. You need to give them selection criteria, a track for the client’s info, location, contact details, etc. Front-end development makes it so that features are visible to the user in the application.

What is backend development?

Backend development (another name is server-side development), is the part that is invisible to the user. The main functionality of server-side development is to make the user’s interaction with the application smooth and hassle-free. Besides, it is responsible for maintaining and organizing databases and behind-the-scenes functions of the front end.

When users land on your site, they fill out a contact form and make a purchase. Instead, all they see is the interface code of a successful transaction. But backend development is responsible for completing the purchase and storing information in the database. Backend development is essential if you prefer a dynamic and functional website.

Full stack developers are interested in both sides of the work (frontend and backend).

Typical job description of full stack developers

Full stack developers take on significant responsibility for the cohesive development and maintenance of a site or application. Typically, a full stack developer position includes the following duties:

testing changes made to previously developed programs,
managing the complete lifecycle of a software or application, from initial database to launch,
update and fine-tune software and applications after their deployment,
gathering feedback for site managers throughout the development process.

Besides, full stack developers typically control frontend architecture and backend programming; they also perform cross-platform optimization for different digital media (desktop, mobile, etc.). In addition to their technical obligations, developers are also responsible for collaborative planning with other organizations’ departments; they are also regularly assigned managerial responsibilities to lead the wider development team.

Why you should become a developer

When someone wonders why to become a full stack developer, they consider the following advantages:

High demand. Companies are looking for versatile professionals who can keep up with the market and fulfill more than one role. A full stack developer is trusted with many types of projects that no other specialist can handle. These specialists are familiar with the main aspects of development to work on projects more efficiently.
Great Pay. Full stack developers earn high wages because they cut their operating costs. They can do the work of 2-3 average programmers alone, which saves the company a lot of money. Thanks to their ability to work with different frameworks and technologies, such specialists remain in demand.
Creative Flexibility. Full stack workers know about many aspects of development. As a result, they can work with more flexibility. Specialists can work on the client-side of the application and the same database. Such versatility ensures optimal control of the product.
Better Productivity. As a full stack developer, you know different technologies. Whether adding images to a web page or creating a database, you’ll be familiar with it all; this gives you an advantage over other developers because you can make technical decisions faster and see the big picture.

Well, we managed to convince you to master the profession of full stack developer?

Complete Stack Developer Skills List

As we mentioned earlier, development specialists boast a wide range of abilities. Here is a list of skills for a full stack developer!

HTML/CSS

HyperText Markup Language (abbreviated HTML) is used in frontend technologies. Developers use HTML to control text and image format and visual effects on a website. It manages the structure of a web page as a hierarchy of headings, paragraphs, body, pop-ups, and various databases.

Cascading Sheet Styles or CSS is a style language that lets you style and modifies HTML elements. If you want to color your heading and paragraphs differently, do so with a suitable CSS personalization tool.

A full stack developer must know how to interact with these two main custom frontend tools (HTML/CSS) to work well with the client-side of an application.

Complete List of Skills for Full Stack Developer

JavaScript

Javascript is a dynamic language used by developers for interactive and enhanced frontend development. Due to the dynamic nature of Javascript, it is suitable for both client-side and server-side development. With its full integration with HTML, CSS, and adaptability to significant browsers, JavaScript makes the development process quite simple and efficient.

Additionally, there are many frameworks for frontend development, such as Angular, React, React Native, etc. A full stack developer must have a basic knowledge of JS and be aware of added libraries or helpful frameworks in this language to grow professionally.

Git and GitHub

Web development is not complete without the use of Git and GitHub. Git, the «distributed version control system», allows developers to control every minute step of the development process. It differs from other management systems in its efficiency in error handling and tracking. The specialist can monitor their progress, add «snapshots», go back, make the necessary changes, etc.

GitHub is a platform that lets developers work, manage, and test multiple projects simultaneously. As the title suggests, it creates a hub for networking and interaction with other developers. GitHub uses the functionality of Git to provide an ideal developers’ platform.

For a full stack developer, mastering such platforms allows absorbing the skills of team management, leadership, and collaboration. Besides, it will increase the developer’s efficiency since such platforms make working with code simple and effective.

Backend Development Languages

Since a full stack developer works on both frontend and backend, he/she must also have a basic understanding of technical backend languages. There are many benefits to learning these languages:

Python. Thanks to frameworks like Django and Flask, Python is one of the most popular programming languages in backend development. The simplified syntax and various functions suit multi-level object-oriented and structured programming.
Java. It’s a multipurpose programming language. Java is used to develop web applications, desktop, and mobile applications. In addition, Java has a wide range of frameworks that further simplify the backend development process.
PHP. One of the most common choices for backend development, PHP is an open-source, cross-platform compatible language that can run seamlessly on Unix, macOS, and Windows.
Ruby – it’s a programming language that is used to develop backend web applications. Such a language has simplified code, dynamic typing, and object-oriented principles. Unlike many other languages, Ruby provides several approaches to solving a problem when writing code. Ruby has created an open-source framework known as Ruby on Rails to make the work of developers more efficient.

Knowledge of the above languages helps developers do their job better.

Web Architecture

A full stack developer needs to improve his skills to maintain competent responsibility. And to succeed in this, you need to have a fundamental knowledge of web architecture. Since the developer is an expert in many areas, the team expects that he knows about the structural parts and user interface elements of a web application, such as DNS or Domain Name System Database Servers, Cloud Storage, and more.

HTTP and REST

HTTP and REST serve two unique goals. HTTP is a protocol utilized to facilitate communication with a client. At the same time, REST is an interface between systems that uses the HTTP protocol to collect data or perform various operations (in different formats) on data, which means that REST acts as a translator between the interface and the server. Since HTTP and REST are required for full stack development, they need to master both.

Some design skills

We know a development team is different from a design team. Still, a full stack developer needs to learn the basic design principles, including UI and UX design, prototyping, and scalability, to make frontend development more engaging and interactive.

Database storage

Any web application needs a database where all data is stored, ensuring developers have access to the information later. Database storage requires an experienced and skilled full stack developer who knows relational databases and storage inside out. Full stack developers need to understand the intricacies of database management – they need to be able to design, comprehensive, and manipulate database queries. They should also be able to work with XML and JSON. So, this is one of the essential skills of a full stack developer.

The most famous types of database storage:

Relational databases. Tables store data in rows and columns. A relational database management system (RDBMS) is a program that lets you create, update, and administer a relational database. Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Database, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and IBM Db2 are examples of relational databases.
NoSQL databases (the second name is «not only SQL») are not tabular and store data differently than relational tables. NoSQL databases come in different types depending on their data model; the main types are document, key-value, wide column, and graph. Examples of NoSQL are Apache Cassandra, MongoDB, CouchDB, and Couchbase.
Cloud database. Cloud databases provide flexibility, scalability, and high availability like other cloud applications. Cloud databases also require minimal maintenance as many of them are offered on a SaaS basis. Microsoft Azure SQL Database, Amazon Relational Database Service, Oracle Autonomous Database are examples of cloud databases.

You need to explore all specified database storage.

Version Control

Version control is a system that writes changes to a file or multiple files to help you remember the changes over time. The developer must know how to separate these files during the computation. It also makes it possible for multiple people to simultaneously work on the same project.

Soft Skills

Such soft skills will be helpful for any web development role:

Problem-solving attainments. Obstacles and problems are inevitable in the field of web development. Quickly solving problems in potentially stressful situations allows you to work more productively.
Creativity is essential for frontend, backend, and full stack developers. Whether designing the look of a website, managing records, and data, or structuring code, there’s an opportunity and need to be creative in all of these roles.
Patience: the coding process takes a lot of time. Being patient, staying calm, and having a positive attitude can go a long way.
Attention to detail. As a developer, you need to pay close attention to your code; this is important when creating a functional site or application. Close attention to detail can save you time and reduce production terms.
Communicability. Open communication with colleagues and superiors can lead to a more efficient and comfortable work environment. If you can report technical issues immediately, you will be able to find a solution faster.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have these skills for a full stack developer; it’s not too late to develop them.

How to become a full stack developer?

If you plan to become a full stack developer (or a frontend or backend developer), we recommend following these steps:

Create a vocational network. If you have friends or familiars who work as web developers, reach out to them and ask about their daily wins and problems they face. Ask them about the tools they use and current industry trends.
Conduct a professional interview. If you don’t know anyone in the web development industry, look around for professional organizations and see if you manage to schedule informational interviews with people in the position you’re looking for.
Look for an online community. Almost every social media site has space for this type of interaction, and it’s an effective way to get exposure to new industries, companies, and roles.
Sign up for web development courses. If you need to solidify your skills, taking classes in person or online is an excellent way to improve your resume and expand your networking contacts.
Joining a professional organization will introduce you to people who might one day hire you. Attending conferences is also a great option to expand your social network and discover existing vacancies.

You’ve seen a list of the essential skills you need to become a full stack developer. The more you know, the more you will be able to do flawlessly. Full stack developers are professionals who can handle everything related to web development. This list of skills sets them apart from frontend and backend developers. Learn these skills and start your way as a full stack developer.