Ask HN: Which Skill's Make a Full-Stack Developer?
I'm building the Full Stack Developer Job Board (https://fullstackjob.com) and would like to know, which skill's are needed to be a Full-Stack Developer ? I don't ask about which languages or frameworks, but eg:
- Backend, Frontend, Devops, DBA
Something missing for you ? To much ?
15 comments
As far as I know, "full stack" just refers to being able to do both front end and back end work, where back end work consists of core website code, database administration, and devops. Full stack is a really broad classification that is defined with other really broad classifications.
> Ignoring languages and frameworks
Stacks are organization specific. Wikipedia's definition at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solution_stack is nice.
For fun: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=US&q=L...
Stacks are organization specific. Wikipedia's definition at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solution_stack is nice.
For fun: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=US&q=L...
Once more thanks to all input, which is really helpfully.
I think, even if this is not representative voting here... For sure we can say, that Full-Stack has no very well defined meaning. Everybody on both sides (Developer and Recruiter) has other opinion on what it exactly means for him.
On my Job Board for Full Stack Developers ( https://fullstackjob.com ) I try to handle it the way, that requirements are on both "sides", back and front end at least. That's not exactly my point of view, but the only common denominator I can see.
On my Job Board for Full Stack Developers ( https://fullstackjob.com ) I try to handle it the way, that requirements are on both "sides", back and front end at least. That's not exactly my point of view, but the only common denominator I can see.
Thanks for all answers I got yet :-)
What I can see from job submissions on my side project https://fullstackjob.com is, that for at least 50% of posting companies/recruiters, Full Stack is "just a bunch of skill's". For mostly all of them it includes both Front- and Backend. SOme of them include DB knowledge, but not always clear, if they mean "just query lang" or DBA skills.
In my opinion, when I hire somebody Full Stack, it is mainly about the fact, that this guy then can understand a complex software from front- to back and forward, but not that he can develop the whole thing.
What I can see from job submissions on my side project https://fullstackjob.com is, that for at least 50% of posting companies/recruiters, Full Stack is "just a bunch of skill's". For mostly all of them it includes both Front- and Backend. SOme of them include DB knowledge, but not always clear, if they mean "just query lang" or DBA skills.
In my opinion, when I hire somebody Full Stack, it is mainly about the fact, that this guy then can understand a complex software from front- to back and forward, but not that he can develop the whole thing.
> which skill's are needed to be a Full-Stack Developer ? I don't ask about which languages or frameworks, but eg: - Backend, Frontend, Devops, DBA Something missing for you ? To much ?
I'm a little confused about what you are asking...
What I look for in resumes are:
1. Do they have any projects I can review (preferably open source and on github)
2. What frameworks are they familiar with
3. How much experience (often signaled by the frameworks)
4. Do they have experience managing databases, cloud infrastructure, front end, etc. Also, usually signaled by the frameworks
I'm a little confused about what you are asking...
What I look for in resumes are:
1. Do they have any projects I can review (preferably open source and on github)
2. What frameworks are they familiar with
3. How much experience (often signaled by the frameworks)
4. Do they have experience managing databases, cloud infrastructure, front end, etc. Also, usually signaled by the frameworks
Would you mind why are you focusing on frameworks instead of languages?
To me it sounds like choosing driver by the make of the last car they have driven instead of just having a driver’s license.
If I understand correctly, you are looking for categories of specialties which may fall under the broad umbrella of full-stack. First, mobile and web front-ends are distinct skill sets. Aside from your list, it may also make sense to include some basic networking skill, knowledge of network protocols like TCP/IP, HTTP, and familiarity with relevant operating systems.
Full stack means every system involved in the request-response cycle.
A lot of architectures are simply divided into front-end and back-end, but not all, and there's often ancillary systems involved (such as caching, external data imports, etc).
It means you aren't a specialist - you can work on anything.
A lot of architectures are simply divided into front-end and back-end, but not all, and there's often ancillary systems involved (such as caching, external data imports, etc).
It means you aren't a specialist - you can work on anything.
You can take business context and build everything from the pixel perfect UI to scalable/maintainable backend code and architecture. You can keep up with tech trends in both areas.
This is very hard, and does not scale long term depending on the product.
This is very hard, and does not scale long term depending on the product.
Knowing an apostrophe doesn't mean "holy shit here comes an S".
Good testing
Clean maintainable code
Good documentation
Good Communication skills
My opinion is that all general programmers have the skills necessary to be a "Full-Stack Developer". For me it's just being able to deal with databases and not really minding particularly much what kind of programming systems you are working on.
On the contrary, there are people who specialise in specific things. So you might specialise in database issues and want to work primarily on the back end. Or you might specialise in UX, etc and want to specialise in the front end. Some very junior people have only been exposed to programming in very limited situations (for example writing some javascript and knocking up some HTML) and may want to advertise that this is what they are comfortable with for now, so may call themselves a "Frontend developer"
Some hiring managers/companies believe that there is a class of programmer who can do "simple" things and take the load off the general programmer. They feel they can hire this class of programmer and save money. My experience is that this doesn't ever work out. It's fine to hire junior people who become full stack developers eventually, but hiring someone who lacks the ability/interest to take it further usually costs more in productivity than they save in salary. I really don't like this idea of trying to hire "Frontend developers" as a kind of "lesser programmer" (as opposed to specialists programmers who just want to concentrate on UX).
The TL;DR: "Full Stack" just means "programmer" in my books.
On the contrary, there are people who specialise in specific things. So you might specialise in database issues and want to work primarily on the back end. Or you might specialise in UX, etc and want to specialise in the front end. Some very junior people have only been exposed to programming in very limited situations (for example writing some javascript and knocking up some HTML) and may want to advertise that this is what they are comfortable with for now, so may call themselves a "Frontend developer"
Some hiring managers/companies believe that there is a class of programmer who can do "simple" things and take the load off the general programmer. They feel they can hire this class of programmer and save money. My experience is that this doesn't ever work out. It's fine to hire junior people who become full stack developers eventually, but hiring someone who lacks the ability/interest to take it further usually costs more in productivity than they save in salary. I really don't like this idea of trying to hire "Frontend developers" as a kind of "lesser programmer" (as opposed to specialists programmers who just want to concentrate on UX).
The TL;DR: "Full Stack" just means "programmer" in my books.
I'd say everything related to building a website on the internet.
I think important is, and that depends a bit about the role, that a full-stack dev can do everything needed in his role, related to development. So he can do some DB migration, if needed, he can do deployment without the need of a sysadmin.
But a good Full Stack Dev has also to be specialist in eg Backend or Frontend. Just knowing a bit from everything after assisting 20 Udemy videos is not the point :-)