A black and white photo of the city skyline.

The Future of Full Stack Development

The Future of Full Stack Development

It is no secret that the tech industry has been blowing up and seeing a colossal amount of growth in the past few years. We have moved on from using a single programming language to a plethora of tools and frameworks. With the increasing complexity of web and mobile applications, we see a breed of full-stack developers sprouting within the industry. Full-stack development has been making a lot of noise in recent years. Several tech-driven research papers suggest that full-stack development seems to be on every techie’s radar. 

 

Fancy a career in full-stack development? But wondering whether the industry is thriving or going extinct? This article delves deeper into the current status of full-stack development and what’s in store for its future.

What is Full-Stack Development?

Full-stack development refers to developing both frontend (client) and backend (server-side) portions of web applications. Full-stack developers can design complete web applications and websites and work on the front end, back end, database, and debugging of web applications or websites. The full-stack represents a ‘complete’ stack that includes everything you require to build modern-day web applications. 

A full-stack developer takes ownership of the entire design and implementation of the process suitable for developing a web or mobile application. 

How full stack development has evolved?

Full-stack development as a concept has been around for a long time. In the early 80s, software applications were written from scratch and managed by a single person, so full-stack developers were just called ‘developers.’ 

The term full-stack developer was coined in the late 2000s when web applications required people who could handle both client-side programming and server-side programming. When people with such expertise entered the market, they were termed, full-stack developers. Along with them, several tools and technologies that simplified the integration of frontend and backend programming had started to emerge, which facilitated the growth of full-stack developers.

Where are we now?

According to the Stack Overflow 2016 Developer Survey, full-stack developers are among the highest-paid and most sought-after professionals today. Forward-thinking tech companies need full-stack developers for several reasons, including working with multiple technologies, which means they can handle more aspects of a project than an average programmer. Their in-depth knowledge of different technologies and several stacks equips them to handle all the specific requirements of the project. 


However, a full-stack developer is paid handsomely because of their unique skills and abilities. According to talent.com, the average full stack developer salary in the USA is $110,004 per annum and goes up to $145,000 per year for experts.

Skills required by a full-stack developer

A full-stack developer is a multifaceted role. So, to excel in this role, you need more than just a formal degree. A full-stack developer boasts a variety of skills and extensive knowledge of various programming languages. Here is a list of the most crucial, non-negotiable skills you’ll need to outshine in this role. 

  • Design skills – Full-stackers should have a basic knowledge of designing to make the frontend frameworks more appealing and interactive to make them user-centric.

  • HTML/CSS – A full-stack developer must know how to work with these fundamental tools as they help enhance the interaction and visuals of the web application for the users.

  • JavaScript – JavaScript integrates with HTML and CSS and adapts with browsers, making the work of a full-stacker more straightforward. A full-stack developer should be aware of all the capabilities of JavaScript.

  • Backend technologies and frameworks – An extensive knowledge of NodeJS, ExpressJS, Python C# language, PHP, Perl, and Ruby is a must since full-stack developers will regularly work with these languages at the backend.

  • Version control – Version control systems help manage the project files and keep track of the entire history of the user’s work. Git and GitHub are the most popular platforms, and a knowledge of both will help full-stack developers work efficiently.

  • Web hosting platforms – These platforms help full-stackers deploy their product on a cloud service so they can access it from the World Wide Web. Popular platforms include Amazon web services, Google cloud platform, Microsoft Azure.

  • Soft skills – A full-stack developer has to manage several roles simultaneously. To be efficient in their position, they must possess specific soft skills like – 
    • Effective communication 
    • Multi-tasking 
    • Time management
    • Creativity 
    • Analytical skills
    • Strategic planning
    • Problem-solving 
    • Leadership skills

The future scope of full-stack developers

The future for full-stackers seems promising. There is a steady growth in demand for this role as they know every layer of the development process. Full-stack developers can develop applications single-handedly, reducing the number of different functions in the development process. This saves a lot of time and money, which is a boon for startups and small-scale companies and makes full-stackers an invaluable asset to any tech-driven organization. With rapid advances in the software industry and a demand for fast-paced technology, full-stack development is here to stay.