What Is a Full Stack Developer, and Required Skills?

What Is a Full Stack Developer?

A full stack web developer is an individual who is capable of developing both client and server-side software. A full stack web developer who has a thorough understanding of HTML and CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Angular, or Vue); Programming a server (such as PHP, ASP, Python, or Node).

What exactly do we mean when we say “full stack”? Full stack is a collection of tools, technologies, and programming languages required to develop and deploy projects. 

A full stack developer has the skills and ability to complete a product independently. He or she can handle the work of front-end UI programming and development, databases, and servers. This also includes work on native application stacks, mobile stacks, or web application stacks with full stack web developer skills. So, instead of a front-end or back-end developer, you can learn the required full stack developer skills and be able to handle any aspect of app design, from front to back. You’re the Swiss Army knife of app development!

Now, let’s take a look at the skills required for a full stack developer.

What Do You Need to Know Before Becoming a Full Stack Developer?

A full stack developer requires a detailed understanding of back-end and front-end technologies, version control systems, APIs, servers, applications, security best practices, data structures and algorithms, and user interface (UI) design.

Besides the above mentioned elements, the developer should have an excellent grip on soft skills, project management, and DevOps. First, let’s have a look at popular stacks.

MEAN stack includes the following:

• Front-end framework: JavaScript and AngularJS
• Database: MongoDB 
• Web-framework: Node.js
• Back-end web framework: Express.js

The LAMP stack is made up of

• Operating System: Linux
• Web Server: Apache
• Front-end framework: JavaScript
• Database: MySQL
• Programming and Development: PHP

MERN stack, like MEAN stack, consists of JavaScript-based technologies. These are the main components of MERN stack: 

• Database: MongoDB
• Web Programming Framework: Express
• Building UI: Node.js and React

What Are the Skills Required for a Full Stack Developer?

A full stack developer needs a firm grip on multiple frameworks, programming languages, and databases. When it comes to front-end development knowledge, a developer needs the industry-ready skills of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Angular, and ReactJS. 

In terms of back-end development, full stack developer skills include firm grip on programming languages such as PHP, Java, Python, Node.js, and Ruby. Note that Java’s popularity makes it essential that you make it a priority to acquire good Java full stack developer skills.

When it comes to databases, a full stack developer must be very familiar with MySQL, MongoDB, Oracle Database, and SQL Server. In terms of DevOps, one should have practical skills of CI/CD (Continuous integration and continuous delivery) and related tools such as GitLab and Jenkins.

You will also need a solid collection of soft skills such as excellent communication, efficient time management, curiosity, and creativity. If you are planning to jump in mobile application development, then you will need to have skills to React Native. Finally, if you plan on getting into native app development, you will need to learn Kotlin and Swift.

Advantages of Becoming a Full Stack Developer

If you have excellent UI skills, you should be able to create and present small prototypes of the client quickly. As you gradually know more about multiple technologies, you can help other team members when they’re stuck. 

A full stack developer also reduces the time required for project communication because they can implement changes independently in most cases. After all, you don’t have to worry about a front-end and a back-end developer having to coordinate their efforts, since the full stack developer wears both hats and has the entire project under their control.

Full Stack Developer Jobs and Salary

Talking about the average yearly package, you can expect to earn around $110,000 or more when working in Canada and Australia. Working in the US may get you an annual salary average of $112,000, and in Germany you can earn €54,791 per year on average.

This graphic clearly spells out what web developers make in nine different countries, broken down by front-end, back-end, and full stack.

According to Glassdoor, a full stack developer in India can earn an annual average of ₹650,000.

Changing careers is a common practice among working professionals and Swapnil Pal was no different! He wanted to upskill to change his career path from software tester to software developer. After thorough research, he finally found the best-fit course - PGP Full Stack Web Development provided by Simplilearn. On completing this course, he landed at TCS as a Java developer with 20% hike. Read his story to success at Simplilearn full stack developer review!

Master New Full Stack Developer Skills to Jumpstart Your Career

Full stack developer skills are not limited to the front-end, back-end, and databases. A full stack developer is a skilled and experienced professional who has a firm grip on development processes, excellent soft skills, and good project management skills. If you want to create applications from the ground up and start with one of the most lucrative and fast-growing web development career paths, a Full Stack MEAN Developer Master’s course from Simplilearn is the perfect next step for you. 

But why stop there? Simplilearn also offers a highly effective Post Graduate Program in Full Stack Web Development course. You can accelerate your career as a software developer through this course, conducted in collaboration with Caltech CTME. In just a few months, you'll learn modern coding techniques with bootcamp-level intensity and gain all you need to be a full stack technologist.

Check out Simplilearn today and make your dreams of becoming a versatile full stack developer a reality!