Full Stack Developer Skills Checklist

Becoming a competent Full Stack Developer entails harnessing the necessary skills for the craft. For instance, the developer must be knowledgeable about both the back and front end of an application or website.

In today’s digital landscape, Full Stack Developers play a pivotal role by bridging the gap between front end and back end development. As a result, developers create innovative web applications and software solutions through their essential skills. Thus, they should possess these skills to meet the current and future demands of the IT industry.

Let’s discuss what it means to be a Full Stack Developer and the skills needed for the job.

The Full Stack Developer

Full Stack Developers develop both client and server sides of an application or website. They often work in software and business application development. Additionally, these developers are knowledgeable and experienced in an app or site’s frontend and backend including the entire architecture of the web app.

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Website and application developers know how to deal with the following to provide a seamless User Experience (UX) for clients:

• Databases;
• User interface;
• UX design;
• Systems engineering and
• Server configuration.

Front vs. Back End

Before discussing the skills required from Full Stack Developers, let’s first differentiate the front end from the back.

Source: University of Toronto.

Front End

What users see as they open an application is its front end — for instance, every time you press a button on an app. So, developers should ensure that applications and websites look pleasing to the eyes and provide a seamless User Experience.

Thus, they know how to use color schemes, layouts, and typography. Additionally, they program with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build the front end. Professionals who work on this end include the following:

• Web designers;
• User interface designers;
• User experience designers and
• Front-end developers.

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Back End

On the other hand, the back end refers to the part that users don’t see. Codes make up the server side of an application, creating the logic to make the application work. Thus, they’re responsible for communicating between the database and the website or app to guarantee it works correctly.

Back end experts also deal with the following:

• Cybersecurity;
• Server configuration;
• Automated testing frameworks and
• Network scalability. 

Generally, back end developers deal with an application or website’s functionality through the use of various programming languages, including:

• Java;
• PHP;
• Python and
• Ruby on Rails.

Overall, both front and back end developers contribute to the user experience for websites and applications.

Full Stack Developer Skills Checklist

Below are the primary hard and soft skills Full Stack Developers need to execute their job correctly:

Hard Skills

A Full Stack Developer must know how to navigate the conceptual structure of the World Wide Web, the web architecture. The website and application developer should also know how to organize code and data. The following are hard skills that Full Stack Developers must have to do well in the profession:

Databases and Web Storage

Websites and applications require databases to store data, so developers should understand how to utilize programming languages. Through these languages, developers can properly connect sites and apps to their respective databases, such as the following:

• MySQL;
• Redis;
• MongoDB  and
• SQL Server.

Git

This distributed version control system helps you keep track of all the changes made in your source code. It’s beneficial during cloud-based or desktop software development. Git helps programmers who are collaborating on a project by tracking changes.

JavaScript

JavaScript helps developers realize automation, animation, and interactivity on their websites or applications. It’s a widely-used language that has accepted Coding Standards for WordPress.

Other programming languages include C#, PHP, Python, and Ruby on Rails, which cater to database operations, authentication, and more.

HTML and CSS

Full Stack Developers use HyperText Markup Language (HTML) to build website and application content.

Meanwhile, Full Stack Developers use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to create astounding websites. In particular, CSS is critical for creating aesthetically pleasing designs and layouts for websites and applications.

HTTP/HTTPS and REST

HTTP and HTTPS foster secure communication between web clients and servers. HTTPS is encrypted using Transport Layer Security. Moreover, Representational State Transfer (REST) defines a set of constraints that should be used to create web services. 

REST API ensures seamless communication between the front end and back end of a site or app.

Back End and Basic Server Management

This includes basic shell scripting and connecting to remote servers through the terminal (in non-GUI environments). They should also have experience managing users and groups on a server, server programs (i.e., Apache, Nginx, etc.), firewalls, and other permissions.

Lastly, they should know how to install new software and update its distribution.

Soft skills

Of course, developers aren’t required to be experts with soft skills. However, applying them as a Full Stack Developer will take a long way. Here are the soft skills necessary for front and back end developers for websites and applications.

Problem-Solving

Full Stack Developers will always find mistakes in coding and other errors. Thus, they must understand how to correct such mistakes and move forward.

Creativity

Developers working on the front end need to hone their creative skills. As a result, they can make sites or apps that not only look good but are also functional.

Attention to Detail

Developers must pay close attention to detail, especially when creating a code. One way to hone this skill is through organizing. First, they must assess and review the code and improve their work.

Patience

Coding takes a lot of time; therefore, a Full Stack Developer must practice patience. This skill and attitude will surely help in the long hours they’ll work to ensure that all parts of a site or app are working as intended.

Communication

Developers should be someone that other people can work well with. They should be able to explain the intricacies of their work to clients and coworkers in an understandable way.

Become a Successful Full Stack Website or Application Developer!

Full Stack Developers build both the client and server sides of an app. Front-end developers work on what users see, while back-end developers work on the server side. Both contribute to user experience.

Full Stack Developers need hard and soft skills to execute their jobs correctly. Thus, developers need the following hard skills:

• Knowledge of web architecture;
• Databases and web storage;
• Git;
• JavaScript;
• Programming languages:
  • C#;
  • PHP;
  • Python;
  • Ruby on Rails;
  • HTML;
  • CSS;
• HTTP/HTTPS;
• REST and 
• Back-end and basic server management.

Also, developers must have key soft skills to work effectively with clients and coworkers. Of course, these soft skills include:

• Problem-solving;
• Creativity;
• Attention to detail;
• Patience and
• Communication skills. 

A Full Stack Developer from a professional Web Development Company in the Philippines can build the ideal website or application for your business. 

About Adam Tan

Adam is a charming geek who loves his family's Siberian Husky, enjoys the occasional night out with friends and, most of all, lives and breathes new trends and updates about the web and its technicalities. If you want to stay updated with changes or new trends on the web or learn about the technicalities that are involved, he's your guy. He's capable of writing cheesy stuff as well, but he'd rather stick with the manly stuff.

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