Top 6 Skills Required to become Full Stack Developer

Table of Contents

What does a Full Stack Developer do?

What is Front-end Development?

What is Back-end Development?

Skills every Full Stack Developer needs

Conclusion

Do you want to become a basic Full Stack Developer? Or do you want to become a great Full Stack Developer? There is a fine line between the two. And that line is determined by the kind of skills you possess.

In today's blog, we're going to discuss the skills required for Full Stack Developers to succeed. But first let's try to answer the most basic question - "what is a Full Stack Developer?"

What does a Full Stack Developer do?

In simple words, a Full Stack Developer is a person responsible for the Front-end, Back-end and/or Databases of a web application.

But what do these terms mean?

What is Front-end Development?

Also known as client side development, Front-end development focuses on the side of the application that users actually interact with. Front-end developers check the app for usability and ensure browser compatibility of the application or website. For example, if you're working on a website, you'll realise that simply having content is not enough. You need various additional sections, like "Contact us" or "Homepage". A Front-end developer thinks all these things through.

What is Back-end development?

Back-end Development - you guessed it - is mostly behind the scenes. Back-end developers work with the server side of the application. They tie the databases, servers and applications into one well functioning unit. Back-end development provides the foundation for client-side development. Going back to the example of the website. In the "Contact us" section the Front-end developer has added a form for clients to fill. Then the Back-end developer's job is to ensure that whatever information is added to the form, by the client, is actually getting stored on the company's server.

A Full-stack developer is expected to juggle both front-end and back-end development of an application. They need to possess complete knowledge in multiple coding languages, frameworks, servers, networks and hosting environments.

A fresher with a diverse Full Stack developer skill set can not only work with the application, but can also consult and strategise on the end-product. To get a little more in depth, these are the activities that a knowledgeable Full Stack developer is likely to do on a daily basis:

• Assisting with software development and design 
• Software testing and bug fixing to keep it optimised 
• Writing clean code for the front and back end of the software 
• Designing user interfaces for the actual web application 
• Constructing servers and databases for the software's back end 
• Improving and ensuring cross-platform compatibility 
• Application responsiveness testing and maintenance 
• Collaborating with graphic artists to create new features 
• Adapting to technical developments to improve their software
• Educating decision-makers on the benefits of developing technology 
• Taking into account security, upkeep, scalability, and other factors when building the application

Now that we know what makes a Full Stack developer, let's understand what are a Full Stack developer's skills?

What makes for great Full Stack Developer Skills?

As you can see, being a Full Stack developer is no walk in the park. It calls for a diverse set of Full Stack web developer skills ranging from User Perspective to Coding.

Some of the technical skills a Full Stack Developer must have include:

HTML and CSS

HTML stands for HyperText Mark-up Language and is used in client-side or the Front-end development by Full Stack developers. HTML is used to format text and visual elements on the application. On the other hand, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is used to add style and design elements to the application. Let's simplify this with an example. Let's say you are tasked with designing the human body, then in that case HTML will tell the program where the hands will go, where the nose will go etc. And CSS will help style and beautify the whole body.

Javascript

Javascript is a text-based programming language that allows you to make your applications interactive. Due to its dynamic nature, it is used in both front-end as well as back-end development. One of the most common examples how Javascript can make static pages interactive, is the clickable search bar present on websites like Amazon. In Back-end development, Javascript is used for its various libraries and frameworks.

Git and GitHub

Famous among amateurs as well as seasoned Web developers, Git is used in Back-end development as a control system. Using this platform, developers can track coding changes and collaborate on one project with multiple developers. GitHub, is a cloud based platform where developers host their Git projects.

Back-end Languages

As a Full-stack developer you will be required to know a few Back-end languages like, Python, Java, PHP and Ruby. These languages craft the actual functionality of the application. The more languages you know, the more proficient you will be as a developer.

Web architecture

Web Architecture is the process of designing an architectural layout of how all the involved software will interact with one another. It helps us understand how all the different components in the network work together. And defines how the data will get transferred through HTTP, and that this is understood by the client and server side of the application.

Database Management Systems

For the smooth running of any application, there needs to be an even smoother Database Management System. As the name suggests, these manage Databases. A DBMS serves as an interface between data and the developer. It allows you to create, read, update and delete data stored in the databases.

Final Thoughts

Full Stack Development is a robust and exciting field that calls for a diverse range of skills. You have to quite literally do it all as a Full Stack developer, which is also what makes Full Stack developers irreplaceable to their organisations. It also explains why these highly skilled individuals are in so much demand!

Wondering how to be a Full Stack Developer? You can check out our Full Stack Development course. Designed for beginners, this course covers all the concepts and skills required to become a Full Stack developer. From HTML and CSS to Database Management and more! If you found this article helpful and were able to understand what a Full Stack developer's skills are, drop us a comment!