How to Become a Full Stack Software Developer in Kenya – What you should Know
Whether you are a newbie or experienced personnel in the field of website development, you surely have heard about the full stack development. So what is it all about and how can you become a full stack developer?
Types of web developers
There are three major types of developers depending on the part of the web development they work on.
- Front-end developers –Those working on the look & feel and interactivity of websites are considered as front-end developers. They are the experts in writing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- Back-end developers –Those working on the server-side of web applications are termed as back-end developers. They are usually divulged into website logic and functionality.
- Full stack developers – Full stack developers are often the ones who can efficiently work on both the ends of the website development.
Being a full stack developer is one of the most trending topics among the developer. There are a lot of developers who are using ‘Full Stack Developer’ as their job title, so it is like the ‘full stack’ topic is already a new job trend. There have been various opinions about full development. Many believe that full stack developer is a highly skilled person who can efficiently work on any and all part of the web development, while others believe that a full stack developer is nothing but a title. The topic of full stack developer has turned into an argument about being an all-rounder and expert in the IT industry, and a debate on sense and extent of development skills. Full stack developers are challenging the possibility of having an eating their own cake. And it is possible for them because of their horizontal skill tree. Apart from it, some also consider them “jack of all trades, but master of none”. So it is essential to walk through a proper way of becoming a real full stack developer, rather than just being an empty title.
Who is a full stack developer?
A full stack developer is the one who has mastery over various skills and using those skills to complete a task on their own. In other words, a full stack developer is able to handle all the parts and processes of web development which include databases, servers, UI design, system engineering, and clients. Depending on the scale and scope of any project and the client’s requirements, a full stack developer can work on a mobile stack, a web stack, or a native application stack. A ‘stack’ in the world of web development is a collection of sub-modules which makes ‘full stack’ a collection of technologies required to turn a project into reality. The sub-modules and technologies when combined together to achieve the desired results complete the full circle of full stack development. Now that we know what full stack developer means, time to discuss its pros and cons.
Advantages of being a full stack developer:
- It is easier for a full stack developer to design prototypes for a product due to their mastery over a wide range of techniques.
- Since they have command over different techniques, they can provide a wide view and mindset with different angles.
- They are able to provide valuable opinions towards products or designs as they are more equipped with technologies than a front-end or back-end developer.
- They can be helpful to everyone on the team which can help reduce the time and costs for communication and technology docking.
- Due to the immense knowledge and experience of various technologies, many of the full stack developers tend to become entrepreneurs or technical advisors/partners for start-ups.
Disadvantages of being a full stack developer:
- Due to the involvement of various technologies, it is often considered that a full stack developer cannot be expert in one skill.
- People who call themselves full stack developers are often the ones who know a little about many skills but are no experts on anyone.
- It often leads to a chaos of thoughts and solutions simply because a full stack developer knows many skills, and they treat themselves more superior than normal developers who are actually experts in what they do.
Still, want to be a full stack developer?
Then let’s know the requirements of being a full stack developer.
A proficient full stack developer must have practical knowledge and competence for all aspects involved in the process of web development.
Programming Languages
As a full stack developer, you are supposed to be efficient in multiple programming languages like Java, PHP, Python etc. Majority of the business systems need to be coded in these languages so maybe not all are required at the same time. However, learning the languages aren’t enough. You also need to be efficient in structuring, designing, implementing, and testing projects build on one or more languages.
Frameworks and Libraries
Learning to use frameworks and third-party libraries will make you more efficient as a developer. There are different frameworks for different languages that you can get yourself acquainted with. To give you an idea, there are Java Spring, MyBatis, Express, and many others for JavaScript, Django for Python, and ThinkPHP for PHP.
Front-end technology
In today’s times, the project and product development are more focused on front-end technologies. The product’s success is not simply dependent on the features, but also on the user experience. And that can be accomplished by implementing the proper front-end technology. So it becomes essential for a full stack developer to master the skills on HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript and get hands-on experience on front-end frameworks or third-party libraries such as JQuery, AngularJS, or React.
Database and Server Management
A database is a compulsion to any project to store data. As a full stack developer, it is expected from you to have knowledge of at least one or two databases and how to interact with them. The popular databases of present times included MySQL, MongoDB, Oracle, Redis and SQLServer of which MongoDB is the most widely used for the document-type database. For large scale projects, MySQL and commercial version of Oracle is hugely recommended. Redis can be used for caching which improves the system performance. Along with the databases and how to manage them, you must also know server management. Server management includes monitoring of the server, checking their status, uptime, resolving any new or recurring issues, and other tasks and service that can impact the performance of the server.
Designing Skills
It is often believed that design requirements are not associated as a part of being a full stack developer, but it is. As a full stack developer, having designing skills is equally important as having the programming skills. You must be aware of the basic principles of designing in order to design prototypes and UI-UX.
Personality Traits
There are some other self-requirements to become a full stack developer, which include
- Zeal to learn (Passion)
- Global thinking
- Commitment
- Reliability
- Open to suggestions
- Good communication skills
- Time management skills
- Creativity and Curiosity
Conclusion
Being a full stack developer cannot be accomplished overnight. It can take a lot of time, so you need to be patient enough, you need to work with other developers and having a mentor would be very useful. All you need is a strong technical foundation, strengthening your core skills, be prepared for the challenges, keep learning and exploring, and keep your skills and knowledge up to date as per the ongoing trend.
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