What is a Full Stack developer? (2012)

#1

Post by mark_nsx » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 7:30 AM UTC

What is a Full Stack developer? (2012)
laurencegellert.com

Re: What is a Full Stack developer? (2012)

#2

Post by Spearchucker » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 8:27 AM UTC

Now we are blurring into the line of architect, but that is too much of a hands off role.

If an architect is hands off he or she is either a project manager or a business analyst. Consider the definition of architecture -

Architecture in the computing world consists of a system’s elements; the relationships between those elements; the attributes of the elements; and the attributes of the relationships. [1]

A "full-stack" developer is an architect.

While the list covers the usual suspects, I'd also mention tiers, how they facilitate scaling out and up, and how a layered design facilitates them.

[1] http://www.bredemeyer.com/whatis.htm

Re: What is a Full Stack developer? (2012)

#3

Post by jacalata » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 8:27 AM UTC

This is pretty interesting. I would add mobile development, perhaps to the User Interface layer? I have not worked at Facebook but I seem to remember hearing that the mobile site used to be a feature team on its own, but has now been split out so each regular group is expected to produce a mobile-ready feature. (If anyone knows more about that I'd be interested in hearing more).

Re: What is a Full Stack developer? (2012)

#4

Post by smutticus » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 8:29 AM UTC

Developer != Web Developer

Re: What is a Full Stack developer? (2012)

#5

Post by HaloZero » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 8:31 AM UTC

smutticus wrote: post #4

Developer != Web Developer

I imagine when he mentioned Full Stack he was implying Web Developer unless the term goes beyond the web.

Re: What is a Full Stack developer? (2012)

#6

Post by limmeau » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 8:34 AM UTC

HaloZero wrote: post #5

smutticus wrote: post #4

Developer != Web Developer

I imagine when he mentioned Full Stack he was implying Web Developer unless the term goes beyond the web.

Just like in the context of HN, "designer" seems to mean "web designer".

Re: What is a Full Stack developer? (2012)

#7

Post by emil0r » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 8:38 AM UTC

smutticus wrote: post #4

Developer != Web Developer

How would a Full Stack developer look outside the web world?

Re: What is a Full Stack developer? (2012)

#8

Post by jacalata » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 8:39 AM UTC

limmeau wrote: post #6

HaloZero wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I imagine when he mentioned Full Stack he was implying Web Developer unless the term goes beyond the web.

Just like in the context of HN, "designer" seems to mean "web designer".

I don't think this is a HN-ism. Can you point to a reference to 'full stack developer' anywhere that does not refer to web developer?

Re: What is a Full Stack developer? (2012)

#9

Post by _pmf_ » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 8:41 AM UTC

It reminds me of this Blues Brothers quote:

Elwood: What kind of music do you usually have here?

Claire: Oh, we got both kinds. We got country and western.

The tendency of web developers to appropriate well defined terms for their limited little world is a bit unsettling.

Re: What is a Full Stack developer? (2012)

#10

Post by Gepsens » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 8:49 AM UTC

So a Full Stack developer is just someone who likes to work in various fields of Software Engineering and has a quick and broad understanding of all kinds of protocols, technologies and design methodologies, plus some amount of creativity ?

I don't understand why any Engineer would want their job to be any other way. Moreover, it's not like you can't be full stack anymore after you become an expert in some technology.