What is a Full Stack developer? (2012) • Hacker News Board

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

#51

Post by el_fuser » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 12:01 PM UTC

moconnor wrote: post #14

The first few times I heard the term "full stack" developer it meant somebody who could understand what's going on at all levels of the call stack. That means from the kernel through C libraries, web server / JIT / high-level server langauge, through network layer, through browser implementation, javascript JIT, javascript / CSS / HTML interpretation and layout and so on. Has this turned into "I can does the servers…

Your understanding was my understanding. I wouldn't call someone that just does web development full stack, unless they also wrote the browser.

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

#52

Post by mseebach » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 12:02 PM UTC

"Full stack" is just a re-fusion of the "front-end" and "back-end" web developer separation that was already tired. Something about "the geeks" not having aesthetic sense and "the backend" being too "hard" for "the designers".

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

#53

Post by aylons » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 12:03 PM UTC

Someone who knows VHDL (and computer architecture), kernel development, application development, VM environment, server configuration, Ruby, Rails, HTML, javascript and network administration.

Anyone else is just a very snub, but not full stack, developer.

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

#54

Post by hexasquid » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 12:11 PM UTC

pilsetnieks wrote: post #47

rschmitty wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Full stack developers have definitely been watered down over the years. In addition to your list you had to know all the electrical engineering behind the hardware. Further you at least needed a minor in chemistry. I scoff at someone who calls themselves "full stack" developer and couldn't even draw the silicon molecule. I just don't trust someone to write my web app who doesn't understand how electrons move. Kids th…

Indeed, magnetized needle and a steady hand is the only tool a full-stack developer needs.

Ah, but what about emacs?

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

#55

Post by guiomie » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 12:12 PM UTC

Spearchucker wrote: post #2

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-st…

I diasgree. An architect usually doesn't develop. I suggest you google architect (solutions, systems, application, network ...etc).

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

#56

Post by _pmf_ » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 12:25 PM UTC

hgh wrote: post #27

Corrado wrote: post #23

I think this might be a pointer to older engineers. Let's face it, Full Stack developers are rare; 17 year old Full Stack developers are unicorns. Older engineers (worth their salt) have been around the block a few times and have probably encountered the problem you're having before. So, don't ditch that 45 year old guy in the corner. He/She's probably the closest thing to a Full Stack developer you're going to find.

True - often "full stack developer" is synonymous with dilettante

> True - often "full stack developer" is synonymous with dilettante

To me, it reads like this: let's take away one of the only advantages of the web, the strict separation between frontend and backend, by mercilessly introducing heavy coupling and making one end depend completely on the other end for the sake of short-term one-off projects. After all, rockstar developers have long moved on to their next glorious project when maintenance time comes. After all, you don't want to slow down a rockstar full stack engineer with mundane un-agile concepts like layers or such archaic waterfall nonsense.

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

#57

Post by heidar » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 12:25 PM UTC

Is it acceptable for a web developer to not be competent all parts of the stack nowadays? Be competent in all parts and specialize in some areas. Also, are points 6 and 7 really a part of the "full stack"?

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

#58

Post by don_draper » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 12:26 PM UTC

To me, a Full Stack developer takes responsibility for the full stack. When a problem arises, she doesn't say:

* It's a database problem. Call the dbas.

* It's a network problem. Call the network folks.

* It's an app server problem. Call the ops team.

* It's a user interface problem. Call the UI team.

A Full Stack developer first says, 'This is my problem until I can locate the problem and possibly identify someone more skilled than I at fixing it'.

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

#59

Post by Spearchucker » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 12:31 PM UTC

guiomie wrote: post #55

Spearchucker wrote: post #2

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-st…

I diasgree. An architect usually doesn't develop. I suggest you google architect (solutions, systems, application, network ...etc).

The first link that search returns is solution architecture from Wikipedia [1]. In "Overview of solutions architect", second paragraph:

A practitioner of Solution Architecture, Systems engineering and Software engineering processes, the Solutions Architect is...

I've been writing code for over 20 years, and have been an architect (I dislike that title as much as I do full-stack dev) for 14 of those. If you tell me you're an architect that doesn't code, you lose credibility (with me).

Network architecture might involve scripting or code but is predominantly about configuration [2]. It's simply an infrastructure stream as opposed to a dev stream.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solutions_Architect

[2] http://www.wittenburg.co.uk/Entry.aspx?id=91035731-e5b6-491d...

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

#60

Post by andsmi2 » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 12:40 PM UTC

In a Microsoft centered development shop the full stack developer needs to have enough knowledge to install the operating system, on server or desktop, configure the appropriate services (understand most of IIS and be able to troubleshoot it), create applications (web or desktop), create databases and configure/install database server (we are talking SQL here, not Access), and troubleshoot the users desktop at an advanced level. Basic knowledge of networking (can you analyze packets?) is also a plus.

In a non-MS environment just replace the pieces with the appropriate pieces necessary, apache, mysql, or whatever is being ran. As well as ability to install OS, and troubleshoot.

A full-stack developer should know more about the technology in the network/infrastructure/database than the average person who is responsible for those items at a company. (A full stack developer should be able to beat out an average DBA at their job--)