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What is a Full Stack developer? (2012)

laurencegellert.com

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

#61

Post by andsmi2 »

andsmi2 wrote: post #60

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 adv…

I mention the Microsoft environment, because the biggest problem for web development in that sort of world (mostly enterprise, still I think) is figuring out obscure IIS issues.

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

#62

Post by markfinger »

I feel as though there may be a bit of misunderstanding as to what the term implies from an employer's perspective and hence what is actually being requested by "full stack" positions. Given the ever-changing state of the tech industry, the term offers a comparatively safe option to an employer.

If any of us were to make an investment, maximum return with minimum risk is our natural choice. Given that an investment will never come without risk, we will obviously seek to minimise them. A business investing in an employee can seek to minimise their risk by hedging their bets and advertising for a role requiring an individual that is capable of multiple functions and is capable of adapting to changing needs.

Generally speaking, a "full stack" developer has a particular strength, but is capable of much more. The potential that exists in a multi-skilled developer is what appeals to an employer. Multi-skilling often implies experience adapting, learning and improving, so as a business changes, as its needs change, its workforce's capabilities can change to adapt.

Technical competency across the entire stack is rarely a necessity; intelligence, motivation and an open mind are the essentials. Maintaining an awareness of the broader picture is definitely helpful - when you have a new problem an awareness of the stack can provide an idea of where to start, which logs to start tailing and how you can start trying fix things - but it's the ability and openness to flying by the seat of our pants that makes the "full stack" magic.

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

#63

Post by femto »

rschmitty wrote: post #38
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…

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…

I know you're tongue in cheek, but it really is true, that 'stack' depends entirely on your viewpoint.

For an electrical engineer, working in wireless communications, the stack starts with radio propagation, then radio transceivers, sampling/reconstruction, (de)modulation, error correction, medium access and ends at the kernel driver. Someone who is "full stack" above the kernel driver could be blissfully unaware of the layers of turtles below them.

Then, for the know-it-all communications engineers, there are the device engineers, whose stack starts at the subatomic level, and progresses through atoms, molecules, layers, devices, subsystems, circuits, packages and ends at the integrated circuit.

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

#65

Post by walshemj »

Torn wrote: post #45
walshemj wrote: post #43

Interesting that the OP doesn't consider a full stack Dev needs to now anything much about networking in 1 Server, Network, and Hosting Environment. Surly a full stack means dev you can go from the wire up to a complete application. In practice this means at least a CCNA.

Would the term 'full stack developer' really need explicit (i.e. Cisco) sysadmin qualifications? What about more of the devops "get stuff working" on cloud platforms (EC2, Google App Engine, Heroku etc) using proven load balancing / caching / static serving software, changing your stack as and when you need rather than over-engineering something?

I used the CCNA as a proxy for the level of knowledge as the proper class room taught CCNAs do cover a lot of the basics from first pricipals.

eg how to design and build a small network (2/3k hosts) from the ground up starting with layer 1 the physics behind wifi, how switches STP Ethernet TCP/IP and so on.

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

#66

Post by jorgeleo »

TLDR: Is it reasonable to expect mere morals to have mastery over every facet of the development stack? No it is too much for mere mortals

My Answer: Is it reasonable to expect mere morals to have mastery over every facet of the development stack? Yes, it is called 4 years min. of a CS degree, and then continuous studies in multiple areas... like any other respectable professional

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

#67

Post by bsaunder »

mseebach wrote: post #52

"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".

It's much deeper than that. A full-stack "backend" developer also understands networking and how to fully use HTTP headers as they were designed (or maybe even stretch things a bit as necessary). They understand that even though their ORM tool makes it easy to individually fetch a dozen objects from one database table, the particular method they are writing right now, will get heavily called in production and they should configure the ORM tool (if possible) or hand roll the code (if necessary) for a custom query to fetch exactly what they need in one call.

In short, full-stack developers just "get it": network, database, ui-design, system calls, OS configuration, software construction, front-end, back-end, etc. There are trade offs everywhere: risk, complexity, effort, cost. Usually solving improving conditions for one area of the system just push these trade offs to other areas. Full-stack developers get this and can help make better architectural and implementation decisions.

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

#69

Post by arc_of_descent »

Personal experience is the best. I work alone. I get the business requirements from the Client. I decide on the hardware i.e. the hosting provider, the OS, the web server. I can install and configure Debian, apache, MySQL, Perl and PHP. I use my own web framework. I write my own HTML/CSS.

Realize this sounds quite narcissist, but IMO, I am a full stack web developer. :)

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

#70

Post by rimantas »

progx wrote: post #32

Somebody who knows everything, but not really ;)

Interesting, seems that many a ready to imply that it is not really possible to know more than one field well. Why is it so? Maybe I'd agree if we were considering totally unrelated fields, but that's not the case.

I consider myself full-stack+ developer, meaning that I can design and implement backend (RoR, PHP), deploy it, make a frontend (including mobile/responsive, whatever) and make an iOS app using that said backend (btw, drop me a line if anyone needs this ;).

I'd gladly let setting up production servers and doing graphical design being done by someone better skilled at these areas than me, but the rest would be pretty solid and you wouldn't get better results if "specialist" would do that. I do however have 15+ years of experience with web and it is not of "doing table layouts all over again" kind.

My point is: with enough experience, practice and interest it is possible to full stack expert without quotation marks, and more. You may not reach 98% of "expertness" needed for some one-of-the kind project, but 85% will be more than enough for the rest of the project we deal on the daily basis.

Simlar to natural languages, when the more you know the easier it gets to pick up another because you start to see patterns and differences the more of related tech you know the better you get at understanding other.

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