If a career as a full stack developer caught your eye, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most sought-after jobs in the world and many people interested in tech are considering it as a possible career path. But what does the job actually entail? Here’s a review of a full stack developer job description to help you decide if it’s right for you.
Full Stack Developer Overview
Full stack development is where front-end and back-end expertise come together, essentially covering the full stack of technology for a website. While many developers specialize in either server-side or client-side programming, full stack developers have ample experience with both, which is partly why they’re in such demand.
Full stack developers aren’t just well-versed in CSS, JavaScript, and HTML, they also know how to effectively create website foundations using back-end applications and database structures. Typically, they’ve worked in a variety of different roles, allowing them to develop a diverse set of skills.
A Job of Constant Growth and Development
One of the most exciting parts about being a full stack developer is that your day-to-day is constantly changing. That’s because full stack developers are essentially a jack of all trades, as they consistently jump between front-end and back-end coding.
This role is perfectly suited for people that love to learn because it requires you to continuously update your skillset and technical abilities. Staying up to date on new development tools, programming techniques, and industry trends is also part of the job. If you’re someone who loves logic and problem solving, you should fit right in.
What You’ll Typically See in a Full Stack Developer Job Description
While every role varies to some degree, the majority of full stack developer job descriptions focus on these core responsibilities:
- Develop visually appealing front end website architecture, including translating designer mock-ups and wireframes into front-end code
- Design user interactions on web pages
- Develop functional databases, applications, and servers to support websites on the back end
- Ensure cross-platform optimization for mobile
- Develop and design RESTful services and APIs
- Stay abreast of developments in web applications and programming languages
- Strategize organizational direction on emerging technology platforms and communicate the effectiveness to executive stakeholders
- Stay current and provide insight on cutting edge software approaches, architectures, and vendors
- Ensure that non-functional requirements such as security, performance, maintainability, scalability, usability, and reliability are being considered when architecting solutions.
- Keep job knowledge up-to-date by studying new development tools, programming techniques, and computing equipment; participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal and professional networks; participating in professional organizations.
In order to perform these responsibilities effectively, there’s a list of skills developers should have that are included in most full stack developer job descriptions.
Average Full Stack Developer Job Requirements:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science.
- Fluent in CSS (Foundation or Bootstrap), JavaScript and HTML, with an understanding of CSS preprocessors including Sass and LESS.
- Strong knowledge of Linux, PHP and MySQL, with working understanding of MongoDB, PostgreSQL, AngularJS, Express.js, Oracle, React, Ember and Node.js.
- Proficient in JS-based tools including Bower, Grunt and Gulp.
- Experience working with languages such as Java, .Net, Python, PHP or Ruby.
- Working experience as a full stack developer.
- Experience working with server technologies including Apache, ISS, Node.js, Nginx and J2EE.
- Experience in API design and development.
- Understanding of libraries including Backbone.js and jQuery.
- Experience with AJAX.
- Strong knowledge of data structures, system design, and algorithms
Full Stack Developer Salary
If it seems like full stack developers are responsible for a lot, it’s because they are. However, this extra responsibility comes with a higher salary. According to an Indeed salary report, full stack developers in San Francisco make an average salary of $149,017. If the full stack developer job description has sparked your interest, and you’d like to develop the skills needed to excel in this role, check out Udacity’s Full Stack Developer Nanodegree program.
