Finding and hiring full stack developer is the best choice to handle multiple tasks whether you are a small business with tight budget or running established business with cost saving plan.
A good full stack developer is like one of those celebrities who can do it all. He has extensive knowledge in each stage of software development including front-end development, back-end development, design, server operations and mobile development. They are capable of developing full-fledged applications (Web, mobile, or desktop). If you want to manage all development tasks, server handling databases, APIs, MVC and hosting environments at one stop, then hiring a full stack developer is nothing more than a miracle.
This guide offers a sampling of effective questions to help you identify the best full-stack developers who are experts in their field.
Are all full-stack developers the same?
Off course not.
This guide will help you identify different types of full-stack programmers who are experts in their field. It will also assist you take a right decision of hiring full-stack developer and what to look for while going through the whole process.
A full-stack software developer can build and manage all the components that are required to run a web application including back-end and front-end layers. However, all developers are not specialists in everything. They vary in two main ways: In the knowledge of a specific technology stack and in the mastery of specific layers of this stack. Full stack developers will have a certain skillset stronger than the others they have. Some experts may be progressively knowledgeable about front-end work, while others will be more experienced in working with the back-end side. You don’t need to be afraid of.
Full-stack Layers
The entire development process involves three level of architecture – Front-end (User Interface – Presentation), Backend (Business logic – data validation) and database layer. You need to be assured that the full-stack developer you are hiring, has to be proficient upon working on multiple stacks.
The Front-end
The front-end layer contains all the visual elements that works as user interface. The presentation layer is created using three technologies HTML, CSS and Javascript for better user experience. When you hire professional web designer, you need to know his front-end skills, visual experience that look great and run fast.
The Back-end
The back-end layer relates to all server side components. They are not visible to the end user. No application can work without server side components. While hiring back-end skilled developer, you need to look their API design, documentation, database design schemes, endpoint behaviour and more because backend part doesn’t include only some invisible components but also contain business logic with storing objects in database.
DevOps / Database layer
Database layer is required to manage server, deploy and update applications, and scale up or scale out the capabilities of the system. It also helps building and managing databases, caches, cloud storage, and proprietary cloud APIs.
Why Should One Go For Full Stack Development?
Let’s raise a curtain why an established or startup business looks for Full Stack developer:
Radically Distinctive Code: A professional and experienced full stack developer always creates own unique code with various software tools whether it’s simple or complex. This skill gives the place them above the rest of other developers available in the market.
Experts in Multiple Technologies: A Full Stack Developer means having the knowledge of various technologies. From designing user interface to creating backend database, adding effects and animations on screen to editing images in Photoshop. It doesn’t only reduce the dependency of the companies on other technical team but also helps furnishes developers’ skills.
When to hire a full stack developer?
A full stack programmer is required according to job role. Hiring a full stack developer is the best choice in following reasons –
When you need an MVP
Hiring full stack developer is a good idea while your job is lean and the company’s aim is to validate ideas by building a minimum viable product. A full-stack programmer can give you an idea and turn it into a fully-functional prototype.
When you need Product Managers
A full-stack engineer can reduce your burden of hiring product managers. They can analyse the business requirements and required skills at the same time. They will be an extremely valuable resources for checking engineering capabilities.
When budget is a limited
If you have a constraint budget to hire different person for development process, then full stack developers are your best bet to handle all jobs by own.
A Full Stack developer is required to show proficiency in following:
- A professional web developer must be able to create front-end using HTML for structure, CSS for style and JavaScript for logic.
- Must be able to understand, create and query database
- Need to understand how to make use of API’s and writing backend code in Ruby, Python or Java
- Require to have a working knowledge of system infrastructure which will essentially include hardware and operating system
- Should have skills of coordination with client and know how to manage the entire project
- Must follow the networking and security techniques
How to hire a full stack developer
Once you know you want to hire full-stack developer, you need to start getting in touch with potential candidates and start collecting their resumes. You should have a general understanding of what type of technology stack and qualities you want in them. Let’s break down certain practices you need to look for when hire a full-stack developer –
Qualities of a full-stack developer
You need to explore the below qualities of an experienced developer:
Is he/she interested and passionate about learning new things
Understands not only the stacks but also different technologies
Can point you in the right direction for a solution even if they cannot solve it
Is aware of the latest trends and developments
Can see the big picture, the vision of the business, and understands the customer’s requirements
Technical skills in a full stack developer
A professional full-stack developer should have the knowledge and skills of all three layers of development process. For example, if you are hiring a full stack developer for a web application, then these are ideally the technical skills that you should look for:
HTML, CSS, and Javascript (it is pretty much mandatory!)
Programming languages (back end)
Databases
Version control
Deployment and hosting
Third-party APIs/services
The extensive skillset of full-stack programmers help you manage all technological operations. Full-stack developers provide you such characteristics, so we recommended them in this situation. It’s wise to choose more specialized professionals when you know that their skillset covers all of your needs.
Now you have a good idea about how to go about hiring a web developer, Ardorsys has a perfect team of full-stack developers you can experience with on your real projects. We help you become a master of all trades.
