Now that you know the general answer to the question, “What is a full stack developer?” it’s time to take a closer look at the more specific answer to the question, “What does a full stack developer do?” A full stack developer is a software developer who works on both the client / front end and the server / back end.
The front end is everything the user can see and could be a website, mobile application, or desktop application. The back end includes all of the internal software architecture and integration that enables the application or website to carry out its functions.
One easy way to think about the various pieces of a full stack developer is to use a car analogy. You as a driver sit in the driver seat and have access to information on the dashboard and to the controls like gas, brakes, and steering. Someone had to design the size the gas pedal, the diameter of the steering wheel, and determine what information the user might need on the dashboard — this is the front-end. When the driver steps on the gas or brakes, they don’t need to understand how the pressing of a pedal accelerates or stops the car, but someone needed to put all the pieces in place to make that happen – this is the back-end. A full stack developer would work on any and all the components of a car.
On the front end of a website, the full stack developer focuses on optimizing the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX). The professional uses HTML, CSS and Javascript to build the “skeleton” of the front end. They also apply knowledge of typography, color theory and aesthetic layouts to make the front end look visually appealing to users.
On the back end, a full stack developer is primarily concerned with issues such as network scalability, server configuration, integration with other systems, data persistence and storage, and cybersecurity. In this area, the professional will write code that enables proper communication with the servers, databases and software. On the back end, knowledge of programming languages like .NET, Node, Java, Python and SQL is essential.
Knowledge and skills on both the front end and back end are what primarily defines a full stack developer. However, at some organizations, a full stack developer is also expected to serve as a de facto project manager who is capable of overseeing a project throughout its entire lifecycle — from conception to implementation to fine-tuning and troubleshooting. A full-stack developer might also be involved with cybersecurity planning an database design.