Web development is one of the most sought-after domains in the world today, especially with more businesses switching to e-commerce models from brick-and-mortar shops. However, it is not just small and medium-sized businesses that need web developers. Top MNCs and conglomerates are always hiring skilled full-stack developers as well for web and software development processes.
If you are wondering why full-stack developers are in demand, it is due to the accelerating digitization fuelling this increasing demand to go online. The COVID-19 pandemic has further multiplied the demand in the web development market.
So, what is full-stack development? Full-stack development is used for describing a holistic web development process that systematically takes care of the frontend, the backend and the databases.
The demand for full-stack developers is multiplying, and traditional developers who only work on backend or frontend are also switching to various technology stacks such as MEAN (MongoDB, Express, Angular, Node.js) or MERN (MongoDB, Express, React, Node) stacks.
Full-stack development is also relatively faster as there is no need for collaboration, and a single person can systematically carry out all the tasks. Full-stack developers are able to build the client-side and server-side of websites on their own and save business owners a lot of money and time simultaneously.
Larger businesses have IT teams dedicated to this, but a full-stack engineer can still come in handy for debugging projects single-handedly. Full-stack developers can also be assigned additional responsibilities faster as companies can rely on their ability to understand each aspect of a web development process. Full-stack developers save companies a lot of money as well as they can handle the entire project alone
What is Full Stack Development?
Full-stack development can be defined as the process of developing both server and client-side web applications and programs. Apart from frontend languages such as HTML and CSS, full-stack developers also need to know backend languages such as JavaScript. They must also know how to program servers using PHP, Python, or Node as well as program databases with SQL or MongoDB.
With full-stack development, you can work on an entire website or web application independently, without any help from others even for the databases. You can also take the help of various frameworks such as React, Angular, or Rails. As of 2021, React is the most popular framework used by web developers around the world, according to Statista.
Let us take an example where a medium-sized business wishes to sell its pen online. Instead of getting an entire agency to work for them or finding frontend and backend developers separately, the company can simply choose to hire a single full-stack developer. The full-stack developer will design the website according to the client’s requirements, set up the backend functions and e-commerce features, install the databases and then host the website on the server alone.
It saves a lot of time by eliminating the need for the client to wait for multiple people to communicate and decide how to proceed among themselves.
The work will be done in the most optimized manner and the business also saves a lot of money.
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What are the Degrees and Experience Required for Full Stack Development?
If you are planning to apply to large MNCs and conglomerates, it is probably best to choose a degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or Statistics. However, with the will to learn, you can always be a full-stack developer without a background in Computer Science. What matters in full-stack development is the ability (or rather, the desire) to solve problems; you will automatically acquire the skills and the tools with time.
As for the experience needed for full-stack development, you simply need to have a completed project under your name. You can choose any full-stack technology combination of your choice such as the LAMP stack (JavaScript, Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP). One can also choose to use Python and Django (together) or Ruby and Rails (together) with a combination of JavaScript and MySQL or SQLite.
The best full-stack developer course with placement assistance would ensure that you have an industry-ready project such as an application like Telegram or Zomato before applying to companies. Once you join a good company, you will start receiving more opportunities and get the chance to work on more advanced projects. Once you finish your full-stack developer course, you can also choose to get some experience working in leading MNCs and then establish your own web development agency.
Skills Required for Full Stack Developers
Full-stack developers require frontend, backend, and database skills. To carry on their daily work, they need to know several scripting and programming languages. To make the development process more effective and powerful, full-stack developers should be able to work with various frontend and backend frameworks.
Let us check the languages, systems, libraries, and frameworks required for each segment of the development process.
The Frontend:
For developing the frontend, a deep understanding of HTML and CSS is absolutely essential. Even though JavaScript is generally used for client-side work, a lot of full-stack developers use JavaScript for the frontend as well.
Now, for libraries and frameworks, full-stack developers can choose from Angular, SASS, React, Bootstrap, jQuery, Express, Ember, and many more.
The Backend:
PHP and Python have been the most popular backend languages for quite some time now; however, many developers like using Java and C++ for advanced web applications as well. As we discussed earlier, JavaScript is a backend language as well, and thus, it is also extensively used for server-side work. Ruby, Scala, and C# are also sometimes used.
TypeScript is another alternative to JavaScript, while Node is a more effective way of running JS code. Similar to the frontend, there are many backend frameworks as well, such as Spring, Django, Express, Laravel, and Rails.
The Database:
Databases are necessary for queries as well as for storing or retrieving data. Thus, knowing how to manage databases and work on database servers is essential. MongoDB, MySQL, or MariaDB are some systems you must be skilled in to be a full-stack developer. You can either learn how to use NoSQL databases or SQL databases.
Full-stack developers do not just build websites but also structure data and handle API requests or responses. Security of data and the process of retrieving this data are essential; thus, full-stack developers must be able to use testing tools, automation tools, debugging tools, and container tools for testing applications and programs effectively.
Here are some other additional tools that full-stack developers require:
- Text Editors
- Integrated Development Environments such as Visual Studio, Atom, and other online alternatives
- UI/UX tools such as Adobe XD or Figma
- Git and Git Commands for version control or other repositories for commits
- NPM and Yarn Package Managers
- Inspect Element and Developer Tools
- Project Management Tools such as Slack
- Automation Tools for CI/CD
Career Prospects of Full Stack Developers
So, is web development a good career? Yes, absolutely. Web development is one of the leading domains in technology right now.
Businesses are moving online like never before. 79% of businesses have already made changes due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Shopify, 53% more people have already started building websites for their businesses.
The demand for e-commerce will also end up fuelling the demand for full-stack developers, especially for custom-built web portals. More than anything, full-stack developers will be needed for small-business owners who are shifting their business operations online. Full-stack developers work in Finance, IT, Education, Medicine, Recruitment, and many other sectors.
Full-stack developers have limitless scope as they are able to work on private projects for companies from various sectors and of various sizes, while also being highly employable for a team or department in MNCs and conglomerates. Full-stack developers find it easy to fit into most job roles related to web development. As per LinkedIn, full-stack engineer roles have seen a 35% average growth every year since 2015.
A quick search on LinkedIn for a full-stack developer job in India would fetch you thousands of results. This is the same with other countries as well, with almost every business either needing an e-commerce site, an online portfolio, a portal, online software, a web application, or even just a single page to let their presence known on the World Wide Web.
Full-stack developers also work with small retail chains, e-commerce shops, or other medium-level business owners, as they do not always have the means to hire an entire web development team. If you are looking for freelance projects in India or even outside the country as a full-stack developer, you can always find many on platforms such as Fiverr or Upwork.
If you are planning to go abroad, consider the US where full stack developers are in great demand. According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of web developers will grow by 13% from 2020 to 2030, which has been estimated to be around 17,900 open positions every year. This is much higher than most occupations.
Here are some job roles for full-stack developers:
- Full-stack Developer
- Frontend Developer
- Backend Developer
- Database Expert
- Web Developer
- Web Designer
Full-stack Developer Salaries in India
The average full-stack engineer in India earns Rs. 6,41,112 per annum.
Entry-level full-stack developers with less than a year of experience earn an average of Rs. 3,43,922 annually. Meanwhile, an experienced developer with 1 to 4 years of experience earns Rs. 5,93.375 per annum on average. A senior full-stack developer with 5 to 9 years of experience earns Rs. 11,45,460 on average per annum.
Glassdoor shows us similar numbers based on 2,586 salaries, reporting that an average full-stack developer earns Rs. 6,52,500 annually. Based on surveyed salaries in Glassdoor, senior full-stack developers earn about Rs. 12,00,000 on average per annum.
Here are the average full-stack developer salaries in India based on their location:
- Mumbai: Rs. 7,47,271
- Delhi: Rs. 4,36,324
- Bangalore: Rs. 6,25,833
- Pune: Rs. 5,20,306
- Hyderabad: Rs. 8,33,966
Here are some average full-stack developer salaries in India based on their companies:
- Google: Rs. 6,56,023 per annum
- IBM: Rs. 5,39,404 per annum
- Capgemini: Rs. 6,48,189 per annum
- Cognizant: Rs. 6,23,612 per annum
- TCS: Rs. 5,12,457 per annum
- Accenture: Rs. 6,58,353 per annum
- Wipro: Rs. 6,52,659 per annum
- Infosys: Rs. 4,37,552 per annum
Full-stack developers who know React, MongoDB, and stacks such as the MERN stack are known to get higher salaries.
Web development is a very lucrative sector, and you must ensure that you are ready to handle any kind of web development project on your own or with a team.
The Certificate Program in Full Stack Development from Hero Vired includes workshops, industry projects (with MERN stack), and hands-on learning sessions. Additionally, you will be gaining much-needed exposure to MongoDB, SQL, Node JS, React JS, and various other technologies.