Full Stack Web Development

Last updated December 18, 2024

What is a Full Stack Web Developer?

A Full Stack Web Developer is a software engineer who builds both the front end and the back end of a website. The front end is the visible part of the application that users interact with. The back end includes the server, database, and applications that power the application. If you consider “stacks” as the layers of technology, a full stack developer utilizes all the stacks to create a complete application. 

A coding bootcamp is the fastest and most streamlined way to learn the full-stack skills. Bootcamp students learn technical skills and soft skills which help more than 79% of graduates land jobs after graduation. To get ready for the bootcamp, it’s important to prepare for the admissions process by taking a prep course, doing some studying on your own, and considering the interview questions you might encounter. There’s also the time and cost commitment to consider, as most bootcamps run anywhere from 8-16 weeks and on average cost $14,214. However, many bootcamps offer deferred tuition, income share agreements (ISA), and other financing options to help you pay for the course.

The demand for Full Stack Web Developers remains high and is widely considered a solid career path. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for software developers is expected to grow by 17%, “much faster than average” by 2024, which is about 200,000 more roles. Full Stack Web Developers are highly sought after by employers because they’re “two-in-one” employees, as they can perform both front and back end development of a website or app, and usually can work independently. The most in-demand Full Stack Web Developers also have a wide range of soft skills such as adaptability, inquisitiveness, the ability to solve problems, attention to detail, and strong communication skills. 

What Does a Full Stack Web Developer Do?

In a nutshell, Full Stack Web Developers are generalists, or a “jack of all trades” in the tech world: high-level software engineers who plan, design, analyze, and execute a range of software applications and web services. They create software, applications, and scalable web services. Full Stack Web Developers usually have a wide range of skills and are engaged in every stage of software development, including code review, updates, test-driven development, data structure completion, architecture design, and performance analysis.

On the front end, Full Stack Web Developers handle everything that the website user can see and click on. They create user interfaces (UI) to enhance and perfect the visible parts of an application for both web browsers and mobile devices such as phones and tablets. 

Back end work includes everything the user doesn’t see, such as server-side development, Application Programming Interfaces (API) development, database management, performance optimization, and security. They write and maintain the code that makes those processes happen to ensure that everything on the app or website runs smoothly. 

What Kind of Skills Do Full Stack Web Developers Need?

Since Full Stack Web Developers handle all aspects of web/app design, implementation, and maintenance, they need a wide range of skills. Full Stack Web Developers need to be able to see what makes both the front and back end work, and how to connect both these sides to create a unified product. They also need to have a deep awareness of all the tools and best practices that meet the needs of their specific project.

Soft Skills + Hard Skills Needed by Full Stack Web Developers

Full Stack Web Developers need a wide range of technical skills in a variety of languages, depending on what a project requires. Full stack developers need strong tech skills to do their job successfully, but since they’re working on all aspects of a project, they need to have a variety of “soft skills” as well. 

Successful full stack developers should have the following soft and hard skills:

Job Market and Salary Insights

The job market for Full Stack Web Developers is bright. With the continued growth of e-commerce, job demand is expected to grow 16% over the next decade, with 19,000 new job openings each year, which is much faster than the average for all other occupations. The pay is substantial as well, with the estimated salary for a Full Stack Web Developer coming in at $121,000 per year (with a median of $89,841). 

Despite the proliferation of remote work, your location will be a significant factor in determining your yearly salary, with positions located in tech hubs such as New York, San Francisco, and London generally paying more (of course, the cost of living is much higher there.) Larger companies tend to pay more than smaller businesses, and how much you earn is also dependent on your specific skill set. 

Here is a list of the most frequent full stack development job titles for bootcampers: 

• Full Stack Engineer
• Full Stack Web Developer
• Full Stack Software Engineer
• Full Stack Architect
• Front End Developer
• Back End Developer
• Mobile Developer
• Machine Learning Engineer
• Junior Developer
• Associate Developer
• Senior Developer
• Web Development Apprentice
• Web Development Instructor
• Teacher Assistant (TA)

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