How to Get Started
as a Full Stack Developer

The pathway to becoming a full stack developer is not as complicated as it may sound. You do not necessarily need a college degree to enter the field if you have a bootcamp certificate. As long as you have the right skills, you can get one of the highest-paying tech jobs and work in software development or database operations.

The technical skills you need to become a full stack web developer can be obtained through bootcamp programs, online courses, or degrees. This article will guide you to the best educational tracks you can pursue while getting the skills you need to start your web development career.

A full stack web developer is a web developer who is highly competent with both front end and backend web development. The front end is associated with the development of client software, while backend development is associated with the development of server software. Both parts of the development process are important building blocks for any software.

A professional full stack developer knows how to build a browser, a server, and a database. All three of these are highly specialized skills that a full stack developer must master equally to be proficient at their job. According to PayScale, the average salary for full stack developers is $78,961.

Now that machine learning and data analysis are becoming more popular, hiring managers are looking for developers with these skills. More experienced web developers with data science skills can create and maintain a wide range of databases within the websites that they build. This is why learning data science skills is relevant for full stack developers.

If you enroll in a full stack developer bootcamp, you can complete a course in as little as 30 hours. Students in these programs will work on development teams and create developer portfolios. However, if you want to learn more and broaden your skillset, you could earn an associate degree that will take you two years to complete.

You could also go the long route by earning a four-year bachelor’s degree. The problem with longer degree programs, in the context of full stack development, is that they also tend to teach you extra topics you don’t need. Degree programs require a massive time and financial investment, which is why bootcamps are a better option.

Where you study will depend on your goals as a full stack developer. Web development skills can be obtained at a community college, at universities, at coding bootcamps, and through the completion of online courses. The essential question to ask is which specific coding skills you want to acquire.

To be employed as a full stack developer, you will need project management skills and some experience with real-world development projects. This is in addition to technical knowledge of version control systems, access control, front end technology, source code, popular languages, and application logic. A bachelor’s degree is often a requirement for applicants as well.

The job outlook for a full stack web developer for the period 2020 between 2030 is currently 13 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS also reports that the average salary is around $77,200. With the right soft skills, experienced developers can earn up to double this median salary.

A full stack developer completes programming and design tasks that have to do with a website. You will have to balance client needs with the design and functionality of a website. They complete coding exercises, work on mobile applications, and create development frameworks. Read below for more full stack development responsibilities.

This includes the development and maintenance of interfaces and navigation menus for websites. A full stack developer needs to be able to ensure their creations are functional as well as visually pleasing. While backend development focuses on the nuts and bolts of an application and how it performs, front end development is all about the user experience.

Among the primary functions of a full stack developer is being able to write clean and readable code for a website using languages like HTML and XML. Proficiency in these languages ensures that you can handle both backend and front end development assignments. It’s a full stack developer’s job to make sure each component works as it should.

Full stack developers are also expected to integrate design, graphics, audio, and video into a website. How each of the front end and backend components interact with each other is essential to the final product created by full stack developers. The main objective is to deliver a seamless experience by honing both the technical and visual aspects of an application.

Full stack developers are expected to have a wide range of skills, ranging from knowledge of JavaScript-based technologies to cascading style sheets. Below is a list of the most essential skills and certifications a full stack developer should possess.

The full stack certifications listed below are directly related to the skills that are most associated with full stack web development. If you want to earn a high salary in the field and prove your skills to potential employers, you should earn one of these certifications.

Full stack developers are unique in that they carry a useful all-around skill set, which makes them exceedingly difficult to replace within an organizational structure. If you’re looking for job security and a high salary, becoming a full stack developer is your best choice.