Field guideLiasion
The full stack, from surface to server.
A full stack developer is comfortable across the front end and the back end. This guide follows the five layers that connect them, from the screen in front of a person to the systems that answer in the background.
A full stack developer is a versatile professional in the tech industry. They create, maintain and improve software applications and websites, and they develop and implement new features. They can work on all parts of the software development process, from the front end to the back end, and they are an invaluable asset to any technical team.
At the most basic level, a full stack developer is a person who is comfortable working with both the front end and the back end of a web or software application. This means they are familiar with the entire development process, from the initial design to the user interface, and all the way to the back end code, databases and server side scripting.
What the role expects
Full stack developers are expected to have a wide range of skills and knowledge across multiple technologies. The list is broad, but it is not random. Each item helps a developer understand how a system is put together and how a change in one place will be felt somewhere else.
- HTML, CSS, JavaScript and other web programming languages.
- Databases such as SQL or NoSQL, including the way data is stored and queried.
- A server side scripting language and the frameworks that support it.
- Libraries and frameworks such as Node.js, Angular and React.
- Problem solving, analysis and the ability to work through complex tasks.
- Clear communication and effective work with a team.
A system is more than its tools
Full stack developers need a deep understanding of the technologies that make up the system. They need to understand the user interface layer, the web layer, the application layer, the database layer and the infrastructure layer required to power it. The layers are connected, and the role is strongest when the connections are visible.
The work is not a race to learn every framework. It is a practice of moving between levels of detail without losing the whole picture. That is why this guide follows the stack in order.
Five layers to follow
Each chapter covers one layer, the work it owns and the way it meets the next. Start at the surface and move inward.
How to use this guide
Read the layers in order if you are new to the stack. If you already work in one part of the system, use the guide to understand the parts you meet but do not own.
- Begin with the interface chapter to see how a system becomes usable.
- Follow the sequence through the web, application, data and infrastructure layers.
- Keep the glossary and resource shelf nearby when a term or a tool needs a closer look.
When you learn a new tool, ask which layer it belongs to, what it connects to and what it makes easier for the people using the system.
Work beyond the layers
Full stack developers have opportunities across industries and project sizes. The same range that makes the role demanding also makes it flexible. The next page follows that part of the story.
Continue to the career guide for the project types, working arrangements and skills that carry the work forward.
01 / Continue Interface: start where the system meets peopleReference shelf
Places to keep learning.
These are stable starting points for the skills named across the guide. Each one goes to an outside source.