In theory, a full-stack developer is capable of working across both front- and back-end to create a complete product without the need for additional support. Full-stack developers have vast experience and working expertise in all stack layers such as front-end and back-end technologies, DevOps and databases, and are able to produce a minimum viable product in a given stack.
If you are looking to hire a full-stack developer here are some useful tips on how to evaluate the candidates and choose the best one for your team.
What expertise should a full-stack developer have
A full-stack developer needs to be self-sufficient – they need to be able to create, design, implement, and build a minimum viable product (MVP) without any additional support of help. They should be comfortable with the tech stack your team is using and have expertise in all layers that your team needs.
A full-stack developer needs to understand how the components of the codebase work together and are capable of thinking on a high tech level – even if the tech is beyond their expertise, they should be able to advise which stack will be most effective and efficient, according to the current project.
A highly skilled full-stack developer is familiar with the most up-to-date best practices and knows how to use both front-end and back-end to implement the best execution within the tech stack of the product.
How to make sure that a full-stack developer is compatible with your tech team
It is important that the full-stack developer you are going to hire is not only highly skilled and experienced but also a good fit for your existing team. To ensure that, a full-stack developer should be familiar and comfortable to use the methodology and development style of your team – waterfall, agile, etc.
They should be knowledgeable and a good mentor to be able to guide other members of the team and help them create more unified work. A very important requirement is that the full-stack developer has exceptional tech communication skills as they will have to communicate both with front- and back-end, and DevOps.
Finally, they need to be a strong team player and be able to collaborate effectively not only within the tech team but with other members and stakeholders of the organization as well.
What soft skills are important for a full-stack developer
A full-stack developer needs to be constantly dedicated to learning new technologies in order to be up-to-date with the newest trends and best practices. They should have excellent problem-solving skills and be comfortable to dig deep in order to find the solution for any issue without the need for help.
A full-stack developer is a self-starter – they are capable to manage their workload and identify the problems they need to work on. It is very important that they are able to understand the particular goals of the project, how it will solve the users’ problems, and how it will help them.
In order to be successful, a full-stack developer needs to be objective and look for the best solution for the needs of the current project, not based on what they have done before or are familiar with. They should be passionate about the product they are working on not only from the engineering point of view but from the user perspective as well.
Determine your priorities before you hire a full-stack developer
As we said, in theory, a full-stack developer is an expert in all stack layers. But in reality, it is often difficult to find someone that is well-experienced and knowledgeable to that extend. Be sure that you and your team determine beforehand what exactly do you need and what your priorities are before you start the hiring process.
