Hiring Full-Stack Developers: Understanding the WHYs, HOWs and WHENs

Quick Go-Through: In today’s cutthroat market, it's necessary for a business to hire full-stack developers for their software development team. However, finding and hiring these developers can be daunting. So, it's better to clearly understand their role, responsibilities, duties, technologies, and the hiring process. And this guide will dive deep into the detailed information on hiring full-stack developers.

A good software developer is like your secret firearm. If you’ve ever watched the movie ‘The Avengers: Infinity War,’ you might know the value of a remarkably proficient coder. And in the realm of digitization, where 89% of businesses have already adopted a digital-first business strategy, developers hold a lot of power. They can influence how your business functions and presents itself digitally. That’s why hiring the right software developers is a serious decision!

However, the software developer is just an umbrella term - and it doesn't include one specific type of person. For instance, backend, frontend, and full-stack developers fall under this umbrella. And today, we'll focus on the last type! Globalization is reuniting the software development industry, creating a buzz around ‘full-stack developer', making it an in-demand job title. However, hiring these developers to build full-stack solutions can sometimes get challenging and overwhelming.

Well, this article provides you with the A-Z information to make an informed decision about hiring a full-stack developer, including their job roles, responsibilities, hiring process, etc.

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What is a Full-Stack Developer?

A full-stack developer is someone who works on both the frontend and backend of software systems. These experts can build fully-fledged software solutions, including servers, clients, and databases, and don’t require other apps to function. Their job description includes utilizing a range of multiple languages like C#, PHP, HTML, JavaScript, Java, etc., and different technologies to develop top-notch full-stack applications. They also holistically approach software since they provide seamless user experience and functionality.

Full-Stack Developer Duties

• Efficient time management
• Consistently improving the knowledge of programming languages
• Staying current with all the recent technology trends
• Ensuring the design works smoothly with the functionality of the finished product
• Software optimization
• Make the application adaptable to different devices
• Manage all visual, functional, and technical aspects of the software in progress

Full-Stack Developers Requirements and Skills

• Degree in Computer Science, Statistics, or relevant field
• An analytical mind
• Organizational skills
• Great attention to detail
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Familiarity with UI/UX design, web servers (like Apache), and databases (like MySQL, MongoDB)
• Knowledge of multiple backend languages (like C#, Java, Python) and JavaScript frameworks (like Angular, React, Node.js)
• Knowledge of multiple frontend languages and libraries (like HTML/ CSS, JavaScript, XML, jQuery)
• Familiarity with standard tech stacks
• Experience developing web and mobile applications
• Proven experience as a Full-stack Developer or similar role

Full-Stack Developers Responsibilities

• Work with data scientists and analysts to optimize software
• ⁠Write technical documentation
• ⁠Integrate features and applications with a mobile responsive design
• ⁠Create security and data protection settings
• ⁠Troubleshoot, debug and upgrade software
• ⁠Test software to ensure responsiveness and efficiency
• ⁠Write effective APIs (Application Program Interfaces)
• ⁠Build and manage well-functioning databases and applications
• ⁠Develop the frontend of apps through appealing visual design
• ⁠Design client-side and server-side architecture
• ⁠Work with product managers and development teams to ideate software solutions

Why Hire a Full-Stack Developer?

Full-stack developers close the gap between backend and frontend development teams, test ideas, quickly prototype and troubleshoot issues across the entire app, and are cost-effective. The following are some significant reasons you should hire them:

• They help troubleshoot problems across the entire app, making them a valuable resource for improving and maintaining existing software.
• Also, hiring a Full-stack development team can be more cost-efficient than hiring separate developers for frontend and backend development.
• These developers can help with quick prototypes and test your ideas, saving your company's time and resources.
• Full-stack developers are intermediate between frontend and backend teams, encouraging better and open communication.
• They also help you with debugging problems involving backend and frontend technologies.
• Ideally, when you hire full-stack programmers, you have a person who comprehends all the elements of modern applications and accomplishes your business needs.
• The expert developers also provide flexibility to businesses as they can smoothly switch between frontend and backend technologies.
• Hiring Full-stack developers to develop startup software solutions is helpful as they can quickly turn your ideas into a functioning prototype for testing.

Benefits of Hiring Full-Stack Developers

Before determining whether hiring a full-stack developer would be right in your situation, it is worth learning about the general benefits one promises. Due to their proficiency in multiple tools and technologies, these developers offer advantages, including:

1. Easy Upgradation - Full-stack developers seamlessly conduct upgrade processes and ensure your software stays current, providing the best user experience.

2. High-Quality Product - They work on your development project from the ground up, ensuring a top-quality product.

3. One Package Deal - The developers have complete know-how on backend, frontend, debugging, and database management, developing a multipurpose software solution.

4. Improved Flexibility - Full-stack developers are proficient in multiple technologies and can handle any situation during the entire software development lifecycle, offering better flexibility.

5. High Experience - The high experience of Full-stack developers in their specific field can benefit your business greatly.

6. Better Productivity - These experts can manage different responsibilities simultaneously, resulting in a smaller team and increasing efficiency.

7. On-Time Delivery - Full-stack developers can simultaneously handle backend and frontend development, enhancing overall productivity and ensuring timely product delivery.

8. Budget-Friendly - When hiring full-stack programmers, you save costs and get high-quality solutions due to their expertise in different areas, eliminating the need to hire multiple developers.

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What Tech Stack Does Full-Stack Developers Use?

Every software project is different, and the technology your developers choose can significantly impact how successful it will be. Hence, the following are technologies full-stack developers use due to their effectiveness, scalability, and performance:

Popular Tech Stack used for Full-Stack Development

• LAMP Stack - Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP
• Rails or Ruby on Rails - Uses Ruby, PHP, and MySQL
• Django Stack - Django, Python, and MySQL as Database
• MERN Stack - MongoDB, Express, ReactJS, and Node.js
• MEAN Stack - MongoDB, Express, AngularJS, and Node.js

Favorite Tech Stack of Full-Stack Developers

• MEAN

The MEAN tech stack comes with multiple benefits, including using underlying technologies that are open-source and free or using a single language (JavaScript). MEAN refers to:

• MongoDB (NoSQL database)
• Express.js backend framework
• Angular.js frontend framework
• NodeJS open-source, cross-platform server

By employing MEAN stack, full-stack engineers get the flexibility in building versatile and real-time applications with ease. Moreover, it helps them mitigate the need to switch between programming languages, making it simpler to code, test, and launch applications.

• MERN

The key advantages of using MERN are integrating React, the powerful library, and the Full-stack development option. MERN stands for:

• MongoDB — document database
• Express(.js) — Node.js web framework
• React(.js) — a client-side JavaScript framework
• Node(.js) — the premier JavaScript web server

MERN is the favorite tech stack to full-stack developers as it helps them develop modern and scale-fit applications that are easy to maintain.

• LAMP

LAMP is the industry standard when it comes to different tech stacks. Full-stack developers adore it due to its top-notch performance, flexibility, and cost efficiency. LAMP stands for:

• Linux (operating system)
• Apache (HTTP server)
• MySQL (relational database management)
• PHP (programming language, it can also be Perl or Python)

Full-stack developers who work on small to medium-sized projects find LAMP a brilliant choice as it helps create interactive web applications that are easy to scale.

When Should You Hire a Full-Stack Developer?

You know, even with the plethora of benefits, hiring a full-stack development team sometimes might not be the right choice for you. You must evaluate your business objectives and specific software needs and decide whether to hire dedicated full-stack developers or specialized software developers. Let's find out:

• Building Prototype - Whether you own a startup or an SME, developing a minimum viable project (MVP) is better than starting to make a full-fledged application. MVP helps add value to the project progressively while eliminating the loopholes. So, for prototype-building, it's best to hire Full-stack programmers in terms of costs and faster delivery.

• Overall Project Size - Full-stack developers can quickly build a small app that focuses on a small audience of a few thousand. An experienced developer in this category can bear the entire project load and develop the desired solution on time.

• Complex Project Functionalities - Full-stack developers are good at handling projects with simple functionalities. However, if the level of functionalities increases, it might get challenging. Still, you might come across a developer who has previously handled complex projects.

• Need an App Development Partner - If you're a business owner with a precise idea of what kind of application you want to develop but are facing some challenges, you can hire Full-stack developers as your development partner.

How To Hire Full-Stack Developers?

To fill the developer void quickly and find the ideal candidate who understands your vision, you must follow the 6-step hiring process.

1. Consider your Business Needs

Before starting to hire full-stack programmers, you first need to define your project’s scope, development plans, and budget to decide whether you need a full-time or freelance developer.

2. Identify the Best Recruitment Channels

To find the best programmers, you must look for suitable hiring sources. You can search for the best candidates on different channels like professional networking websites, freelance platforms, and tech job boards.

3. Create a Clear Job Description

Creating a precise job description sets clear expectations and technological requirements for the role. It helps attract developers with the right skills, ensuring a more effective hiring process.

4. Use Talent Assessments

Businesses can improve employee retention rates by opting for a skills-first approach to hiring Full-stack developers.

5. Ask the Right Interview Questions

In this step, you need to ask the right interview questions. Look for candidates with a good grasp of backend and frontend technologies, assessing their knowledge of relevant frameworks, programming languages, databases, and other tools.

6. Onboard New Full-stack Developers

After you hire Full-stack developers, it’s time for them to hop on board. Ensure that your developers understand their roles, responsibilities, and the company culture from the first date.

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What is the Cost of Hiring Full-Stack Developers?

In most cases, professional full-stack engineers have almost a decade of experience working across multiple projects. However, location is the critical factor that defines the cost of hiring developers. And in this age of distributed teams, you can hire full-stack developers from anywhere in the world.

Generally, hiring full-stack developers from countries like Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US costs more, and you expect to pay around USD 12,000 monthly. However, hiring developers from developing or under-developing countries comes with an average monthly expense of USD 3,000–USD 5,000.

Here, experience also plays a significant role. For instance, full-stack developers with a decade of experience in India may charge the same as developers with three years of experience in the US.

Tips to Consider when Hiring Full-Stack Developers

A full-stack developer is undoubtedly a jack-of-all-trades. So, if you're ready to hire them, here are a few essential tips and tricks you should consider!

• Check out the candidate's utmost potential
• List down all your needs and requirements
• Choose a candidate with technical skills
• Must acquire project management skills
• Assess the candidate's development portfolio
• Good know-how on different technologies
• Look for additional qualities
• Analyze and hire the most suitable candidate

Let Radixweb Help!Don’t underestimate the power of full-stack developers for your business solutions. Sometimes, they might not acquire the same expertise level in the specific domain as the developers specialized in one side of the stack, but they bring a lot to the table. So, by hiring and treating full-stack developers as your team members, you can create a diverse and robust team to help your business with digital transformation.Also, to help you with your development project, you can hire expert full-stack developers from Radixweb who are proficient in significant tech stacks, including MEAN, MERN, Laravel/PHP, and Java. Our developers are passionate about turning your business idea into working software that exceeds all the quality benchmarks.Contact us to find out more.