The demand for full-stack developers is quite high and is one of the most popular jobs in the tech industry today. They are experts in both the front-end and back-end of web or app development and are a valuable asset to any company or industry. Keeping in view of their tremendous potential, it is no wonder that companies shell out huge packages to rope in full-stack developers. One more interesting thing is that to become a full-stack developer, you do not need a computer science degree or any engineering. You can do the full-stack developer course by yourself by leveraging the available online resources or can approach the best institute for full stack developer course with placement to pursue the course. Without further ado, let’s get started on how you can get your dream job as a full-stack developer even if you don’t have a technical background or prior work experience.

What is a full-stack developer?

A full stack developer is a professional who understands both the front and back ends of a website or web application. They are highly versatile and hold comprehensive programming knowledge. They work on both client-end and server-end software and play an important part in the complete development cycle. With their web development skills, they can build webpages, websites, or mobile applications from start to finish.

Prerequisites to becoming a full stack developer

To be a full-stack developer, you must be familiar with or gain expertise in the following:

• Master the front-end and back-end programming languages
• Must possess basic design skills such as UI/UX prototyping.
• Sound knowledge of communication protocols such as RESET, HTTP, and TCCP/IP
• A good understanding of system architecture and web architecture

Job responsibilities

A full-stack developer does both front-end and back-end development. In case you are confused about the frontend and backend, we have got you covered!

• Develop frontend and backend website architectures.
• Design and develop APIs
• Debug and upgrade software.
• For software solutions, collaborate with the software and product teams.
• Develop databases, applications, and servers, and maintain them.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to coding and software.
• Test a product’s effectiveness by communicating with the product team.

Front-end development:

The front end is also known as the client side or the customer-facing side. It involves all elements of the computer application that interact directly with the users. They include visual elements and user interfaces. These developers ensure that the content appears uniformly across all devices. They would be well versed in various front-end programming languages, such as

• HTML
• CSS
• Javascript

Also, they must have expertise in various frameworks and libraries, such as:

• Angular JS
• Bootstrap
• Ember JS
• Jquery

Back end development:

Backend development involves working closely with databases, servers, and programmes that ensure the smooth running of applications. They create databases, site operations, and application programming interfaces (APIs). The back-end developers work with the front-end developers and other stakeholders to understand the project’s goals and objectives. These developers must be well-versed in backend programming languages such as:

• Java
• Python
• Ruby

The backend developers must have expertise in the following:

• Debugging backend systems
• PHP frameworks
• Version control software

A step-by-step guide to becoming a full-stack developer

If you are planning to start your career as a full stack developer, you must ensure that you follow the below-mentioned step-by-step guide.

Define your goals.

If you are not willing to work long hours, you should not pursue a career as a full-stack developer. Just choosing it as a career path, because of the paycheck is a bad idea! It involves a tremendous investment of effort, time, and resources to be able to stand out in the crowd. Unless you have the zeal and passion within you, it is difficult to thrive in the long run.

Master front-end and back-end course

A full-stack developer must master both front-end and back-end skills. Some of the top skills that these developers must master include the following:

• HTML
• CSS
• Javascript
• Object-oriented programming
• SQL
• Java
• DOM manipulation

Define your timeline

The timeline for becoming a full-stack developer varies from individual to individual. If you are a frontend developer with expertise in frontend development, then you only need to gain expertise in backend development. The same applies for backend developers. In either case, the timeline for becoming a full-stack developer is minimal as compared to a fresher who had to learn both frontend and backend from scratch.

In the era of open source, where everything is available at the click of a hand, it is quite easy to become a full stack developer. There are numerous resources available to learners to help them advance their careers as full stack developers. They include the following:

• Coding bootcamps
• Self-guided courses
• Degree programmes
• Books and online tutorials
• Platforms offering free coding courses (Udemy, Coursera, FreeCodeCamp, etc.

Become a full stack developer without a degree

Be clear about your objectives

Before deciding on a career as a full stack developer, keep the following points in mind. Weigh the benefits and drawbacks to see if it is the right career path for you.

Picture the learning curve

Since full stack development involves excelling in both the frontend and backend development, design a development plan that covers both skill sets. For instance, if you plan to do front-end development, learn related languages such as HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Similarly, for backend development, learn backend coding and databases.

Build your online portfolio and resume

Once you gain expertise in both the frontend and backend development technologies, it is now time to ace the interviews. Brush up your skills and leverage various online resources to test your practical skills. Go ahead and then prepare a portfolio that perfectly sums up all your skills and expertise. Parallelly, build a resume that details all the courses, projects, and so on. Make a list of the most commonly asked questions and answers so that you can refer to it before attending any interview.

Start a full stack developer job search

Once you’ve completed the preceding steps, begin your job search online in order to land your dream job as a full-stack developer. These days, there are many online portals that offer up-to-date information on the latest jobs available across top-rated MNCs (multinational companies).

Sharpen your coding skills

Do note that hiring managers will want to evaluate your technical skills to the fullest. Be proactive and practice various technical challenges such as coding exercises, soft analysis of programmatic thinking, design challenges, and so on. There are many online platforms where you can put your coding skills to the test. Some of them include Hackerrank, Leetcode, etc.

Perform admirably in the interview

Acing a full stack developer job interview after completion of a full-stack developer course is not easy given the demand and complexity. Companies interview candidates in a variety of ways before deciding on the best candidate for the job. Some companies test out the candidates’ skills by conducting online tests. Other companies prefer to test technical knowledge by posing a variety of technical questions. You have to be prepared to answer questions about your entire tech stack. Although it may not be possible to answer all the queries, be confident enough to answer those that you are familiar with. If you can’t find an answer, you can elaborate on your approach to solving the problem.

Behavioral questions

Gone are the days where you were solely determined by your technical skills. Companies now look to recruit such candidates who are adept at the company culture and collaborate well with other members of the team. They test the candidates on all fronts, starting with day-to-day challenges, how they would respond in stressful situations, and common disagreements with fellow team members.

Display your analytical skills

Although you display your exceptional coding skills, it may not fully satisfy the hiring managers. More often than not, your code will not work every time; you may have to tweak it multiple times before arriving at a possible solution. Hiring managers pay due attention to the candidate’s approach to a problem and the means he adopts to arrive at a resolution. They want the employees to be familiar with all aspects of a full stack. You should offer them your various approaches when it comes to solving a complex problem. You must make it a point to let them understand that you are a lifelong learner and are always willing to explore and learn new technologies.

Conclusion

This article clearly signifies the fact that it is possible to kickstart your career as a full stack developer without any technical background or experience. But learning all by oneself is not an easy job! If you wanted to learn the full stack developer course within a short time, then the best approach would be to join a reliable institute. What better place to pursue the full stack developer course in Hyderabad than Ace Web Academy? The full-stack developer bootcamp offered by the institute encompasses on-demand learning, live training, and loads of practice assignments and exercises.

Besides the offline coaching, Awa also offers full stack developer courses online to hone your skills across diverse topics and techniques. Further, with intense interview preparation and career support, AWA ensures that you get placed in a reputed company after successful completion of the course. You can also avail the course completion certificate after successfully completing all the modules and assignments of the course.