Daily Life of a Full Stack Developer

Anyone considering a career as a Full Stack Developer will likely be curious about the expectations and makeup of a typical workday. Finding out about the details of what a Full Stack Developer does can go a long way in preparing individuals for that line of work and whether it's the right career path for them. Full Stack Developers build websites, web applications, software, and other web-related properties with skills on both the front end and back end of web development. Without exception, Full Stack Developers are expected to work as part of a team. Full Stack Developers work alongside Front End Developers, Back End Developers, Web Designers, Software Engineers, and Project Managers to design, develop, maintain, and troubleshoot websites and apps.

Full Stack Developers can find work with major corporations, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, government agencies, and tech startups. Full Stack Developers can find full-time and part-time work inside offices or remotely as well as freelance work.

This article provides details on what to expect in a typical working day as a Full Stack Developer. Topics will touch on the skills, tools, and routines that Full Stack Developers use daily as well as how a typical workday moves along.

While it is essential that a Full Stack Developer possesses skills with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, and JavaScript libraries and frameworks as well as being able to work on the front end with user interfacing and the back end with functioning and database integration in web development, it’s also important to be able to communicate and work with others along with being able to manage a schedule for getting assignments done on time.

What Is a Full Stack Developer?

Becoming a Full Stack Developer involves building websites and apps through knowledge of front end and back end procedures that requires training in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, and Java. The front end of a website is what users see on their web browsers and is built with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other programming languages; the back end emphasizes how web properties function and interact with servers and databases.

Full Stack web development involves creating websites, software, or smartphone apps from scratch. This includes applying front end and back end web development procedures. Front end web development concerns user interface with websites while back end web development keys on the powering and functioning of websites on browsers like Chrome and Safari. Full stack web development combines both front end and back end techniques for understanding the full scope of web development.

Skill needed for becoming a Full Stack Developer can also lead to working as a Web Developer, Software Engineer, or Product Manager.

Read more about what a Full Stack Developer does.

Full Stack Developer Specializations

Full Stack Developers must possess skills in coding and programming languages as well as knowledge of both the front end and back end for building websites, software, and mobile apps. The front end of a website is what users see on web browsers and is built using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Back end web development focuses on the powering and functions of a website or app. Full stack development combines front end and back end procedures. Full Stack Developers usually start out at entry leave positions in web development. Many eventually rise to titles like Senior Developer after a few years of employment. Titles related to Full Stack Developer include Front End Developer, Back End Developer, and Web Developer.

A Full Stack Developer’s job typically requires knowledge with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, Git, and Agile for working on both the user-side and function-side for building websites. Full Stack Developers also have to know JavaScript frameworks and libraries like React and Node.js. A Full Stack Developer’s skill set should also include working with project management tools like Ora, using email or Slack for communicating and checking up on assignments, having a code editor for text editing with building web pages, and using Google Drive for storing and accessing files at the workplace or outside the office. Becoming a Full Stack Developer requires being able to work as a Front End Developer to facilitate user interface as well as a Back End Developer working on the server-side with website functions. For the sake of creating a simple layout, this scenario takes place on location at an office instead of working remotely from home, which is how many people do work nowadays. However, given the availability of teleconferencing technology these days, much of the information written here can be translated by people doing remote work from home.

Starting Your Day

Getting to the workplace is the first step for getting started with work. However, before getting a foot inside the office, Full Stack Developers should have a good idea about what awaits them with work for the upcoming day. It’s important to think about the specific assignments and projects getting started or currently being worked on. What’s been done? What needs to be done? A Full Stack Developer’s job is to combine web design and coding technology into an appealing package as well as working with procedures on the back end that correspond with making sure that the design and implemented coding all function as expected. By weaving HTML, JavaScript, and Python into a cohesive web property, the Full Stack Developer puts together the design layout, content, buttons, images, navigation, and internal links for a functioning, interactive website.

9 AM

After getting to the workplace and sitting down, Full Stack Developers, like anyone working inside an office setting, have to turn on their computers and open email to check the status of current work or to see if there are any new assignments waiting. Nowadays, in addition to email, many organizations use social media platforms like Slack for exchanging work-related information. After gathering any new information, the Full Stack Developer has a good idea about how to take on the day ahead.

Efficient Full Stack Developers check to make sure that completed assignments function as expected by examining whether anything needs adjusting or by making sure that everything is in working order before moving forward onto their next task.

At some point early that day, a Full Stack Developer must call, correspond, or physically interact with other members of the web development or design team to discuss the progress of recent and current projects.

11 AM

Around eleven o’clock is when everyone working in any office job begins thinking about the lunch break ahead. This means that Full Stack Developers should focus on getting whatever portion of a project they are working on to a point of completion to pick up on after returning from lunch. This does not mean finishing the project, of course, but simply making sure that a specific area being worked on is not left dangling.

Just before lunch is usually a good time to go over the assignment to make sure that everything is rolling along as expected. This includes making sure that the coding does what it is supposed to do or that everything that needs fixing gets fixed. If Full Stack Developers find minor problems somewhere with the assignment, they should make notes so that the issue gets addressed following lunch.

Most organizations use a variety of timekeeping online databases and platforms for tracking the time spent on a work project. It’s a good idea to make sure that the time tracked is accurate and noted somewhere for individual records and invoicing.

2 PM

After returning from lunch, it’s a good idea to again check email or Slack to see if there are any new assignments or the status of current and recent projects. Of course, once that has been done, the Full Stack Developer should get back to working on the current task with the goal of getting the assignment completed. As before lunch, they should continually check the coding to make sure that the design is doing what it should.

Full stack web development is a collaborative effort, and Full Stack Developers must constantly interact with other Web Developers on the front end and back end to be certain that both sides of web properties correspond properly. This again provides opportunities for making sure that individual projects, whether in progress or completed, are functioning properly.

5 PM

In wrapping up the workday, Full Stack Developers should have a clear understanding of the status of whatever project they are working on. This includes spending the last hour of work by tying up loose ends and setting up for continuing with a specific portion of their assignment the next day.

There may be times when a web development team needs to work overtime or during weekends. Barring these events, once the Full Stack Developer has reached a point of completion with an area of an assignment, it’s a good time to go home.

After Work

While it’s not a good idea to take work home mentally or emotionally, taking a minute or two to assess what they have worked on as well as how their projects are holding together could help Full Stack Developers for smoothing out details with work that need to be addressed. It’s also a good idea to review work-related material once they have gotten home to make sure that their assignments are at a good status. As with first sitting down at work in the morning, Full Stack Developers should also check their Slack accounts once they have gotten home to see if there is anything that will need to be addressed at work the next morning.

It’s always a good idea to also assess the day by settling on a general understanding with the state of a project as well as getting an idea about the direction of where overall work may be heading schedule wise. Other than that, it’s a good idea to relax and enjoy life after a day at work--until the next morning and getting back to work.

Learn the Skills to Become a Full Stack Developer at Noble Desktop

People have options for learning how to become Full Stack Developers, including in-person and live online training courses, bootcamps, and certificate programs that offer training through hands-on projects. Noble Desktop offers several live online Web Development courses that can help you with developing the skills needed for becoming a Full Stack Developer.

For example, with hardly any prior coding experience, you can complete the Full Stack Web Development Certificate program for training in how to code from scratch for learning how to build smartphone apps, websites, and software. This program trains you through lessons in coding and programming languages as well as front end and back end procedures for working in different areas of full stack web development. This course aims at keeping the class size small so that students can receive tailored advice and guidance from instructors.

If you would like to learn more options for building websites or apps from scratch through skills in front end web development, Noble Desktop offers information through Learn Front End Web Development, which can guide you through learning about several options for becoming a Front End Developer, including finding free resources and career advice. Front end web development refers to the user interfacing area of web development that involves learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for building websites.

If you would like to learn about options for building the backend of websites and apps, Noble Desktop offers Learn Back End Development, which provides information on the “server-side” for building websites with JavaScript frameworks and Python.