Full-stack development requires a broad skillset. The best candidates will demonstrate substantial experience within each of the several areas outlined below.
Full-stack development requires a broad skillset. The best candidates will demonstrate substantial experience within each of the several areas outlined below.
There are various differences between a web developer and a full-stack developer. A web developer tends to be specialized in either front-end or back-end development. A full-stack engineer instead will be proficient across the board, including any associated areas such as database design/management and DevOps.
The key to exceptional front-end engineering is a thorough understanding of user experience, and in turn, user interface implementation. The latter requires a comprehensive understanding of various front-end technologies, the core being HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It is also beneficial for the engineer to be familiar with various frameworks and libraries, but the specific ones are down to personal preference. It’s a bonus to have an appreciation/understanding of product strategy.
Back-end engineering does not require an understanding of user experience, per se. However, it does demand an extensive knowledge of API principles. This does not necessarily have to be REST, but in most cases, this is the preferred paradigm. In addition to this, the candidate must excel in at least one back-end technology as well as database design and implementation. It is also important that the candidate holds more than just a basic understanding of managing relevant infrastructure.
Full-stack Developer - Job Description and Ad Template
Copy this template, and modify it as your own:
Company Introduction
{{ Write a short and catchy paragraph about your company. Make sure to provide information about the company’s culture, perks, and benefits. Mention office hours, remote working possibilities, and everything else that you think makes your company interesting. }}
Job Description
We are looking for a seasoned full-stack engineer to build out and manage our entire web infrastructure. Successful candidates will have a minimum of three years’ recent experience with all of the skills listed below.
Our project entails implementing our pre-approved UI, constructing our API, connecting the two, and setting up our server infrastructure. This includes all associated areas such as database and architecture design.
Responsibilities
Design and implementation of the overall web architecture
“Pixel-perfect” implementation of our approved user interface
Design and deployment of our database
Ensuring the entire stack is designed and built for speed and scalability
Design and construction of our REST API
Integrating our front-end UI with the constructed API
Design and implementation of continuous integration and deployment
{{ Add any other relevant responsibilities here }}
Skills
At least three years’ experience with:
Writing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Being up on latest practices is a must, e.g., HTML5, CSS3, and ECMAScript 6 (minimum)
A relevant back-end programming language {{ e.g., PHP, Python, Ruby or JavaScript }}
Database design and management, including being up on the latest practices and associated versions
Server management and deployment for the relevant environment
Familiarity with a relevant and globally supported framework—both front-end and back-end, if necessary—{{ e.g., React, Vue, Laravel or Flask }}
Ideally, familiarity with CSS preprocessors, bundlers, and associated languages/syntaxes/libraries {{ e.g., Sass, Less, and webpack }}
Thorough understanding of user experience and possibly even product strategy
Experience implementing testing platforms and unit tests
Proficiency with Git {{ or another version control system as required }}
Appreciation for clean and well documented code
{{ Make sure to mention any other frameworks, libraries, or other technologies relevant to your project }}
{{ List any education level or certification you may require }}
A full-stack developer has specialized knowledge in each stage of software development including mobile development, server operations, front-end and back-end development, and design. This guide offers a sampling of effective questions to help you identify the best full-stack developers who are experts in their field.
Toptal is a marketplace for top Full-stack developers and coders. CEOs, CTOs, and management at top companies and startups work with Toptal Full-stack freelancers to augment their development teams for Full-stack development, app development, web development, and other software development projects to achieve their business needs.
Jonathan is a full-stack engineer with more than ten years of experience. He is comfortable working on large-scale distributed systems and client-facing, single-page web apps. Jonathan also excels at big data and is often involved with social media-related analytics projects.
Carlos is a professional software engineer and full-stack web developer specializing in the Ruby on Rails framework. He has worked with tech companies for over a decade, helping to build technology-based businesses from the ground up. He has a bachelor's degree in computer science from Williams College.
Matthieu is a full-stack software engineer with more than 15 years of hands-on experience in front- and back-end development. His solid focus on products led him to co-run a media agency and even build a startup. Always looking for challenging learning opportunities, Matthieu explored the machine learning space and wrote a fast and efficient recommender system still serving end users today.
Josh is a graduate of Columbia University and a full-stack developer with over six years of freelancing experience. His skills include designing front ends in languages like React, developing back ends in languages like Node.js and Python, and integrating services and APIs like Stripe and Alchemy. Josh has worked with databases like MongoDB and DynamoDB and deployed apps to cloud service platforms like AWS and GCP and smart contracts and programs to blockchains like Ethereum and Solana.
David is a highly motivated full-stack developer with more than seven years of experience. He has a master's degree in computer science. He specializes in Java on the back end and React on the front end. David works with SQL and NoSQL databases and CI/CD pipeline building. He has expertise in both enterprise and startup environments.
Martin is a proactive and reliable full-stack engineer with a broad web application development skill set. He's been working on various products and clients, from solving enterprise-grade problems to launching new applications for startups. Martin's work involves leading technical teams by creating an accessible development environment, fixing technical debts, enforcing best practices in teams, and mentoring developers.
Gustavo is a senior full-stack developer specializing in web-based development, including eCommerce sites and fully responsive web platforms. He is skilled in JavaScript, Python, Redux, Git, Node.js, and React. He has eight years of experience building beautiful and robust websites and web apps for startups and enterprise-level organizations like Cisco, Ascential, and SHL. Gustavo is passionate about designing and engineering optimal digital solutions that offer a great user experience.
Alejandro got his bachelor's degree in software engineering in 2005 and has since been working for software companies of all sizes from all around the globe as a freelancer. Currently, he enjoys working as a full-stack architect in JavaScript projects, where his experience and his deep understanding of architecture and theory are most impactful.
Caio is a full-stack engineer with more than five years of experience working on real projects since completing his bachelor's degree in computer science. He specializes in JavaScript or TypeScript with React and Node.js. Caio has built numerous UIs and high-performing APIs and solved problems according to clients' needs.
Giorgi is a highly-skilled full-stack developer with over five years of experience in React development. He is proficient in translating designs into high-quality code and implementing highly-responsive user interface components with React concepts. His primary focus is on web and mobile development. He is keen on writing clean and reusable code using best practices.
Iury is a seasoned, full-stack developer with 18+ years of web development experience from web agencies, software houses, startups, and large corporations. He worked for AB-InBev as a lead developer and for Localiza Hertz, South America's largest car rental company. Iury was the CTO of a Brazilian startup and is a creative problem solver who has consistently completed projects on time and within budget, delivering outstanding work.