9 Helpful Tips To Hire A Full Stack Developer

Known as “multi-framework” programmers, full stack developers are causing a stir in the programming world these days. While some companies don’t leverage the potential of these developers, there are others, such as Facebook, that support them and even hire them with high salaries.

But before you look for a full stack developer to hire, you need to know who they are and what their responsibilities are.

In simple terms, a full stack developer is a programmer who is sufficiently qualified to work with both front-end and back-end technologies. They are responsible for developing full-fledged web applications and are well-versed in technologies like React, Java, Python, C++, JavaScript, Angular, PHP, etc. They are engineers who can work on server-side logic, databases, and systems engineering.

For example, while creating a website or web application, there are many processes involved such as developing server-side, creating and administering the database & the entire infrastructure, and designing and developing the user-facing elements of the web applications. An experienced full stack web developer should be able to do all of this efficiently.

There are three major steps in web development that a full stack engineer should know about. These include:

Interfacing : This step, also known as the front-end system, consists of creating the user interface. In this, the developer translates the wireframe into code and builds intuitive applications.

Server-side logic : This step is also known as the back-end system and is used to process data or content on the server-side. This also includes the use of programming languages (Java, Python, Ruby, etc.), frameworks, and web servers.

Databases : This is the final step comprising data storage, data indexing, general queries, and connecting to a website via an API.

If companies  hire dedicated developers, they should choose developers who can work on all the main aspects (client-side, server-side, and database) and build robust solutions.

When To Hire A Full Stack Developer?

An experienced developer on the team can make a considerable difference in product development and delivery. In case you have doubts regarding when to hire a full stack developer for your business, consider the following scenarios:

• When do you need to create an MVP for your full stack projects?
• When you need a project manager who knows what customers want and how to deal with them?
• When you are facing budget constraints and cannot afford to hire specialists like front-end developers, database administrators, or back-end developers?

Tips To Hire A Full Stack Developer

Start by making your project requirements precise and understandable. Decide on the development model you choose when outsourcing or developing in-house.

Once these decision-making processes are transparent, prepare guidelines and go through the hiring process. Using these tips can help you hire one of the best developers out there.

1. Jot Down All Your Requirements

Prepare a document listing all your project requirements before hiring a developer. You can enable MVP development, control the client and server-side of an application, and even accelerate project delivery with full stack development.

2. Check The Qualities

Here are the qualities that a full stack developer should have:

• They must be knowledgeable and experienced in the industry
• Knowledge of various technologies, and able to steer the project in the right direction, understand the customer’s challenges, and work according to the vision of the company
• They are highly flexible and accessible
• They can switch between multiple projects to assist teams in different areas when needed
• They are ideal as support when a project team faces deadline problems or  groups struggle with mistakes to assert themselves

3. Check Project Management Skills

Full stack developers are exceptional project managers. Business development teams may not understand all the technical aspects of development. However, experienced developers can manage technical teams and even lead the project. They even understand development levels and create precise schedules for the resources involved in a given project.

4. Hire Full Stack Developers Based On Technical Skills

A developer should have these technical skills in his/her arsenal:

HTML and CSS skills : These skills are crucial to build an attractive user interface. Other front-end skills that can be beneficial for your projects include frameworks like AngularJS, Backbone.js, Vue.js, and Bootstrap with libraries like React, AnyChart, and jQuery.

JavaScript : Developers use JavaScript, which is essential for writing server code. Therefore, knowledge of JavaScript is an advantage for a full stack developer.

Back-end : The back-end processes include database operations and user authentication. A full stack developer should be proficient in languages ​​like Python, PHP, or Ruby, frameworks like Laravel, Ruby on Rails, Django, .Net, and Express.js, and database technologies like SQL, MySQL, Hadoop, etc.

Web architecture : Being a full stack developer includes a precise understanding of web-based architecture to –

• Enable code structure development
• Store data sets
• Facilitate computational projects and file segmentation

HTTP and REST : HTTP is an explicit communication protocol used by clients and servers. And REST is an interface that uses HTTP for implementation. Experience in both areas can be very beneficial for full stack developers in order to work on the back-end and the front-end.

5. Assess The Grasp On Diverse Technologies

Your potential candidate must have an excellent grasp on technologies used for web services, front-end, back-end development, and be capable of managing databases. However, the candidate’s expertise and knowledge should not be restricted to only knowing about technologies, they should also have some hands-on experience working on different projects.

6. Assess Development Portfolio

An experienced developer must have a reliable portfolio of previous development projects. Ask them to show you the work samples so you can get an idea of ​​his/her expertise. It doesn’t mean weeding out inexperienced developers, they start out in the industry and are ready to learn more on the job. Also, appreciate the skills they offer as a full stack developer.

7. Evaluate The Knowledge Of Technological Advancements

A dedicated full stack web developer must be familiar with and equipped with all the new and evolving technology trends to implement in full stack projects. As technology continues to evolve, these developers must understand the needs and expectations of users. They should be able to inform users about the latest trends and technological innovations and implement them in the applications.

8. Look For Additional Qualities

A full stack developer will work on many projects, and therefore, they should have the proper knowledge and understanding of business requirements. They should not only know the technical terms but also know how to deal with customers, which helps to clarify doubts and questions from customers.

9. Analyze And Hire The Best Full Stack Developer

Because it’s a complex task to choose the right developers, you can directly go to a full stack development company. You should better avoid risks in the business and choose developers who are highly skilled and know all the technical aspects of the full stack development process.

Wrapping Up

Although there are many different developers in the industry, companies often find it difficult to hire a full stack developer who not only understands their business needs but is the right cultural fit for them. With the help of effective hiring tips mentioned above, businesses can not only hire professional and competent full stack developers but can also get cost-effective solutions for their website, single page, application, or software systems.