In the modern world, if we talk about professional versatility, there’s no one better than a Full Stack Developer to represent the term “versatile.” Well-versed in both frontend and backend web development, Full Stack Developers are the multi-talented professionals that every company wants to have.

Since the dawn of the digital era, more and more companies and organizations are creating their unique online presence through their websites. Naturally, the domain of web development is witnessing a growth like never before, thanks to which the demand for experienced and skilled Full Stack Developers has spiked considerably.

Full Stack Developers have a broad skill set and extensive knowledge base. One needs years of experience in software development to be a Full Stack Developer. They are familiar with each layer of tech stacks that go into the making of a software product. They know how each layer functions and, most importantly, can manipulate all the backend components. Full Stack Developers are highly valued by large companies and small startups alike. Here are the top tech skills which any company looks for in a Full Stack Developer:

1. HTML/CSS

While HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language, CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. HTML is used for adding web content, and CSS is a personalization tool for designing and styling a website. Both HTML and CSS determine the look and feel of a website, which ultimately plays a major role in attracting prospective customers.

Full Stack Developers have to work with HTML to define the structure of web pages by using markup. They must also be proficient in CSS for effective presentation of the HTML elements. Full Stack Developers must have extensive knowledge in both of these programming languages for creating an interactive and engaging frontend for applications.

2. JavaScript

When it comes to web and software development, JavaScript is a mandatory Full Stack Developer skill. The object-oriented scripting language is mostly used for adding behaviors using HTML. It is one of the most widely used languages for writing frontend and backend code for servers. Furthermore, JavaScript is the only programming language that can run natively in the browser and on the server-side (Node.js).

Full Stack Developers must have in-depth knowledge of JavaScript along with its concepts and features like React and Angular. One of the best things about JavaScript is that it includes numerous useful features, including functions, prototypes, higher-order event delegation, and closure, which help create responsive web pages.

It is also mandatory for Full Stack Developers to upgrade their JavaScript knowledge as and when new frameworks, libraries, and tools are launched. Apart from this, Full Stack Developers must know how to use DOM and JSON.

3. Backend Languages

While we’ve covered the two most critical frontend languages, HTML and CSS (along with JavaScript), the other pivotal part of an application or software is the backend. While backend development is a whole different game, there’s plenty of programming languages to choose from. A Full Stack Developer must know at least a few of these languages for backend development:

PHP – One of the most popular choices for backend development, PHP is an open-source, cross-platform compatible language that can work seamlessly on Unix, macOS, and Windows.

Python – Python’s English-like syntax, smooth learning curve, and a vast assortment of libraries and frameworks is what makes it extremely popular among developers and coders around the world.

Ruby – Ruby is a robust programming language. An active community of developers backs it, but it also boasts of excellent documentation and dependencies, making it the ideal choice for backend development.

Java – Java is a multipurpose programming language. It can be used for web, desktop, and mobile application development. Plus, Java has a wide range of frameworks that further simplify the process of backend development.

4. Git and GitHub

Every developer, as well as aspiring developers, has heard of Git. It is an open-source distributed version control system that can handle all your development needs. It promises speed and efficiency for both small and large-scale projects. With Git, developers can seamlessly manage all the changes made to applications, codes, websites, documents, and other information associated with software/application development. Professional developers usually have a GitHub profile, which is compulsory if working in a team.

As for Full Stack Developers, Git allows them to track every minor modification done to the application codebase. They must be aware of all the basic Git commands and examples. Using Git empowers Full Stack Developers to explore unique opportunities for security, productivity, and management. Knowledge of Git allows Full Stack Developers to better collaborate and cooperate with their fellow developers/programmers who are working on the same project.

5. Web Architecture

Full Stack Developers are the wizards of software development. They are equipped with multiple skills pertaining to both frontend and backend development.

Full Stack Developers need to know the nitty-gritty of web architecture. Since their primary responsibility is to develop complex software applications from scratch, they must know how to structure the code, categorize the files, structure the data in databases, and perform the necessary computational tasks.

6. HTTP and REST

Both HTTP and REST serve two unique purposes. HTTP is the protocol used for facilitating communication with the client, whereas REST is an interface between systems using the HTTP protocol to gather data or perform different operations (in various formats) on the data. So, REST acts like a translator between the frontend and the backend.

Since HTTP and REST are necessary for Full Stack development, Full Stack Developers must master both.

7. Database Storage

All web applications need a database where all the data will be stored. This is to ensure that developers can access the data later. Database storage calls for an experienced and skilled Full Stack Developer who knows relational databases and database storage inside-out. Full stack developers must be adept in database management – they should be able to design, understand, and manipulate database queries. They must also know how to work with XML and JSON.

Things that a Full Stack Developer must know concerning database storage and management include knowledge of NoSQL databases and of web storage.

8. Basic Design Skills

As we’ve made it clear that a Full Stack Developer is concerned with frontend and backend, they must possess the fundamental design skills. The knowledge of frontend design is crucial to make a website look attractive and appealing. A website with a neat and user-friendly design always wins the hearts of the users.

Thus, Full Stack Developers must know the basic design principles, including UI & UX design, prototypes, scalability, etc.

9. NPM

NPM is the package manager explicitly designed for Node.js. It aids in the installation of different packages. It also offers relevant solutions for various dependencies. NPM allows developers to place modules optimally to help the node to find them and manage the dependency conflicts accordingly. NPM is highly configurable, and thus, it can be used for many applications, including the development, publishing, discovery, and installation of node programs.

Future of Full Stack Developers

Full stack developers have tremendous growth opportunities and companies offer lucrative salary packages for this role. As most companies prefer hiring a generalist more than a specialist, full stack developer jobs remain on top of their tech role hirings. The number of tech-inclusive companies is constantly rising, and even if a company isn’t very tech-savvy, they still require web development to some extent. Hence, there are and will always be ample opportunities for full stack developers.

There are more than 44,000 full stack developer jobs alone in the US. Startups and companies like Amazon, Mastercard, Walmart, Adobe, Google and IBM are constantly posting for various full stack developer jobs across the US.