What’s My Job? A Full-Stack Development Odyssey: Beyond Web Design Platforms

Unveiling Full-Stack Development Magic: Unveiling the World Beyond Web Design.

That does not even start to touch the tip of this giant Full-Stack Development Iceberg. Tell any non-programming person you are a Full Stack Developer and they will most likely assume, you load pictures onto some web design platform for a living or ask you to fix their cell phone.

That brings us to a better question: What is the difference between a Web Designer and a Web Developer?

That is also not too difficult to differentiate, a Designer designs things and a Developer builds things. Let’s take an example, many Web Designers use tools to create websites, there is a plethora of these things, whereas, on the contrary, a developer builds the tools web designers use – Applications.

So, back to the first Question, What is my job as a developer?

The key difference is the word “Application”, by now you will get, that a website is mostly a display tool that offers limited functionality, like contact forms, and maybe sometimes, gives you options to store things like your calendar, contacts, and whatever… I think you get the point.

An application, on the other hand, performs complex functions, it can become very very very complicated, Fast. These applications are created to handle anything from managing inventory in your business or designing a rocket to land on the moon.

Okay, now…what am I Really, on about?

For starters, I will not be boring you with what I do, It just sounded like an interesting intro, this post is going to be an introduction to programming, who knows, maybe you are interested in getting involved in the Amazon jungle of computers, and do not know where to start.

Also, do not get discouraged, because I will be telling you (Presumably a Newbie) a bunch of things you have to learn, the reality is that anything computers change at an exponential rate, and no matter how many years you already have under the belt, you will soon realize, that you will never stop learning, you will never know everything and everything changes all the time, Fast.

Back to this article, in the lines of text to come we will be taking a quick overview of what the “Full-Stack” part of the word means, and then compare it to reality, what you need to be able to do to create an application all by yourself.

Corporate Environment vs Self-Starter

In the Corporate Environment, Full-Stack developers play a vital role and are the glue that sticks all the parts together. Bigger development companies take advantage of working with teams and can afford to employ specialists for each required part. Often, In the case of smaller companies, where budgets are thin like shoestrings, the responsibility falls on the Full-Stack developer. But, bigger companies also employ Full-Stack developers.

Here is the definition

A full-stack developer is a software professional who can work on both the front-end and back-end of a website or web application.

• Front-end refers to the visual aspects of a website that users interact with directly, such as the buttons, menus, and text.
• Back-end refers to the server-side functionality that handles data storage, processing, and logic and is not directly visible to users.

Therefore, full-stack developers possess a broad skill set that encompasses both front-end and back-end development. This allows them to work independently on entire projects or collaborate effectively within development teams.

A hefty set of Skills

Front-End Developer Skills

Purpose: To design and build the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) of a website or web application.

• Languages: HTML, CSS, JavaScript (JS)
• Frameworks and Libraries: React, Angular, Vue.js, Bootstrap
• Preprocessors: Sass, LESS
• Version Control Systems: Git
• UI/UX Design Principles: Understanding of colour theory, typography, layout, and user interaction
• Responsiveness: Designing and developing for different screen sizes and devices
• Performance Optimization: Techniques to ensure websites load quickly and function smoothly

Back-End Developer Skills

Purpose: To build the server-side logic and functionalities that power a website or web application.

• Languages: Python, Java, PHP, Ruby
• Frameworks: Django, Spring, Ruby on Rails, Node.js (with frameworks like Express.js)
• Databases: SQL (MySQL, PostgreSQL), NoSQL (MongoDB)
• APIs: Understanding and working with APIs to integrate with external services
• Server-side Scripting: Ability to write code that executes on the server
• Security: Knowledge of best practices for securing web applications
• Scalability: Designing and developing systems that can handle increasing traffic and data

145,000 lines of code: This figure encompasses a broader set of software used throughout the Apollo 11 mission, including the AGC code as well as additional software running on the ground and onboard the spacecraft. This information is attributed to Margaret Hamilton, who led the software development team at MIT

Putting it all Together

Here’s a fascinating fact: the core of some operating systems, like Linux, is primarily written in text-based programming languages. This means the source code, the blueprint for the operating system, can be viewed and edited using a simple text editor.

However, building a complex system like an operating system involves more than just writing code. These text files need to be compiled and transformed into a format the computer can understand and run. This process typically requires specialized tools and environments beyond a basic text editor.

As these systems grow more intricate, they interact with various data formats, leading to the development of even more complex programs and functionalities, ultimately culminating in advancements like today’s Large Language Models (LLMs).

Going with the Flow

Wait, what flow? Well, the purpose of this article is to serve as an introduction, there is no way to cover this topic in one post of less than a million words, and for that reason, I will be posting blog posts from time to time related to everything we have discussed so far. I promise I’ll try my best to try and keep each post short, and make it easy to understand with some graphics where it is needed.

There is a separate category in our Blog Index dedicated to these posts, it is named PC Basics and you can find it HERE. 

You can also sign up for our weekly Newsletter and get updates on the latest blog posts, it’s not all just computer stuff. The Qwixby blog covers a bunch of topics, from Toasters to how to buy a TV.

All the posts get shared on our social channels, feel free to join us there as well. Choose your flavour: X, LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram.

Where to next?

At this time, I can’t say for sure. However, the plan is to maintain a focused yet chaotic approach, exploring interesting topics you can try yourself.

Imagine setting up a home server, installing your own CRM, customizing it, and gradually transforming it into a fully-fledged application you built yourself. You’ll learn to install and configure web servers, management systems like WordPress, and databases with managers like phpMyAdmin. Then, we’ll delve into UX, graphical tools and elements, and front-end design. We’ll cover everything you need to know about mobile-first theory, SEO, and content creation.

This will establish a solid foundation for building basic applications: simple, easy-to-make plugins and small apps performing handy functions.

So, if you’re curious about the web, and full-stack programming, and want to learn more, stay tuned! Feel free to join the conversation on our social media platforms or read the next post: From Infrastructure to Interface: Unveiling the Full-Stack.

Until next time, may the code be with you!

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