Full Stack Developer: Technology is ever-evolving. With the enhancements in the fields of AI and ML, we are going towards the next levels of technology. We are also taking a big step toward business intelligence for applications. For that, one of the major components is user experience. That’s the end product that matters. So, you would want to hire developers who are proficient in front-end, back-end, and database programming.
But there are two ways you can do that. You can either hire one developer with the knowledge of Full-stack development or hire specialized developers. This article helps you solve the dilemma of which one to choose by presenting the pros and cons of each and giving you the gist of both.
What is a Full Stack Developer?
A Full Stack developer is a developer who has proficient, if not fluent, knowledge of all steps from concept to finished product. That is to say, they have a knowledge of front-end, back-end, and database programming. Full-stack programmers are quite well-known for their flexibility. Ideally, they would find the best possible solutions for the business by interpreting the needs. They can also handle the project on their own.
To give an example, you can look at Facebook. It has a great design and many features. Facebook hired the full-stack developers to program as they are highly flexible.
To put it simply, full-stack developers are the all-rounders. They can work with a lot of technologies and can also better understand the needs of the clients. Thus they are capable of making the best software products for you. Of course, they aren’t quite experts but regardless, they offer a lot of potentials.
The skillsets of a Full-stack developer are
- They are good at designing interactive user interfaces.
- They have decent control over the markup languages.
- How to design and implement the blueprint of the project
- A great understanding of the software testing process.
What is a Specialized Developer?
A specialized developer has expertise over a particular language or framework. For instance, a specialized front end developer can come up with the most ingenious ideas for the design and implementation.
For a business that requires expertise in a particular part of the software development, specialized developers are the go-to resource in that area. He or She can plan and implement the specific function with the best possible solution and great efficiency.
The skillsets of a Specialized developer are
- They have expertise over a specific area of software development.
- A strong team of specialized developers is sure to give you a great product.
- They have in-depth knowledge and experience which allows them to fix difficult technical issues.
- They are the go-to for any resources or assets in a specific area.
Pros of Full-stack developers
1. Quick learners: Full-stack developers can grasp new concepts with ease. They are easy to train and understand the different aspects.
2. Good bug fixers: Because of their vast knowledge of various technologies, they can identify and fix problems in all stages of development.
3. Economical: Compared to hiring multiple specialized developers, it is cheaper to hire one full stack developer to do multiple things. This way you don’t have to worry too much about the resources.
4. Reduced development time: Full-stack developers are more independent. They can easily toggle the overall project development, thus reducing the time consumption.
Cons of Full-stack developers
1. Lacking the knowledge of the latest trends: Because they have to work on an extensive range of technologies, it becomes difficult to keep in touch with all the latest trends in various technologies.
2. Difficulty in progress tracking: Full-stack developers work on a large portion (sometimes entire projects) of a project. So it is not easy to keep a track of completeness of the project.
3. Attrition rates: A better full-stack developer has a higher attrition rate. They have greater demand in the market because of their skillsets and knowledge.
4. Availability: It is not easy to find a large number of good full-stack developers. They are quite rare as it takes a lot of effort and training to learn so many technologies.
Pros of Specialized developers
1. Expertise in the latest technologies: Because specialized developers work in a specific area, they can easily update their knowledge of the latest trends and technologies. This allows them an improvement in the overall production quality.
2. High-quality product: It is without a doubt that specialized developers deliver high-quality work. Their output is quite superior in that particular area of expertise as compared to full-stack developers.
3. Easy allocation: It is a lot easier to divide the various tasks between multiple specialized developers as each has their area of expertise. This removes any lurking doubts about who will do what. So, they are quite useful in controlling and completing tasks.
4. Easy to hire: The market has a wide variety of expert developers to choose from. This makes it easier to hire the best resource for a specific area of technology.
Cons of Specialized developers
1. High Investment: Good specialized developers don’t come cheap. In fact, they cost quite a lot. For a business, hiring specialized developers means more investment.
2. Dependency: Because of their expertise in a specific technology or framework, they become essential parts of the development process. Thus it becomes difficult to easily remove or replace them.
3. Understanding and Coordination: In the case of specialized developers, coordination and understanding is an essential part. Thus it consumes more time for various discussions and meetings among the members.
When to choose a Full-stack developer?
1. Low complexity projects
A full-stack developer can easily handle low complexity projects. Projects which have complex functionality and demand in-depth knowledge are difficult for full-stack developers.
2. Small projects
For small to medium-sized projects, it is preferable to hire a full-stack developer. They can easily switch tasks and cover a wide range of technologies.
3. Low budget
Full-stack developers are highly economical if you are on a low budget. With them, you can be sure the budget won’t exceed too much.
4. Startup/Small business
Small business ventures can benefit greatly from full-stack developers. Most startups and small businesses have a tight budget. So, it is smart to choose full-stack developers for fast development and cost-effectivity.
When to choose a Specialized developer?
1. Large projects
If a project is for the long term, it is wise to go with developers having the expertise to focus on your project. You can divide the project into small sections, and allocate them to different specialists to obtain a great quality product in the expected time.
2. High complexity projects
Complex projects necessitate the need for expertise and in-depth knowledge for a particular framework or technology. So, specialized developers are ideal for this job. They can use their experience and knowledge to solve all the complicated problems.
3. High-quality project
If you want on-time delivery and high-quality output, specialized developers are your ideal choice. They can deliver the finest results because of their competence.
Conclusion
It is time to take your call. It is all about the project requirements and organizations. Based on your priorities, you can choose to go with either a Full-stack development or a Specialized developer. Your budget, availability, and time are some of the deciding factors which help you to make the choice.
