Ask HN: What do it take to be a full stack developer?

2 points by ninja_to_be 9 years ago | 1 comment

I am a software developer with varying levels of interest and proficiency in front-end/back-end development. I am would consider myself very good at Python & MySQL. I do data analysis and visualization. I have been writing quite a bit of code in JavaScript/NodeJS in the past few months. I am good at HTML and I would be able to find my way through CSS layouts and the likes. Would I be considered a full-stack dev?

At what point would you call yourself a full-stack developer? Are there Full-Stack devs here who can provide an insight into what your regular work looks like and what it takes to be one?

tboyd47 9 years ago |

You'd be surprised how few people in software care that you can work a whole stack. Business people don't like to deal directly with programmers because they don't like hearing all the jargon, and managers love assembling dream teams of specialists because it makes them look good. QAs, on the other hand, love a generalist.

I'd say a true full stack dev is someone who can always get to the bottom of a problem. You can earn a lot of respect that way without stepping on other people's toes.