What is the Difference Between Web Developer and Full Stack Developer
Web developers, front-end developers, back-end developers, full stack developers – technical career has many designations that are difficult to differentiate, especially for a common man. Web developers, as the name of the designation suggests, design and develop websites.
They could be front end developers, back end developers or webmasters. On the other hand, full stack developers are concerned with the front end and back end, and they lead projects that involve databases. Let’s learn more about the difference between a web developer and a full stack developer.
What do web developers do?
In simple terms, web developers design and develop websites. They decide how the website should look, what all elements should be displayed and where. They are responsible for the technical aspect of the website, its speed and the quantity of traffic it can handle. Some developers take care of the content creation as well. When a client needs a website, the web developer meets them to discuss their needs and about the design of the site.
Then they start developing applications for the website and test them. They also do coding using languages like XML or HTML. They work with the graphic designers to decide the layout of the website. If there are audio, video or graphics, web developers integrate that also to the website. Once the website is ready, the developer monitors the traffic to the website as well.
The requirements of the clients are different. The design of the website depends upon the need of the client – it could be anything from news to e-commerce and gaming. The applications needed for different requirements are different.
For instance, a website for gaming should have advanced graphics, while if you are building an e-commerce site, it could have an application which supports payment processing. So a web developer needs to know the requirements of the client. While some web developers can handle end-to-end support of a website, others focus in one aspect.
Front end developer:
They handle the look of a website and work on the website’s layout and integrate applications and graphics. They are responsible for the website’s basic framework. They could write web design in many languages like Java or HTML.
Backend developers:
They take care of the website’s overall technical construction. They create the site’s basic framework.
Webmasters:
They take care of the maintenance of a website and keep it updated. They ensure the smooth working of the website and they test for errors such as broken links. Some webmasters also spend some time responding to the comments.
What does a full-stack developer do?
Full stack developer handles everything – it is a full package. They know about the server-side and work to enhance the client-side as well. They know databases and are responsible for creating user-facing websites. A full stack developer should be familiar with programming languages like CSS, HTML, JavaScript and backend languages. Most of the full stack developers specialize in one programming language.
A full stack developer should have a firm understanding of all elements constituting a website – be it the front end, design, visual design, project management or user experiences. Most of the full stack developers work for either front-end or back end code of a website. They essentially know everything and can step into any of them in case there is a problem.
Conclusion
There are many aspects of web development. IT professionals like web developers deal with a certain aspect of website development while full stack developers offer wholesome support right from the front end and back end. Hope this helped you differentiate a web developer and a full-stack developer.
