The IT universe has undergone a dramatic change over the past decade, and it is only fitting and necessary for organizations to do the same. But to compete at the same level as their competitors, these startups may need to work with either highly skilled Full-stack vs Specialized Developers.
But is it better to work with a specialist or a jack-of-all-trades professional? To answer this question effectively, let’s find out who full stack and specialized developers are.
Who is a Full Stack Developer?
Full-stack developers are developers who can work efficiently and effectively with both front end and backend of an application and website. They are highly skilled programmers who can work in projects that involve building user-facing databases, websites, and even work with different clients while they are still in the planning phases of the project.
Full-stack programmers are developers that are experienced and well-versed in the following areas:
- UI/UX design
- Frontend development (React, Angular, Vue.js, Node.js)
- Markup languages (CSS, HTML)
- Backend development (NET, Java, PHP)
- Software testing (Katalon studio, Selenium, TestComplete, Postman)
- Databases (MongoDB, Firebase, MySQL, PosterSQL)
- Architecture, scalability, and the roadmap of the project
Full-stack software engineers do not necessarily write every code on websites all by themselves, contrary to what many people in the business world think. In most cases, they spend the majority of their time either on the frontend or backend code of websites.
What is more, writing codes is a tiny portion of a certified Full-stack vs Specialized Developers work. This is because there are a wide variety of frameworks, customizable tools, and libraries that are available which developers can utilize and readily implement instead of writing code from scratch.
This is the primary reason why having competent, and full-fledged knowledge of implementing both frontend and backend framework and tools make full-stack developers highly attractive prospects for businesses or organizations hiring developers.
Who is a Specialized Developer?
As you may have guessed, specialist developers are experts in a particular discipline, and their work revolves tightly around it. Of course, this is not to imply that specialist developers don’t have or possess the same understanding and skill required for building and delivering apps like that of senior Full-stack vs Specialized Developers.
It only implies that specialized developers are the go-to experts for subjects or areas that cover database design, entity framework, design, and domain modeling.
Now that you know the basic difference between full-stack developers and specialized developers let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each profession.
Full Stack Developers: Pros
- VersatileFull-stack developers are well-versed in diverse stages of software development like QA testing, frontend, the architecture of code, backend, and so on. It is this versatility that helps full-stack developers to quickly identify and do away with multi-purpose issues, especially when several developers are working on different aspects of a particular project.If a full stack developer is not available, specialized developers will have no choice but to call for a meeting. The problem will be identified at the meeting, and this could be a time-consuming process that could affect the outcome or time-to-market deployment of the product.
- FlexibilityFull-stack programmers offer excellent flexibility as they are highly knowledgeable with both the client-side as well as the service aspect, which makes it incredibly easy for them to switch between several tasks.This implies that when a full stack developer is in the house, development time is considerably reduced as misunderstandings between development sides will be instantly eliminated or non-existent.When full stack developers are in the driving seat of any development project, there is usually no need for backend developers to call for a meeting in order to explain themselves on any issue with frontend developers and vice-versa.
- CostWhen it comes to how to select the developer while hiring, getting one full stack developer on board can easily replace two – or even more – specialized developers. This means that hiring and working with a full stack developer can significantly reduce the workforce required to handle a particular project.This ultimately results in the lowering of the cost of hiring a professional developer.
- Quick learners Full-stack developers possess all-round knowledge which gives them the ability to learn things quickly or within a short period. This relates to particular skill sets.
- Quick identification of challenges or issuesIf there is one group of individuals who are quick to identify issues when working on a project, they are full-stack developers.They have a keen sense of identifying and solving issues or problems that crop up when working on a project. This is because they are usually aware of every stage of software development. They can significantly reduce the required time and also resolve issues quickly.
- Less number of meetingsThe involvement of full-stack developers in a project significantly minimizes the number of meetings between members of a team. This helps to save a lot of time, and the project will also be delivered within the scheduled period.
- Quick deliverySince full-stack developers have all-round skills, they are adept at switching between server and client sides. This makes them much more independent compared to specialized programmers.Moreover, full-stack development typically minimizes the overall time for development.Anything that has advantages also has a few disadvantages. Here are the drawbacks of full-stack developers.
Full Stack Developers: Cons
- Responsibility controlHaving a team of proficient full-stack developers working on your project sounds great until you discover that they do not split their work into small tasks. Instead, they only work cohesive parts of projects.This can make it very challenging for members of the team and customers alike to check, regulate, or define the completeness of the project at any point in time.
- Inability to keep pace with the latest technologies and trendsFull-stack developers work in a wide variety of fields, thanks to their expertise or proficiency in numerous programs. However, this could be a massive hindrance as it makes it pretty difficult for them to stay abreast of the latest tools, trends, and even technologies that evolve, day in day out.
- Risk-prone time managementWhen more than a few skilled full-stack developers work on major aspects of a particular project, it could constitute a considerable risk of wrong time management. This is usually because situations of the high workload with several clusters of unfinished or unresolved tasks may arise. And this could hamper the entire project or bring it to a halt as the full stack programmers would be hard at work trying to complete numerous unresolved tasks instead of focusing and working on new ones.
- Difficulty in project tracking Full-stack vs Specialized Developers don’t believe in divide-and-conquer strategies. They typically work on huge portions of a project at a time. And the comprehensiveness of the project makes it difficult to identify or monitor.
- Non-availabilityRecruiting a full team of full-stack developers is one of the most challenging tasks that many enterprises face. This is due to their non-availability in the market most of the time.In most cases, full-stack developers take up vast sections of any project, making them reliable resources in the center of projects. And it can be pretty difficult to replace this resource.
Specialized Developers: Pros
- Always up to date with the latest technologies and trendsSince specialized developers have highly specialized areas of expertise, it is incredibly easy for them to stay up to date with the latest trends in the technological universe and area of interest, based on their specific development areas.
- The completed project is always top-notchOne of the most significant benefits of hiring and working with specialize developers is that clients will always receive exceptionally high-quality work. These professionals are skilled and well-versed in their technology. And so the quality of work they deliver is always top-notch and superior compared to that of full-stack developers.
- Responsibilities are conveniently allocatedWhen specialized developers work on a project, allocating responsibilities becomes incredibly easier, more efficient, and comfortable. This is to ensure the team members know what is expected of them, in accordance with project needs.
- Difficulty in project trackingFull-stack developers don’t believe in divide-and-conquer strategies. They typically work on huge portions of a project at a time. And the comprehensiveness of the project makes it difficult to identify or monitor.The entire work can readily be split into smaller tasks and handled by every specialized developer in the team.
- Easy to hireBased on the requirements of a project, any organization can select the desired number of individuals or professionals from the human resources that are presently available in the market.Therefore, specialized developers are easier to hire for projects since they are nearly always available.
