The market is flourishing for new and multi-talented software developers, thanks to the increasing rise of the IT industry. As a result, developers have been classified into numerous kinds based on their skill sets. So, if you're a hiring manager looking for software developers, there are two types of developers to choose from: Full Stack Developers and Specialized Developers. One is a jack of all trades, while the other is a true specialist. Full stack developers are frequently preferred by IT organisations over specialized developers. Should you go with the crowd or hire software engineers that are specialists in their field?
Let us break things down for you.
Who exactly is a specialized developer?
A specialized developer is a software developer who is an experienced professional and has expertise in a specific area. A specialized developer, like a full stack developer, is familiar with the entire development process. In contrast to the latter, a specialized developer will solely focus on their own area of expertise and provide all solutions required there.
Who are Full-Stack Developers?
Full stack developers are software developers who can operate on both the frontend and backend of a website or application. Backend development (PHP, Java, .NET), Frontend development (Vue.js, Angular, Node.js, React), UI/UX design, markup languages (HTML and CSS), software testing (TestComplete, Katalon studio, Postman, etc.), databases (Firebase, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, MySQL), project roadmap scalability, architecture are all areas in which such software developers excel. Full stack developers are in high demand due to their ability to save time and money. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, full-stack development employment vacancies will increase from 135,000 to over 853,000 by 2024.
Full Stack Developers vs. Specialized Developers Under Different Conditions
Time
Using expert developers for both the front-end and back-end can help you get faster outcomes because both jobs are completed concurrently. Specialized developers, on the other hand, are extremely reliant on other team members due to their expertise in a specific task. For example, one developer may be unable to advance until another developer completes his or her portion of the project.
As said earlier, a full-stack developer is a jack of all trades, therefore employing a dedicated full stack developer to work on both front-end and back-end development will take far longer than hiring two specialized developers for both front-end and back-end development. When you engage a full-stack developer, multitasking can be a challenge because the developer will first work on the front-end and then on the back-end. To ramp up the development process, you can assign more than one full-stack developer to both the front-end and back-end.
Flexibility
A specialized developer, regardless of front-end or back-end, on the other hand, has extensive knowledge in his or her field. It signifies they have extensive knowledge because they have been trained and specialized in a specific skill or technical subject. Specialized services might be helpful for high-investment projects with a greater level of complexity, such as PHP development, React JS development, Java development, and so on, whereas full-stack engineers can be hired for projects with a restricted budget and a lower level of complexity.
Flexibility is one of the most critical advantages that a full-stack developer brings to the table. While a front-end developer is skilled in front-end technologies and a back-end developer is skilled in back-end technologies, a full-stack developer is skilled in both. As a result, you cannot expect a front-end developer to do back-end work and vice versa. A full-stack coding professional can work on either side as needed.
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Management
Having a team of skilled specialized developers streamlines managers' jobs by making work allocation easier. When you know a developer's area of expertise, you know just who to give the assignment to. All developers in a team can be managed by assigning work based on their talents and knowledge. Because each developer has in-depth expertise of a specific industry, such as a front-end developer, you can expect the highest quality work from your team. Because they are experts in a single technology, specialized developers are more likely to produce high-quality results than full-stack developers. Whether you engage a web developer or a mobile app developer, his or her specific expertise will aid in giving high-quality services. Furthermore, the overall work can be divided into discrete assignments and assigned to team members.
From the perspective of management, managing full-stack developers is easier for a team as a whole because there is just one team to oversee. You don't have to worry about managing two or more distinct groups of individuals, such as front-end developers and back-end developers. You only have to deal with one team that is working on your project. By doing so, you also avoid team blaming because just one team is present to bear full responsibility.
Ownership
When you appoint and hire specialized developers, they will do their job and take ownership of the part of the development process for which they were responsible. This adds to your list of responsibilities because you will have to take the initiative to connect the various sections of the website or app development process. If you fail to accomplish this, you may face a failure where you will have no one to blame but yourself.
When you recruit and hire a full-stack developer for your project, you can expect them to accept full responsibility for design and development. A full-stack developer is capable of delivering high-performing, functional, and effective websites or applications because of their experience in several technologies and wide perspective. This will provide you with a complete peace of mind during the development process.
Cost
Using expert developers may raise the overall cost of a project. You will need to set aside funding for each developer separately. The costs of a back-end developer and a front-end developer will be added to the overall budget. As a result, if you want to complete a project on a budget, hiring a full-stack developer is the best option.
Full-stack developers are on the other hand are cost-effective. They are in charge of all areas of the project, from the front-end enticing factors to the back-end complications. Full-stack developers successfully perform the duties of various developers due to their desire to constantly broaden their horizons. In a nutshell, you may employ one developer to do the work of two developers, cutting the cost in half.
Remote Work
Whether full-stack developers or specialized developers working in a remote environment is pretty much the same. Remote workers are 13 percent more productive than their in-office counterparts, according to a Stanford University research. This tendency can be explained by the work environments that remote developers choose for themselves: home, cafés, or local libraries: in these settings, staying concentrated is a breeze — there's just you, your computer, and the task at hand, no chit-chat with coworkers (which can sometimes be distracting). Increased productivity conveniently segues into the second benefit, which is money, because remote software developers frequently prefer hourly wages. According to a DoughRoller research, remote workers can save up to $7,000 per year.
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Wrapping Up
Hopefully, we have provided a thorough response to your inquiry. It is now up to you to choose the best developer for your company. We cannot make a categorical statement such as "full-stack developers are the best" or "specialist developers are the best." It all relies on the scope of your project. Of course, each developer has their own set of strengths and shortcomings. As a result, depending on your project, select the right developer who can ease your duties rather than becoming a strain. Don't be concerned!
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