Career Track
Full Stack Developer
The Full Stack Developer
A Full Stack Developer has knowledge of both front end and back end technologies. The front end is the visible part of the application that users interact with. The back end includes the server, database, and applications that power the front end. You may think of a ‘stack,’ in the term full stack, as the layers of technology used to create a complete application.
Full Stack Developer Salary
| Sales Job | Average Salary |
| Coding Bootcamp Graduate | $66,964 |
| Full Stack Developer | $75,057 |
| Software Engineer | $97,950 |
Full Stack Developer Jobs
From big tech companies to small startups, Full Stack Developer jobs are abundant and demand is growing. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for software developers is expected to grow by 17%, “much faster than average” by 2024, which is about 200,000 more roles. The possibility to work in an office, work remotely, or freelance as a Full Stack Developer provides some of the most flexible and plentiful opportunities globally. But with so many different coding languages out there, it makes sense that each job description and job title is going to be unique. Common job responsibilities of Full Stack Developers include back end development, data engineering, mobile development, machine learning engineering, and/or front end web development.
Here is a list of the most frequent full stack development job titles for bootcampers:
- Full Stack Engineer
- Full Stack Web Developer
- Full Stack Software Engineer
- Full Stack Architect
- Front End Developer
- Back End Developer
- Mobile Developer
- Machine Learning Engineer
- Junior Developer
- Associate Developer
- Senior Developer
- Web Development Apprentice
- Web Development Instructor
- Teacher Assistant
Full Stack Developer vs Software Engineer
Depending on the employer, Software Engineer and Full Stack Developer could mean exactly the same thing or two entirely different things. Some believe that Software Engineers are more concerned with back end development while Full Stack Developers work with every layer of a program. Others believe that Software Engineers work with computer programs that are not web applications or websites. Still, others believe that Software Engineers only do coding while Full Stack Developers are expected to do user experience research, front end design, and deployment in addition to writing code.
Full Stack Developer Resume
The Full Stack Developer is a generalist. A Full Stack Developer’s resume should show knowledge of both front end and back end technologies as well as an understanding of the user experience and user interface design process. Developers should also demonstrate transferable skills from their experiences before bootcamp. Full Stack Developers will need to learn multiple languages to be successful.
Here are some of the skills and technologies often taught in combination at Full Stack Web Development bootcamps:
- HTML - HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. It is a standardized markup language used for creating a webpage. These pages can include writing, links, pictures, sound, and video. HTML is used to denote these elements so that the web browser can display them correctly.
- CSS - CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. CSS is used alongside HTML and JavaScript to control the layout and presentation of a website.
- JavaScript - JavaScript is the most popular language on the web. It is a scripting language used to enhance and manipulate web pages by adding interactivity.
- NodeJS - Node was created to run JavaScript outside of the browser. This framework creates a bridge between the front end and the back end and the knowledge needed to execute code on a computer.
- Ruby on Rails - Ruby is a programming language. Rails is an open source web app framework written in Ruby. Ruby on Rails (RoR) is built for speed and adaptation.
- Python - Python is a programming language with a cleaner syntax that is built with data manipulation, analytics, system administration, and scientific programming in mind.
- Django - Django is an open-source web app framework written in Python. It is a highly customizable option.
- Java - Java is a general-purpose programming language and platform used for web development, Android development, and enterprise apps.
- C# - C# is a general-purpose, multi-paradigm programming language developed by Microsoft that is used for developing desktop applications.
- .Net - .Net is a back end language.
- Git - Git is a version control system that keeps track of changes made to projects over time.
- Object-Oriented Programming - Object orientation is a way to organize and structure code. Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, Java, and C# are all object-oriented languages.
- HTTP - HTTP is the protocol that allows servers to communicate with the front end.
- REST API - REST is the interface that allows the back end to understand the front end.
- Soft Skills - Recruiters are looking for good communicators, team players, and critical thinkers. Most recruiters agree technical skills can be taught but soft skills cannot.
A Full Stack Developer’s resume is not the only thing you’ll need to get a job. Fullstack Academy’s former Head of Career Success Ceren Depree says, “Anyone can build their own LinkedIn, resume, and Github.” Those three profiles are the most important things when it comes to the job hunt! For your LinkedIn profile, you’ll want to write a clear personal summary, feature any projects you’ve done at bootcamp, and dial in keywords to sprinkle throughout your profile. Your Github should feature all of your projects and you should follow any repositories you’re interested in.
Full Stack Developer Portfolio
Full Stack Developers must build and maintain an online portfolio. Showcase the projects you’ve built during bootcamp in your portfolio as well as on your resume. Here are some projects Developers built during bootcamp and added to their portfolios:
- Eva built Foodr at Flatiron School
- Saige built RegX at Flatiron School
- Ellen built Not Here to Make Friends at Turing
- Robby and Sierra built Book Kit at Thinkful
- Jordan built Soaring Frost at LearningFuze
- Stacey built VetCalc at Hackbright Academy
How to Become a Full Stack Developer
The three most popular ways of becoming a Full Stack Developer are attending a coding bootcamp, self-study, and earning a computer science degree.
Coding Bootcamp
Coding Bootcamp is the fastest, most streamlined way to become a Full Stack Web Developer. Coding bootcamps typically teach both technical skills and career success skills which help more than 80% of graduates secure jobs after bootcamp. Before attending coding bootcamp, you’ll want to prepare for their admissions process by taking a prep course, self studying beforehand, and considering interview questions. Bootcamps run anywhere from 8-16 weeks and on average cost $14,780 USD. Many bootcamps now offer deferred tuition, Income Share Agreements, and financing options.
Coding Bootcamp vs Self Study
Some self-taught programmers have founded insanely successful startups, including Instagram and Tumblr! Learning to code on your own using online resources, books, and free or paid for resources can take anywhere from 8 weeks if you have experience or multiple years if you don’t. Self study requires discipline, putting together a curriculum for yourself, and you’ll need to weather the job search on your own.
CS Degree vs Coding Bootcamp
Earning a Computer Science (CS) degree might be the longest route to Full Stack Developer and the most expensive. This route will provide you with theoretical knowledge, mathematics, and exposure to more low level programming than a coding bootcamp. Critics say a computer science degree will not provide as much practical experience or tailored career counseling as bootcamp. If cost is a factor, then bootcamps certainly win. While coding bootcamps cost an average of $13,584, the tuition at top CS programs can be triple or quadruple that in just one academic year. Carnegie Mellon undergraduate tuition and tuition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is about $60,000-70,000 per year. In the past, most jobs required a CS degree. Now that they do not, the return on investment of a degree is not as high as a bootcamp.
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Featured Schools
The 453 Best Full Stack Developer Bootcamps
Kuala Lumpur, Online5 Courses
NEXT Academy offers a 10-week Full-Stack Web Development bootcamp in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and remote 8-week Front-End Web Development courses and 12-week Digital Marketing courses. NEXT Academy was founded by self-taught programmer and bootcamp graduate, Josh Teng....
Read our Full Review of NEXT AcademyGreensboro2 Courses
Coder Foundry is a North Carolina coding bootcamp offering .NET training via a 12-week full-time immersive...
Read our Full Review of Coder Foundry- Featured
Lighthouse Labs
Lighthouse Labs is a Canadian bootcamp that teaches web development and data science. The bootcamps have small class sizes, a 1:8 teacher to student ratio, and a mentor community of over 40 full-time developers. The web development program covers JavaScript, Ruby on...
Read our Full Review of Lighthouse Labs 
Journey Education partners with universities to offer online coding and data science bootcamps. These bootcamps prepare students for careers in tech, and offer a university certificate upon graduation. The bootcamps also teach students how to navigate the job market,...
Read our Full Review of Journey EducationOnline2 Courses
Lambda School is an online coding bootcamp that trains people to become software engineers and data scientists at no up-front cost. The computer science academy offers full-time, 6-month programs and part-time, 12-month programs. Throughout the rigorous program,...
Read our Full Review of Lambda SchoolPrague2 Courses
Coding Bootcamp Praha is a full-time, 12-week, full-stack web development bootcamp in Prague, Czech Republic. The syllabus features HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, PHP, Bootstrap, Laravel, and MySQL. The course is aimed at career changers who want to get hired as web...
Read our Full Review of Coding Bootcamp Praha- Featured
Hackbright Academy
San Francisco3 Courses
Hackbright Academy is a software engineering school for women in San Francisco, Dallas, and Lehi founded in 2012. In addition to in-person classrooms in the US, Hackbright Academy also offers their courses online. The school offers a 12-week, immersive full-time...
Read our Full Review of Hackbright Academy San Francisco, Bogotá, Medellín, and 5 more...2 Courses
Holberton School is a two-year software engineering school with campuses in San Francisco, New Haven, Tulsa, Bogotá, Medellin, Cali, and Tunisia that trains individuals to become Full Stack Software Engineers. The school's mission is to train the next generation of...
Read our Full Review of Holberton SchoolGothenburg, Stockholm, Online1 Course
Craft Academy offers two, 12-week bootcamps based in Stockholm and Gothenburg, Sweden: Full Stack Web Developer and Cybint Cybersecurity. Full Stack Web Developer students will complete a part-time 4-week preparatory course before beginning the bootcamp. Cybint...
Read our Full Review of Craft AcademyAmsterdam2 Courses
Codaisseur offers an 11-week web development academy in Amsterdam and online. Their program prepares students for full-stack developer roles where professionals teach what they know and love through this unique course. In collaboration with industry professionals and...
Read our Full Review of Codaisseur
