According to a recent survey by Stack Overflow, Full-Stack Web Developer is the most common developer occupation right now.
A Full-Stack Web Developer is somebody that is capable of doing work on both the front-end and back-end components of an application. The front-end is the part of an application the user interacts with and the back-end is the section of the application that deals with the logic, database communications, user validation, server configuration and other behind-the-scenes functions. A Full-Stack Developer doesn’t need to have everything mastered when it comes to working with the front-end or back-end, but he or she should be fluent in the concepts behind the work.
The following coding languages are essential for a Full-Stack Web Developer, but they are also very useful in other tech positions companies are always looking to fill.
HTML/ CSS
HTML and CSS are the foundations of the modern internet. To put it simply, HTML allows you to put content into a website and CSS is the language that enables you to design your content. Tech professionals who work with these languages should be able to discuss Semantic HTML, CSS Box Model, the advantages of CSS preprocessors, CSS Media Queries and Bootstrap.
JavaScript
The JavaScript language is becoming more and more popular, with new libraries, frameworks, and tools continuously being released. According to the Stack Overflow survey, JavaScript is the most widely used language in both front end and back end development. JavaScript is the only programming language that operates natively in the browser, and can acts as a server-side language at the same time.
Those who know JavaScript should understand JSON, how to work with the DOM, asynchronous control flow, promises, and callbacks. JavaScript programmers should also know at least one popular framework. React and AngularJS are popular frameworks, but others are useful as well – given the developer has a strong working knowledge of JavaScript.
HTTP & REST
HTTP is an application protocol that allows clients to talk to servers, and REST is an architectural style that utilizes straightforward HTTP calls for inter-machine exchanges.
Those familiar with these essential web tools should know the best practices for creating a RESTful API, how to use Chrome DevTools and the essentials of SSL Certificates. HTTP/2, SPDY, WebSockets, Web Workers, and Service Workers are all optional but valuable protocols to know.
Back-end coding language
Back-end languages are essential for managing database functions, user authentication, and logic. While there are a number of useful back-end languages, simply knowing one is enough for most professionals. Popular back-end languages include Python, Ruby, Java and PHP. While the first two (Python and Ruby) are more commonly taught today, the latter two languages are still very much in demand and knowing them will make you valuable in today’s job market.
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