Coming up with a great app idea is just half the battle. Your next challenge is to find a great development team that can bring any app idea to life. Consider hiring full stack developers who can do everything according to your requirements and budget. But the question remains: how and where to find them?

According to Statista, the number of developers hit 28.7 million in 2024. It’s estimated that their population will increase to 45 million by 2030. And nowadays, you can find and hire full stack developers in any part of the world. Need proof? Here it is:

  • The US has the largest population of software developers.
  • Eastern Europe has the 2nd largest pool of mobile and web app developers.
  • The Indian pool of developers will outgrow the US pool in a couple of years.

hire full stack dev

It’s evident that nearly 40 million people are involved in writing code or designing programs. It includes software development teams, web developers, full stack developers, UX/ UI designers, game developers, backend developers, testers, etc. It may seem that there are too many developers in the world, but the demand shows quite the opposite. Businesses need more hands to build their next big things!

According to the CompTIA estimations, there are over 471,000 unfilled IT jobs in the U.S. Thus, hiring the best full stack developers for your project may be a real challenge. And that is why we’ve prepared this article. Continue reading to find out how to hire full stack developers for your project who can deliver the best services ever.

Quick facts about full stack developers

  • The hourly rates for middle to senior full stack developers can start from $40 per hour in Eastern European countries, $40-60 per hour in Latin America, $25-40 per hour in India.
  • Best practice: use nearshore and offshore resources. This will help you to save the budget.
  • Full stack developers' frontend expertise: React.js, Vue.js, Angular, etc., HTML/CSS.
  • Full stack engineers' backend expertise: PHP (Laravel, Symphony), JS (NodeJS), Python (Django), or Ruby.
  • Full stack developers should have experience with such databases: MySQL, MariaDB, MongoDB, PostgreSQL.
  • Types of full stack developers: MEAN, MERN, MEVN, LAMP, RoR Stack

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Who is a full stack developer?

The term “Full Stack developer” usually means a tech specialist who understands both frontend and backend technologies, in other words, a full set of technologies needed to create an app.

The term “frontend” (also called the client-side) is used to describe what happens in the browser. The frontend is everything that the end-user sees and directly interacts with, such as a sign-up page or the site of an online store. The term “backend”, on the other hand, usually means the main logic (of the product) +API+database. So, the main logic of the product is working with Database and API for transferring data from and to the frontend.

Enough of theory, and let’s come back to our full stack developer story. What should these specialists know?

 

Backend languages

As you know, full stack engineers can build both parts of the app, so they must have skills related to the backend. So it’s a mandatory for him to know at least one programming language for backend development, such as:

  • PHP is one of the most widespread languages for backend development. It can be used to build web apps for various operating systems, including Linux and Windows.
  • Python can boast of a vast range of libraries and frameworks. It’s used by developers and coders all over the world.
  • Ruby is a sophisticated coding language. It has nearly perfect documentation and a lot of dependencies to choose from. Ruby is backed by an active community of developers that makes it an ideal language for backend development.
  • Java is a language that fits any need. It’s a cross-device programming language that can be used for the development of web, mobile, and desktop apps. Not to mention, Java has the widest selection of frameworks that can simplify the development process.

CSS or HTML friendly

HTML and CSS are essential markup languages when it comes to the frontend. They help to determine the way a website can look and feel for prospective customers. HTML is used for adding new content to a web page and defining its structure with markup. CSS is a personalization tool used for the effective presentation of HTML elements on the web page.

Thus, full stack developers need to be proficient in CSS and HTML to create a highly intuitive frontend for websites or apps.

 

JavaScript

There is no single answer to what programming languages  a full stack developer should know. It really varies. But many tech specialists see JavaScript is a necessary skill for full stack programmers. It’s an object-oriented programming language used for adding behaviors via HTML. JavaScript remains one of the most widely-used languages for both writing frontend and backend code.

 

React and Angular

Software development will be easier for full stack engineers if they have an in-depth knowledge of Angular or React. Developers should also keep their finger on the pulse of the fast changing industry as new frameworks, libraries, and tools are emerging all the time. Apart from that, full stack web developers need to know how and when to use DOM (Document Object Model), JSON (Open Standard File Format and Data Interchange Format).

 

Git and GitHub proficiency

There aren’t any developers left who haven’t used or heard about Git and GitHub. Git is the most popular Version Control System in the world. It allows programmers to keep track of all changes made to the app and streamline the work within the development team.

 

full stack dev quick facts

 

GitHub is known as a Git repository hosting service, but it also provides various powerful services to meet your development project needs. It’s a perfect fit for both small and large projects as it ensures efficiency and speed. It also includes collaboration features, such as wikis and task management tools. Programmers can easily manage projects, add changes to apps, websites, codes, and documents in a few clicks. Full stack developers need to know basic commands and examples to get the most out of GitHub features.

 

Web architecture

Packed with frontend and backend development skills, full stack coders become so-called warriors of software development. Knowledge of web architecture is also essential for full stack programming.

The primary responsibility of full stack developers is to deliver complex software applications starting from square one. Coders need to know how to structure the code and files, categorize data in the cloud and perform all the necessary programming tasks.

 

REST and HTTP

HTTP and REST are vital for software development, so full stack engineers need to know them both. HTTP is a protocol used to facilitate communication with clients. REST is an interface between systems that uses the HTTP protocol to collect data and process it. In other words, REST connects the frontend and the backend of the application.

 

Database management

Applications cannot function without a database where all the data is stored. That’s why full stack developers need to have basic knowledge of how to design, understand, and manage database queries. It would be also beneficial for software engineers to know how to work with JSON and XML.

 

UX/ UI skills

As you already know, full stack developers deal with frontend and backend, but they must know basic UX/ UI design principles as well. The knowledge of design is also on the list of full stack developer skills, especially for creating user-friendly websites and apps. No one can argue that only attractive and neat software products can win the hearts of customers.

 

Soft skills

While hiring full stack developers, you need to pay attention not only to their professional skills, but also to their personal traits. The best full stack programmers possess the right balance of technical knowledge and soft skills. Here are some of the features they should have:

  • Keen intelligence
  • Good self-management skills
  • Passion for lifelong learning
  • Time management skills
  • Creativity
  • Patience

All in all, A full stack coder should be familiar with different programming languages and frameworks. They can tackle a wide range of tasks, including databases, development of user-friendly websites, and even some challenges related to UX/ UI design and QA sessions, etc.

Also, full stack developers are engineers who are equally proficient in solving frontend and backend issues. In most cases, they are experienced backend developers in their past, who decided to extend their skillset. Such programmers are familiar with a large amount of technologies, so they can create a software solution for any domain. The best full stack developers know how each layer works and how to connect them.

Thus, full stack developers participate in almost every stage of the software development cycle, including design, web development, testing, and even fixing bugs. They deal with significant development issues that require preliminary data analysis.

remote development team cover small
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Types of full stack developers

Before hiring full stack developers for your software project, you need to understand that they use different tech stacks for their work. And here are some basic types to differentiate:

 

MEAN

MEAN stands for a mix of particular technologies, including AngularJS, Express JS, MongoDB, Node Js. In other words, MEAN is used for the development of JS-based solutions. But why do we call them MEAN Fullstack Developers? Check out what MEAN means ?

  • M is for MongoDB, NoSQL Database, used for storing and processing data.
  • E is for the Express, a framework package for Node JS.
  • A is for Angular, a framework, responsible for the frontend part of the product
  • N is for Node, a backend framework.

companies that use mean

MEAN has two valuable advantages. It’s scalable and uses JavaScript for both the backend and frontend. Thus, when hiring а MEAN full stack developer, you need to check his or her JS knowledge.

 

MERN

Also, there is the MERN stack, which is actually a variation of the MEAN stack. What this means is that MongoDB, Express, and Node are present in this stack as well, but Angular.js is replaced with React.js. So in the MERN stack:

  • M is for MongoDB.
  • E is for Express.
  • R is for React, a Javascript library.
  • N is for Node.js.

The high-performance and customized technologies used in this stack help programmers develop high quality web apps very quickly.

 

MEVN

Another variation is called MEVN, where instead of Angular.js or React.js. we use VueJS. So in this case:

  • M is for MongoDB.
  • E is for Express.
  • V is for VueJS, an open-source front end JavaScript framework.
  • N is for Node.js.

VueJS is very popular among programmers as it combines the best components from both AngularJS and ReactJS worlds, and can work really well for most development projects.

 

LAMP

LAMP stack uses a different pack of technologies for software development. What does LAMP actually mean?

  • L is for Linux, an open-source operating system.
  • Apache, a cross-platform web server software.
  • MySQL, an open-source database.
  • PHP/ Python/ Perl, programming languages

It’s second-to-none when it comes to the development and implementation of web-based applications and servers. LAMP has been used for years to develop enterprise-level web apps demanding greater customization and flexibility.

 

RoR Stack

There is also RoR Stack, where RoR stands for Ruby on Rails. This framework, which is often called just Rails, uses Ruby as a programming language and a database called SQLite with different compatible web servers. This stack is very popular among startup companies as it allows building apps fast and growing their business rapidly.

When hiring full stack developers, you need to understand the differences between major stacks of technologies used for software development. And the choice of what technologies to utilize for your app depends heavily on the specific needs and requirements of your business.

All stacks have their own pros and cons, so the one you choose mostly depends on the type of software product you’re developing.

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How and where to find the right full stack developers?

The software industry is having an enormous impact on the world we live in, and extremely influential in the direction of our future. It’s also created a hotbed for entrepreneurial opportunities that anyone and everyone can leverage and get the most possible benefit out of the market.

But here is the thing. Many people with brilliant software ideas don’t have any coding experience and cannot bring those ideas to life. So we decided to create a short checklist to help everyone find the right tech guys for your project. Here’re the top four ways on how to find and hire full stack developers for your project.

 

Use your networks

Just start with your network. Ask your friends for recommendations, and be sure that someone you know should know where to find and hire a full stack developer with LAMP or MEAN, or other stack knowledge. Moreover, you can leverage LinkedIn and browse your friends’ profiles – someone may be a full stack developer ready to build your app from scratch.

Take advantage of Facebook and X by asking people for recommendations of full stack engineers that are interested in a new project. Of course, a tweet doesn’t sound like a great hiring strategy, but in some cases it may work really well.

 

Look through these 10 popular resources for hiring:

01
LinkedIn
Utilize the professional networking platform to search for full stack developers, view their profiles, and connect directly with potential candidates.
02
Upwork
A popular freelance platform for hiring full stack developers for short-term or long-term projects.
03
Toptal
Toptal connects companies with top-tier freelance full stack developers and other tech professionals.
04
Stack Overflow Jobs
Stack Overflow's job board features many tech job listings, including full stack developer positions.
05
GitHub Jobs
GitHub's job board is a great place to find full stack developers active in the open-source community.
06
AngelList
Particularly suitable for startups, AngelList connects companies with developers interested in working with early-stage companies.
07
Glassdoor
Use Glassdoor to post your open position.
08
Dice
Dice is a job board dedicated to tech professionals, making it a good source for finding full stack developers.
09
Remote.co
If you're looking for remote full stack developers, Remote.co specializes in listing remote job opportunities.
10
Indeed
Indeed is a widely used job search engine that aggregates job listings from various sources, including company websites and job boards, making it a comprehensive option for finding full stack developers.

Before rushing to look at freelancing platforms, you need to define the budget of your software project. Then, you’ll be able to filter candidates, considering a full stack developers’ salary expectations. Full stack developers’ freelance hourly rate can help you save a lion’s share of your budget when compared with hiring in-house full stack developers.

 

Hire a software development company

There are dozens of outsourcing software development companies all over the world. The code to successful cooperation consists of three essential things: the expertise, the location, and the budget. Luckily, DOIT Software meets all these requirements! And our top-notch software engineers are ready to rock the world without draining your budget.

We know for sure that hiring full stack developers is a quite difficult task, but we will help you find the right ones fast and stress-free. Contact us and get the first CVs in a few days.

 

Three effective models of cooperation to consider

What is a full stack developer? How to hire full stack developers? These questions have been already answered. But the challenge of hiring full stack developers is also about the choice of cooperation model. Some of them will be described in the section below.

Freelancers

Hiring freelancers has bespoke benefits such as flexibility and lower hourly rates when compared to the rates of in-house engineers and software development agencies. Since freelancers charge per hour, there is no fixed freelance full stack developer salary, and you can save a pretty penny. But it also has a wide range of drawbacks to consider, such as poor data confidentiality, less control over the working process, language barriers, and different time zones.

Pros
Cons

Easy to find

Security issues

Flexible

Less control

Low hourly rates

Hard to manage and evaluate

Language barriers

Staff augmentation

When it comes to hiring full stack developers, IT staff augmentation can also be considered. It’s a flexible model that allows for you scaling your team quickly, as well as eliminating administrative and legal hassles.

Feel like it’s right up your alley? Check out our article for more information on staff augmentation for software development projects.

Pros
Cons

A wider talent pool

Need to have a PM

Quick hiring process

Prepare a scope of work for a month

No extra expenses

In-house

Hiring full stack developers for your in-house team is the most expensive option. You need to take care of everything, starting from searching for prospects to organizing the workstation with all the required software for your new employees. But along with the disadvantages, hiring in-house staff has its own pros such as streamlined communication, advanced security, face-to-face brainstorming, etc.

Pros
Cons

Fast communication

Takes more time to find and hire

Deep dive into the product

Involves extra expenses

Full-time salary, full social package and other overhead.

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The biggest challenges in hiring full stack developers

Hiring full stack developers has become increasingly challenging in today’s competitive job market. Here are five significant obstacles in the process of finding and hiring top-notch full stack engineers:

01
Skill Diversity
One of the primary challenges is finding candidates who possess a wide range of skills in both front-end and back-end development. Full stack developers need expertise in various programming languages, frameworks, and technologies. For example, they should be proficient in both JavaScript (for front-end) and Python (for back-end), which is a common requirement in the fintech industry, for instance.
02
Expertise
Many organizations seek experienced full stack developers, but finding candidates with the right level of expertise can be tough. Junior developers may lack the depth of knowledge required, while senior developers may come with a high price tag. Companies often struggle to strike a balance, especially if they have budget constraints.
03
Technology Stack Alignment
Ensuring that the full stack developer you hire is well-versed in the specific technology stack your project or industry demands is a significant challenge. For example, a fintech company may require expertise in blockchain or security, whereas an e-commerce business might prioritize knowledge of various e-commerce platforms and integrations.
04
Cultural Fit
Integrating remote or dedicated full stack developers into your existing team and company culture can be overwhelming. Ensuring that they align with your team's work ethic, communication style, and project management processes is crucial for a seamless collaboration.
05
Recruitment Competition
Competition for top full stack engineering talent is fierce, with many companies vying for the same candidates. Startups and small businesses may struggle to compete with larger organizations that can offer more attractive compensation packages and benefits, making it a challenge to hire developers with the right skills and experience.

To overcome these challenges, it’s essential to have a well-defined hiring strategy, use multiple staffing channels, offer competitive compensation, and conduct thorough technical interviews and assessments to evaluate candidates’ skills and expertise. Additionally, fostering a strong company culture that appeals to engineers can help in attracting and retaining top talent in this highly competitive field. Otherwise, consider using offshore or nearshore full stack development services. Let’s talk more about the most popular outsourcing destinations.

Why hire full stack developers with DOIT Software

Hiring full stack developers with DOIT Software isn’t only easier and faster than with other firms, but also more reliable. We know where to find and hire full stack developers. Just give us ten days and we’ll schedule as many interviews as possible. You need only choose what developers you’d like to work with, and we’ll take care of everything else.

Bespoke benefits to augment your team with full stack engineers with the help of DOIT Software:

Access to our unlimited talent pool

Unmatched flexibility of the recruitment process

Accelerated business growth

Full control over the development process

No extra costs for infrastructure

More time to focus on your core business needs

Ready to rock the world with your software solution? Request the specialists, and we’ll do everything else to bring your app idea to life.

It’s time to sum up

There you have it! We hope you discovered what full stack developers are and how to hire full stack developers for your software development project in 2024. It’s now time to choose what model of cooperation best fits your business needs and budget, and take it from there.

If you want to find out more about staffing or hiring full stack developers, just contact us for more information. Let’s build a top-notch software solution to back up your business together!

Frequently Asked Questions

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What is meant by a full stack developer?

The full stack developer is a software engineer who can work on both the frontend and the backend side of the application.

What is the role of a full stack developer in the development process?

A full stack developer often takes part in every stage of the app development process. A full stack coder can start with building up the backend part of the app and then switch to its frontend part.

What tech skills should a full stack developer have?

Java, C#, Python, PHP, JavaScript are the primary programming languages required for full stack development. To become a full stack developer, a coder has to be proficient in multiple programming languages, frameworks, tools, and technologies.

How much does a full stack developer cost?

When speaking about in-house full stack developers, they earn up to $110,500. Staffing companies often charge per hour. The hourly rate of a full stack developer at DOIT Software ranges between $35 – $48.

SERHII OSADCHUK
CTO @ DOIT Software
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