Full stack, front-end, and back-end: Which developer does your business need?

Devs in the details

Digital is no longer the future. Look around. We already live in a digital world. And running the show of this new reality that we live in are software developers.

If you’re managing a business, it’s either you already have them in your workforce or you are thinking about the possibility of adding them to your organization.

Software developers, casually called devs, are IT professionals who specialize in conceptualising, designing, and building computer programs that solve human problems.

They create mobile apps that consumers use for shopping online or web-based applications that integrate communication channels within businesses.

In short, they come up with the solutions that you need to keep your business competitive using their creativity, skills, and knowledge of various programming languages.

The solutions provided by devs allow companies to be fast, flexible, and profitable in the cut-throat digital age. They have become, in a sense, a fundamental part of modern business.

Firms that haven’t caught up with the digital ways of doing business are slowly fading away from the spotlight or are already closing shop.

So, yes you need developers on your team. If not now, you’ll surely need them sooner or later just to sustain the business.

Most developers specialise in a certain aspect of the whole software development process. And knowing the specific kind of developers you need – their area of expertise – is vital in obtaining the right solutions that your business needs.

Front-end function explained

If you want to drive traffic to your website with an attractive and responsive interface, then the front-end devs are the people you need.

Front-end is the “client-side” of web development – it is what the users see and interact with in their browsers.

A website’s front-end is composed of its layout, fonts, colours, dropdowns, sliders, and scripts. They are a combination of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript – the must-have coding languages for front-end devs.

Front-end developers must work with user experience and user interface (UX/UI) designers to deliver a smooth and immersive experience for consumers.

And even without a UX/UI designer, a front-end developer must be able to strike a balance between functional and aesthetic design.

More importantly, front-end devs must ensure that a website is mobile-friendly, considering that an estimated 7.1 billion people used smartphones to browse online in 2021.

Back-end: Where processes are built

If front-end is the waiter that serves your food with a smile, making sure you’re having a good time, then back-end is the kitchen staff that’s focused on making your meal the most delicious thing you’ve ever had.

Back-end developers build and maintain the systems that process data. They ensure that a program can supply all needed data when a user submits a request to the system using the front-end framework.

For example, back-end developers are responsible for creating a payment processing system that includes data acceptance, safe data storage, and payment charge creation.

But in order for the back-end to make sense, the front-end devs must first create an interface that is not just pleasing to the consumers’ eyes, but also easy to learn and interact with.

Back-end developers must be skilled in programming languages and database server management. They must be capable of putting algorithms into practice and troubleshooting system-related issues.

They are also in charge of organising the logic of the system and ensuring it runs smoothly across all platforms and devices.

Full-stack developers: The jack of all trades

Full stack developers are best described as the “jack of all trades” of software development because they are skilled in both the front-end and back-end aspects of the process.

These developers can code a website or an app, and be involved in the entire development process, using an entire “stack” of technology, hence the name.

Full-stack developers are knowledgeable in every aspect of how the web functions, regardless of what specific tools or frameworks their clients use.

They are also in-charge of ensuring the efficiency, reliability, and compatibility of the project across all web and mobile platforms.

Who should you hire?

Back-end, front-end, and full-stack developers are all professionals who can take your business to a whole new level. But you need to know which one is right for your company’s needs.

When it comes to skills, hiring a full-stack developer might seem a logical and cost-effective choice, but this isn’t always the case.

While full-stack developers could juggle multiple tasks at once, they are less likely to be experts in every facet of web development, compared to the more focused front-end or back-end developers.

There is also a limited pool of full-stack developers around the globe. That’s because learning both front-end and back-end is more difficult and could take far longer to achieve than simply specialising in one field.

If you are a startup with a small development project, it might be enough to hire a back-end and front-end developer.

But if you are doing a big project that you expect to scale rapidly, you might need all three, or at least a specialised team composed of front-end and full-stack developers.

Hiring all roles also allows each member to jump in and help each other when a bug occurs, and you need to find a solution fast.

Struggling to find devs? You’re not alone

With nearly 2 billion websites online and millions of apps popping up everywhere, the demand for developers continues to rise rapidly, which makes hiring skilled talent extremely difficult.

In fact, as of 2020, nearly 2 million roles for software developers and engineers remain vacant in the United States alone, with other countries reporting a similar trend.

But many businesses have found a smart and effective solution to the talent shortage – outsourcing. It has become the go-to direction for accessing trained and experienced talent across the globe.

While India remains to be a popular IT outsourcing hub, the Philippine outsourcing industry has steadily made a name for itself, producing top-notch talent for the software development industry.

The Philippines places a high value on technological knowledge and education, which is reflected in the 150,000 IT graduates the country produces every year.

The country was listed among the 20 most attractive locations for business process management, digital innovation, and technology in global outsourcing think tank Tholon’s top 50 “digital nations.” The index takes into consideration a country’s talent, skills and quality, cost and infrastructure, digital and innovation attributes, total population, total labour force, and diversity and inclusion, among others, to determine its ranking.

The outsourcing industry in the Philippines, which has been around for decades, is mature and progressive compared to other developing nations, according to the index.

Providers in the country have adopted modern outsourcing models that allow you to access qualified talent, get huge cost savings, and have flexibility in scaling.

Aside from the Philippines, Sri Lanka is another emerging talent hub for IT and software development professionals. Both countries speak English as their second language and have a fast-developing IT-BPM industry.

Whether you are looking for full-stack, front-end, or back-end developers, the Philippines and Sri Lanka are two of the best places to start your search.