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full stack developer interview

Full Stack developer interview preparation resources

Full stack development roles are huge in demand. Companies are looking for developers with the right talent to fill open positions. There is a gap between the demand for skilled full-stack developers and available candidates, which is why full stack developer interview processes can be challenging.

How can you ace Full Stack Developer interview rounds?

Preparation is the only way to face the interviews with confidence. How do you prepare for the interview depends on which company you are interviewing but there is a template you can follow for overall preparation.

Usually, every step of the hiring process has its purpose. The phone screening interviews are to identify the general fit about the candidate while the technical interviews check their skills and problem-solving ability. Then there are behavioural interviews that provide an idea of the interpersonal skills of the full-stack developers.

Landing a job as a full-stack developer can be very rewarding and satisfying, but first, you need to prove that you can handle the role’s responsibilities and deliver on the company’s needs. Talent500 has helped full-stack developers with varying experience to land jobs in some of the largest companies across the globe.

In this article, we will detail everything you need to know about the full stack developer interview process and also share preparation resources.

The Full Stack Developer interview process has changed over the years 

There was a time when a full stack interview was a nightmare for a developer. There were horror stories about how developers are asked to write compiler-ready code on a whiteboard or write “Hello World!” in 10 different languages. Fortunately, today developers are interviewed in a more collaborative discussion and are more liked to get take-home assignments.

It might be surprising, but interviewers want you to succeed because they want to get back to their jobs as soon as possible. They do not want to keep interviewing candidates after candidates.

This is why you must take your interview as another test of your problem-solving ability, something that can be improved with practice and preparation.

Skills any full stack developer must have

Diversity is the key to being successful as a full-stack developer. It is a multifaceted role that requires you to have extensive knowledge of a variety of skills instead of just a format degree. You will be handling all the responsibilities on both the frontend and backend fronts of the assignment; this is why you must possess all the necessary skills.

Here are the important skills, any full-stack developer must possess.

Frontend Technologies: HTML/CSS and JavaScript

HTML and CSS are the building blocks of the website application on the users’ front. A full-stack developer must have the expertise of HTML to create a frontend structure for applications. Next comes the mastery of CSS which is how you style all the elements of HTML and create a user experience. But CSS is the basic styling language, SASS is an upgrade on CSS that we think every full stack developer must know to design a better client-side experience of the application.

JavaScript is extremely important for full-stack developers to create enhanced and interactive front-end development projects. JavaScript is a dynamic language which is why you can use it for both, frontend and backend development.

Any full stack developer is expected to understand browser architecture and develop applications by integrating JavaScript with HTML, and CSS to create faster and more secure web applications that run on any browser. Further into the JavaScript territory are certain frameworks that modernize web applications. Some of the most popular frameworks are Vue, React, Node, and Angular.

You must be aware of the capabilities of JavaScript and how to use different libraries and frameworks for faster development.

Git and GitHub

From amateur to experienced developers, Git and GitHub are tools that are equally important for everyone. You must be aware of how to make use of Git to micromanage the development process. This Distributed Version Control System stands out from others because of its efficiency, tracking, and error-solving capability.

Full-stack developers actively use GitHub for project management. It is the platform that makes large-scale team collaborations and project management possible.

Backend Languages 

Backend is the backbone for any web application. As a full-stack developer, you will be expected to show mastery of handling backend requirements of a project which is why you must have a sound understanding of important programming languages.

Most full-stack developers consider Java as their language of choice for backend development as it is a standard for designing large-scale enterprise applications. Python is another general-purpose language that can be useful for object-oriented and high-level structured programming. It is incredibly easier to develop quick prototypes in Python. PHP and Ruby are fast, resilient, and efficient server-side programming languages that full-stack developers are expected to know.

Web Architecture

How do you expect to take responsibility for entire web application projects, if you are not aware of the principles of web architecture?

Any proficient full-stack developer is required to handle the project at all stages of its development. You must be aware of the structural elements that constitute any web application which include Domain Name System, Cloud Infrastructure, Database Servers, and other elements of modern web architecture.

Database Management Systems

Data handling is an inevitable part of full-stack development. Modern-day database management systems are changing at a faster pace with cloud storage like AWS And Google Cloud Platforms introducing elastic database tech to help applications scale as per the demand of the situation.

In 2022, any full-stack developer has to possess DBMS knowledge beyond MySQL, Oracle, SQLite, and Microsoft Access.

REST and SOAP

You will also be responsible for system integration as a full stack developer which is why you must know how to enable applications to communicate with each other. You must be skilled in Application Program Interface (API) technologies like SOAP and REST. These two are predominantly used web services for application integration.

Technology Stacks

Full-stack developers must be able to handle any stack, but it helps if you familiarize yourself with some of the most widely implemented tech stacks like LAMP, LEMP, and Django stacks. These are highly popular web application stacks that are also offered as ready-to-deploy solutions by many cloud platforms.

Soft skills any full stack developer must have 

While technical skills make you ready for the job, it is the soft skills that make you fit the company culture and be part of the team. This is why your technical proficiency alone will not suffice to get you hired. Any full stack developer is expected to have some important soft skills including:

  • Multi-tasking
  • Ability to express and communicate
  • Time management skills
  • Creative vision
  • Leadership qualities
  • Patience and intuitiveness
  • Attention to detail

Now, let’s check out the resources that will help you with interview preparation.

Top technical handbooks for full stack developers 

Fresher or experienced, you will need resources to learn or recall important skills that make you a better full stack developer. Here are some excellent books that full-stack developers rely on to learn, keep themselves updated, and take guidance from.

ASP.NET Core 3 and Angular 9

The Full-Stack Developer

Hands-On Full Stack Development with Spring Boot 2 and React by Juha Hinkula

Modern Full-Stack Development: Using TypeScript, React, Node.js, Webpack, and Docker by Frank Zammetti

Python API Development Fundamentals

Full-Stack JavaScript Development

Top courses to upskill full-stack development skills 

Any full-stack developer worth his code is on a path of continuous learning. Professional upskilling programs and certification courses can help you get better at your job.

Here are the upskilling courses we recommend:

Full Stack Web Developer Courses (edX)

Full-Stack Web Development with React Specialization by The Hongkong University of Science and Technology on Coursera

Professional Full Stack Web Developer – Nanodegree Certification (Udacity)

Beginner Full Stack Web Development: HTML, CSS, React & Node (Udemy)

Become a Full-Stack Web Developer on LinkedIn Learning

As the technology is advancing at light speed, it helps if you know who are industry leaders you can follow to be in touch with what’s happening in the industry.

Here are the top full-stack developers to follow.

Top full-stack dev influencers

John Sonmez: An industry veteran, he is helping full-stack developers learn since 1999.

Twitter |  LinkedIn

Wes Bos: Founder of BosType, he has over 2 million followers on Twitter.

Twitter | LinkedIn

Dan Abramov: An authority on ReactJS, he works at Facebook.

Twitter

Kent C. Dodds: A developer expert at Google

Twitter | LinkedIn

If you are a front-end developer planning to take up a full-stack development career path, check out our Front End Development Skills – Ultimate Guide To Becoming A Full-stack Developer. For frontend developers we have detailed a guide to help with the transition, our Backend Development Skills – The Ultimate Roadmap to Becoming a Full-stack Developer is the roadmap towards better career prospects for backend developers.

Once you think you are ready to look out for full-stack developer opportunities, join our elite group of talent. Talent500 is the platform where global tech companies hire, build and manage their global teams. Signup today.

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Zaiba Fathima

Zaiba Fathima

Zaiba is Talent500's Product business analyst. Her degree in Computer Science helps her decipher the requirements of the product-engineering team, and understand both sides of the picture. Central to product development and delivery, Zaiba aspires to become a product manager at a young age and a director of the product team at rapid speed.

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