There are different directions within software development, and consequently they involve different career pathways. While many of them are pretty straightforward, there are also other software engineering vocations which are situated, so to speak, on the edge. If you’ve already decided to learn Java, we should talk about such software engineering jobs as a Java Full Stack developer.

Who Is a Java Full Stack Developer?

The simplest way to define a Full Stack developer is “an engineer who works both on Backend (server side) and Frontend (client side) of the software”.

In job descriptions and in general conversation, a “Full Stack’’ term can be used in order to emphasize specifically (to some extent) that an applicant is expected to reveal broader skills, demonstrating themselves as more T-shaped and proficient in different areas, as opposed to a notion of usefulness of having a rather narrow engineering skill set for working only in a very specific area.

Depending on the project complexity and specifics, Full Stack developers might or might not be in charge of some particular parts of the software.

For example, a company might have a dedicated Database developer who gets down to complicated database specific logic, a web designer (not to be confused with a graphic designer) who performs a fair part of Frontend work, or a DevOps engineer taking over all the deployments and maintenance. All of them take specific tasks off the Full Stack developer’s plate.

Especially in larger companies and teams, a typical Full Stack developer does not work on both parts in a 50 / 50 proportion. Most often this person would work more profoundly in one of the areas (either Frontend or Backend), but also would perform limited tasks in the other area. If we talk about Java Full Stack Developer specifically, most likely that would imply slightly more of an exposure into the Java based Backend.

So what skills do you need to have to become a Java Full Stack Developer? Let’s look closer at it, part by part.