Around 2016-17 when the term ‘full stack development’ started to surface on Stack Overflow forums and programming subreddits, startups were quick to join the bandwagon. What if you could reallocate a part of your web development team to backend and call it a full stack development team? You could save 50% on your human resource development budget.  

This was the time when Netflix, Uber, Airbnb and WeWork were still expanding their footprints to the rest of the world and the concept of full stack development came about at the right time. Scalability was such an issue with legacy software stacks such as LAMP that many startups were dropping their expansion plans already. We are talking about an era where cloud platforms were reaching a level of maturity. Full stack development came as a much-needed relief... but where are we now in the hype cycle? 

What is full stack development? 

Full stack development is a term used to refer to web developers who are competent in both front-end and back-end development. A full stack developer has experience with the entire web development process, from conceptualizing the project, through coding the front end of the website or app, to developing the back-end functionality and database systems needed to make the project run. 

Full stack developers are highly sought after in the world of web development because they possess a range of transferable skills and knowledge which can be applied to a variety of different projects.  

They are comfortable working both independently and collaboratively with other developers, designers and stakeholders, while also having an understanding of how all the different aspects of development fit together to create a final product. 

Full stack developers are also expected to understand the principles of user experience design, as well as have an understanding of the latest web technologies and trends in order to build projects that are visually appealing and technically sound. As full stack developers need to be proficient in both front-end and back-end development, they must be able to work across multiple platforms, frameworks and languages. This includes HTML, CSS, JavaScript and various server-side technologies such as PHP or Ruby on Rails. However, modern efforts around this development are largely concentrated on JavaScript libraries and frameworks, particularly the MEAN stack. 

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Full stack development on the MEAN stack 

Full stack development with the MEAN stack is an advanced web development approach. It is a combination of a set of open-source software tools that can be used to develop modern, dynamic websites and web applications. The MEAN stack includes MongoDB, Express, AngularJS, and Node.js. These components together provide the necessary framework for creating complete web applications using the same coding language throughout. 

MongoDB is an open-source, NoSQL database that stores data in a document-oriented fashion. It supports dynamic queries and indexing, allowing for faster query processing. Express is a web application framework that makes it easy to create robust web applications by providing routing, middleware and templating support. AngularJS is an open-source, front-end JavaScript framework that lets you create dynamic web applications in a structured way. And Node.js is an open-source runtime environment for developing server-side applications using JavaScript. 

Together, these components provide developers with the ability to rapidly build and deploy web apps without having to learn multiple programming languages or frameworks. Additionally, the MEAN stack is highly scalable and secure, making it an ideal choice for large-scale projects. With the help of the MEAN stack, developers can create efficient and modern web applications that are both reliable and secure. Furthermore, because all components are open-source, developers can leverage a wide range of third-party resources to extend their projects. 

Benefits of the MEAN stack in full stack development 

The MEAN stack is a powerful web development tool that offers a number of advantages for developers. It's efficient and cost-effective, allowing developers to build full stack applications quickly and easily with JavaScript alone. Additionally, the MEAN stack provides scalability from small projects to enterprise applications, making it ideal for any size organization. With its open-source nature, the MEAN stack is also highly customizable to meet the specific needs of any project. Furthermore, since the entire stack uses JavaScript, it simplifies development by allowing developers to write both client and server code in one programming language. This reduces the time and cost associated with learning multiple languages for web development. Finally, the MEAN stack supports rapid development and deployment, enabling developers to get projects off the ground quickly.  

In summary, the MEAN stack offers many benefits for web developers looking for an efficient, cost-effective solution for building full stack applications with JavaScript. Its open-source nature allows for highly customizable development and its scalability makes it ideal for any size organization.

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What will full stack development look like in 2023? 

By 2023, full stack development is likely to have an even larger focus on the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Developers will be expected to have a deep understanding of how to integrate AI and ML into their applications in order to make them smarter and more efficient. Additionally, front-end frameworks such as React, Angular and Vue.js will become the standard for developing web UIs, and back-end development will evolve to focus on using cloud technologies such as AWS or Azure to enable faster and more scalable applications. As businesses continue to embrace a mobile-first approach, developers will also need to be well versed in creating mobile applications with React Native or Flutter for iOS and Android.  

Overall, full stack development in 2023 will require a much more diverse skillset than ever before. Developers will need to have a comprehensive understanding of the latest technologies, as well as the ability to think critically and creatively when building applications. It will also be important for developers to stay on top of the latest trends in the tech industry in order to ensure that their applications are competitive and up to date. In the end, full stack development will continue to be an incredibly valuable profession, with plenty of exciting opportunities for those who are willing to put in the necessary effort to stay ahead of the curve.  

At its core, full stack development is all about connecting the front-end of an application to its back end. As we enter 2023, expect full stack development to continue focusing on providing users with a seamless experience that bridges both worlds in order to deliver the best possible results. With this in mind, developers will need to be adept at utilizing and understanding AI and ML tools, as well as the developing frameworks used to create mobile and web UIs. Cloud computing will continue to be a major factor in full stack development, and developers will need to become familiar with the latest cloud technologies in order to make sure their applications are fully optimized for performance. Ultimately, 2023 is shaping up to be an exciting year for full stack development, with plenty of new opportunities and challenges on the horizon.