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What exactly is a full-stack developer/engineer? I'm confused.

So, I worked as a freelance webdev for a US company where I redesigned a pretty complicated website from scratch with PHP, mysql, JavaScript, CSS, HTML5. I only mention those because it will important later.
Basically, it's a lame mvc framework I wrote which heavily relied on AJAX and bootstrap modals.
I built from mysql <=> PHP -> UI
I Also built an android app that communicates with the php api

I worked for 4.6 years and they were kind enough to give me the designation "Full Stack Engineer" so I could put that on my resume. Alright, cool.

Then I go to this interview and one interviewer took offense. He told me that, there are 3 tiers of web dev; Database, Backend shit and UI. And I'm not a full-stack engineer. He then asked me if I worked with frameworks like laravel, symphony etc. [I did but not in this project]. I didn't know what to say. The other interviewer tried to help me, "Do you know what it means? Or have you ever worked with React.js or Angular?".

Didn't get the job and I'm so embarrassed and just feel like I'm a fraud. How could I not know what full-stack is? And why did I put it in my resume? Fuck!

Anyway can anyone tell me what "full- stack *" is?

>inb4
>incoherent
>bad engrish
Just fuck my shit up fam

Comments
  • 7
    I feel we have done this before but:

    Design
    - UI / UX / CX

    FrontEnd
    - implement the design and client side functionality

    Backend
    - well everything else the project needs to run

    Sysadmin / Devops
    - depending on the setup, being able to build the environment and deploy it into the wild

    Basically?
    Fullstack = that one guy/girl that sits in the corner and take a giant spec of work and regardless of what needs to be done, it gets done from start (requirement, scope, design, mockups, ect) to the finished product in production being released to the wild.
  • 1
    @C0D4 Thank you for clarifying. I was lacking the sysadmin, DevOps part. The website/app was hosted in a shared server. I asked them to get a VPS as there were more customers. They gave it a thought but had to cancel due to budgetary limitations.
  • 0
    I think nowadays you can call someone who has experience with one of those robust frontend frameworks like React and Vue (i'm actually an Svelte enthusiast), can build the backend and deploy everything with no big problems as a fullstack developer.

    Basically I would call anyone who have been able to design, build and ship a product even if it is really small.

    Not a big deal getting some punches along the way, haters gonna hate and RH will probably know shit about developing :P
  • 1
    Do you have a degree? In my country you cannot officially call yourself engineer if you didn't get that title. Companies unfortunately just give people such job titles. No offense intended, but there's an enormous difference between an engineer (whether or not full stack) and developer.

    I know from experience and because I'm a full stack engineer. I love both front-end and back-end. To me, being full stack means that you are capable working on the full stack (duhh), which also includes creating a correct and optimal db design - or whatever technology you use. Next to that, I expect an engineer to be also capable of doing a requirements analysis, defining the (non)functional requirements, functional design, technical design, proper coding, testing, etc. etc. all that is included to get from idea to working application in a production environment, with an acceptable level of quality.
  • 0
    I don't have degree. Forgot to mention that in the op. Thanks for pointing it out. Legally, I cannot call myself an engineer. I'm more like a car mechanic, metaphorically speaking.
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