The tech industry has been growing and changing rapidly. This technology-driven era has prompted a dire need for companies to hire an app or website developer. Companies across the United States have been recruiting full-stack developers or software engineers that can create and develop effective, user-friendly, and easy-to-use websites and end-user applications by using different programming languages. However, choosing between a Full Stack Developer and a Software Engineer can be a complicated task. This gets us to the main question—Full Stack Developer vs Software Engineer—what should be a better choice for your company?

Role and Responsibilities of a Full Stack Developer

A full-stack developer is an all-rounder who can develop both the front-end and back-end of a website or web application. Their key responsibility is to ensure that both the client side of a website (UI and Design) and the server end (database management and website maintenance) are top-notch. The key benefit of hiring a full-stack developer is that it eliminates the need to hire a front-end and back-end developer. A full stack developer has extensive knowledge of both the front-end programming languages like HTML, Angular, React, and JavaScript and backend programming languages like PHP, Python, and Ruby. 

Roles and Responsibilities of a Software Engineer

A software engineer is responsible for designing and developing software for computers and applications by applying the basic principles of software engineering. The key job responsibility of a software engineer is to develop, design, test, maintain and evaluate computer software to solve problems. A good software engineer will possess problem-solving and logical thinking skills along with computer programming and coding skills. A good software engineer will possess advanced knowledge of all programming languages and technical skills to be able to make effective software solutions for companies. 

Full Stack Developer vs Software Engineer—which one should you hire for your company?

The demand for Full-Stack developers across the United States has been increasing as we speak. As per the latest statistics, there are more than 25,267 job openings for Full Stack developers across the United States. Reason—the changing trends in the tech industry. Earlier, companies needed to hire two-three software engineers for performing different tasks during software development. 

Nowadays, hiring one Full Stack developer is sufficient for developing both the front-end and back-end of a website. From designing to testing and maintaining a web application, a Full Stack developer can perform multiple tasks simultaneously because they are equipped with all the knowledge and skills required to develop all aspects of a website or web application. 

FAQs

Should I hire a full-stack developer?

You should hire a full-stack developer if you need one person to develop both the front-end and back-end of a website. Hiring a full-stack developer can be very beneficial as it eliminates the need to have two different developers (front-end and back-end) on board. Instead, a full stack developer will work on both the client side of the website or web app as well as the server side. 

Is a software engineer better than a full-stack developer?

Both software engineers and full-stack developers have different roles, responsibilities, and objectives. The job of a software engineer is to develop software applications for desktops along with creating programs for operating systems On the other hand, a full-stack developer is responsible for the design, databases, servers, and APIs of a website or web application. 

Why do companies prefer a full-stack developer over a software developer?

Companies prefer a full stack developer over a software developer because they can perform both the tasks of a front-end developer and a software engineer. This reduces the cost of development and avoids confusion since only one person is working on the particular project.