Today, I am proud to call myself a full stack developer.
Despite the fact that I have less than a year of professional experience,
I have learned so much over the past six years that I consider myself as a Jr full stack web developer.
Everybody began somewhere.
For me, the journey started in 2013 while I was still in high school.
Computers always fascinated me and I was obsessed with hacking (as portrayed in movies).
Like most programmers, I started with Hello World in HTML. I quickly learned the difference
between HTML tags, and the difference block and inline elements and their closing brackets.
I encountered the first roadblock when I ventured into the world of CSS. Everything was in
English meanwhile I did not speak the language. Luckily, I was admitted into a school where
English was the language of instruction and for the first time, I understood CSS and even
started learning Python and Java.
My first job
I got my first job as a frontend web developer working for Matrix, a research center at
Michigan State University. At the time, I mainly used jQuery instead of pure JavaScript.
The browser’s JavaScript APIs were still a black box. I also learned how to code in PHP
and built my first web application. Unfortunately, my time at Matrix was cut short due to an illness.
After Matrix
After Matrix, frameworks like Ruby on Rails, and Django picked my interest.
It was a steep learning curve and I struggled to understand how the frameworks operated.
I also lacked a project to focus my attention among other things. Luckily, I came across
React in 2018 and it changed everything. I learned about single-page applications (SPA),
APIs, Node, Express... It helped me build Kalbasse, a learning platform for French speakers
who want to learn programming. To date, it is my most significant achievement.
I built it entirely by myself.
The road ahead
As I am about to graduate, I look forward to pursuing my studies in Software Engineering.
I hope to build a product that will change the lives of millions across Africa and the World.
That is a lot of ambition you say? Yes, what can I say? Dreaming is not a crime.
As a beginner in web development you have probably heard of front end and backend development and you don't know the difference or you are still confused.
Do not let these two words throw you off. After reading this article, you will be able to tell the key differences between frontend and backend development and know the skills required on each side.
Frontend
In a nutshell, frontend web developers build the interface users interact with.
In modern web development, they use frameworks or libraries like Vue and React to build applications.
There is a wide range of those depending on the language of choice.
Frameworks and libraries help frontend developers organize files and reduce boilerplate.
In addition to the structure of the page, they also take care of the styling (positioning, animations, transitions...).
They also ensure that the page is presented adequately from one device to another.
For those reasons, a front end developer must be adept in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Backend
Backend developers, on the other hand, focus on the storage and retrieval of information behind the scenes.
They usually work with databases and servers to ensure that users can see or manipulate the data stored through APIs
(Application Programming Interfaces) that serve as bridges or guardians. Backend web developers mostly handle the business
logic and keep it out of sight. Backend developers are a lot less restricted in terms of the languages they can use.
Any programming language optimized for the web is game. A backend developer can work with Java, JavaScript, Python, Go,
and many others. What matters is that the end user can store or retrieve data in an efficient manner.
Frontend and backend development are complementary. While the front end developer takes care of the client facing side of an application,
the backend developer ensures that storing, retrieving, and updating data in a somewhat permanent fashion is possible.
If you like wearing both hats, you should consider becoming a full stack web developer.
Stay tuned to learn more about fullstack web development in my next article.
