Let’s start with a little show of hands. Do you already know you want to become a web developer?
*PAUSE*
Great. Now, what type of web developer do you want to be?
Web development is a rewarding and exciting direction to take your career in, with the job market constantly seeking developers and new languages emerging all the time. But if you’ve got this far in your research, you’re probably aware that there are a whole host of disciplines to choose from. It’s kind of overwhelming, isn’t it?
If we really boil it down, the choice comes down to whether you want to be a specialist or a full-stack, both of which, FYI, we cover both bases on OpenClassrooms: Specialists (Front-End or Back-End) and Full-Stack. Let’s dig into the distinction between the two.
What Is The Difference Between Being a Full-Stack Developer and a Specialist?
A specialist will typically fall into one of two camps: front-end or back-end. Where a front-end developer will work on the client-facing side of things, using HTML, CSS and JavaScript to create the interfaces you’ll see in your browser, a back-end developer will be taking care of the inner workings, making sure the right data is be accessed or stored at the right moment.
A full-stack developer is the middle ground of front-end and back-end specialists. Though their knowledge of different technologies is more limited than specialists, they nevertheless have a great understanding of both sides, so can usually see a project through conception to creation.
What Will My Job Look Like?
As a specialist, you’ll spend a lot of time deep-diving into and improving on the projects you’re working on. You’ll be an expert on your particular discipline and will be expected to continue in your training to stay up-to-date.
A full-stacker will generally have a larger variety of tasks to work on since they’re more of a jack of all trades. You’ll spend less time coordinating with different people, since you’re more autonomous in your work, depending less on others to complete related tasks.
Which One Will Guarantee Me A Job?
Both profiles are highly sought-after – just a quick peruse on a job board will show you that. In terms of pay, too, you can expect a similar starting salary for the both. So the real question comes down to the type of work you’re looking to do.
Larger companies have a good idea of what they need so tend to hire specialists to help them in their projects. Start-ups, however, often favour full-stack developers who can take care of all tech needs in the beginning. If progression in your team is important to you, full-stack developers often have a more global view on projects so are in prime position to lead a team.
If branching out on your own is something you’re thinking of, studying full-stack development will allow you to more easily build your own product.
To summarise:
If you’re interested in earning a diploma in front-end web development or full-stack, we’ve got you covered. We also offer a 6 month job guarantee because we’re certain you’ll get hired after your studies.
