If you’re interested in working as a Full Stack Developer, read on and find out how to land this in demand job. After all, you’ve already invested all that time and effort into learning all those coding languages and frameworks. The natural next step would be to secure a full stack developer interview and prepare for it.
What’s Required from a Full Stack Web Developer Applicant?
A full stack developer applicant is expected to have knowledge of both frontend development and backend development. Specifically, a full stack developer should have knowledge of the following:
- Frontend Dev (e.g., HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript)
- Backend Dev (e.g., Python, PHP, Java)
- Databases (e.g., SQL, MySQL)
- Frameworks (e.g., Bootstrap, React, Django)
And, of course, you’ll want to pay close attention to what requirements appear in the job posting. They might, for instance, expect you to know the MERN Stack (MongoDB, Express, React, Node). This is one of many variations of the MEAN Stack (the A abbreviating the Angular framework).
Full Stack Developer Interview Preparation
As the ancient Roman Stoic Seneca explained, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” This statement is especially true for interviews.
Full stack developer interviews can be difficult if you don’t prepare for them. By preparing for this interview, you can help reduce any anxiety you may be feeling leading up to it. It also shows the interviewer that you care about the position and that you’re not there to waste their time.
Full Stack Developer Interview Key Questions
As mentioned above, a successful full stack developer interview requires preparation. However, it’s hard to know exactly what to expect. And there may be times that the interviewer asks about topics outside of your experience. This can force you to either fake it or admit that you may not completely understand a concept. The best thing you can do is take a look at the job description and prepare answers to the questions that might be asked specific to the role’s responsibilities and requirements. For more general questions which you’ll likely be asked, here’s our top five:
1. Describe a favorite project that you’ve worked on.
As a response, you clearly want to select a project you feature in your online portfolio. Be prepared to discuss both the technical aspects and the benefits of the software.
For instance, would it maximize the effectiveness of CRM (customer relationship management) software for a business? Or perhaps it utilizes innovative ecommerce design or web security.
2. What is the most challenging project you’ve coded?
For this type of question, it would be ideal to select a project that emphasizes the skills required for the specific role you’re seeking. For instance, if the employer is seeking a Full Stack Developer that specializes in React and you coded a difficult project with the MERN Stack, you should discuss that project during the interview. This not only shows that you have experience with the technology, it also shows that you understand exactly what they’re looking for in this role.
3. How has your past experience prepared you for this job?
These questions focus on your experience or education. Your answer to this–or any similar questions–will depend upon your unique background. For example, if you never worked in the industry and are fresh out of Coding Bootcamp, you will want to highlight your educational experience, your skillsets, and your portfolio projects. In stark contrast, if you have five years of experience as a full stack web developer, you will certainly want to emphasize that and use it as leverage to negotiate your salary.
4. Explain the difference between frontend and backend development
As a full stack developer, you’ll need to be an expert in both frontend and backend development. You should know the difference between the two and how they both work together to create a full functioning website or app.
Frontend development is the process of developing a website user interface (UI) and its core functionalities. Backend development is the process of developing a website’s server-side logic and its API.
Frontend developers are primarily concerned with making sure that the code they write for a front-end will look good and function properly in the browser. While backend developers are primarily concerned with making sure that their code will work properly on the server, or in other words, on that part of a website that is not seen by browsers.
5. What stack do you specialize in?
Your answer depends upon your education and past experience, but ideally it will be the stack the employer advertised they’re looking for. Some popular stacks include the following:
- LAMP: Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP
- MEAN: MongoDB, Express, Angular, Node
- Django: JavaScript, Python, Django, MySQL
Final Thoughts for Your Full Stack Developer Interview
All things considered, the full stack developer interview is where you need to be at your very best and impress the recruiter or hiring manager. Thus, now is the best moment to break out a notebook and write out the answers to the above questions and similar ones.
Beyond this, list your strengths as well as areas you want to grow professionally. and how much money you want to make so you are fully prepared. And keep in mind, the interviewer does not only care about your technical skills. They also want to know you have the soft skills for the job. For example, the ability to work well on a team and other soft skills are tremendously important to most employers. This, of course, is especially true of those seeking managerial roles. Many soft skills are exposed through the interview itself such as the ability to communicate clearly.
Good luck, and we hope our article aids you in your full stack developer interview and helps you launch your career as a full stack web developer. Check out Indeed’s full list of potential full stack developer interview questions.
