Decoding the languages of a Full Stack Developer

Taking the mystery out of coding

When we think of coders we might think of the brainy genius in an action movie. Armed with only a computer and their own wits they break through the firewall, hack into the mainframe, and recalibrate the centrifuge. With just a few seconds to spare, they’ve saved the world from certain doom.

The diverse backgrounds of our students illustrates that coding is easier to grasp than you might think. In fact, the interdisciplinary nature of coding has been shown to improve diverse cognitive function and boost organisation, problem solving, and even memory skills. Not to mention the benefits it has on your employability.

The perks of being a Full Stack Developer

Can coding really make you more money?

Coding is an essential skill in an increasingly digitised and AI-dominated world; with forecasts suggesting a 16% increase in demand for web developers and designers over the next eight years. Despite this demand, many countries are experiencing huge digital skills gaps: a staggering 93% of UK businesses report insufficient IT skills. By learning to code, you instantly set yourself apart from the pack and increase your earning potential. According to Indeed, the average base salary for a Full Stack Developer is £55.5k - well above the £34.9k average.

So, let’s explore the key coding languages in every Full Stack Developer’s toolkit, and the real-life skills they’ll give you.

How to speak the languages of a Full Stack Developer

HTML

If learning a new coding language sounds daunting, HTML is a great way to build your confidence. This simple markup language is the foundation of web design and the perfect introduction to the world of coding. HTML, or Hyper Text Markup Language, determines the structure of a web page. Each page is made up of building blocks or “elements”, and “markups” determine whether an element displays as a header, paragraph, image, or more. All these building blocks come together to form a basic web page. HTML is a valuable language to learn even on its own. With just a few markups you can fix backend formatting and copy-related issues on your website quickly and easily. But when combined with a handful of other coding languages, you can achieve so much more.

CSS

So, now that you’ve built a simple web page it’s time to add a little personality.

With CSS (Cascade Styling Sheets), you can adjust the look and feel of your site by customising fonts, layout, and colour schemes. Not only is this essential for producing pages that are consistent with your brand guidelines, but it also helps to improve the accessibility of your site and highlight key information.

Python

Now it’s time to kick things up a notch. Python is arguably the most popular coding language – and for good reason. Compared to many other high-level coding languages, Python uses English syntax making it much easier to read, particularly for beginners. Plus, it doesn’t require a compiler to run the code, so you can cut down on costly development time.

With Python at your disposal, the world is your oyster: you can build apps, games, automated workflows, machine-learning models, and far more. Python’s lively community of developers means that its capabilities and applications are constantly expanding, so it’s definitely a valuable skill to have in your arsenal.

Django

Once you've got comfortable with Python, Django is the next step to becoming a Full-Stack Developer. Django is a high-level web framework that allows you to build robust, scalable, and secure web applications quickly. It emphasises reusability and ‘don’t repeat yourself’ principles, which means that you can develop applications faster and with cleaner code.

Django handles much of the heavy lifting involved in web development, like managing databases, handling requests, and implementing authentication. With its built-in admin interface, you can manage your website’s data and users with ease. Django's ecosystem of libraries and plugins allows you to expand your web applications' functionality effortlessly, making it an essential tool for any Full-Stack Developer.

JavaScript

Similar to Python, JavaScript is a high-level coding language. But while Python has a wide variety of applications, JavaScript is predominantly used for building more complex website elements than can be achieved in HTML. Most web pages are built using JavaScript so it’s an essential language to learn if you want to work in web development and design.

Bootstrap

OK, so this one might not be a language per se. But with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript already under your belt, Bootstrap is a cinch!
This simple framework provides templates for programming mobile-responsive websites that load quickly and don’t require hours of tedious coding.

Now you’re a coding expert

And just like that, you’ve learnt all there is to learn about being a Full Stack Developer!

Well, maybe not quite. Like picking up any new language, learning to code takes time and patience. But by dedicating just a few hours each week, you might be surprised how quickly you’re able to develop a highly sought-after skill with the power to boost your earning potential and employability.

See what our former students have to say about Learning People’s Full Stack Developer course.