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How Full-Stack Developers Help Startups and Small Businesses

Posted: 02 Jun 2019 03:00 PM PDT

A full stack developer is a person who has a complete understanding of different layers involved in application development. Whether it is taking care of front end or back end, or working on the business layer, they take care of everything with ease.

The demand for full stack developer

As per a report, there was a 206% increase in the demand of full stack developer from 2015-2018 as more businesses arelooking for multi-faceted skills. Full stack developers or a full-stack development company is capable of taking care of all your project development needs. So whether it is about front end development or back end development, or developing the business layer, they are competent to work on everything.

What can a full-stack developer do?

In terms of web development, there are front end developers and back end developers. Frontend developers work on to build the interface while the software engineers work on to build the backend. Now a full stack developer is capable to do everything. He or she takes care of client-side coding to server-side scripting to building and managing databases. Right from designing the application to coding, such a developer can take care of all project needs.

The responsibilities of a full stack developer are:

  • Manage web development
  • Code applications and programs
  • Troubleshoot issues
  • Coordinate with other team members and developers
  • Come up with testing techniques for the web apps

In short, full stack developer will have an idea of the technologies which will decide how a website looks, works and functions. Such a developer will have practical knowledge of HTML, JavaScript, CSS, PHP, Angular, Ruby, MySQL, Node, MongoDB, Apache, etc. Having the knowledge to work with animations, graphics and design will just add stars to the portfolio of the candidate.

Over time the skills required for full stack development has extended and evolved. Long-time back it was LAMP stack which included Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP. Things have changed now and it is more of MEAN and beyond today. Currently, it has been seen that a typical full stack developer carry out frontend development using JavaScript, HTML, CSS and other JS frameworks, for backend it makes use of Express and Node and for databases it follows MySQL and MongoDB.

Top reasons to hire full stack developers

Effective problem-solving

When hiring a developer, the companies always look for candidates who are capable of solving an issue. Full stack developers are competent to handle the project from every aspect. This means whether it is about front end development or back end development or working on the business layer, they can do everything. They prove to be a practical solution for start-ups and small businesses who cannot afford to spend more money on many expert developers.

Wide range of technology skills

The main reason why companies choose full stack developer for their project is because of their potential rather than their knowledge. With time companies teach them the skills which they want them to learn. This way, in a few years, they learn different technology skills as the company expands further.

Executive and management skills

Companies like to have people on board who have better experience in the business. A full-stack developer has the knowledge and experience of working on front end, back end and the middle architecture layer. This means they are capable to perform better than an individual frontend developer or a backend developer.

Cost-effective

As full stack developer can carry out the development of all aspects of a project, there is no need to form a team of experts. They will easily take care of the project single-handedly. This will save the right amount of money for the hiring team.

Speed-up the development process

Full stack developers are aware of different technologies, tools and techniques. This means that when they take up the project, they will be able to complete it faster. They will spend less time discussing and collaborating with the team over the project.

Benefits of Full Stack Developers for Startup and Small Business

Established developers

Full stack developers are experienced and qualified enough to come up with outstanding features to the end product, which will be capable of exciting the market. The full stack developers who are professional have the ability to build a complete product from scratch. If you want to get some benefits out of your product, then you will have to join hands with such experts. Remember that not everyone is capable out there of taking care of the project from a 360-degree perspective.

Versatility

A full stack developer is capable of working equally well on frontend and backend of a website or an app. Front end developers write codes using JavaScript, HTML and CSS, which are capable of controlling the appearance of the solution and how it interacts with the browser and users. Backend developers write codes which connect the website or application with other content management systems. A full stack developer is capable of taking care of both these tasks. They are focused on reaching customer expectations and work on to come up with solutions on their own. 

Vast experience

Full stack developers take up different web projects. This has helped them to get in-depth knowledge of various technologies as well as gained the expertise to come up with a quick solution in terms of web and app development. Such experience and knowledge will help with the improved performance of the project and its market reception.

The bigger picture

The main advantage of choosing a full stack developer for your project is that they will come up with a complete structure of the project and will offer their valuable input on the project as and when needed. Apart from just developing the project, their services go beyond to maintain and optimize the existing solutions.

Upgrades

For a majority of the people, web design played a crucial role in deciding whether a website is loved or rejected. Full stack developers with professional capabilities will work towards ensuring the website is quite user-friendly. They keep themselves updated with the latest technology trends and innovations. To ensure that your clients get the best interactive and responsive website, they implement smart features in your project.

Troubleshooting issues

Full stack developers have the complete knowledge and experience of different stages involved in website development; and every aspect concerning it. They are skilled to identify the issues that may come up during the project development. Based on their findings, they will work on to come up with long-term solutions which will ensure the website or the application functions optimally.

All inclusive

Apart from leading your web project and enabling enhancements in it, full stack developers go-ahead to a level of representing your product to the stakeholders or your company at conferences. They have the ability to quickly move from one operation to another with ease, which helps them to speed up the development by streamlining the processes. 

Budget-friendly

If you are tight on a budget and yet want to build a fantastic website, then you should think about hiring full stack developer for the job. You can even think about having a remote full stack developer for the project. As such, a developer is capable of handling all the aspects of project development; you will not have to hire different people for the job. This will save you a lot of money.

On-time delivery

It will be easy to share responsibilities between the team as well as coordinate among themselves for better project progress when you have full stack developers on board. This will gradually work towards faster delivery of the project.

They take up project ownership

When you have full stack developers hired for your project, you can be sure that they will take care of everything. Such a developer will be capable for the MVP development right from the beginning to the end. If you hire full stack developer in the middle of the project, even then they will find their way to join the flow smoothly. Such a developer will work toward quality control of the design project. 

Factors to consider while hiring Full Stack Developers for your Small Business

Git, GitHub and Source Tree

Any good full stack developer needs to have an understanding about how Git works and should have a profile on GitHub. Now, this becomes very important when they are working alone and mandatory when they are working in a team. Every small change made to the application can be tracked by the knowledge of GIT.

HTML/CSS

HTML and CSS help the developers to style up to the content on the web page. This is considered as an essential requirement. HTML makes use of markup to define the structure of the web pages, while the presentation of the HTML elements will be determined by CSS. When they both work together, they work towards coming up with engaging frontend for the application

JavaScript:

JavaScript is an object scripting language which is used on HTML to add behavior to it. Developers are using JavaScript to write codes for servers, client-side, backend apart from working on frontend. A full stack developer should have proper knowledge of JavaScript and about its frameworks and features. 

Back end language

The backend languages are the ones which manage database operations as well as take care of user authentication. It also performs several other functions by making use of frontend languages.

Databases and web storage

Applications generate data and you will have to store it somewhere. You will need a solution which understands relational databases and memory storage. The full stack developer should have the understanding to work on database query. He or she should also be able to understand the difference between relational and non-relational database.

Web architecture

It is essential for a developer to have an understanding of how the code structure should be formed, how and where to place the data in the databases, how to separate the files and how to work on computational tasks.

HTTP & REST

HTTP is a protocol which is used as a communication medium between servers and clients. REST on the other side is an interface which uses HTTP to generate operations on the data or obtain it in whichever format possible. We can even put it this way that REST API helps the backend to understand the frontend in a better way.

Challenges you face with full stack developers

Like every other technology, full stack development is not perfect. In spite of the benefits it offers, choosing a full stack developer has its set of cons too.

Full stack developers working on everything makes them expert of nothing. This can be considered as the most significant disadvantage of choosing them when you can find specialized developers out there. Again, there comes a certain point during the project development where full stack developers will have to depend on experts to get the job done when they get stuck in difficult situations.

This means based on the complexity of the project and its requirements, always choosing a full stack developer may not be a wise idea. However, most of the time, they excel in what they do base on the experience and skills that they have gathered over time.

Windows 10 May 2019 Update Guide for Business

Posted: 02 Jun 2019 08:00 AM PDT

Windows 10 just got a makeover, and the new operating system from Microsoft is available for download now. Before you roll out this update to your staff or load it on your PC, check out our small business FAQ guide to the May 2019 Windows update.

What will users see in the new Windows?

There are several new features included in the May 2019 Windows update, but users aren't likely to notice a difference between the older version and the current version unless you tell them. This is good news for IT pros and small business owners, as no additional training or communication will be necessary for employees.

This is a screenshot of Windows prior to the May 2019 update.

This is a screenshot of Windows, on the same machine, after the May 2019 update.

How to use new features in Windows 10 version 1903

There are several new features in the latest version of Windows, here's the gist on what they are and how to use them.

Snip & Sketch and Clipboard sync

This feature is already common in apps like Evernote, but now it's accessible via Windows 10 as well. Users can click the Windows icon + Shift + S and use their cursor to select a portion of the screen and automatically transfer it to the Clipboard. From there, users can mark it up and share it with other team members. Along the same lines, users will also be able to sync their Microsoft clipboard across all their devices.

Windows keyboard emojis

If you're a fan of emojis, this feature is for you. In the newest Windows 10, you can bring up a window of emojis any time by clicking the Window key followed by the period (.) key. 👍

Microsoft Launcher

Ideal for heavy users of OneDrive, Outlook, and the Office suite, the upgraded Microsoft Launcher allows users to have the same experience on their PCs and their Android devices. Part of the advantage of Android mobile devices (over Apple devices like the iPhone) is the ability to control the way you interact with your tech.

Users who download Microsoft Launcher from the Google Play Store will be able to do things like interact with Cortana on their Android devices, get Outlook calendar reminders and updates, and work on Microsoft apps. There's also a timeline view of Outlook events, which looks a lot like the Google calendar timeline found on many Android devices. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, users will be able see information from their Android device on their PC since it will all be synced, so a user could take a picture on their phone and instantly pull it up on their laptop.

Custom view and changing cursor size

After the May 2019 Windows update, you will be able to change the cursor size and text display size to your liking. This is especially useful for employees with accessibility needs as well as those who are using hybrid laptop and tablet devices; it's much easier to navigate touchscreen devices with larger apps, text, and cursors.

Here's how to change cursor size and text size in Windows 10.

To customize your cursor size, go to Start (the Window icon), Settings, Ease of Access, and then Cursor & pointer.

To alter the size of the text on your screen, go to Start (the Window icon), Settings, Ease of Access, and then Display.

How to set up OneDrive File Backup

Microsoft's latest update makes it easy for users to automatically back up their files to OneDrive, making them easily accessible from other devices. This provides small businesses with an excellent way to standardize file backup practices and maintain a centralized place for the business's most important files.

To set this up, each user will need to open OneDrive and then go to More… and then Settings. Under the AutoSave tab, you'll see an option to Update Folders. From there, select the folders you want to automatically back up. Since those folders will be saved in OneDrive, a fringe benefit is that your backup can be either private and password-protected or made public and shareable (either to everyone in your organization or a select few).

How to set up Windows Dark Mode

A minor aesthetic update is the newfound ability to choose Light or Dark mode for apps in Windows 10. If you want to change over to Dark Mode, simply click Start (Window icon) > Settings > Personalization > Colors. In that window, you will see the option to Choose your default app mode, and you can select Dark mode or Light mode.

Do I have to update my operating system?

In the past, many Windows updates were rolled out automatically; following the May 2019 update, that will no longer be the case. From now on, users and IT professionals will be alerted to upcoming updates and asked if they want to install them or pause their release for a designated timespan. However, the purpose of this feature is to give users and IT staff a higher level of control over rolling out updates, not to encourage users to never update their operating systems.

A good rule of thumb is to update your machine whenever a new OS version is available, unless you have a clearly defined reason to do otherwise. Most small business owners without IT pros will benefit from keeping their OS up to date. If you choose not to update your operating system every six months, a forced update will kick in after 18 months.

Does the Windows 10 update have problems?

When the Windows 10 update was first released on May 21, 2019, users reported a variety of problems, including issues with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, the inability to download the update while using an SD card or USB storage, an inability to use the Camera app, and a host of other annoyances. You may view a full outline of existing and solved issues with version 1903 here. Most of the more pressing issues have been mitigated and should not present a major problem to most small business users.   

Why can't I update Windows on my work computer?

If you are trying to update your operating system on your work machine, go to Settings and check for updates. You will either be prompted to restart your machine in order to install the Windows update, or you will receive a message that says the update is pending. If your update is pending, this is likely because your company's IT department is waiting to roll out the update for internal reasons. A help desk tech or IT representative at your company should be able to tell you when to expect the rollout.

How to Create a Work From Home Policy for Your Small Business

Posted: 02 Jun 2019 06:00 AM PDT

However, providing flexible work options may seem like a big risk for small businesses. That's why anyone considering this route needs to have a well-defined plan in place before jumping right in.

If you're thinking of offering telecommuting as an option, here are five tips to help you create an effective policy.

1. Have the proper technology in place

Open communication with remote workers is an essential part of any successful flexible policy. Without face to face contact, those in charge must make an effort to touch base more frequently and communicate priorities, goals, and deadlines with their direct reports.

Invest in communication tools that are designed specifically for remote work. Traditional email and phone calls are still valuable tools, but having instant chat software, secure document sharing, and even web conferencing, like Skype or Google Hangouts, that allows for some face time are beneficial. Not only do you want your employees to continue performing well, but you also want them to feel like they are still part of the team.

2. Set specific and clear guidelines

Some owners are hesitant about flexible work schedules due to the potential for employees to take advantage of the situation. Employees may say they are working, but without guidelines and checkpoints, they can't be held accountable. It is your responsibility to communicate your needs and expectations.

Write down your policy and add it to your employee handbook. That way, everyone has access to the information and is responsible for following the guidelines. Include how you are going to track time, how you are going to evaluate their success, how they should communicate with you, what metrics you will use, and what the requirement is for daily availability.

It is also essential to include policies on caregiving. One commonly held idea is that remote workers can take care of children or elderly dependents while working, which can lead to a decrease in productivity. Make sure you address whether or not you will allow your employees to be part-time caretakers in your written guidelines to avoid future issues.

Having your policy documented and visible to your team will set your employees up for success. Providing clear direction and crafting your strategy to be results driven will prevent people from taking advantage of this benefit.

3. Test the policy with a small group

Not all jobs are conducive to remote work. It's wise to evaluate each employee or position to see whose work or personality is suited for telecommuting. Once you have identified a few members who are best suited for it, launch a pilot program.

Instead of letting your whole office have access to remote work, which could result in chaos, allowing a few members to test it will be beneficial. You can edit your policy based on the test and see what works and what doesn't on a small scale.

If your test run is successful, slowly introduce the program to the rest of the office. This will prevent a rocky transition and allow you to make tweaks along the way.

4. Educate your entire staff, not just the ones using the policy

Remote work is a two-way street. It requires a concentrated effort from the employees not in the office. But the employees who are in the office also need to continually reach out and keep those who are remote in the loop.

Educate your managers on the policy before presenting it to the rest of the team. Ensure that they understand the system will help them to enforce it, so you are not solely responsible for the transition. They will shoulder some of the new responsibilities, including:

  • Making sure remote employees are meeting deadlines
  • Communicating clearly with remote workers
  • Helping off-site employees feel like part of the team

5. Make security a priority

When some of your employees are working out of their home or in another city, it can be more challenging to keep your data secure. Unsecured Wi-Fi networks, the use of personal computers, and the absence of a remote IT department can make it easy for someone to steal your data.

Set security standards when drafting your policy. You can require things like a password protected internet connection, a work-issued laptop with antivirus software preinstalled, and regular updating of their equipment to prevent breaches. Some IT teams can even log in to computers remotely, to perform maintenance and check for at-risk items. Form a security policy that works best for both your business and your remote team.

 
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