Stack Overflow just released their 2024 Developer Survey.
One thing I found very interesting was this stat about full-stack devs.
Do you think this is more “branding” related than actual skills?
Source: <a href="https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2024/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2024/</a>

Dedicated to developers who want to learn and share how they git gud at their craft 🦾. Is there a mindset you think is currently hurting developers growth? What tools do you love? 

The Dev Craft

The 2024 Stack Overflow Developer Survey reveals that full-stack developers are now more common than frontend and backend developers combined. This raises questions about whether this trend is driven by actual skillsets or branding.

"Full stack" devs now more common than frontend, backend COMBINED

I think it is more about companies wanting a more versatile workforce. I was hired as Full-stack and while I am mostly front-end I also need to work on creating some of my own API’s from time to time.
I also think it is more popular with having JavaScript on both front-end and back-end

IMO, all courses online for web development offer something like: React and Express/Next, so it’s very common for people to start off learning both of the worlds. Also, most companies require devs to expertise in full-stack so they won’t need to hire in double… at least it’s what I see here. I am a full-stack dev because of that as well.
But I really think that getting to be really good at either one is better than trying to master everything. It’s even better paid. 😅

If you dont learn both front end and back end elements to web technology you are a less flexible and less useful developer for most modern organisations. (some places may need specialists but this is less common)

Typical people do everything, but master nothing. They will always lean more towards one side and deliver mediocre work on the other.
I’ve seen some projects where the back-end was considered full-stack and their front-end deliveries were abysmal.
The companies are the ones who benefit the most from this, as they pay the same or very little more than those who choose to specialize in one side. However, they will pay a high price in the future to maintain their projects.

It sucks IMO. A fullsatck developer will almost always be less effective than an experimented FE dev and an experimented BE dev working together.
Ofc it’s a valuable asset to know a bit of FE as a BE and conversely, but it shouldn’t be mandatory to do “both”.
Especially bc it incitates companies to chose the same language in FE and BE and it’s not always a good idea.