Tag: #of studies

How to be a Full Stack Developer?

Before getting into the topic, “how to become a full stack Java developer?” or “how to become a full stack Python developer?”, we learn what is Full Stack development. We are living in a virtual world. We are solving every problem in this virtual world with the help of softwares like some solution. This software contains multiple layers. We have Presentation layer, Business layer and Database layer. The presentation layer is something where the user interacts. For example, if we are going to hariyali.in, we are accessing the front page of the website. That is the presentation layer. We can also say app here instead of website. If we are going to WordPress app, the page that comes first is the presentation layer. Then we are writing an article/a blog and then publishing it or saving it as a draft. All these processing part runs in the server which contains the business logic. As our requirements change, the business logic will also change. And then we have a database layer where we will put our data. The data that we put in should be stored somewhere. That’s why we have a database layer. Now a question arises. If we want to build this application, what are the technologies should we learn?

If we talk about industry, for different layers we have different professionals to work with it. We have experts in presentation layer. We have experts in business layer. As well we have experts in database layer. A Java developer basically works with the business layer. Now a question may arise. Why not presentation layer? Presentation layer can be done by people who are creative. Because he/she must provide the users a good looking UI with a good UX and to build a good UI with good UX, he/she needs creativity. He/she must understand the users; and colour mapping as well. A presentation layer expert must know HTML, CSS, JavaScript. Those are the technologies used in front end. One can also use Angular, React. A business layer expert must know PHP, Java, C sharp, Python. Nowadays JavaScript is also used in business layer. For Database layer, we need experts with knowledge in Oracle, MySql and  NoSql.

MongoDB, ExpressJS, AngularJS and nodeJS are the MEAN stack used. With the help of stack we can build the entire software. What is Stack? Stack simply means one over the other. We have the Presentation layer which communicates with the Business layer which communicates with the Database layer. All these can be done using Stack.

We have seen that there are experts working with every layer. But nowadays there are companies that position a full stack developer. From sta rt to end, everything will be done by him.
The advantages of having a full stack developer:

  • There is no communication gap between teams.
  • The full stack developer is the Jack of all technologies.

But there is also a drawback of having a full stack developer. He is the Jack of all technologies but master of none. But that’s fine. Working on more projects and spending more time with technologies make him trained.

If you want to be a full stack developer, learn front end(Presentation layer) then get into technologies used in business layer and then into database layer. The thing that differs for a full stack Java developer and a full stack Python developer is the business layer. For a full stack Java developer, the business layer will be of Java. For a full stack Python developer, the business layer will be of Python. Just stick to one technology (language) and upgrade on that. You don’t need to learn every language. All the best.

‘Of Studies’ by Francis Bacon.

We are told that studies are important but no one tells us why we should study, how we should study and what we should study. Francis Bacon’s essay ‘Of Studies’ answers all such questions. Firstly, 

“STUDIES serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.”

When we read books in our leisure time, it brings us delight. When we use what we have learnt in our conversation, it decorates or graces our speech. When we apply what we have learnt in our judgement and business, it becomes our ability. While men of experience can carry out and judge only some particulars, the learned make the best plans and execution of affairs. This is not to say experience is not important. 

Though we are bestowed with inborn talents, we need studies to perfect them and in turn the studies are perfected by experience. Our inborn talents are like plants which require pruning and this the studies do. Though studies give all the directions, they are also bound to experience.

“To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgement wholly by their rules, is the humor of a scholar.”

While men of experience scorn studies and laymen look up to them, only wise men use what they have learnt. We shouldn’t read just to argue; neither to believe everything given in the text blindly nor to boast about what we have read, but to scrutinize and to regard them carefully.  

“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and few to be chewed and digested;”

There are myriads of books to read but how do we prioritise them? Bacon says that there are some books which only require some of its parts to be read, some books though read fully don’t demand close reading, but there are books which require our full attention and are to be read with diligence. 

“Reading maketh a full man; conference ready man; and writing an exact man.”

So, if a person writes less, he should have a good memory to remember everything he had read; if a person speaks less, he should have a quick wit so that he can escape his problems; if a person reads less, he should at least have wit enough to act like he knows the matter.  Bacon lists the advantages of studying each subject.

“Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtile; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend.”

When we read about past ages and of men, we come to know why they failed or succeeded; when we read poems which expresses huge meanings in small words, we gain wit; when we study math, we become clever in analysis of the problems; when we read natural philosophy, we gain deep knowledge of the universe; logic and rhetoric helps us to win arguments.

“Abeunt studia in mores” means studies become habits. When we practice what we read, it becomes a part of us, Just like how there are different physical exercises to cure the diseases of different parts of our body, different studies cure impediments in our wit. If a man lacks concentration, he ought to study math because if he gets distracted while doing sums, he has to redo the whole sum else he won’t understand. If a person cannot distinguish what is right or wrong, then he ought to read philosophy. If a person can’t get to the root of the matters and cannot defend his stand, then he ought to read law.  

“So every defect of the mind, may have a special receipt.”