Full-stack vs. Specialists
Structuring your development team is a crucial decision. Do you hire specialists or full-stack developers?
The full-stack reality check
- Full-stack is actually T-shaped. Every full-stack developer has their sweet spot, a technology where they truly excel.
- It's about breadth, not depth. They possess broad knowledge across technologies, not encyclopedic expertise in everything.
- Without deep specialized knowledge, solutions are sometimes implemented in a non-standard way.
- Many full-stack developers struggle with the impossible expectation of mastering everything.
The challenges of specialists
- Communication becomes critical. Without proper alignment, you risk creating technical silos.
- Guard cross-domain decisions. Watch out for specialists optimizing for their domain at the expense of others. Is it suitable for the backend developer to dictate the API definition?
- When emergencies strike outside their speciality, specialists might hesitate. Are they willing to step up when a server crashes and the infrastructure engineer is on vacation?
Making the right choice for your product
- Choose full-stack when:
- Your product spans multiple technologies.
- Team size needs to stay lean.
- Rapid iteration across the stack is crucial.
- Budget constraints limit hiring specialists.
2. Choose specialists when:
- Your product heavily relies on technology.
- Deep expertise in specific areas is crucial. Good examples are Bluetooth, AR or ML.
- Complex technical challenges require deep knowledge.
The best team structure aligns with your product's DNA. Don't follow the full-stack trend blindly, but don't dismiss it, either. Consider your product's technical demands.