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

  1. 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.