A Stack Full of Baloney

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Chavalit

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Anyone familiar with the IT industry would have seen the widespread use of the term "Full Stack" in recent years. The first time I saw it, I was baffled. "Full Stack" crops up a lot in job listings as prefixes to the titles of some software engineering positions. Here are some examples: "Full Stack Web Developer", "Full Stack Java Developer", "Full Stack Engineer",or even "Junior Full Stack Engineer". But regardless of what Stack in this context means, wouldn't it be more concise to call a Junior Full Stack Engineer a Partial Stack Engineer instead? To me, a Junior Full Stack Engineer sounds like a fellow who has already achieved some Stack but has yet to reach the Full Stack qualification. And what about an engineer who has exactly half a Stack? A Half-Full/Half-Empty Stack Engineer?


But I digress. As someone who has studied and worked in the field of computing for a long time, I believe "Full Stack" was invented as a way for tech companies to communicate to potential recruits the following technical requirements: "Hey, I want to hire somebody who knows a lot of stuff. If you know only a thing or two, take a hike!" But really, a Full Stack Developer is said to be a programmer who is skilled in all areas of technology that are essential to modern software development, from low-level coding to database management to user interface design and what have you. Precise definition varies from firm to firm and person to person, so when the term appears in a job description it has to be followed by a concrete explanation of what it actually means. (Some definition includes the likes of "Business Logic" and "Understanding what the customer and the business need." In this sense, a Full-to-Bursting Stack Engineer can probably run a whole company all by himself.)


Frankly, I think "Full Stack" is awful. We don't need to make up a new phrase that can barely convey its meaning when simple words like "well-rounded" would work just fine.


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PS


I came across this forum a while ago and it seems like a good place to practice writing and to have real teachers look at it. I'm too old to be a student of any sort though. Still, I would be grateful to have someone correct my writing or suggest any improvement. I'm not a native speaker but I hope to write like one some day.
 
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Chavalit

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I was attempting a bit of humor as well as sarcasm in the piece above. As a non-native speaker, I'm not sure my writing skill is up to the task (not to mention any grammar mistake I made). If you feel the writing sounds unnatural or awkward, please correct.
 

Chavalit

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Not sure what I did wrong but the original post is gone. I repost it below:

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Anyone familiar with the IT industry would have seen the widespread use of the term "Full Stack" in recent years. The first time I saw it, I was baffled. "Full Stack" crops up a lot in job listings as prefixes to the titles of some software engineering positions. Here are some examples: "Full Stack Web Developer", "Full Stack Java Developer", "Full Stack Engineer",or even "Junior Full Stack Engineer". But regardless of what Stack in this context means, wouldn't it be more concise to call a Junior Full Stack Engineer a Partial Stack Engineer instead? To me, a Junior Full Stack Engineer sounds like a fellow who has already achieved some Stack but has yet to reach the Full Stack qualification. And what about an engineer who has exactly half a Stack? A Half-Full/Half-Empty Stack Engineer?


But I digress. As someone who has studied and worked in the field of computing for a long time, I believe "Full Stack" was invented as a way for tech companies to communicate to potential recruits the following technical requirements: "Hey, I want to hire somebody who knows a lot of stuff. If you know only a thing or two, take a hike!" But really, a Full Stack Developer is said to be a programmer who is skilled in all areas of technology that are essential to modern software development, from low-level coding to database management to user interface design and what have you. Precise definition varies from firm to firm and person to person, so when the term appears in a job description it has to be followed by a concrete explanation of what it actually means. (Some definition includes the likes of "Business Logic" and "Understanding what the customer and the business need." In this sense, a Full-to-Bursting Stack Engineer can probably run a whole company all by himself.)


Frankly, I think "Full Stack" is awful. We don't need to make up a new phrase that can barely convey its meaning when simple words like "well-rounded" would work just fine.


***
PS


I came across this forum a while ago and it seems like a good place to practice writing and to have real teachers look at it. I'm too old to be a student of any sort though. Still, I would be grateful to have someone correct my writing or suggest any improvement. I'm not a native speaker but I hope to write like one some day.
 
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