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DevOps engineer vs Full stack developer: Which is best?
Ekene Eze 
There are several roles in tech, two common ones being DevOps engineers and full stack developers. The software development industry relies heavily on full stack and DevOps development.
DevOps aims at bridging the gap between developers and operation teams. This leads to an efficient and improved software delivery process.
A DevOps engineer’s primary responsibility is creating automated processes to develop, test, deploy, and maintain software systems, while a full stack developer specializes in writing application code that covers both the user-facing side (frontend) and behind-the-scenes logic (backend).
This guide explains what each role entails, addresses the motivations behind choosing either path, guides developers on choosing either path, and gives helpful tips for those who want to transition to DevOps engineering.
The key differences between DevOps engineers and full stack developers are summarized in the table below.
| DevOps engineer | Full stack developer |
|---|---|
| Responsible for the smooth flow of code changes from development to production. | Focuses on end-to-end application development (both frontend and backend) |
| Uses monitoring tools to track the performance of deployed software and also identify issues and bottlenecks in the deployment process. | Writes unit, integration, and end-to-end tests for the application code and fixes bugs related to the code. |
| Focuses on automating processes and ensuring a software application runs reliably and flawlessly. | Handles the development of web applications or a software program (frontend and backend) |
| Familiar with tools that aid task automation, code testing and deployments. | Has expertise in various frontend and backend programming languages |
| Focuses more on the infrastructure management side of the whole development life-cycle, which includes managing networks and servers. | Could either focus on the frontend and backend web architectures. |
| Has an in-depth understanding of operations to ensure optimal software delivery. | Possess a basic knowledge of operations. |
DevOps engineer or full stack developer
Full stack developers specialize in web development, while DevOps engineers focus on the smooth integration and delivery of software components.
Both roles offer great career opportunities. DevOps engineers can work in different sectors and organizations occupying different capacities.
Some DevOps specializations include code release manager, automation architect, DevSecOps engineer, etc. The same applies to a full stack engineer. As a full stack developer, you can work as a frontend or backend developer.
DevOps developers and full stack developers are also in high demand. According to Statista, full stack developers and DevOps developers are among the top technical positions demanded by recruiters worldwide in 2023. Indeed reported that the average salary of a DevOps engineer in the USA is $124,392, and that of a full stack software developer is $124,120.
Before deciding which path to follow, some introspection is encouraged, and some factors are to be considered. Some of the things to consider include:
- Interest
- Strengths
- Willingness to continously learn new skills and technology
Interest
Considering your interests before choosing which path to follow is helpful. Building a career takes time and hard work, and it is advisable to do that in something you are interested in.
DevOps is probably the right choice if you are interested in automating repetitive tasks, servers and cloud management, containerization, monitoring, logging etc.
On the other hand, if you are interested in writing application and domain code and enjoy seeing what you build and how users interact with applications directly and indirectly, then it is advisable to choose full stack development.
Strengths
In addition to your interests, it is also helpful to consider what your strengths are. This would help you to decide what you can work on effortlessly and with less struggle.
Do you find scripting easy? Are you able to grasp the complexities behind containerization and container orchestration? Do you spend more time writing infrastructure code than writing application and domain code? If your answer to these questions is yes, you should consider DevOps.
Can you easily convert mock-ups to actual user interfaces? Do you find it fascinating to translate customer requirements into code? Are you able to interact with databases using SQL without much hassle? If yes, then it might be worth going for full stack development.
Willingness to continuously learn new skills and technology
The DevOps and full stack fields continually evolve, and there is always something new. To be up to date, you have to be willing and open to learning constantly. This involves taking courses, reading articles, and getting updates on things happening in the tech field.
Here is each role in detail to help you make a deeper consideration.
Who is a DevOps engineer?
A DevOps engineer who can also be referred to as a DevOps developer is an IT professional with knowledge of development and operations. The development part involves writing codes and scripts, while the operations part includes managing on-premises and/or cloud infrastructure and system infrastructure.
In traditional software development, there is the challenge of having different teams working in silos. This siloed team structure makes it challenging to collaborate amongst teams, and the priorities and timelines of each team don’t align with other teams.
DevOps helps to bridge the gap between development teams and operations teams. DevOps experts often work in a collaborative surrounding where they can collaborate with software engineers and IT teams.
DevOps has some core principles that influence the effectiveness of development and operations. Some of these DevOps principles include:
- Automation of the software development lifecycle
- Collaboration
Automation of the software development lifecycle
This involves automating tests, builds, and releases of software versions, as well as tasks that can slow down the software delivery process.
Collaboration
It breaks the silos across teams and enables collaboration and communication. This creates horizontal slices and enhances productivity across teams.
A DevOps developer can use several programming languages for development. Some of them are Python, Ruby, Go, and Rust. Also, bash scripts help to automate processes.
Some organizations manage their own server infrastructure on-premise and deploy their applications on these servers. DevOps engineers are responsible for ensuring the servers run reliably and applications deploy successfully.
Cloud computing has gained popularity, and many software applications are deployed on various cloud computing platforms. There are cloud solution providers like Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud Platform who take care of the server infrastructure and are mostly more reliable than the on-premise solution. One significant benefit of the cloud solution is that it is on a pay-as-you-go basis, i.e., you pay for only the cloud resources you use.
Skills required to be a DevOps engineer
DevOps engineers require soft and technical skills to succeed in their career path. The skills required include:
- Knowledge of coding and scripting
- Knowledge of operating systems
- In-depth knowledge of containerization and orchestration
- Basic understanding of version control
- Understanding of monitoring, logging, and alerting systems
- Knowledge of cloud computing
Knowledge of coding and scripting
Coding and scripting are essential skills every DevOps engineer should have. These skills are typically employed to automate repetitive tasks. Some of the recommended programming/scripting languages used in DevOps include Python, Go, Ruby, Rust, and Bash.
Knowledge of operating systems
DevOps engineers should have knowledge of operating systems. One common operating system used in DevOps is Linux. Having the fundamental knowledge of Linux is required, as many servers are Linux based.
In-depth knowledge of containerization and orchestration
DevOps engineers should know how to use containerization tools to do their jobs effectively. Some common examples of containerization and orchestration tools include Docker and Kubernetes.
Basic understanding of version control and continuous integration and deployment A DevOps engineer should be able to manage and track code changes. This is done with the use of version control systems. Git is a common version control system
Also, DevOps engineers should be familiar with continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) tools that enable the automatic integration of code changes. Some common CI/CD tools are CirceCl and GitLab.
Understanding of monitoring, logging, and alerting systems
Monitoring and logging are key aspects of the DevOps process, and it is expected that as a DevOps engineer, you have a good understanding of them. DevOps engineers use logging and monitoring systems to gather, analyze, and understand the system performance, and they set up alerts to be notified if the system state changes and needs to be attended to.
Knowledge of cloud computing
DevOps engineers should have solid cloud computing skills. Recently, many applications have been deployed on the cloud. Third-party cloud providers mostly manage the cloud infrastructure. Some of the common cloud providers include AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.
Who is a full stack developer?
Full stack developers are software developers with extensive frontend and backend development knowledge. Their role is to handle the complete web development process, from designing the user interface to building the server-side logic.
The frontend of an application includes everything the user can see and interact with, i.e., the user interface. The backend consists of the things the user doesn’t see. These include the server-side and systems supporting the business logic.
Full stack coders also use DevOps tools. Depending on the project, a full stack developer may use DevOps technologies like GitHub and mongoDB to create software applications.
Let’s take a look at frontend and backend development in greater detail.
Frontend development
It is concerned primarily with the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX). The common languages used in frontend development include HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. HTML defines the markup of the web page. CSS builds upon HTML and represents the style and format of the webpage. JavaScript is a programming language often used for frontend development and adds logic to your web page. You’ll find an excellent guide and roadmap to learning JavaScript on roadmap.sh.
There are quite a few frontend frameworks out there. Some of the common ones are React, Vue, and Angular. For a more detailed guide, look at the frontend beginners roadmap or the advanced frontend roadmap.
Backend development
It focuses on the application’s functionality and business logic. Examples of backend components include data storage, security, and handling of business logic.
Backend development mainly involves creating API endpoints consumed by the application’s front end. Some common backend programming languages include C#, Java, Rust, Golang, and Python. Check out the backend developer roadmap.
Skills required by full stack developers.
The necessary technical skills to required by full stack engineers include:
- Knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript/TypeScript.
- Knowledge of at least one JavaScript framework, e.g., React, Vue js, Angular.
- Knowledge of at least one backend language. You can transfer your knowledge of JavaScript to backend development with Node JS.
- In-depth understanding of server-side rendering and web security.
- Knowledge of APIs.
- Understanding of database management systems and database architecture.
How to transition to DevOps
Some fundamental knowledge and skills are required for DevOps that will certainly be helpful in the transition. Here is a step-by-step guide for you:
- If you do not already know a programming language, learn one. Some languages used in DevOps include Python and Golang. Bash is commonly used for scripting.
- Learn about file systems and how to use bash to navigate through files. Also, learn to use Command-Line Interfaces (CLIs).
- Learn about Docker and Kubernetes.
- Learn about servers and cloud infrastructures. Some of the common cloud service providers include AWS, Azure, and GCP.
For more detailed guidance, refer to roadmap.sh’s DevOps beginner and advanced roadmaps.
How to transition to full stack development
Are you looking to transition into full stack development? Here is a handy guide:
- Learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- Learn a JavaScript framework, e.g., React, Vue, Angular.
- Learn a backend programming language of your choice, e.g., C#, Python, Java
- Learn a backend framework of your choice, e.g., Node.js, ASP.NET Core, Spring boot.
- Learn database systems i.e SQL and NoSQL databases, e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB
You can refer to roadmap.sh’s full stack development roadmap for a more detailed guideline.
As you’ve seen, becoming a DevOps engineer and full stack web developer requires several skill sets. Full stack developers and DevOps engineers have important roles in software development but have different areas of expertise and responsibilities.
Ultimately, the right choice depends on the specific needs and goals of the software development project. roadmap.sh offers step-by-step guidance on how to become a DevOps engineer and a full stack developer, and by signing up, you will be able to:
- Keep track of your progress and also share it on your roadmap.sh profile.
- Collaborate on other official roadmaps.
- Draw your roadmap, either as an individual learner or for Dev teams.
- Generate new roadmaps with AI.
