How to Approach Your Next Full Stack Project for Better Results

Are you a full stack developer? If you are, it goes without saying that you are an efficient multitasker and a true master of your niche. But have you ever asked yourself if your web development techniques have scope for betterment? Could your project planning use more efficiency to better your results?

If you said yes to both, read to find out how you can approach your next full stack project to yield great results.

Which part of the product do you usually start working on? No matter how simple or complex your application is, the ideal way to approach any project is to plan your process right; breaking your project down into components will help you separate the tasks and avoid chaos.

Follow these steps to get better results for your next full stack project:

Define the Scope of Your Project

Scope acts as your road map and is the path you tread during the course of your project. Make sure that your project scope is neither too narrow nor too small and is strictly objective-oriented. 

Try to answer the following questions while you define your scope:

• Are you planning to build both the front-end and back-end of the application?
• Do you have to account for user authentication?
• Would you be using external APIs (Application Programming Interfaces)?

Choose Your Database

Yes, you can build a software application without a database. But such applications will certainly end up having very limited functionality. A database is indispensable to store all the data of your application, especially if it is a dynamic web application; not to mention the applications that demand data from the users.  Most applications require the personal information of users such as their contact details. This makes databases an inevitable part of software development. 

Ask yourself these questions when you decide on which database to use:

• What database will suit you the best?
• What models will you require to finish your project?
• If you stick to a relational database, how will you define the relationships between various models?
• If you pick MongoDB, do you have a cluster at your disposal to put your collection in?

Plan Your API Endpoints

Make sure you have a fair understanding of why you need an API and how your users will find them helpful. This should give you an idea of how to go about planning your API endpoints. Since APIs work on requests and responses, the overall performance depends on how effective the communication points or endpoints are; this is why endpoint planning is of paramount importance.  

Here are some key questions that you should address:

• What technologies are you planning to integrate with the API?
• Who is your target audience?
• Which product or service do you want the user to work with?
• How many endpoints will be public or protected?
• Will you use API to handle all the queries?

Build Your Backend

Here are some pro tips to build your backend effectively:

• Choose the right language and framework for your application. Make sure you are comfortable using them.
• Do not forget to implement user authorization. For user authentication and authorization, use Session Tokens, OAuth, JSON Web Tokens, etc.
• Set up notification microservice that provides push notifications, emails, and SMS to users. Use separate channels for sending transactional and promotional SMS. 
• Create a base model that you can later use for every other model in the database.
• Set up asynchronous communication so that users do not have to waste their time as the application sends out welcome emails.

Test Your Backend 

Back-end testing is referred to the testing of the database, the server, and the APIs. It helps you fix bugs quickly and avoid deadlocks. With effective back-end testing, you can make sure you don’t incur data loss or and address all performance issues. Data Factory, TOAD, and phpMyAdmin are some of the best back-end testing tools.

• Use white-box testing instead of back-box testing.
• Use realistic data instead of mock data to spot bugs and to reduce cost.
• Focus on effective team communication.

Build Your Frontend

    Here are some tips to build frontend like a pro:        

• Use professional graphic tools to get a full picture of your application. Rather than sticking to designing from your code, launch graphic programs to see how your product will look.
• Research well on typography, good fonts can complement the design; try different combinations till you find the right match.
• Give due consideration to design relationships and hierarchy.
• Build rapport with your designers; this will help you get quality feedback and enhance your product’s quality.

Test Your Frontend 

Frontend testing gives the boost you need to deploy your product. This phase is also helpful in determining your browser and OS. 

Here are some useful tips to test your front-end:

• Use a headless browser for faster testing.
• Separate your test cases so that identifying and fixing bugs becomes easy.
• Make reusable test scripts.
• Be consistent with your naming convention in test scripts.
• Use your time, resources, and budget wisely.

Do Your Final User Testing 

User testing is a fundamental part of the UX design process. Here are some points to consider. Here are some tips for you to perform user testing efficiently:

• Do not procrastinate on your testing. The earlier you do it, the easier it will be to fix issues.
• Investigate if the users can complete tasks such as purchasing a product successfully.
• Find out if the users are satisfied with the product; identify areas of improvement.
• Prioritize your tasks in your testing checklist; set a goal for each of them.
• Make sure that the people who participate in your test represent your target audience.

If you are a full-stack developer, you always have proactive control over the quality of the end product. With the suggestions and tips mentioned in the article, you can now easily get desired results as well.