What does a full stack developer do? Bernhard Waidacher from Denovo

DevStory

Bernhard Waidacher

Background

How did you get into programming?

My interest in programming began in school time. When I decided to attend HTL Kaindorf for the EDV and Organisation branch, I was mainly excited about the clear focus on software development.

At what age did you start?

At 14 years old, I took my first steps in software development and haven't moved away from it since. Around that time, the iPhone also made its first appearance in Austria and with the App Store, an infinite number of possibilities for developers opened up.

What was your first programming language?

The first one I learned was Java.

Your Job

What is your role as full stack developer about?

A developer's primary responsibility is to implement user stories. However, often it is not only about implementing projects, but my work starts with planning. My technical expertise is required from the beginning of new projects, so that I sometimes participate in the conception and provide technical input during the creation process. My experience also allows me to support our junior developers, something I really enjoy doing. By the way, we have a buddy system in place that has already proven successful. It helps new employees settle in and provides someone to contact with any questions they may have.

What do you like most about your job?

The thing I like most about working at Denovo is the amount of control I have over the technologies, frameworks, and libraries we use. It's also great getting to work on projects in different industries--such as the circular economy, audiology, health, lifestyle, or manufacturing. This means that we're constantly dealing with new topics, which keeps our work with clients interesting. Additionally, many of our projects coincide with my personal interests, so it's always enjoyable to see a new product come to fruition.

Which challenges are there at your job?

Most of the time, projects go smoothly. Only occasionally difficulties arise, such as when user stories in their first version are unclear as to how they will be implemented.

The Scrum process, which we rely on for agile software development, ensures constant communication through daily meetings and direct project-based agreements in Slack channels. In this way, no information is lost.

What are you preferred technologies?

I use Swift or SwiftUI for iOS apps and GraphQL and Typescript for the web-backend.

Windows or Mac?

Definitely Mac, no questions asked! No, jokes aside, at Denovo we're working exclusively on MacBooks with the newest hardware. Over time I've learnt to appreciate the excellent interaction of this environment.

Progression

Are you working on projects outside of work?

My passion for coding brings me back to personal projects every once in a while. Right now however I am concentrating fully on my job at Denovo.

How do you stay up to date?

Often, new challenges arise in projects that require further education. While searching for the right solution and researching it, you constantly come across new things. In addition, employees at Denovo always have the opportunity to take advantage of classical and hybrid training courses. For example, "Udemy" offers interesting courses on various technologies. Every year, there is an Apple developers conference that I enjoy watching to stay current. However, scanning through different Reddit forums is also helpful.

Where do you see yourself in the future?

I generally feel very comfortable in my current role as a senior full stack developer. For the future, I see myself even stronger in mentoring. I'd gladly take over the training of junior developers and would also like to take on more responsibility.

Tips for beginners

How do you start programming?

It is best to find a problem that you have always wanted to solve. You should then try to implement this idea and learn a lot of new things in the process. Just try it out and don't give up!

Which personality traits do you need to bring to the job?

The most important thing is probably logical thinking and understanding of problems. This is needed in order to find the right solutions. Furthermore, a structured way of working is absolutely necessary. A developer should also be willing to learn and always open to new technologies. One should not be afraid of self-responsibility, which goes hand in hand with the freedom of choice that the job entails. It is important that the applications developed are also pleasant to use for the users, so one usually works closely with designers who develop the UX design. For this, imagination for visual implementation is important. Another very important point is, contrary to the prejudices against programmers, willingness to communicate. Regular consultations and meetings with product owners, customers and all developers involved are essential for a successful project course.

What kind of education do you think makes sense for a job as full stack developer?

I think that what kind of education somebody has is unimportant; instead, it matters which skills the person has acquired. It is irrelevant whether these skills were learned in school, during one's studies, or through self-study. Furthermore, it is possible to acquire enough technical knowledge outside of work and in one's spare time from a completely different job to be able to work as a developer. What is more important than academic degrees are references and experience.