[snaip]

Recently I had an interesting conversation with a friend about the skills required to be a perfect web developer. We debated whether specialist developers or generalist developers have more chances of surviving in today's Web ecosystem. In the end, we decided that being a variation of both of these — a generalizing specialist — is the most advantageous. Let me explain.

Specialist web developers are experts with great experience in one specific area of web development, such as database design or PHP coding. They come from a strong background of fundamentals and work very hard to perfect their knowledge in a specific area. This type of developer is extremely useful as part of a large team.

Generalist web developers, on the other hand, can be considered jacks of all trades. They have a good although not expert understanding of a range of web areas: front-end coding, server-side coding, a bit of web design and maybe even some SEO knowledge. Generalists are usually adaptable and have an endless curiosity about new technologies.

Today’s web development processes encompass many different technologies. To code efficiently, just being well versed with your language of choice does not suffice. You need to know how to optimize your code on server and browser level, how to skin your web application and even how to return SEO-optimized HTML. You basically need to evolve into a generalizing specialist — a multi-disciplinary developer with multiple technical specialties and a general knowledge of web development.

That’s my take. What’s yours? Are you a generalist or a specialist? Or a mix of both?

[wirehopper]

Mix of both - stronger on the server side, stronger on technical aspects of coding that visual design of the page.

However - it's probably like any other field, the people that are most successful adapt to their environment, contributing the skills they have, developing those they need, and trusting the other team members where appropriate.

[superfc]

I'm definitely a generalist (and I now even would like to have some "entrepreneurship" skills). I'm very pleased by your vision because lots of people don't see it like that. That's weird that people still have this vision when even google says "hire generalists, specialists create silos" (a post about this).

But I still think there are few areas where we really need specialist (when you could gain a lot by solving some very specific problem). But I also think these guys have to be "specialized generalist" to be very good.

I'm also very skeptical about specialists (and so-called expert)s. Sometimes, they're just people who have worked years on the same subject and you find yourself matching their skills in 3 months. I think it's because people always think "he stayed 3 years on this technology, he must be very good at it !". But I don't think it's how works.

I apologize for my crappy english.

[jjkiesch]

it really depends on the environment you work in. i'm a generalist because i have to be. if something needs to get done and i don't know how to do it, i figure out just enough to get the project done and have to move on when the next project comes around. unfortunately i'm one of the only developers in the department so it has to be that way.

in larger groups, i think specialists make more sense. i would say though, it probably pays to _specialize_ in more than one thing.

[consc198]

My opinion on this is to have specialist developers, let me explain why. However both opinions have their advantages and disadvantages.

Having one developer might be cheaper and easier to manage however this developer has knowledge up to a point since he knows a bit of front-end coding, a bit of server-side coding, a bit of design etc. Also i consider this somewhat inefficient.

I believe that having developers dedicated to specific parts of a software makes the development process quicker and more efficient. It also allows the developers to specialize on one thing and to be really good at that one thing rather than know a bit of everything.
However i've noticed that usually there are more bugs when this method is used. There are more bugs because each developer is working on his own part and then all parts are put together to form the product.

[loulou2u]

This topic has always been of interest to me. I'm a generalized programmer, yes, the jack of all trades.

I have found that unless you are working with a company who is building a specific product than it would be beneficial to be a specialized programmer. However, there are many companies who need programmers who work on daily business operations whether it being towards automated scripting purposes (server-side) or creating workarounds for third-party software or customizing open-source development. I've gained tons of knowledge from being a generalist and I wouldn't want to pigeon-hole myself in an industry that consistently changes.

After all, since there are soooo many forums and documentation around, you can always research a topic and find solutions to problems that you otherwise wouldn't know off the top of your head.

I admit that the salary may be better for specialized programmers but generalized programmers tend to find jobs easier because they can spread their wings further.

[LynxGirl]

I would say I am both. I am the web developer for my husband's and his partner's computer company. Hubby does all the graphic design for the web pages we do, and I do the rest. I come from a background of VB programming, and lots and lots of DB experience. I have had to learn about being XHTML 1.0 Transitional compliant, seo scores, meta data, etc. I write a lot of small modules that I can reuse, that are very specific, and I have found several useful scripts off this site as well. No point in doing it over if it was already done right in the first place.

I found the DB background has made a difference for our clients, especially with making web sites they can alter some of the content on themselves. We've had a few clients come over from another local web developer, who charges $300 and takes several weeks to make minor html changes. He probably only has a web background, were as we have a broader range of experience with software.

[Hube02]

I really have to agree with the generalized specialist. I consider myself to be one, focusing on several specific things in the world of Web Development. I consider myself to be an expert in (X)HTML, CSS, JavaScript (including AJAX), PHP, MySQL (not just implementation of MySQL but in designing databases that are optimized and allow for expansion). I know how to optimize code for SEO (When I build a new app SEO is always considered in the design process). I know how to communicate from client to server in a variety of methods. I also have enough design experience and know to do that as well when pressed. I also consider myself to be an expert with regular expressions and feel without them life would be a lot more difficult. I don't know only a bit about these things, I push myself to continually find things that I don't know.

The problem as I see it is not this. The problem is finding an employer that knows how to deal with us (me). I can build a fully functional web application with little help from outside sources. I have build them, and personally I do not wish to extend the number of things that I am an expert in. For me, and this has a lot to do with my INTJ personality, I must be an expert in anything that I take on and quite frankly keeping up with the things I am already an expert in is a full time job on top of the full time job I have actually using that expertise. One of the reasons that I avoid other things is because my personality make me OCD about everything that I do. I have not met a non-programming boss/employer/whatever that gets it.

[Vincent Bevort]

I am a Generalist. Wasn't meant to be so but just happened.
After 30 years working in the IT business with all sorts of things, starting with the good old DOS Languages and moving on via Windows to Web based Solutions I just became a Jack of all Trades.
Nowadays I work more with the logical part of the IT writing Requirement Specifications and modelling Processes and Databases. It it good to know how this all came together in the past. When writing some Specs I know what's needed to get a working System.
I understand what the Business needs and can help the System Developers build it because I've done it myself.
In one of my latest Projects I worked with several Platforms, Protocols, Hardware and other Stuff to make a Climate Control Tool using TCP/IP and ModBus for Communication, Services to get things running, Web and Windows Clients to manage the Data in a standard type Database. O yes, some Linux was also involved. And don't forget about the Electronics and electrical Equipment involved. Even some hard wiring needed to be done.

Yes I am a generalist and I love it

[geoffmerritt]

Generalist, in respect to knowing enough to get a database driven website on the internet with SEO principles in place. But I specifically work with PHP and MYSQL as server side code.