The Best of Both Worlds: Best Full Stack Developer Courses 2024

Software development is a hot career path nowadays. It is a field that needs versatile individuals that can wear many hats at once. The path of a full-stack developer is currently one of the key roles that are in top demand in the booming software industry.

A full-stack developer is an individual that can assist with both front-end or back-end development. They are quite literally the best of both worlds, and having their knowledge can give you a competitive edge over the competition. If this sounds like a career path for you, then you’ve come to the right place when it comes to full-stack educational courses.

In this article, we’ll cover the best full-stack development courses on online popular learning platforms. We’ll go over the bare minimum you need to be aware of before purchasing any one of these intensive educational courses. After that, we’ll look at each of the top courses we think are best for folks looking to dive into this highly lucrative career path. Finally, we’ll go over more details on what full-stack development entails and what it might mean to you.

So, sit back, get out a pad and pen, and get ready to write down some notes before you make a decision. First things first, though. Let’s look at what makes up a good full-stack development course.

Orientation: Understanding Full Stack Developer Courses

Full-stack developers are some of the most highly competitive roles in the modern-day software industry. Because of their dual nature, someone new to the career path can easily be overwhelmed by the number of concepts that the discipline has. This can make searching for educational courses a potentially difficult task. In this section, we’ll go over some key things you should be aware of when looking for full-stack developer courses. Afterward, we’ll give you a handy chart that lists the differences between each course we’ve selected.

Things to Look For in a Full Stack Developer Course

We know your time is valuable. Therefore, we will show you the bare minimum of what you need to know to choose a high-quality full-stack development course. Here are a few key considerations:

Your Goals

The nature of online courses allows one to do (most) at your own pace. We know that every person has different needs when it comes to their self-education, however. If you’re looking to break into the software industry as a full-stack developer, it’s best to look for courses with significant certification backing. More niche subjects that focus on one key programming language are a good way to specialize early on and separate yourself from the pack. However, there is some value to generalized survey courses that cover multiple topics but with less depth.

The Course Length

Due to the nature of full-stack development, many of these courses will get pretty lengthy. Be sure to set aside at least a few months of spare time when approaching one of these courses. This is doubly important if you are looking to transition into software development. This sort of discipline requires time and focus to master properly. It most certainly can and should not be rushed. That said, some courses on full-stack development are more compact than others. Use your best judgment based on your lifestyle in regard to which one is best for you and your needs.

Platform and Certification Potential

All the courses here are provided by well-known and trusted online educational services, such as Coursera, EdEx, and LinkedIn. If you’re looking for professional certification, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re taking courses from these two services as they are considered to be the cream of the crop.

That’s not to say that other courses provided by companies such as Udemy and Skillshare are not valuable. However, be aware they may not come with the same potential for certification as other educational websites that feature diploma-based learning tracks.

Cheat Sheet

Here’s a broad overview of all the full-stack developer courses we chose for this article. This will give you a good idea of what you might want to select based on your career needs. Once you’ve made your choice, you can get to learning as quickly as possible and work towards your new career in no time!

TitlePlatformCourse LengthPriceFocusRating
The Complete 2022 Web Development BootcampUdemy54.5hrs$119.99Full-stack web development5.0
IBM Full Stack Cloud Developer Professional CertificateCoursera13 months$59 monthly or $399 annually via Coursera PlusComplete full-stack IBM-affiliated professional course5.0
Responsive Website Development and Design SpecializationCoursera7 months$59 monthly or $399 annually via Coursera PlusFull-stack certification with responsive web design focus.4.5
Full-Stack Web Development with React SpecializationCoursera3 months$59 monthly or $399 annually via Coursera PlusFull-stack certification with a focus on React.4.5
Ultimate Web Designer & Web Developer CourseUdemy32hrs$109.99Build 23 different web-related projects 4.5
The Complete 2022 Web Development Course - Build 15 ProjectsUdemy90hrs$109.99Build 15 different web-related projects4.5
Django 3 - Full Stack Websites with Python Web DevelopmentUdemy8.5hrs$139.99Full-stack web development via Django4.5
The Complete 2021 PHP Full Stack Web Developer BootcampUdemy48.5hrs$109.99Full-stack training with PHP focus4.0
The Complete Full-Stack JavaScript Course!Skillshare24hr 17min$19 per month or $99 per yearJavascript fundamentals for full-stack development4.0
Full Stack Web Development for Beginners- Part 1: HTML, CSS, Responsive DesignSkillshare5hr 36m$19 per month or $99 per yearFront-end design basics3.5

Ok, it’s now time to get into the meat of this article, namely the course reviews. We’ve compiled what we consider to be the very best full-stack developer courses on the market today. Remember, if you’re looking for more detail on the discipline, don’t forget to check out our Extra Credit section at the tail-end of the course reviews.

Top 10 Best Full Stack Developer Courses 2024


1. Best for Beginners: The Complete 2024 Web Development Bootcamp

  • 54.5 hours $119.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Focus of Course: Full-stack web development
  • Teacher: Dr. Angela Yu
  • Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Why we like it

Get a complete education in full stack development with this 50+-hour course provided by Udemy.

What You’ll Learn

The Complete 2024 Web Development Bootcamp is considered the cream of the crop of full stack development courses on Udemy, and it’s easy to see why. It’s been tailor-made over four years and has been taught to over 280,000 students. Not only will you learn the basics of full stack web development, but you will also go above and beyond in learning many other technologies to differentiate yourself from the crowd. And, compared to in-person coding boot camps, you’ll save a ton of money in the process.

By the end of this course, you will not only have a portfolio with over 25 high-quality websites to show off your new skills, but you will be fluent in many of the technologies discussed in the course. This could lead to positions and roles other than a full stack career. That said, the value of this course is immense.

Verdict

The only real downside we could find to this course is the overall time investment. There’s a little over 50 hours of material here. Even then, you’ll probably want to go over many of these lessons several times for maximum benefit. If you’ve got the time and the drive, though, this is the course for a full immersion in full stack development.

Pros

  • A complete full stack syllabus that will prepare you for real-world work and concepts
  • One of the highest-rated courses on Udemy period
  • Zero experience required to jump into

Cons

  • There’s a huge time investment required


2. Best Full Stack Professional Certification Course: IBM Full Stack Cloud Developer Professional Certificate

  • 13 months $59 monthly or $399 annually via Coursera Plus Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Focus of Course: Complete full-stack IBM-affiliated professional course
  • Teacher: Rav Ahuja
  • Skill Level: Beginner

Why we like it

If you’re looking to kickstart your career, take part in this professional-level full stack course provided by IBM.

What You’ll Learn

This is a full professional-grade certificate track that not only provides you with the knowledge you need to become a full stack developer but also gives you the weight of IBM’s well-known name associated with it. Cloud-based systems are here to stay, and they are an essential part of a lot of companies in the world today. This course will train you in the building and maintenance of these key parts of a modern-day technological infrastructure.

This is a complete beginner’s course that culminates with a weighty final project that has you building different applications via a mix of front and back-end technologies. Once they are fully built and tested, they are uploaded onto a cloud platform to further test their efficacy and how they would work in a real-world situation.

The best thing about this course is that, by the end, you should have verifiable evidence that you have the will and the agency to create powerful and efficient cloud-based apps and services. This would be a massive boost to your career prospects just having this in your portfolio alone.

Verdict

The downside to this course is its extensive time usage. Expect to spend at least 13 months on this before completing the certification. Some might take longer than others to do all the work necessary. That said, if you’re looking for a professional-grade course that will help you land your first development job, and you have an interest in cloud-based systems, you can’t pass this course up.

Pros

  • Professional-grade course backed by IBM
  • A full immersion in cloud-based systems
  • Several projects that can be used for a professional portfolio

Cons

  • The course takes over 13 months to complete


3. Best for Web Design: Responsive Website Development and Design Specialization

  • 7 Months $59 monthly or $399 annually via Coursera Plus Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Focus of Course: Full-stack certification with responsive web design focus.
  • Teacher: Dr. Matthew Yee-King
  • Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Why we like it

This course provides a professional certificate in full stack responsive web development backed by the University of London.

What You’ll Learn

This course is somewhat similar to the previous Coursera professional track mentioned above, except, in this case, it places a special focus on responsive web design. In this course, you’ll learn your front-end as well as back-end principles. You will focus on User Interface and User Experience practices as well.

Like many of these professional certification courses, the final section is a capstone project that puts everything learned in previous sections into full practice. In this one, you will be developing a website from scratch from an abstract idea to a fully realized site. Once you complete the course, you will have the confidence necessary to take your career to the next level.

Verdict

These professional-level courses provided by Coursera are intense and can take many months to finish. Be aware of that before you take the plunge; otherwise, if you’re interested in the more “front-end” aspect of full stack development, this course is the one to choose.

Pros

  • Full stack development training with a focus on responsive web design
  • Endorsed by the University of London
  • Full capstone project at the end of the course

Cons

  • The course can take months to fulfill


4. Best for App Development: Full-Stack Web Development With React Specialization

  • 3 months $59 monthly or $399 annually via Coursera Plus Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Focus of Course: Full-stack certification with a focus on React.
  • Teacher: Jogesh K. Muppala
  • Skill Level: Intermediate

Why we like it

If your career goal is to work in web and mobile apps, this professional-level full stack course sponsored by The University of Hong Kong is right up your alley.

What You’ll Learn

If your passion is on web and mobile apps, then this is the course for you. Here you will go over essential frameworks pertaining to the front-end, namely React and Bootstrap. When it comes to the server-side back-end element, however, you’ll cover database implementation via MongoDB as well as learn the inner workings of the Node environment.

As with many of these Coursera professional-grade courses, the final section is dedicated to a capstone project. In this case, you will construct a fully operational web application that can work properly on multiple browsers and different pieces of hardware.

Verdict

This course is intermediate level and requires a decent understanding of front-end essentials, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. If you want to become a web app developer, we strongly recommend two of our other courses down the list that teach the fundamentals of front-end design as well as JavaScript.

Pros

  • Professional-grade full stack course with a focus on web and mobile app development
  • Endorsed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
  • Provides a full end-of-course capstone project

Cons

  • Some beginner experience is required


5. Best for Freelancers: Ultimate Web Designer & Web Developer Course

  • 32 hours $109.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Focus of Course: Build 23 different web-related projects
  • Teacher: Brad Hussey
  • Skill Level: Beginner

Why we like it

Your portfolio will be a killer one after taking this course, which has a massive 23 different projects for you to undertake.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this course, you will have constructed a whopping 23 different website variations. This will leave you with a portfolio to die for. Like many of the courses listed here, you will learn front-end basics such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Back-end standards such as MySQL database construction and other technologies are covered as well. What makes this course unique is how the instructor gives you oft-neglected information on web hosting and domains. There’s even a section on Photoshop basics to assist in your front-end website aesthetics. This course is truly a one-in-all.

The thing we like best is how the teacher gives a rundown early on of how much you can potentially make as a freelance full stack web developer. This is a great way of motivating new students to take it upon themselves to learn this lucrative career path. Not only is it great for in-house developers, but you can have a successful freelancing career as well.

Verdict

There’s a lot of content in this course, and you will certainly get your money’s worth. However, the sheer amount of content here can potentially be negative when it comes to keeping a new person’s focus. This isn’t too much of a negative if you are an individual that can stay on track and absorb lots of content in a short amount of time, however.

Pros

  • A one-in-all course
  • An interesting perspective that is conducive to freelancers
  • 23 class projects total

Cons

  • The huge amount of content can confuse some


6. Best Value: The Complete 2022 Web Development Course – Build 15 Projects

  • 90 hours $109.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Focus of Course: Build 15 different web-related projects
  • Teachers: Development Island
  • Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Why we like it

This course encourages students to craft a whopping 15 different web projects to teach the art of full stack web development.

What You’ll Learn

This course gives you everything you could ever ask for when it comes to learning full stack development and much more. By the time you finish the course, you will develop 15 different projects that showcase various aspects of full stack web development. This includes full websites, professional blogs, online checkout interfaces, landing pages, interactive games, and much more.

We think the most interesting inclusion in this course is an in-depth survey of the Google Maps API. This allows you to tap into Google’s data systems regarding geolocation. It’s rare to see this subject matter discussed in many full stack developer courses, and its inclusion is a welcome sight.

Verdict

There are 90 hours of material in this course. Almost everything you need for a career in full stack development is provided, except for any kind of professional certification. That said, it’s also an immense time sinker to fully complete this course. We only recommend it for individuals who want a deep dive into the various aspects of full stack development. For beginners, however, this might be overkill.

Pros

  • 90 hours of content!
  • 15 different web-related projects
  • From beginner to expert by the end of the course

Cons

  • This course is a huge investment in terms of time


7. Best for Python Developers: Django 3 – Full Stack Websites With Python Web Development

  • 8.5 hours $139.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Focus of Course: Full-stack web development via Django
  • Teacher: Nick Walter
  • Skill Level: Beginner

Why we like it

Learn how to develop incredibly intuitive websites via one of the most popular programming languages in this great course from Udemy.

What You’ll Learn

Python is one of the hottest languages now for novice programmers due to its high readability and how simple the syntax is. Django is a highly popular web-based framework that is completely written in Python and is taking over the full stack development world by storm. In this course, you will learn everything you need to know for web development in Django 3.

The best part about this course are its three projects. The first is a random password generator that utilizes different Django functions to work properly. The other two projects involve creating a personal portfolio (great for showing off your coding skills) and a mock account signup webpage with an interactive to-do list.

Another thing we like about the course is it is completely downloadable. This means you can download all the materials and videos at your leisure. This is great for people that live in areas with a spotty internet signal.

Verdict

Probably the biggest issue with this course is that Django is such a niche subject in the full stack industry that there might be less demand for it than other knowledge bases (such as JavaScript-derived frameworks). That said, Python frameworks are increasing in demand, and having another skill under your belt isn’t a bad thing as a professional full stack developer.

Pros

  • Learn how to do full stack development with the Django framework
  • Three different course projects
  • The course is fully downloadable

Cons

  • Has a more niche framework focus than most full stack courses


8. Best for WordPress Developers: The Complete 2021 PHP Full Stack Web Developer Bootcamp

  • 48.5 hours $109.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Focus of Course: Full-stack training with PHP focus
  • Teacher: Srinivas Vanamala
  • Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Why we like it

WordPress is still a powerful force in the blogging industry, and PHP is the language that powers it. Learn everything you need to know in this sizable Udemy course.

What You’ll Learn

WordPress is well known for being one of the most used blogging tools on the web. Did you know that it also powers close to 40% of the known sites on the internet? That’s a staggering number of websites that use the WordPress platform. Why not jump into a WordPress development career by learning PHP, the language behind the platform?

In this course, you will not only learn front-end basics (HTML, CSS, JavaScript), but you will learn the ins and outs of PHP development as well. As a bonus, you will also learn the intricacies of MySQL as well as JSON.

Verdict

The biggest issue we found with this course is there are no class projects provided. The instructor gives access to PHP project ideas but nothing relating specifically to the course itself. We’d like to see this rectified in an updated version of this course. However, if you’re interested in WordPress development, you need to take this course.

Pros

  • Learn full stack development with PHP, the language that powers WordPress
  • Over 48 hours’ worth of material
  • Over 130,000 students taught

Cons

  • No class projects


9. Best Beginner’s Course on JavaScript: The Complete Full-Stack JavaScript Course!

  • 24 hours, 17 minutes $19 per month or $99 per year Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Focus of Course: Javascript fundamentals for full-stack development
  • Teacher: Joseph Delgadillo
  • Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced

Why we like it

Learn the full power of JavaScript, the language of the web, with this great course from Skillshare.

What You’ll Learn

JavaScript is the programming language of choice for websites as well as web applications in general. It makes up the back end of most web pages. Any time you do any sort of complex interaction with a website, such as anything that requires user input of any kind, that’s JavaScript working its magic.

This course provides the fundamentals of the JavaScript programming language for all experience levels and is meant for new full stack developers to get on their feet with this powerful web-based programming language. Not only will you learn JavaScript basics, but you will also learn how to utilize other technologies such as React and Node, which are becoming more prevalent in the industry as of late.

The best part of this class, and why we recommend it, is you get to build three different applications by the end of the course, including a calculator, a blog, and an instant messenger application.

Verdict

The biggest downside of this course is that a certain level of front-end development knowledge is needed before taking the course. Otherwise, this is a great immersion course in JavaScript that will give you the basics you need to be well on your way towards being a full stack developer.

Pros

  • A full immersion into the JavaScript programming language
  • Learn other JavaScript-related tools, such as React and Node
  • Three different projects provided

Cons

  • Basic knowledge of front-end development concepts is required


10. Best for Front-End Development Basics: Full Stack Web Development for Beginners- Part 1: HTML, CSS, Responsive Design

  • 5 hours 36 minutes $19 per month or $99 per year Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Focus of Course: Front-end design basics
  • Teacher: Chris Dixon
  • Skill Level: Beginner

Why we like it

Learn the basics of full stack web development with this lean and mean beginner course from Skillshare.

What You’ll Learn

Some of the first things any full stack developer should learn are web-based applications such as HTML, CSS, and the basics of responsive design. This beginner’s course teaches you the basics of all the aforementioned topics in an easy-to-understand way. By the end of this course, you will be able to create a complete static webpage that scales appropriately depending on the device it’s being viewed on.

We think one of the best things about this course is the focus on responsive web page design. This is a big deal with web development nowadays, as websites need to scale according to the device. Smartphones, tablets, and pc monitors all have different standards when it comes to this. Responsive design protocols allow your website to scale properly to fit on the screen in an easy-to-read fashion. This part alone makes the course highly valuable.

Verdict

We would have liked to have seen some JavaScript fundamentals in this course, as it is the main programming language of the web. However, the instructor mentions that this topic is covered in future courses. Overall, though, this is a top-of-the-line beginner’s course on web development fundamentals that will give you a head start on your full stack career.

Pros

  • Full beginner’s course on website fundamentals
  • Great instruction on responsive design
  • Easy to follow

Cons

  • No JavaScript instruction


FAQ

A full stack developer is an individual who is skilled in a wide range of topics regarding software development. They can deal with everything from servers, databases, and front-end design and implementation.

Think of it this way: A “stack” is basically a collection of different technological pieces of a puzzle that make up the totality of a single project. A website is composed of a front-end, as well as a back end. The front end is everything you see on your screen, including graphics, icons, fonts, color schemes, and overall design. The back end is everything else you don’t see, such as servers, databases, and any other scripting that isn’t readily apparent on the website itself.

Software companies made up of small groups of individuals can benefit from one individual who can handle both back-end and front-end concepts. This keeps them from having to hire several specialized individuals that focus on either front-end or back-end development. You will also find these individuals in larger-scale companies for similar reasons. It all depends on each company’s ethos and how quickly they want to roll out a finished product.

This varies depending on the employer, but we’ll conservatively say “maybe” here. In a lot of these positions nowadays, having an advanced degree (either an associate’s or bachelor’s in computer science or equivalent track) will certainly raise your chances of getting an interview. However, sometimes what’s more important is one’s work experience and project portfolio. Why is that? Well, it showcases competence and demonstrates that you can deliver completed pieces of work that have function and utility.

A strong background in web/front-end topics is going to be one of the first things you’re clear on. You’ll also want to become clear in several different programming languages for back-end-related topics. Many of the things you’ll work on could require a completely new knowledge base that you don’t have yet. However, your competency at learning many different subjects at once will give you the ability to adapt on the fly.

According to Indeed.com, the average base salary of a full stack developer as of September 2023 is a little over $100,000 per year. Of course, this can vary depending on your previous level of experience and the company you end up working for.



Extra Credit: An Extended Look at Full Stack Developer Courses

fake hiring full stack developer ad

Here’s a short look at full stack development to flesh out the subject matter more. If you want to learn more about this fascinating career path, then this is your guide.

The Difference Between Front-End and Back-End Developers

Full stack developers are a multidisciplinary branch of software professionals that share duties with both front-end as well as back-end development teams. What are the differences between these two, though?

Front-End Developers

Front-end developers (devs) are professionals that focus on the user interface and client-side systems. A simple way of putting it is they deal with the more technical side of web design. They come up with the visuals, the ease of navigation, and they make sure everything visually coincides with the corporate culture and ethics of the company or organization they are building the website for. HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript are their main tools of the trade.

Back-End Developers

Back-end developers work on the servers and databases of various applications, known as the back end. The front end of a website cannot exist if there’s no overarching “bones” or “framework” that the back-end developers create. These experts use programming languages such as Java, PHP, Python, and C++, and much more.

What Full Stack Developers Should Know

If you have an interest in this versatile career path, you’ll want to get comfortable with a vast number of technologies and programming languages. Here’s a short summary of the technical know-how you should have before deciding on a full stack career:

  • For the front-end side of things, you’re going to want to be fluent in HTML5, CSS3, and Javascript. These are the main components for almost every functional website nowadays.
  • It’s crucial to have an existing knowledge of various back-end programming languages such as Java, Python, C++, C#, PHP, Ruby, Rust, and many more. You don’t have to learn every single programming language under the sun, but having some competency in a couple will be crucial.
  • Have some knowledge of database-related subjects, such as SQL and JSON.
  • A small amount of knowledge of user interface and user experience standards is good. Also, some full stack developers have a small amount of training in Photoshop and other image editing software. Because of this, they can more easily interact with the front-end development and graphic design teams.

This isn’t an exhaustive list of things that one should know as a full stack developer. The fact of the matter is that it would be impossible. Programmers of all kinds must learn and adapt for whatever project they happen to be working on at the time and whatever technologies it happens to require. The good news is your versatility as a full stack developer will give you the ability to see patterns in programming languages and other essential mechanics of software and act accordingly.

How to Know if You Can Hack Full Stack Development

Full stack developers must wear many different hats at once in order to be useful for the company they work for, but that’s what they get paid the big bucks for. Do you think you have what it takes to be a full stack dev? Let’s take a look:

Be an Autodidact

The very nature of the software development industry forces all programmers, not just full stack devs, to be on their A-game and always be looking at the newest technologies and trends in computing. If you want to be successful in this career, you’ll always have to be educating yourself, even on your off days. This way, you can be the first to introduce new concepts to your team that might end up saving your company time and money in the process or perhaps even make your product better than what it could have been previously.

Efficiency Is King

Full stack devs are adepts at taking on many different aspects of a project at once. This is because of their dual nature as both front- and back-end specialists (depending on what they are doing). Because of this, they must be highly efficient and self-motivated people with a keen eye for punctuality, detail, and making sure everything is in proper order when work is submitted.

Be Adept at Interpersonal Communication

Full stack developers are usually the liaison between front- and back-end developers. They can speak in the language of each of those two development teams, allowing ideas and strategies to flow smoothly. If you’ve always had the talent to break things down into simple chunks to instruct someone properly, then you would be well on your way to being a great full stack developer regarding soft skills.

Be Able to Think Abstractly

Full stack development requires a mind that can think around problems and situations on a regular basis. Cookie-cutter design and implementation is not a welcome trait in this field. Abstract thinking is a plus, especially for web development. More and more companies now want a unique approach to their brand, and a strong web presence is a key factor in showcasing what makes them different from their competition.

Final Words

male programmer working at desktop

There is a considerable amount of high-quality online educational courses for full-stack development. It’s not that much of a surprise to us; it happens to be one of the hottest career paths in recent memory.

If you are the kind of person that always likes to be in the hot seat at your job, then full-stack development is your ticket to becoming the next software rockstar. The knowledge base you develop over the course of your education will allow you to interact with back-end developers as well as front end. It gives you the capacity to speak in their language and be a liaison with each other. This can easily transfer into a management role down the line as well.

We hope this article has fulfilled your needs. We also sincerely hope it leads you to your newest dream job. Until next time, keep on coding!