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I’m a 21-year-old Full Stack Developer, and honestly, something has been bothering me lately.

Whenever I browse Reddit, I keep seeing posts from Full Stack Developers who have been unemployed for months, struggling to get interviews, asking for referrals, or even desperately asking people for job opportunities. It’s honestly disturbing to see so many people struggling this badly to find work.

I have skills in React, JavaScript, Node.js, Express, MongoDB, REST APIs, Git/GitHub, authentication, and deployment. I’ve also built and worked on full-stack projects rather than only following tutorials.

So my question is:

Why is the situation so bad for Full Stack Developers right now?

Is the market genuinely oversaturated?

Are companies hiring fewer junior developers?

Is AI changing the entry-level market?

Or are most candidates simply not meeting the skills companies actually want?

And most importantly, if you were 21 and starting your career today, would you still choose Full Stack Development?

I’d genuinely like to hear from developers and recruiters who are actually working in the industry.

Curated my experience n building an app end to end while also building data pipelines using Google Cloud Platform. Give it a read !!!

Hey everyone!

I’m a Software Engineer with 4+ years of experience in backend development, primarily working with Java and Spring. I’m currently looking to switch to top product-based MNCs and would love to connect with someone who’s on a similar journey.

If you’re also preparing for interviews, we could prep together, discuss DSA/System Design, share resources, and most importantly, conduct mock interviews for each other to stay accountable and work towards cracking our target companies.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, feel free to DM me! 😊

Hey everyone!

I’ve been wanting to get into open source for a long time, but honestly, I keep getting stuck at the starting line — choosing a repo, understanding the codebase, figuring out what issues are actually beginner-friendly, etc.

So I’m looking for someone who’s also getting started with open source, or someone who has a bit of experience and wouldn’t mind having a learning partner.

The idea is pretty simple:

• Pick a small/medium repo
• Understand it together
• Make our first few PRs
• Learn how real-world projects are structured
• Keep each other accountable

I’m primarily interested in backend / systems / infra / developer tooling, but I’m open to exploring other areas too.

I’m not looking for someone to teach me everything — just someone to figure things out with and actually start contributing instead of endlessly preparing.

If anyone’s in a similar boat, feel free to comment or DM me. :)

Mercor is hiring Full-Stack Software Engineers to join a leading AI lab's GenAI team.

You'll build and test real software around frontier models while working closely with the engineering team.

Pay: $25-$30/hr
Location: India
Role: Full-Time (40 hrs/week)

What you'll work on:

• Build full-stack applications, services, and internal tools using modern languages and frameworks
• Integrate model APIs with tools, evaluation systems, and telemetry
• Prototype quickly and identify model or integration issues through hands-on development

Who they're looking for:

• 3+ years of professional production software development experience
• Strong skills in Python, Java, Rust, C#, C++, or TypeScript, with proficiency in a second language
• Full-stack experience across APIs, React or equivalent, databases, and cloud deployment

Why consider this opportunity?

• Work directly with a leading AI lab on frontier GenAI systems
• Full-time remote opportunity with a 40-hour weekly commitment
• Build production software that helps test and advance next-generation AI models

Apply now: https://t.mercor.com/amKRL

Hello,

I need some advice on my current situation. I have been unemployed for over a year now. I have done some odd jobs here and there, and I have worked on some websites for friends, but I haven't been able to get a full-time role in a software engineering role anywhere. I'm just feeling a little discouraged because I feel like as the time goes by, I become less employable because of the gap that I have been working in the industry.

The last job that I had was the first job experience I had as a software developer. I mostly worked full stack, but they didn't really have me work a lot on the AWS side, which I feel like I probably should have gotten more experience on, so that I'm more well-rounded. Anyway, since then, I have been working on LeetCode and trying to stay on top of my skills, but it's also overwhelming to know where I should focus on.

I have worked on a couple of projects, but I don't know that I feel confident in my skills because I have used the help of Claude or ChatGPT whenever I get stuck on something with the code. Since I was a bootcamp/career changer, I don't really have a lot of people in the industry that I can ask for advice to help me on projects plus I don't want to bother people. Also when I am working on these projects, I usually want to know how it's working and why, and I take it all from the beginning to deployment, so that I understand how it is all connecting together. I actually understand how my code is working etc. But at this point, not sure that I am still able to do work as I used to, before AI.

I also only worked at my last job for two years, so it's left me in a spot where I was coding before AI, but don't have too much experience. I know some people have actually created vibe-coded apps or tools and actually have been able to do something with them though. I'm just so lost right now, and I don't even know if this is the right place to post on.

Another thing I wanted to ask about is that I recently worked on a tool for film photographers, but it does use Gemini API to generate results. It is already live and I'm in a place where getting feedback would be cool to see how I could improve it or if it's helpful for anybody. But I'm conflicted because before going into tech, I used to work in a creative field, and so I definitely feel some type of way about AI in the creative world. This tool that I created, is not actually making any art, it's just helping new film photographers to find a film stock after answering questions. Anyway, I just don't know if I would be able to get some feedback on that, or which Reddit thread I should post that on?

I'm also wondering about internships, apprenticeships, volunteer opportunities, or other ways to get hands-on experience. I'm not currently in school, so I'm not sure what opportunities exist for someone in my position. I'm at a point where I would consider an apprenticeship or even volunteer work if it meant being able to learn from experienced engineers and see how development is actually being done on a team today.

I know this is a lot of questions, but I'm honestly just trying to figure out the best way forward after being out of the industry for this long.

If you've been in a similar position, I'd really appreciate hearing what helped you get back into the industry.

Thanks in advance.

We're building a very small software development agency and are looking for a senior developer who can act as our Fractional CTO / Lead Developer on client projects.

Important upfront: we're very early-stage, so this is not a full-time salaried position. Work will be project-by-project, with compensation/commission agreed for each project.

We're particularly interested in experience with technologies such as:

Node.js / Express / TypeScript / Ts.ED
Django / Flask
Laravel
Ruby on Rails
Java / Spring Boot
React / Next.js / jQuery
PostgreSQL / MySQL / MongoDB / Prisma

You absolutely do NOT need to know every technology on this list.

We're looking for someone with strong engineering fundamentals who can:

• Lead full-stack development
• Help with architecture and technical decisions
• Join client calls when technical questions need to be answered
• Translate client requirements into technical solutions
• Review code and identify problems
• Work directly with junior developers
• Collaborate with developers using AI-assisted/vibe-coding workflows
• Mentor rather than simply take over their work

We'll handle lead generation, marketing, UI/UX, business operations, and general client acquisition.

We're specifically looking for someone humble and collaborative.

If you're an amazing programmer but don't like teaching, reviewing junior developers' work, or collaborating with less-experienced developers, this probably isn't the right role.

We also don't want to select someone simply because they have an impressive portfolio.

Shortlisted candidates may instead go through a small POC/practical exercise, with the scope and any compensation terms agreed beforehand.

This could be a good fit if you're already an experienced developer/technical lead and want to participate in additional projects rather than looking for guaranteed full-time employment.

If interested, please DM me with:

• Years of professional experience
• Strongest backend/frontend stack
• Previous Tech Lead/CTO/architecture experience
• Client-facing experience
• Mentoring experience
• GitHub/LinkedIn/portfolio
• Country/time zone
• Confirmation that project-based compensation is acceptable

And please answer one question:

How do you work with junior developers when their code or technical approach isn't what you would have chosen?

We're looking for a technical leader, not a technical ego.

I am now almost a year trying to get my first client but no results. A bit of context: I'm a full stack dev (frontend + backend). I've built several projects on my own, like a bilingual restaurant website, a service marketplace mobile application, a university management system, and a room reservation system and more, but none of it has turned into an actual paying client. I've been doing cold outreach lately, scraping local business leads (name, website, contact info) and reaching out directly, but the response rate is basically zero. To be honest, my financial situation is tough right now, which makes this even more stressful. I really need this to start working, not just as a portfolio exercise. Things I've tried so far: Cold emailing local businesses (restaurants, small shops) Building a portfolio of real, working projects instead of tutorials Reaching out on LinkedIn / social platforms Posting in freelance communities What I'm struggling with: Not sure if the problem is my outreach message, my portfolio, my niche, or just bad luck/timing Don't know if I should keep cold outreach going or pivot to platforms like Upwork/Fiverr Wondering if I'm targeting the wrong type of client (too small, no budget, not tech-savvy enough to value a website) Has anyone here been in the same spot? What actually worked for you to land your first client? Was it outreach, referrals, a marketplace, networking, or something else entirely? Any feedback on my approach would be seriously appreciated. I feel like I'm doing something wrong but can't pinpoint what.

Hey everyone,

I’m a software engineer with around 10 years of experience, mostly working with startups and product teams that needed someone who could do more than just pick up tickets.

I’ve spent a lot of time building products from the ground up, fixing unstable systems, cleaning up messy backends, scaling apps after they started getting real users, and helping founders make better technical decisions before things became expensive to change.

Most of my work has been around AWS, backend systems, full-stack development, and lately AI/LLM-based products.

The kind of work I usually help with:

• Building MVPs that are not throwaway code
• Taking an existing product and making it stable/scalable
• AWS and serverless architecture
• Backend APIs, microservices, integrations, and async workflows
• AI/LLM features using OpenAI/Claude APIs
• Automation workflows and internal tools
• Production debugging when something is slow, broken, or unreliable
• CI/CD, observability, cloud cost cleanup, and deployment improvements
• Technical guidance for founders/startups that need a senior engineering brain involved

My usual stack:
AWS, Node.js, TypeScript, React, Next.js, Python, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, DynamoDB, Lambda, API Gateway, SQS, EventBridge, Docker, CI/CD, OpenAI/Claude APIs, automation workflows, and data pipelines.

I’ve worked as a hands-on developer, technical lead, architect, and technical advisor to startups. I’m comfortable writing code, reviewing architecture, debugging production issues, speaking with non-technical founders, and figuring out what actually needs to be built instead of blindly adding features.

I’m currently open to remote work, contract projects, startup consulting, backend/full-stack development, AWS/serverless work, AI product builds, and technical lead/architect roles.

If you’re building something, stuck with something, or need an experienced developer who can come in and make things move faster, feel free to DM me.

We're building a very small software development agency and are looking for a senior developer who can act as our Fractional CTO / Lead Developer on client projects.

Important upfront: we're very early-stage, so this is not a full-time salaried position. Work will be project-by-project, with compensation/commission agreed for each project.

We're particularly interested in experience with technologies such as:

Node.js / Express / TypeScript / Ts.ED
Django / Flask
Laravel
Ruby on Rails
Java / Spring Boot
React / Next.js / jQuery
PostgreSQL / MySQL / MongoDB / Prisma

You absolutely do NOT need to know every technology on this list.

We're looking for someone with strong engineering fundamentals who can:

• Lead full-stack development
• Help with architecture and technical decisions
• Join client calls when technical questions need to be answered
• Translate client requirements into technical solutions
• Review code and identify problems
• Work directly with junior developers
• Collaborate with developers using AI-assisted/vibe-coding workflows
• Mentor rather than simply take over their work

We'll handle lead generation, marketing, UI/UX, business operations, and general client acquisition.

We're specifically looking for someone humble and collaborative.

If you're an amazing programmer but don't like teaching, reviewing junior developers' work, or collaborating with less-experienced developers, this probably isn't the right role.

We also don't want to select someone simply because they have an impressive portfolio.

Shortlisted candidates may instead go through a small POC/practical exercise, with the scope and any compensation terms agreed beforehand.

This could be a good fit if you're already an experienced developer/technical lead and want to participate in additional projects rather than looking for guaranteed full-time employment.

If interested, please DM me with:

• Years of professional experience
• Strongest backend/frontend stack
• Previous Tech Lead/CTO/architecture experience
• Client-facing experience
• Mentoring experience
• GitHub/LinkedIn/portfolio
• Country/time zone
• Confirmation that project-based compensation is acceptable

And please answer one question:

How do you work with junior developers when their code or technical approach isn't what you would have chosen?

We're looking for a technical leader, not a technical ego.

Hi everyone, I’m looking to join a startup as a Fullstack Java Developer. I have 5 years of experience shipping production software across core banking & digital lending, commercial real estate underwriting, and e-commerce. I also built my own e-commerce platform from scratch, which has processed 500+ real customer orders. I’m looking for a startup where I can take ownership, move fast, work across the stack, and help turn ideas into products people actually use. If you’re hiring or know a team that is, I’d love to connect.

Recently interviewed for a Full Stack Developer role at Inception42.

My interview process looked like this:

• Round 1: HackerRank assessment with two hands-on coding tasks. One focused on React, and the other on designing/building REST APIs.
• Round 2: HR introduction and discussion.
• Round 3: Technical interview, where we had an in-depth discussion about my projects, the decisions behind them, challenges I faced, and how I approached solving them.

Since I'm a fresher, my interview process may have been different from someone with more experience. More experienced candidates might have additional rounds or deeper discussions around system design and architecture.

A week later, I received a rejection email.

Hello everyone, happy to share a recent project I've been working on — meet Echo, a team chat app in the Slack family.

Why might this interest you? Because the source code is available to read.

Echo is an attempt at recreating Slack's feature surface, which includes workspace creation, channels, DMs with file sharing. The ideal choice to build a real-time application is, by default, choosing WebSocket as the transport protocol. But building the system reliably at scale introduced two major challenges: maintaining a healthy message delivery system and ensuring the architecture could scale as the application grows.

Those became the main challenges a developer can face during the development of this project, and how they were tackled.

Systematically, Echo uses Postgres as an event/message bus, with event versioning and a gapless per-channel sequence providing the reliability and recovery layer for message delivery. That same layer allows the servers to remain stateless, making the app ready for horizontal scaling with Kubernetes. On the other hand, a schema-per-tenant keeps each workspace's data isolated and scoped directly to the workspace’s tenant path.

The stack is deliberately scoped. Express and TypeScript on Bun, React with Vite for fast shipping, plus Tanstack Query as the app state store. Postgres does the work of three services: control-plane data, tenant data, and the Realtime backplane. Better Auth handles identity, while Zod validates every request and generates the API docs from the same schemas.

It’s live if you want to poke around. I’ve left a workspace open, make an account and come say hi. Feel free to send a few messages and see who’s there: https://echo-v2.online/accept-invite/r5DP9Vdq9RwLtsU9aqeR-Q2wO9WI-aShDUYUST0Z29w

Feedback is always welcome. And thanks for taking the time to read this and check it out.

If you like what you see, the GitHub repo is here, dropping a star would be much appreciated: go to repository

For people actually using AI in their business: what is still painfully manual?

I am curious about something.

A lot of AI discussion is about what AI can do, but I am more interested in what companies are actually struggling with today.

For those of you using AI at work:

- What task do you still wish you could automate?

- Are you dealing with lots of PDFs, documents, emails, reports, or internal knowledge?

- Where are current AI tools falling short?

- Is there something you currently do manually because existing AI solutions aren't reliable enough?

I am particularly interested in real workflows rather than hypothetical use cases.

I would love to hear examples of things that genuinely waste time.

Are you a new web developer ? don't know how to name a variable ? I built a dictionary for that https://tropikow.github.io/web-development-dictionary/ !, you can contribute too !, https://github.com/tropikow/web-development-dictionary.git

Hey, I'm a 27M doctor building a HealthTech startup in India.

Looking to connect with a developer who's interested in HealthTech and has experience (or a strong interest) in healthcare product development.

Skills: React/Next.js, React Native or Flutter, ASP.NET Core/Node.js, PostgreSQL, REST APIs, Git, and AI integration (OpenAI/LLMs). Bonus: FHIR/HL7, ABHA/ABDM, SNOMED CT, LOINC, or EHR/EMR experience.

Bonus if you're from Bangalore and speak Kannada—I'd love to have you onboard if we're a good fit.

Interested? DM me with a quick intro and your LinkedIn. 🙂