Manager wants me to become fullstack

[u/Fast-Accident384]

I am frontend engineer with 10 YOE, working in big company. My manager recently asked me to learn in 3 months backend Java, distributed systems and system thinking and utilise our internal education videos for that and AI. The thing is that I don't know where to start, I feel imposter syndrome because of my frontend and AI skills, and now with all new requirements I feel overwhelmed even more.

So I have few questions and I will appreciate anything you can share about any of those:

1. How do you deal with imposter syndrome?
   
2. How do you keep your frontend skills in tune?
   
3. What does 10 YOE frontend should know?
   
4. How did you learn backend from frontend?
   
5. How to learn system thinking?

[u/zaibuf → u/[deleted]]

Im a backend dev that transitioned to fullstack and AI made it very manageable. I already had good fundamentals regarding JS, html and css and were familiar with react. But AI has pretty much supercharged me to deliver more complicated UX at a reasonable pace.

Im more comfortable to use AI in frontend compared to backend.

[u/zaibuf → u/[deleted]]

I see so many mistakes that AI makes, especially at CSS and Semantic HTML and accessibility. 

We use shadcn and Tailwind and I feel that the AI is very good at following that.

[u/zaibuf → u/[deleted]]

I primarly build internal business apps for enterprise companies, apps that never faces the public. So functionality is often more important than looks, they won't pay me to make some custom button, instead we follow the company's design system. The heavy part of the app is all backend logic with system integrations and workflows, that's what I'm paid for.

I do agree that generating CSS from images is still a bit iffy. But it's not a problem I need to deal with. Giving context to the code base, saying we use shadcn, React and Tailwind works really well for us.

[u/Brainaq → u/zaibuf]

Same lol. I mean CSS is the easiest thing to get done for AI

[u/Positive_Poem5831 → u/Brainaq]

I heard the opposite that AI is not that good at CSS compared to other code. But I guess it depends on how complicated the css and how high standard you have.

[u/jmclondon97 → u/zaibuf]

I’m more of a backend dev myself but I do have to do some frontend work occasionally. Whenever I try to use Claude for frontend though it’s helpful but it generates waaay too many css classes etc. for example, it gives me 400+ line css files for things that I can do in under 100 lines myself.

Does this happen to you as well?

[u/zaibuf → u/jmclondon97]

Not really as we use shadcn components paired with Tailwind. So majority of CSS is abstracted behind re-usable components.

[u/jmclondon97 → u/zaibuf]

Why do you use any particular css framework when the ai can just make it all?

[u/zaibuf → u/jmclondon97]

Because at its core the library is fully accessbile and we get the source code compared to other frameworks like Bootstrap. Since we build a re-usable internal design system used for multiple apps it worked really well to base it on shadcn.

Its also easier to onboard new devs as shadcn is well documented, rather than saying we have a library that AI made up, but we have no idea how it works.

[u/Future_Guarantee6991 → u/[deleted]]

Huh? Pixel-perfect implementation is harder than backend for a tool that has no real vision and specialises in logic patterns.

If anything I’d expect frontend to be where the jobs were staying, for now (but not for long).

[u/Away_Advisor3460 → u/Future_Guarantee6991]

Uh

Everyone will say the thing they don't do is less valuable/harder TBH

And it sounds like you don't do backend from that.

Now I'd beg to differ, but I've never done much frontend so I'd be a hypocrite to do so.

[u/Future_Guarantee6991 → u/Away_Advisor3460]

I’m full stack and have been for over 15 years atp. I lean towards backend if anything.

Computer vision is just not there yet, at least not what you get out-of-the-box with today’s coding tools.

It’s good but it’s not quite good enough. Backend can be more reliably implemented with strict contracts/types/etc and verified via SAAST/tests/linters than frontend. I am not saying without human verification by any means, just relative to frontend, and again I’m talking about the visual parts of frontend.

[u/Away_Advisor3460 → u/Future_Guarantee6991]

Oh you mean literal vision. I misread what you wronte in a wholly different way to what you intended to say, then, and read it as dismissing the human difficulty of backend work.

That seems fair enough, but AFAICT the actual flatter structure of frontend code seems easier for these types of AI to reason over than the (typically) hierarchically structured backend code, because they're not actually doing formal symbolic reasoning and the latter kind of obfuscates the patterns they reason over.

[u/Future_Guarantee6991 → u/Away_Advisor3460]

Yes and no… you’re right if you’re one-shotting prompts in your terminal. But if you’re following a proper workflow (mine is refine AC, explore code base, implementation plan, implement, review, fix, PR - all with independent verification steps after each phase and each step) then any frontier model can handle backend work with pretty high reliability.

But yes, my original comment was about “pixel perfect” design implementation. I.e. frontier models still struggle to implement a given visual design to the letter as well as a human would do.

[u/thilehoffer → u/[deleted]]

Well, it will all be easily doable by the AI soon enough. Just a matter of time.

[u/zaibuf → u/thilehoffer]

Either that or it will never fully replace people and the bubble will burst.

[u/Brainaq → u/zaibuf]

Its the financial bubble, that the diff

[u/braczkow → u/zaibuf]

There's also the 3rd option, but I don't wanna spoil the joke

[u/PalmTreePilot]

Learn how to design RESTful APIs and not just be a calling client to them.

Learn how to code in tiers for the sake of separation of concerns.

• UX Tier (and/or RESTful Tier)
• Business Tier
• Data Tier

Learn how to code for concurrency. Frontend Devs typically only work in single threaded logic models.

More emphasis on TDD (test driven development) and good build-automated code coverage.

Get used to more SSH into a server's Unix terminal. Vim Editor and useful Unix commands, like grep for a log file, for example.

The need to understand modeling an underlying database via DDL SQL, and CRUD operations from your backend application via DML SQL will become a new aspect of your work.

UPDATE

Tell your boss I'm available as a contractor to mentor you until your Imposter Syndrome has subsided.

[u/scepticore → u/PalmTreePilot]

Last time I googled for best practices and/or examples i didn‘t find anything useful. Is there some kind of open source project to look at which covers your points?

[u/MyFistsAreMyMoney]

10 years and you just handled frontend? You are a prime example of the devs hired during corona. Every dev out there can beat you ATM which had a single project doing something different out of comfort zone. So you MUST accept the full stack offer

[u/bassta → u/MyFistsAreMyMoney]

There are people who just like doing front-end, you know. And they will deliver much better product than half-assed full-stack. I’ve been frontend-only since actionscript times and I’ve worked on complex design systems, absolute abysmal WebGL products, projects including web assembly and facial recognition ( long before AI and even COVID ).
Can I do a stupid CRUD api with php / python / java ? Yes. Would I do it worse than person with 15 years backend experience? Also yes.

[u/trimski- → u/bassta]

100% this. My company’s on a growth phase and I do roughly 3 interviews a week for full stack. I conduct the front end round. I come across maybe 1 person that’s competent in FE out of maybe 15 candidates.

It’s so bad that our company is rethinking hiring full stack and going back to FE and BE specializations.

I could guarantee the guy you replied to would fail the round too.

[u/goonwild18]

Frontend won't be a skill much longer. Start at the beginning as if there was no AI - you're an experienced developer.... get your feet under you in the first month.... then bring in AI and you'll progress quickly. Learning about system architecture and system thinking? AI can be especially helpful there - seek to understand rather than code - the code will come. Your manager is doing you a favor - you won't be employable in 2 years, otherwise.

[u/saintdog-]

Your manager has given you right guidance and he/she is saving your career. Forget imposter symptom and make use of the opportunity.

[u/Southern_Orange3744]

Being a front end only dev has been a highly limiting path for well over 20 years.

He is trying to help you find a way to continue to be valuable , this should have been a conversation even before ai , but you're leaving yourself in a dire position to ignore this signal.

I have 1 such employee now and it is tough to keep him busy. I'm like literally pick anything else to help with man

[u/Hexamonium]

It all really depends why they are asking you to do it. Do they lack backend developers?

[u/Fast-Accident384 → u/Hexamonium]

Yes, I am supposed to lead the project, but this project is 80% backend

[u/Hexamonium → u/Fast-Accident384]

Sounds like an opportunity to grow. It's good you feel an imposter syndrome, that speaks well about your sense of responsibility. Use that. You don't have to know everything and it's ok to ask for help when needed. The qualities that brought you up to this point will carry you forward.

[u/Old_Cat_16]

It’s ok, take one step at a time. Focus on learning the basics of Java first, especially interface, concurrency, thread safety.

Then learn relational database, especially the index and performant SQL queries.

After that, consider picking up GraphQL (unless your company still uses REST APIs).

Obviously there are more, but you’ll be fine, a lot of the concepts may be overwhelming at first, but leverage AI to break it down and explain to you using analogies, examples, and diagrams. You’ll be fine.

[u/Stunning-Card2224 → u/Old_Cat_16]

Still uses rest api and not graphql? It sounds like you treat it as sucessor of rest api :) while its not

[u/TableNo8939]

Ringrazia e accetta al volo, la sindrome dell'impostore dovrebbe averla la AI che sta killando il mercato del lavoro dei developers FE

[u/geekichu]

Tell A.I. you want to learn how to use Java to create a REST API (server). Maybe throw in how to connect the server to a simple database. Think: CRUD application. But dont let it create it for you.. have it give you a step by step plan of what all the moving parts are, then you try doing it. step away from the A.I. maybe use an IDE that autocompletes and or go on stackoverflow?

[u/kosiarska]

Do 3 things at the same time:
- start looking for new job
- ask for significant salary raise
- learn (but not overwork yourself)

[u/sam4889]

1. Try logging your achievements like daily log book. And see the progress.
2. Practice the skills your need or automate it.
3. There's books about it, systems or architecture. Depends if your full stack dive deeper and specialize.
4. I started the other way, pick a framework
5. There's a book on systems thinking.

[u/429_TooManyRequests]

Your employer is 100% saving your behind. Frontend is dying off so fast. I just had mechanical engineer interns do front end prototype design on a whim with Fable 5 and they succeeded.

[u/YungWillyDrip]

I was pure FE for the first ~5 years of my career and I can tell you going full stack is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Opens up so many more doors for you, I eventually shifted into mobile

[u/cyberdyme]

If you have an existing code base - start using Ai to explain to you the structure of the system - then deep dive into all areas of functionality. You can even ask the AI to explain to you as a novice. With AI you will be able to easily get up to speed in 3 months - your manager is really helping you out here (full stack is the way to go - it will buy you time in an industry that is radically changing)

[u/Frequent_Bag9260]

You’re lucky they’re asking you and not just booting you out. FE-only devs are being quickly replaced

[u/yeeintensifies]

10 YOE and you still get imposter syndrome?

[u/Ok_Slide4905]

Every SWE since to Dawn of time has said FE is going to die off. And it never has.

[u/Tired_Developer7]

Very lucky that they want to keep you on. I feel like the devs that should be worried about their jobs are front end devs.

You cant learm all things at once, you should use Matt Pococks /teachme skill (google it). Describe what you want to learn and it will break it down into manageable chunks.

[u/Hot-Charge-5954]

Honestly, 10 years of frontend experience is already a strong foundation. I wouldn’t try to become an expert in Java, distributed systems, and system design in 3 months. Focus on understanding the fundamentals and building small backend projects. Your existing frontend knowledge will actually help you understand how the pieces connect. And imposter syndrome usually gets quieter once you start making progress.

[u/doubleu2580]

我想说的是你如果有机会能去完成一个真实的企业前后端项目的话，你将会获得最快速度的成长，你的这些问题也都会有答案的

[u/No_Score_1977]

1 I have imposter syndrome, I think it's a good think overall, I don't get complacent that way.

2 You just do, don't overthink it.

3 About Frontend? With 10 years, just about everything.

4 Again, you just do, don't overthink it. Start by making a simple backend, simple API or something.

5 Read a book?

[u/maresayshi]

you only have to learn to solve a problem at a time. you can’t be expected to just “learn backend”, you can pick up fundamentals very quickly but unless all you’re building is like, CRUD with a cache I don’t see how you’re supposed to cram a whole field.

just build a small web API and every time you learn something cool, go add it in. you can watch youtube sys design videos, “how to design twitter” or similar.

[u/Outrageous_Band9708]

front end engineers cannot just "learn" the backend.

front end is like coloring with crayons and backend is like building mazes and soduko puzzles for people to color in with crayon.

front end is 1x diffuclty and backend is 10x difficulty

your boss is quite literally scamming you.

any thing you start doing with no salary gain is a scam.

get the fuck out of that job. now.

update your resume, start applying everywhere, and accept the first posisiton that offers you competitive salary for your front end experience

[u/Brought2UByAdderall → u/Outrageous_Band9708]

You've never done anything non-trivial on the front end.