The Fullstack Paradox

People rarely enjoy all aspects of their job equally. This is particularly noticeable with fullstack developers who are expected to be proficient across the entire stack. From transforming Figma mockups into functional UIs to implementing complex architectural services. The range of skills required is… let’s call it extensive.

At some point the industry decided fullstack was the ideal. You should handle everything from pixel-perfect CSS to database optimization because… it’s efficient? More cost-effective?

Outside of solo entrepreneurs I’ve met remarkably few developers who genuinely enjoy both ends of the spectrum equally. Most have clear preferences. They either light up discussing UI interactions or get excited about backend architecture but rarely both.

This preference gap can explain why tools like vibe coding are gaining popularity. These tools reduce the parts of development work people enjoy least while still getting the job done.