How Can You Estimate Resources For a Full-Stack Development Project?

 

Full-Stack Development Project

We can divide the modern application development process into 3 primary phases namely the development, testing, and the production phase. While creating the plan for handling these 3 phases, the developers have to consider several parameters to ensure a smooth execution of the application development life cycle. It is also important to incorporate the expenses related to modern testing processes like cross-browser testing, regression testing, and performance testing. Modern app developers should also account for the inclusion of various unforeseen circumstances that can arise during the test execution process.

With this article, we are going to understand the most effective process of estimating the resources for a full-stack development process. We will also understand some of the most important practices and tips that the developers must consider during the execution of this process.

 

Understanding the Meaning Of Full Stack Development

The term full-stack development refers to the process of working on both the front end and back elements of a modern web application or software product. So, we can say that a full-stack developer is efficient in handling all aspects of the development process. These mainly include designing the user interfaces, implementing client set logic, managing server-side logic, server configurations, and databases.

A modern full-stack developer must have a broad understanding and proficiency in both the front-end and back-end elements of a modern application. They should also be able to work on all the layers of the application and handle tasks ranging from database designing to front-end layout implementation.

The process of full stack development has multiple advantages which include the ability to work on the entire project, understanding different component interactions, streamlining the communication within developing teams, and providing comprehensive solutions for all the bugs and errors that might be present in the core infrastructure of the application. However, the testers must also remember that the process of mastering both front and back-end technologies requires continuous learning and keeping up with all the evolving technologies in the software landscape.

 

The Primary Components of Full-Stack Development

 

Before projecting the resources for full-stack development, we must have a clear idea about the two main components of this process:

1.      Frontend Development

The front-end development of a modern application deals with creating the visual and interactive elements of the website or app. These elements are directly responsible for interacting with the users of the app. While creating front-end elements, the developers have to use various languages like JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. They also have to integrate different libraries and frameworks including Angular, React, or Vue.js. By integrating all these parameters the application developers can create a responsive, intuitive, and visually appealing user interface. 

Moreover, while creating the front-end elements of a modern application, the developers must ensure that the elements maintain their position and functionality irrespective of the software and hardware configurations of a device.

 

2.      Backend Development

The back end of an application deals with the server-side part of the app that manages all the crucial data performance, and computations, and interacts with the database. The backend developers must use complex programming languages like Java, Ruby, Python, or JavaScript. They also have to integrate various dedicated frameworks like Express.JS, flask, or Django. This integration will allow the developers to create APIs, manage databases, and handle requests. The primary motive of this entire process is to ensure the smooth running of the application.

 

Finally, we can also say that the diversity of the modern device market has massively contributed to the inclusion of multiple revolutionary trends in full-stack development. For instance, the developers have to now work on cross-platform or hybrid applications that can not only perform efficiently on the desktop platform but also mobile devices as well. Moreover, the diversity in the modern device market also boosts the importance of the testing logic during full-stack development.

 

Resource Projection in Full-Stack Development Initiatives

Since full-stack development consists of multiple stages, the developers must be able to efficiently project the resources required for this process. The process of estimating resources for full-stack development involves multiple steps that need to be performed accurately and feasibly. To simplify this knowledge for the new testers, we have mentioned some of the most effective strategies for this process:

1.      Defining the Project Scope

The first step in the estimation process is to understand the objectives, features, functionalities, and expected outcomes for the application development project. This knowledge will help them to break down all the above requirements into smaller tasks or user stories for ease of estimation and the development process that will follow soon after. In this step, we would suggest the app-developing components incorporate all the members of the company including the business and production teams.

 

2.      Identifying the technologies

The next step in determining the resources is to identify and determine the technologies that will be used for developing both the front-end and back-end elements present in the application. In this process, the application testers have to consider the databases, frameworks, and programming languages that will be used by the app developers. It is a crucial part of the estimation process as the developers have to consider licensing fees and other expenses related to multiple tools and platforms.

3.      Breakdown of Task

For the new developers and testers, we would advise breaking down the entire testing process into smaller modules or tasks. This breakdown process will help them to estimate the efforts and resources for each component present in the application. This process becomes even more useful when app developers are working on complex development projects that consist of thousands of different elements. However, it is also important to emphasize the importance of verifying the performance of the combined infrastructure when all the elements will be working simultaneously.

4.      Creating Buffer for Contingencies 

To ensure the accuracy of the estimation process, the application developers have to factor in the contingencies and unexpected issues that might arise during the development process. Some of the most common unforeseen errors that can arise include false positives and false negatives in the final test reports. So, the developers must keep some buffer time and resources for these parameters so that they can comply with the company standards and ensure timely delivery of the software.

5.      Implementation of Estimation Techniques

To simplify the process of estimating the resources for a full stack development, the developers can deploy advanced estimation techniques like the following:

 

       Analogous Estimation: This process uses historical data from similar development projects to estimate the resources required for completing the development and testing process.

 

       Expert Judgement: While deploying this estimation process, the developers will rely on the experience of an expert developer or project manager. The data collected from these people will provide crucial insights into the expenses required for the development process.

 

       Three-Point Estimation: This estimation technique deploys optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely scenarios to estimate the time and resources required for the development completion process. This process would also use the data from the expense sheets of previously developed apps with similar architecture.  

 

       Bottom-up Estimation: This process is considered to be one of the easiest ways of estimating the resources for a full-stack development process. In this step, the application developers have to divide the entire development process into smaller segments and individually estimate the resources for each of them. However, the app developers must remember that it is a time-consuming process as it separately estimates all the tests in the application testing phase.

 

6.      Estimating the Time

The testers must forecast the time required for each task based on its complexity, prior experience, and dependency on the application architecture. This forecasting process will help in estimating the number of hours or days needed to complete the development and testing process. Based on this time, it is also important for the testers to carefully allocate the resources for every testing instance in the testing cycle. We advise the developers to create a detailed test plan before beginning the app development life cycle. This plan will also help to avoid any unwanted surprises during the app development and testing process.

 

7.      Use of Tools and Project Management Software

 

The use of modern tools and platforms will massively help in estimating the resources for full-stack development. For instance, using modern cloud platforms, the developers can remove the expenses of a physical device lab. Using these platforms, it is possible to execute the test cases through remote servers. These servers can be accessed from anywhere and also store outdated devices and software.

 

Using the test activity logs of modern platforms like LambdaTest, the developers can keep track of all the expenses related to the app development life cycle. Some of the other benefits of these platforms include comprehensive test reports and native work trackers. Tools like Trello, Jira, or Asana also help to estimate the resources by breaking down the tasks and tracking the progress of the current project. These platforms also allow the developers to improve the efficiency of the test cases with the integration of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and modern automation testing practices.

8.      Maintaining Documentation

 

We advise developers and testers to maintain detailed documentation about the estimating process. During this process, they should also mention the reasons behind allocating their resources and all the other decisions that they will take during this process. Using this documentation, the app developers can create a reference point for future changes in the application development life cycle. Moreover, market experts also suggest that detailed documentation about the app development process also helps in future debugging and troubleshooting processes.

 

The testers must remember that accurate resource estimation is very challenging and requires multiple adjustments as the project progresses. It is also important to maintain communication among team members and stakeholders. By continuously evaluating the status of the application development project, testers will be able to refine their estimates and ensure the success of the project. Moreover, having enough resources about the target audience and company intentions for the application will further help to refine the estimation process.

The Bottom Line

So we can easily say that full-stack development is one of the primary components of the modern application development life cycle. Moreover, properly estimating the resources for this process will help the companies maintain their time and economic efficiency. The app companies can also conduct seminars and awareness campaigns to spread adequate knowledge about modern development and testing practices. It is also advisable to consider the developer preferences and app requirements while choosing the tools and platforms for the full-stack estimation process. This process will help to boost the development productivity.

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