The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Senior Full Stack Developer (Internal Promotion)
3-5 years as a Senior DeveloperSkills to master
- Leading complex features, mentoring junior developers, driving technical initiatives, strong understanding of system-level trade-offs, consistent high-quality delivery.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently taking ownership of large, ambiguous technical problems and delivering robust solutions.
- Proactively identifying and addressing technical debt or architectural weaknesses.
- Receiving consistent feedback for strong mentorship and elevating team members.
- Demonstrating influence on technical decisions beyond your immediate project scope.
- 2
Senior Backend or Frontend Engineer (Specialist to Full Stack)
4-6 years as a Senior SpecialistSkills to master
- Broadening expertise across the full stack (e.g., a backend specialist picking up advanced React/Next.js, or a frontend specialist diving deep into Node.js/cloud infrastructure), understanding how both sides interact at an architectural level.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully leading projects that require significant contributions across both frontend and backend.
- Demonstrating a strong understanding of the full system architecture, not just their specialisation.
- Actively contributing to discussions and decisions on both frontend and backend technical roadmaps.
- Building a portfolio of projects that showcase full-stack capabilities.
- 3
Technical Lead (from another company)
8-12 years total experience, with 3-5 years in a lead roleSkills to master
- Adapting to our specific tech stack and architectural patterns, understanding our business domain, quickly building trust and influence within our engineering teams.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully onboarding and making significant technical contributions within the first 3-6 months.
- Proactively identifying areas for improvement in our systems and proposing well-reasoned solutions.
- Effectively mentoring our junior developers and integrating into our team culture.
- Demonstrating a clear understanding of our product and business goals.