Solution stack

In computing, a solution stack or software stack is a set of software subsystems or components needed to create a complete platform such that no additional software is needed to support applications.^[1] Applications are said to "run on" or "run on top of" the resulting platform.

For example, to develop a web application, the architect defines the stack as the target operating system, web server, database, and programming language. Another version of a software stack is operating system, middleware, database, and applications.^[2] Regularly, the components of a software stack are developed by different developers independently from one another.

Some components/subsystems of an overall system are chosen together often enough that the particular set is referred to by a name representing the whole, rather than by naming the parts. Typically, the name is an acronym representing the individual components.^[3]

The term "solution stack" has, historically, occasionally included hardware components as part of a final product, mixing both the hardware and software in layers of support.^[4][5]

A full-stack developer is expected to be able to work in all the layers of the application (front-end and back-end). A full-stack developer can be defined as a developer or an engineer who works with both the front and back end development of a website, web application or desktop application.^[6] This means they can lead platform builds that involve databases, user-facing websites, and working with clients during the planning phase of projects.