I’m planning to hire freelance developers for building my web application. My approach is to divide the work between two separate programmers - one handling the frontend interface and another working on the server-side logic.
For the backend development, I’m considering Node.js with Express framework, MongoDB for database, and Sequelize ORM. The frontend will use React with CSS modules for styling.
What are the recommended approaches for structuring this kind of split development? I need guidance on how to define the project requirements so both parts will work together smoothly. Are there specific documentation standards or communication protocols I should establish between the two developers? Any advice on managing the integration process would be really helpful.
honestly the biggest mistake i see is not setting up proper version control early. make sure both devs are commiting to seperate branches and you have a staging enviroment for testing integrations. also consider using something like postman collections to share api examples - saves tons of confusion later
what about handling those inevitable moments when requirements change mid-project? have you thought about how you’ll communicate updates to both devs without one side getting left behind? also curious - why sequelize with mongodb? that combo seems a bit unusual since sequelize is typically for sql databases
In managing split development projects, it’s crucial to establish a well-defined API specification before coding begins. This documentation should detail every API endpoint, including request/response formats and authentication needs, serving as a guiding contract for both teams to mitigate miscommunications. Creating a shared environment for regular testing of integrations is beneficial, as is implementing automated API testing to quickly identify breaking changes. Additionally, holding weekly meetings helps address specification adjustments and technical hurdles. Clearly outline responsibilities for data validation and error handling to streamline functionality and minimize debugging delays.