What is the difference between a software developer and a software engineer? You may think the terms are interchangeable, but there are nuances between the two roles that you need to recognize if you want to work as one or the other.
Software developers and software engineers learn the same fundamentals; depending on the job and their area of expertise, they may also be familiar with the same tools, frameworks, and programming languages. However, the scope of their respective jobs is often significantly different.
Software engineers typically work on a larger scale than software developers, determining how to design and implement entire systems (whether it’s an application, service, or something else involving a software). Software engineering often touches on project management, as it involves gaining buy-in from other people within an organization, as well as working collaboratively toward an overall goal.
Software developers, on the other hand, focus more on the tactical implementation of the product. They are the ones who write and test the code, eliminate bugs and follow all the small steps necessary to bring the software to life.
What’s a better job: software engineer or software developer?
Neither job is “better”. It all depends on what you want to do as a tech professional. If you’re interested in a more self-directed environment, focused on building software rather than intensive interaction with colleagues from other disciplines, a career as a software developer might be a better fit for you. If you really want to create separate programs and then hand them over to other teams to integrate into a larger product line, you can also have a developer mindset.
Software engineers take a more holistic approach. The challenges are greater, to the point that many software engineers are often tasked with creating the very tools and frameworks that teams will subsequently use to create the necessary software product. While software developers can spend their entire career in development (and eventually advance to a senior developer role), engineers’ cross-team collaboration and broader approach opens them up to a range of other career opportunities, including project manager, system architect, vice president of engineering, or even CTO.
Who Earns More: Software Engineer or Software Developer?
Lightcast (formerly Emsi Burning Glass), which collects and analyzes millions of job postings across the country, estimates the median salary for software developers at $98,728 per year, rising even more with the right mix of experience. and skills. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for software developers is $110,140, making it one of the highest paying roles in technology.
Lightcast puts the median salary for a software engineer at $98,783 per year, almost the same as a software developer. Glassdoor, which also collects salary data, puts the average salary for a software engineer at $90,321. According to the company, other types of compensation (such as stock, bonuses and performance payments) are also a factor.
For software engineers and developers, learning specialized skills can further increase salaries. According to levels.fyi, which compiles compensation data for technologists nationwide, software engineers specializing in machine learning can earn a median annual compensation of $225,000 per year. Other specializations are just as well paid:
As with so many other technical roles, of course, compensation for software engineers and software developers depends on many factors, including the size of your company, its location, and your level of experience. Whether you pursue a career in software engineering or software development, also keep in mind that you will always need to keep your skills up to date. companies are looking for candidates who are proficient in the latest frameworks, tools and methodologies.
Can a software engineer be a software developer?
Yes. Some organizations treat these job titles as synonyms. In small companies, a job as a software developer or an engineer may involve components of both roles; for example, a software developer may be asked to apply strategic and holistic thinking to the creation and deployment of a software product.
Can I become a software engineer or software developer without a degree?
The answer to this question is also “yes”. With tech unemployment particularly low, businesses around the world are scrambling to find the talent they need to build and maintain everything from apps to websites. While hiring managers and recruiters are reassured when they see that a developer or engineer has certain degrees and certifications, they are more willing than ever to consider candidates who have extensive experience working with languages and tools required, but who do not necessarily have formal experience. study diplomas.
What does this mean in terms of landing a job? You will need to design a resume, cover letter, and professional social profiles that list your skills in detail. Include links to a website or repository (such as GitHub) containing your code and previous projects. Your hiring manager will almost certainly subject you to a series of technical interviews designed to fully assess your skills; If you want to prepare, go to a site like Leetcode which has lots of example problems for a variety of programming languages.
Are software engineers and developers in demand?
According to Lightcast, software developers are in high demand, with organizations posting more than one million open software developer jobs in the last 12 months. The average time to fill these positions is 43 days.
This demand is unlikely to die out any time soon: Lightcast predicts that the number of software developer jobs will increase by 17.3% over the next 10 years, suggesting that software development is a very sustainable career. . (He also predicts that software engineering jobs will grow at about the same rate.)
Of course, the demand for software engineers depends on whether they have an in-demand skill set. Via Lightcast, employers are very interested in software engineers who master the intricacies of GitHub, Amazon Web Services (AWS), principles of test-driven development (TDD), and JavaScript Object Notation (JSON). This adds to the interest in TypeScript, jQuery and PostgreSQL.
