A programmer is a coding expert; programmers write, test, and troubleshoot code for an application to make sure it functions and meets the requirements.
Developers can also write, test, and troubleshoot code for an application; in addition to that, they also handle application architecture (how software reads/writes to a database), optimizing user experience, and documentation. Developers may also manage software development projects for the organization.
As programmers mostly focus on coding, they can be on-site or remote (working from home). However, developers have to collaborate with other professionals, so they typically swork in the office or at the client site.
Specialization
Programmers:
- Application programmers – software coding to achieve specific tasks
- AI programmers – coding to automate routine tasks that are usually performed manually
- Game programmers – coding for different types of video games
Developers:
- Mobile developers – develop applications for mobile devices.
- DevOps engineers – specialize in development and maintenance of the software
- UI/UX developers – user interface (UI) or user experience (UX) developers focus on their respective aspects of software
Education and Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in computer science or information technology or other related fields like mathematics will be very helpful; however, this is one of the more accessible professions as anyone can choose to become a programmer by taking online courses or participating in bootcamps. You become better at coding by doing more hands-on work, so experience can make a huge difference in coding proficiency.
Until you gain enough experience to be considered an ‘experienced programmer or developer’, certifications may be helpful to land the first few jobs.
Expertise/fluency in relevant programming languages is very important; however, this is quite difficult to achieve since coding languages evolve constantly (though some have stayed for a while). Either a new version of the programming language is released, or a new programming language completely replaces the old one. Keeping up with the changes in the industry is critical to performing your duties well.
Developers are also expected to have industry knowledge; for example, a developer involved in developing software for the financial industry should be able to understand the basics of the finance industry.
Responsibilities
- Creating, testing, and troubleshooting code to meet application requirements.
- Organizing data to store and retrieving the data from the database
- Using encryption and security methods to protect data and software
- Testing compatibility of the application with various types of computer hardware and operating systems
- Documenting details of the code and application
- Complying with standards defined by the company as well as the industry
- Continuing to update the code so that it will work seamlessly on new versions of hardware and operating systems
In addition to the above, developers must also:
- Work with clients
- Work with design department to design the application architecture, user experience, etc.
- Seek application performance from end users and recommend improvements to the code.
- Manage internal teams and projects
- Work with marketing for demos and other marketing purposes.
A Day in the Life
Though the typical day of a programmer will vary by employer/client, company size, etc., most programmers spend their time developing, testing, and debugging code.
Unless the application is a small one, most applications are developed by a large team of programmers, sometimes by multiple teams. So, the code developed by programmers must integrate well with other codes. Programmers meet with peer programmers to ensure development is done properly and that their code is compatible with other code.
Many development teams hold daily ‘scrum’ meetings to discuss what was achieved yesterday and what will be worked on today. This typically lasts 15 to 30 min but is very critical to see where you are compared to the other teams.
On the other hand, developers spend a lot of time meeting with clients, designers, project teams, marketing, etc. They also spend a reasonable amount of time documenting details related to the software and overall project.
A typical day will last 8 to 10 hours; but this could vary based on deadlines, application release dates, test results, etc.
Other Necessary Skills
- Flexibility
- Teamwork
- Analytical skills to understand complex instructions
- Critical thinking
- Communication skills
- Leadership and project management skills
- Keeping up with latest trends in the programming languages
- Networking to land new jobs
Career Progression
There are 2 tracks available for a software developer or engineers
- Developer -> Senior Developer / Architect / Lead -> Manager -> Director -> Vice president -> Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
- Engineer -> Architect -> Senior Architect/Principal -> Distinguished Engineer -> Fellow -> Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Salary
- Developer/Engineer: $80K to $120K
- Senior Developer/Architect: $100K to $160K
- Manager/ Principal: $150K to $250K
- Director/Distinguished engineer: $175K to $300K
- Vice president: $250K to $400K
- CTO: $300K to $500K
This is just a range. Salary and other compensation can vary by number of years of experience, industry, size of the organization, and location. For more details, go to levels.fyi.
Job Growth
As organizations are looking for resources to perform more functions than can be done with programming alone (see programmer vs developer in the “Overview” section), computer programmer requirements are expected to shrink in the future. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs is expected to shrink by 10% from 185K jobs in 2020.
However, the software development industry had 1.85 million jobs in 2020 and is expected to grow at a much faster rate.
- Number of jobs: 1.85 million
- Outlook: 22% growth
- Change: 410K jobs
Key takeaway: don’t think about programming alone: aim to become a developer.
Summary
Anyone can become a software developer. As the job demands a lot of coding and a thorough understanding of programming languages, a good memory and the patience to sit and concentrate on coding for many hours continuously are required attributes. If you are working for a large IT company, there is typically no travel involved in this job. However, if you are expected to work at client sites, then this could come with a lot of travel because software development projects could last anywhere from a few months to years. Furthermore, your next client may not even be in the same city or state.
Software professionals lead comfortable lives because they are paid well.
