Software developers and software engineers are closely related. They’re also close enough in terminology that questioning the difference might seem like an unnecessary nuance.
But if you truly want to have a solid understanding of what software development is in general, and who to hire for software development, knowing the difference between software developers vs. software engineers is going to come in handy.
Software developers and software engineers are terms that often get used interchangeably, but understanding their differences can make all the difference in finding the right talent for your project.
This knowledge is particularly essential if you want your team to be equipped with the right technical and problem-solving skills suited to your unique needs.
So, if you’re curious about software developers vs. software engineers, other software roles, and when to choose one over the other, keep reading for an in-depth look!
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What Does a Software Developer Do?
Software developers are computer science professionals who handle a variety of work related to software development.
They work closely with programming languages and development frameworks to create applications or features that provide value to users. These professionals are essential in designing and building the software that powers our everyday technology, from apps on our phones to complex operating systems.
If you’re not familiar with the subject of computer science, maybe you need an overview. Computer science is the study of computers or devices that have computer systems, like a smartphone or tablets.
Though computer science and information technology (IT) are sometimes used interchangeably, computer scientists tend to align themselves more with software development, and IT professionals almost always handle the hardware aspect of computer machines.
Software developers build software by putting together programs via code. Typically, software developers either specialize in systems development or application development.
The latter references building things like websites or mobile applications. Application developers are the kind of software developers who built Candy Crush and this very website. Such things execute on a larger categorical entity like a web browser or mobile phone.
To that end, software developers who develop systems use code closer to hardware or machinery, building for larger systems. For example, a systems developer has the skill set to build an operating system like iOS or a web browser like Google Chrome.
Within application development, software developers can be front-end developers, back-end developers, or both — which fall under the title full stack developer.
Front-end developers program the user interface (UI) of a program or the external design, while back-end developers code the processes that occur in a program. Full-stack developers can do it all.
Developers primarily use programming languages such as JavaScript for web development, Python for a wide range of applications, and C++ for complex systems software, among others. Their role is to make sure the software is functional, appealing, and user-friendly.
What Is Software Development?
Software development entails using an array of different technical tools to complete a software project.
For example, programming languages translate code into output that machines can understand. Because of programming languages, software developers don’t have to operate in the 0s and 1s of binary code.
There is a wide variety of programming languages available. Software developers choose programming languages based on their personal preferences. Software developers may learn programming languages depending on what’s in high demand in the market.
For instance, JavaScript and Python are some of the most popular programming languages today.
JavaScript is a foundational web technology for programming dynamic web pages. Thus, front-end web developers — a particular type of software developer — should always be familiar with this language.
Python, on the other hand, is general-purpose. Software developers classically use JavaScript for web development, but Python works just as well for a mobile application with a cross-platform framework, and even games can be built with Python.
For the most part, Python is for back-end development. Back-end developers should be familiar with server-side concepts like servers and application programming interfaces (APIs).
The designers of Python — who were software developers themselves — created the language with specified design philosophies, such as code readability and simplicity. Largely for these reasons, many software developers, from beginner levels to advanced, learn and/or use Python regularly.
The frameworks that were briefly mentioned allude to certain software or technologies based on programming languages that provide an outline of sorts for software applications.
Most programming languages have several frameworks, and software developers should have sufficient knowledge of how to write code within these frameworks.
These are libraries that speed up development, such as React for front-end applications and Django for back-end applications.
What Does a Software Engineer Do?
Software engineers build software just like software developers do but on a larger, more systemic scale. This requires analytical and critical thinking skills that a software developer isn’t necessarily expected to have.
Their work often involves architecting entire systems, ensuring all components work harmoniously, and applying rigorous engineering principles to solve complex problems.
Engineering on its own means solving problems and building tangible solutions by cleverly utilizing scientific principles and other systematic applications of STEM subjects — that is, science, engineering, technology, and math.
It follows that software engineering relies on those same problem-solving skills and applies them directly to software development.
Unsurprisingly, software engineers end up doing many of the things that software developers do, or at least they know how to do.
While software developers focus on creating individual features, engineers are responsible for the bigger picture. For example, a software engineer might collaborate with project managers and architects to plan the structure of the entire application.
They may also ensure software development adheres to performance standards, scalability, and long-term maintainability.
In the same fashion as software developers, software engineers write code to create programs and software applications. They use programming languages and frameworks as part of the software development process.
And there are systems engineers and application engineers, as well as front-end engineers and back-end engineers.
A non-technical example illustrating the role distinctions between a software engineer vs. a software developer is a line cook and chef.
If you have some experience in the restaurant industry, then you will know that a line cook is responsible for food preparation and getting things ready for the chef, who occupies a higher position and ultimately designs and executes the recipe and final meal.
This is similar to software developers vs. software engineers. A software developer and a software engineer have similar skills. However, a software engineer has the intellectual capacity to architect and manage an entire software development project.
Software Developer vs. Software Engineer: What’s the Difference?
Software engineers are software developers, too. It’s a bit like that brain-twister — squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are square. (If you know geometry, that will make more sense.)
In other words, software engineers are, by definition, software developers, but not all software developers are software engineers.
The biggest differences are in the scope of work, skill set, and responsibility levels.
Software engineers are software developers, but a software engineer carries a bit of weight to its title, which in this case indicates that a software engineer takes on a more managerial role or has more responsibility where software development is concerned.
But this isn’t just a matter of ego. For the most part, software engineers do something ideologically different from software development.
To illustrate, software engineers may work closely with project managers to guarantee that the software developers on their team are adequately meeting the vision of the tech company that employs them.
Engineers usually hold greater managerial and strategic responsibilities, ensuring software aligns with business and project goals.
Software engineers even get paid more than software developers, on average.
In 2021, ZipRecruiter, a popular site for job-seekers, maintained that the average software engineer salary is $99,729 dollars per year, while software developers fall short by several thousand dollars, earning an average of $86,311 dollars a year.
Keep in mind these numbers are local to the United States. Software development overseas can be relatively cheaper because of the cost of living, but there is still a financial and noteworthy distinction between a software developer vs. a software engineer, no matter the region.
What Are the Skills of a Software Developer and/or a Software Engineer?
The skills of a software developer and software engineer — for near-obvious reasons — are interconnected. Both roles require proficiency in software development tools and coding practices, but they also share a need for soft skills like communication, teamwork, and client interaction.
Both software developers and software engineers should be able to:
- write algorithms that provide solutions to simple and complex problems
- Strong understanding of data structures
- be adeptly familiar with software development tools like programming languages, frameworks, libraries, etc.
- create applications that can perform specific tasks or otherwise have some sort of practical use
- work with the client to make sure project requirements are met
- work effectively within a team, and clearly convey technical concepts.
- Experience with testing, debugging, and code review.
- build scalable software that is desirable to the end-user
- address high-level software issues that may impact the entire architecture.
Although on paper, it likely looks like software developers and software engineers have very tech-oriented, linear jobs, in reality, this is hardly true.
Anyone working within the software development industry should also have a skill set related to taking feedback from consumers and meeting their desires.
These same skills play into the importance of working well on a team, which is duly important.
Collaboration is vital to all software development teams and to that end, so is communication. This is the key to successful development and a successful software product.
You might call such a skillset ‘soft skills’ and it is a crucial factor to consider when hiring software engineers or software developers.
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Conclusion
Obviously, career roles and titles can be pretty layered. A software developer develops, and a software engineer engineers. It’s all the same thing, right? No. And you know that now.
Understanding the difference between software developers and software engineers is crucial for selecting the right talent for your project.
Software developers focus on building the software itself, while engineers address higher-level planning and problem-solving. With both roles in play, you ensure that your project has the technical expertise and strategic oversight it needs to succeed.
Though slipping up and calling a software developer a software engineer or vice versa, calling a software engineer a software developer is no crime, it is probably best to know what specific expertise the professional you are planning to hire possess.
Having the ability to differentiate between a software engineer vs. a software developer will better help you describe your own project and who and what you need to complete it.
In any event, hiring software developers and software engineers isn’t easy to do. Though a quick Google search would seem to provide the results you need, choosing the right person for your software development team is a careful and intricate undertaking.
Trio vets and provides skilled software developers and engineers who can adapt to any project, whether you need hands-on development or architectural planning. With Trio, you gain access to top professionals ready to integrate seamlessly into your team and meet your specific requirements.
Hire qualified software developers and engineers with Trio today!
