What is a Software Developer?

Software development is the process of using a specific programming language to create standalone or individual software programs. The software developer is the creative mind behind this process. They come up with the idea, develop and design the software and have the ability to build or oversee the team building the software.

Software Developer vs. Software Engineer vs. Programmer vs. Coder

A software developer is sometimes referred to as a software engineer, a programmer, or a coder. While these names are often used interchangeably, they also have distinct differences, although, these distinctions are, to a degree, historic.

Software engineers apply scientific and technological knowledge, methods, and experience to the development of software. Programmer is a largely obsolete term that has been replaced by software developer, while a coder is anyone who writes software code.

Types of Software Developer / Software Consultant

There are several different types of software developers, each addressing a specific area and with their own area-specific knowledge.

Front-End Developers

In software development, the front-end is the part of the software that the user will interact with. Front-end developers are typically involved in the design of the user interface or the user experience design.

Back-End Developers

In contrast, back-end developers are removed from the user. They are responsible for building and developing the infrastructure that enables the user-facing aspects.

Full-Stack Developers

Software developers that cover both the front-end and back-end are known as full-stack developers. This role is less common now. It originally encompassed the role of front-end and back-end developers, but as software became more complex there was a need for specialized knowledge in each of those areas. Full-stack developers have the advantage of being able to see the whole project from front to back, which avoids the potential problems of fragmentation and compartmentalization.

These types of software developers are also known as systems software developers.

Desktop, Web, Mobile Developers

These three roles develop software applications for either desktop, the web, or mobile devices. Those undertaking this type of work are also known as application software developers.