Anybody can become a software developer, said no one ever!

Whether building a software application, debugging an existing application, or improving an existing one, candidates seeking to enter this profession need extensive coding expertise. Software developers work in multiple areas to solve business problems. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a software developer earns $130,160 per year and $62.58 per hour. The typical route to becoming a software developer requires an entry-level education (Bachelor’s Degree). In this article, we will highlight the steps required to become a software developer. Before we delve deeper, let us first understand the meaning of a software developer, their roles and responsibilities, and more. 

Who Is a Software Developer?

Software developers are professionals who design, research, maintain and build software applications. There are two categories – application developers and system software developers. However, application developer majorly focuses on developing web and mobile applications, while systems software developers create and maintain the system. 

Software developers are responsible for analyzing, testing and improving the software that meets organization requirements. Their daily tasks include overseeing the software development lifecycle (SDLC) – performing maintenance, designing individual software parts and deploying upgrades. 

What Software Developers Do?

The day-to-day duties of a software developer can vary according to the organization’s size and industry type. Besides overseeing software programming and testing software at multiple phases of the SDLC, we will also cover the major areas of their involvement. 

Software developer job roles can vary based on their roles and skills – the most common include web developer, front-end, back-end and full-stack developer.

Software Developer

• Review software outcomes and discuss solutions to improve the system.
• Collaborate with coders to run tests and make interactions (if needed). 
• Test the software by checking errors, identifying gaps and improving performance. 
• After deployment, software developers can change, update and modify code if required. 
• Maintain a detailed report throughout the software update, iterations and modifications. 

Web Developer

• Write and review codes and test web applications.
• Create UI and navigation menus. 
• Collaborate with coders, web designers and stakeholders to troubleshoot problems. 
• Debug and optimize website code to enhance performance. 
• Regular code testing and validation 

Front-End Developer

• Develop features and maintain brand consistency.
• Create scalable UI components using front-end frameworks like AngularJS, React and VueJS. 
• Debug front-end code-related issues.
• Facilitate code reusability by implementing design patterns – MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel) and MVC (Model-View-Controller). 

Back-End Developer

• Develop and administer application programming interfaces (APIs).
• Use the correct product lifecycle approach (frameworks) to create website architecture. 
• Design effective solutions, test and maintain development solutions. 
• Collaborate with developers, system administrators, designers and system architectures to identify new features and update existing ones. 

Full-Stack Developer

• Oversee software development and execution. 
• Maintain and upgrade software after implementation.
• Build interactive software products or applications and design strategies to enhance performance.
• Provide insights for continuous product improvement, scalability and stability. 
• Stay updated with the latest tools, frameworks and approaches in the software development world. 

Skills Required To Become A Software Developer 

Software developers possess a wide range of technical and soft skills. This section highlights the skills of a prospective candidate seeking to start a career in software development. We will cover the technical and soft skills a software developer must possess. 

Technical Skills

• Programming Languages: Programming languages may differ depending on the industry they work in and the software they develop. The most common programming languages required include Python, Java, C#, and SQL.
• Data Structures and Algorithms: In-depth knowledge of data structures and algorithms allows software developers to write clean and efficient code. Data structures provide a formal model to organize data elements. They help in organizing more sophisticated applications. 
• DevOps (Development Operations): A blend of IT and software development skills can help teams manage complex environments and keep engineers in control. Help deliver services and applications at speed and improve products compared to traditional infrastructure and management processes. 
• Software Engineering: Software engineering skills are crucial. These skills help design software to accomplish a specific goal using analytical and programming skills. 
• Linux: Linux is a highly customizable, open-source operating system that contains multiple tools like awk piping, grep and sed. Linux is secure and is useful to organizations looking to improve software cyber security. 

Soft Skills

• Communication: Collaborating with different stakeholders and departments requires good communication skills. Software developers must be able to communicate solutions and insights clearly to non-technical executives and stakeholders. 
• Problem-Solving Capabilities: Identify problems and contribute toward providing a solution.
• Analytical Thinking: Determine and analyze whether the software they built achieves the targeted goal. 

How To Begin Your Career Path

The focus on education plays a significant role in becoming a software developer. Although there’s no single route to becoming a software developer, there are certain key points to consider. 

Education

Start with the basics. Most candidates having a software development career have either achieved at least an equivalent of a bachelor’s degree or higher in fields like software engineering, computer science and information technology (IT). 

• A degree in software engineering helps focus on developing technical skills (design and building software). 
• Many choose to pursue a degree in computer science (math, science and engineering) since it provides multiple career opportunities. 
• Candidates with a degree in IT provide skills in network development, databases, web applications and computer systems. Candidates with a background in IT can switch careers and become software engineers or developers. 

Earn Professional Certifications

Professional certifications play a significant role in helping candidates land their first job. After completing their education, candidates can consider getting certified by earning industry-recognized certifications. 

Based on the job and skill level, candidates can select their preferred certification course (beginner, intermediate and professional) to gain an advantage over other candidates.

• Associate Level – AWS Certified Developer
• Associate Level – AWS Certified Solutions Architect
• Cisco Certified Network Associate
• HDP Certified Developer (HDPCD)
• Java Certification by Oracle University
• Certified OpenStack Administrator 
• Professional Scrum Developer by Scrum

While not always required, certifications may still add professional credibility to the candidate’s skill set. 

Participate in Coding Competitions and Bootcamps 

Aspiring software developers can always get hands-on experience by participating in coding boot camps and hackathons. These boot camps provide practical assessment, coding and development skills. Led by experts from the industry, these boot camps teach real-world training and experience. 

Wrapping Up

Software developers and engineers are among the most highly paid-professionals. Not to mention, since the launch of Metaverse, the growth of quantum computing and big data is endless. Organizations are eager to offer whopping salaries to candidates with diverse skill sets. 

If you’re seeking to pursue a career in software engineering, you’re on the right track!

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