Wondering about the many different types of software developers, and what roles would be good for you? Keep reading!
The software development and coding world is a vast, varied, and lucrative place. Many different types of developers are high-in-demand. Because there is a digital transformation happening across most organizations, and industries, developers are even more in demand.
When people talk about coding, they often associate it with the most common software development and web development opportunities. There are many different types of developers, however, and they each work on distinct projects.
A game developer is different from a web developer, but you probably already know that. What you might not know, is how a front-end developer differs from a back-end developer. Or, how a game engine developer varies from a user-interface developer.
Did you know that a WordPress developer is completely different from a general web developer, for example?
Just as there are many types of coders, there are also many types of coding jobs and development projects.
How Many Types of Developers Are There?
There are dozens of different developer and coding positions, including these:
- Backend Developer
- Big Data Developer
- Cloud Computing Developer
- CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Developer
- Data Scientist
- Desktop Developer
- DevOps Developer
- Embedded Developer
- Front-end Developer
- Full-stack Developer
- Game Developer
- Graphics Developer
- High-level Developer
- Low-level Developer
- Machine Learning and AI Developer (Full-Stack)
- Middle-Tier Developer
- Mobile Developer
- Security Developer
- Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET)
- User Experience (UX) Developer/Designer
- User Interface (UI) Developer/Designer
- Web Developer
- WordPress Developer
As the development world is constantly evolving, there may be other opportunities and roles introduced in the future.
Why Do Some People Claim There are Only 3 Types?
Most developers only recognized three major types of developers, and all other types are nested under those disciplines. The three major ones are Frontend, Backend, and Full-Stack development.
As the boundaries erode between the various disciplines, that idea also loses more weight. It’s perfectly reasonable for a game developer to not understand how to create mobile games, despite using similar languages, paradigms, and tools. Similarly, a front-end developer working on UI or UX projects may have a basic understanding of back-end principles, but likely won’t be able to complete the related projects, at least on their own.
Can Developers Have More Than One Role (Know Multiple Languages)?
Yes, many skilled developers can fit under several roles, which means they understand the tools, processes, and syntax of multiple languages. They are in extremely high demand and considered valuable in the world of development. If you want to broaden your horizons and freshen up your resume, then learning a new language is always recommended.
It’s also highly recommend to study in-family languages so that you can work with other projects and tools, especially if you’re part of a small team. If you already work with Objective-C, for instance, you might consider learning C# or C++ even though they are different languages.
Pro Tip: Make sure you understand the differences between each language and what that means for developers. Reviewing a versus comparison of each language, such as PHP vs Javascript, can help!
What Types of Developers Are Most in Demand?
According to HackerRank, the types of developers high in demand include the following:
- Full-stack Developers
- Machine Learning Engineers
- DevOps Engineers
- Systems Architects
- Data Scientists
- Back-End Developers
- Security Engineers
- Front-end Developers
- Data Engineers
- Mobile Developers
Also on the list are software test engineers, site reliability engineers, and data analysts. Every one of these types of developers plays a critical role in the coding world.
Bear in mind, although these are listed as the highest-in-demand, that doesn’t mean other roles are lacking in opportunities. Web developers, WordPress developers, and Graphic Developers, for instance, are highly-coveted in many industries, most of all retail and eCommerce.
What Type of Developer Gets Paid the Most?
All developers are paid well, but system architects tend to be some of the highest-paid in the industry. Followed by other architects, like Cloud and Network ($140K-$170K), AI ($140K-$160K), and Data ($140K-$160K). Applications architects are also paid very well ($140K-$170K).
Glassdoor estimates the average base pay of a cloud architect is about $133,000. Moreover, the top five percentile of candidates earns $200K a year or more.
You can’t go wrong choosing any one of the many types of developer roles.
What Are Some Types of Software Developers?
You might believe that software developers only work on software applications for major platforms like Windows or macOS X. The truth is that software developers work on a host of applications, including mobile, cloud-based, and beyond.
WordPress, for example, is a software application. It’s built primarily for web hosting and web development, but it is software. Someone that works on WordPress would be considered a software developer. Even more so if they build plug-ins and add-ons for the ecosystem.
Therefore, if you’re looking for jobs in software development, it’s best to focus on the language and experience you have as opposed to a title. You may find mobile development opportunities that are a better match for your skills!
There are many types of web developers, many types of software developers, and a bevy of professionals that fall between categories or disciplines.
For reference, a majority of software developers work on the following:
- Web applications
- Cloud applications
- Desktop and computer applications
- Mobile systems design
- Mobile applications
- Manufacturing and supply chain applications
Are You Entering the World of Software Development and Coding?
Wondering where to start your journey into the world of coding? You should check out some beginner tutorials. You may also consider what you want to do as a developer — it will help you decide what languages and tools to learn.
It’s always a good idea to sift through the fundamentals and try out the famed “Hello World” exercise in whatever language you wish to learn. This allows you the opportunity to work with the language, code an actual project, and see whether or not you’re still interested.
There are also plenty of fun projects, outside of the traditional online courses and curriculums, like CodeCombat, and beyond.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
