Skill-sets of a software developer

 Software developers implement software solutions by building programs, applications and websites.

What does a software developer do? Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills

There are four main types of software developer: systems developers, web developers, mobile developers and test automation developers. New entrants to the profession tend to specialise in one of these areas when they start.

A junior software developer, with experience, is likely to progress to senior software developer and later to software architect or similar. Other opportunities for promotion could include team lead or manager.

Software developers’ typical duties include:

  • discussing clients’ requirements and proposed solutions with a senior developer (for developers at mid-skill level and below)
  • writing and testing code
  • collaborating with other developers
  • using development tools (see below)

Development tools are used by software developers to write and test code, often as a team. Common development tools include:

  • integrated development environments (eg Eclipse, IntelliJ): for writing and editing code
  • source control management (eg Git, SVN, Mercurial): to enable teams to work together to manage changes to source code
  • issue management systems (eg Jira): for managing a list of issues or improvements
  • test driven development: for writing code to test your code
  • deployment (eg Jenkins, Hudson): for ensuring the latest software release is packaged correctly, tested and deployed to an application server

Typical employers of software developers

  • Software development companies
  • Financial services firms
  • Banks
  • Technology consultancies
  • Telecommunications companies
  • Public sector organisations

Jobs are advertised online, by careers services and by recruitment agencies.

Qualifications and training required

There are routes into software development for both graduates and school leavers. For graduate positions, degrees in computer science, software development or similar are usually preferred. However, a handful of employers don’t specify a degree subject and are willing to train you up if you demonstrate enthusiasm and the capacity to learn the relevant skills.

Apprenticeships in software development are advertised, so it is possible to enter this profession without a degree. To find out more about getting into IT and technology via a school leaver route, visit the IT and technology section of TARGETcareers, our website for school leavers.

Key skills for software developers

  • Mathematical aptitude
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Programming languages (different types of developer role require different languages)
  • Excellent organisational and time management skills
  • Accuracy and attention to detail
  • An understanding of the latest trends and their role in a commercial environment
  • Teamwork skills
  • Self-development skills to keep up to date with fast-changing trends

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Documentation is Very vital before you develop any system or app

Image
Technical documentation in software engineering is the umbrella term that encompasses all written documents and materials dealing with software product development. All software development products, whether created by a small team or a large corporation, require some related documentation. And different types of documents are created through the whole  software development lifecycle  (SDLC). Documentation exists to explain product functionality, unify project-related information, and allow for discussing all significant questions arising between stakeholders and developers. Project documentation by stages and purpose On top of that, documentation errors can set gaps between the visions of stakeholders and engineers and, as a result, a proposed solution won’t meet stakeholders expectations. Consequently, managers should pay a lot of attention to documentation quality. Agile and waterfall approaches The documentation types that the team produces and its scope depending...
Read more

Everything you need to know when developing an on demand service app

Image
On Demand Services App Remember Richie Rich, the animated show that we used to watch? It had an Robot maid named Irona. We all wished we had someone like her who could complete all our household chores in seconds. Well, that dream still seems to be far from us for at least a century; however, there is a substitute to it which is as effective as Irona.  on-demand apps  for Home Services is that substitute. We all know how on-demand apps have disrupted majority of traditional industries. From the way we travel, eat, shop, and even date, all has undergone a tremendous change. So, why not our household chores and errands? After all we all need an Irona in our lives who can complete our household chores and run our errands in a jiffy. Before we understand the nitty gritty of  on-demand home services apps , let us start from the basic at what exact services that it provides. As the name suggests it serves as a platform where you can hire professionals for all you...
Read more

Steps followed when creating a new software

Image
  7 Steps of effective software product development life cycle #Product label Tech-intensive lifestyle induces software to be an integral part of the everyday routine in the 21st century. Today, it is hardly possible to imagine any activity not powered by some kind of computer-related processes. When digging deeper, software product development is a highly organized process with precise procedures and strictly defined steps known as Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Whenever you need a sophisticated system, software suite or end-user web or mobile app your outstanding project delivery, besides all the other important factors, largely depends on a set of processes practiced by the development team. The Software Development Life Cycle as a collection of rules and practices helps to connect tech, non-tech team members and project stakeholders to transform your exceptional idea into a unique software product or solution. It structures the work of the development teams enabling th...
Read more