Software developer

Software developer job description is a term used for people who work in the field of software engineering, so in the design and implementation of the software. The term is often used interchangeably with software engineer or software engineer (English software engineer ) used.

Other terms

Whereas, where software developers on the implementation of the software without their own direct participation in the technical design of the software and in the development of the software architecture, so they are referred to often as a " programmer". This term is used to some extent synonymous. The term programmer emphasizes the activity with the actual programming, as opposed to aspects of the software architecture, which play a major role in software development and the often abstract considerations of computer science.

Ada Lovelace's written comments to the mechanical calculating machine Analytical Engine contained the first algorithm. For this reason it is also called the first programmer in the world.

Historically, the concept of the encoder to perform. In this activity, the focus is on implementing the prescribed program in the particular architecture and programming language ( often directly to machine code ), ie to encode the human instructions for the computer. Nowadays this role is in fact no longer to be found, since this task is essentially a compiler ( that is, a software) perceived. Only the rewriting of a program from one programming language into an equivalent program in another language can be described as encoding.

Software developer is not a protected occupational title in Germany and Austria. Under German law, Job Title Software Engineer, however, may only lead who has completed a technical degree with success.

Tasks and delimitation

The main job of a software developer is the technical design and implementation of the requirements imposed on the software, coupled with the module test ( unit test ) for the implemented components. For this purpose, the software developer needs knowledge of the entire software development process and must be proficient software principles and methods of software engineering.

Software developers are also still used for tasks that are their proper field of activity not traditionally attributed. This includes analysis of activities, ie the elaboration of the requirements for the software, defining and ensuring the software architecture, testing activities such as the development and implementation of test plans, project management activities like planning the implementation or design of user interfaces such as the design and tuning of screen masks and so on.

Training and Study

Software developers often have completed a degree in a computer science degree program at a university or a vocational academy. A study in an engineering or science degree offers career opportunities in software development. Furthermore, there is the opportunity to learn about an education in an information technology education profession, for example, IT specialist for application development at a vocational school ( see, eg, CCI), a technical institute for data processing and organization (eg ADV Böblingen ) or a vocational college to qualify for a software developer, software engineer or software architect.

Since 2007, in Germany the state-approved training as a mathematical - technical software developers who went out of Mathematics and technical assistants forth. In Aachen, Cologne and Jülich is the combination of education with a bachelor's degree program " Scientific Programming " possible.

In addition, many career changers carry out this activity also due to self-taught or learned through various training courses (including retraining ) acquired skills.