From the desk of a brilliant weirdo #1:

“The difference between a software developer and a software engineer is the same as the difference between big and large.” — Unknown.

What you’re about to read mostly revolves around my personal thoughts, deductions, and offbeat imagination.

If you have different sentiments, add them in the comment section and let’s dispute!

So, today’s topic…

Software Developers vs Software Engineers

Personally, it pisses me off. Every time I see an article on this topic, my emotional bank account gets robbed. They are all about SEO. Inappropriate keywords squeezed into tiny sentences just to get better rankings. No intent to entertain or enlighten the reader whatsoever. Sometimes, such articles can even be outright wrong.

And even though the purpose of this blog post can be to generate traffic, I tried to make it more of a meaningful rant than a lifeless academic essay.

So, let’s see how you feel by the time you are done reading this paper.

Without further ado:

Since there are no proper interpretations of both terms, a lot of people use them interchangeably.

However, some companies consider these terms as job titles.

The general “programmer-developer-engineer” trend goes along the lines of:

• A programmer is someone who knows how to code, understands algorithms and can follow instructions. Yet, it doesn’t go further in regard to responsibilities.
• A developer is somewhat superior to the programmer. In addition to coding, they also do design, architecture, and technical documentation of the software component they are building. They might be referred to as leaders, but not necessarily.
• Finally, an engineer implies that you are the real deal. You’ve graduated with a degree, have some tech knowledge, and preferably experience… and you are capable of designing a software system (a combination of software components your peons, the programmers, have built). You’re like an overseer. You can see the bigger picture. And it’s your responsibility to clearly explain that “picture” to your team.

“Typically, software engineers will play the role of team leaders, being at the front in dealing with clients and taking on different projects for the team working at the back.” — Talha Waseem, Tech Content Editor at InvoZone.

By the way, it can also depend on the country you are based in. For example, in France, you can call yourself an engineer only if you have graduated from an engineering school that’s been recognized by the Commission des Titres d’Ingénieur.

“In Canada, the term “Engineer” is restricted to those who are certified by a provincial association. So, not everyone can call themselves an “engineer” in Canada.” — Briana Brownell, Founder and CEO at PureStrategy.

Others speculate that these might just be terms made with the purpose of marketing. Perhaps companies want their employment lists and job descriptions to look cool and attract more applicants. Brillante!

Alright, let’s dive deep.

Here are some…

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