A software developer is first and foremost a problem solver. What?! You may ask. Yes; you read that right. All software is created to solve one or more problems. While being able to program or code is a key part of a software developer’s work, it is not the key. The best software developers are problem solvers.
Also, note that software developers go by other names or titles, depending on a number of factors. Those names include: software engineers, software programmer, and computer programmer, or simply programmer. Another is app developer. Individuals who design and develop those computer/mobile games that you love to play are also developers.
Developing software is a career that is in huge demand today because we live in the age of software innovation, the age of mobile apps, the age of cloud services, and e-commerce operations and delivery services. All of these run on complex software to make the processes smooth, easy, and convenient for users. The world is going crazy about artificial intelligence (AI), for example. AI is really clever advanced software at work.
The operating system on your laptop (Windows OS), Macbook (MacOS), or smartphone (iOS, Android OS, KaiOS) are all the works of software developers. Your smart TV, tablets, smart watch, automated lighting system at home, car, aeroplane, and more, all run software that was developed by….yes, software developers or programmers.
There is no industry that is currently not experiencing and being lifted by the power of software. Education. Health. Governance. Law. Digital technology. Automobile. Fashion. Logistics. Air travel. Rail travel. Shipping. Space flight. Graphics Design. Animation. Movies. Software is at the core of all of these industries in today’s world. Even the world’s war machines are increasingly relying on advanced software for precision operations.
Programming Languages For Software Developers In 2023
Programming languages evolve. They come, and go. If you live long enough, the programming language you started on will go extinct. For example, my grandfather started programming in the 1970s using FORTRAN, and COBOL. They are both dinosaurs today in 2023. If you do want to be a programmer today, here are twenty of the top programming languages you can learn today to become a developer/programmer:
- Java®
- SQL
- PHP
- JavaScript®
- Python®
- Linux
- Git
- Oracle
- DevOps
- Kotlin
- Swift
- C#
- C++
- Go
- MatLab
- Scala
- Ruby
- TypeScript
- Microsoft® C#
- Rust
What other skills do you need to be a good software developer?
To be a good developer, in addition to being proficient at a programming language, you also need to have a flair for understanding human behaviour. You are designing apps and programs for humans, after all. The better you understand your users and address their pain points, the better a developer you are. You also need to have solid analytical skills, as well as be a good team player. You see, you will have to work with graphic designers, hardware engineers, project managers, and others, to make your end product usable.
A career is software development is a hot option now. Developers are in massive demand everywhere you turn, and that demand is not going away anytime soon. Start today by picking a programming language you want to be proficient at and sign up for a course to learn about it. There are also tons of free resources on the Web that you can use to learn on your own, if you have a knack for that. Lastly, do not forget those other soft skills that I listed. It takes more than being able to write code to be a great software developer.