Software Engineer, Software Testing, Full Stack Developer

What Is a Software Engineer?

A software engineer is an expert in the design, development and testing of software applications and programs
. Software engineers combine an engineering and computer science mindset to create solutions to technical problems. If you’ve ever used a GPS application on your phone, browsed through a menu of TV shows from a streaming service on your smart TV or used a fitness tracker to count how many calories you’ve burned, then you’ve benefited from the hard work of software engineers.

Before considering how to become a software engineer, it’s helpful to learn what this career entails. The term “software engineering” is often used interchangeably with “software development,” but they aren’t quite the same thing. Software engineers work on the entire lifecycle of a project, supervising everything from infrastructure to security. Software development — a subset of software engineering — is focused more narrowly on coding tasks.

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Software engineers can work on a wide range of projects within various areas, including video games, cybersecurity, cloud storage, apps and web apps. (See disclaimer
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To become a software engineer, it’s helpful to know how to look at the big picture. Software engineers are charged with managing and working on all different aspects of the project — from initial design to quality testing and maintenance. (See disclaimer
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• Review customer requirements for a project before launching into the design phase.
• Design and develop software programs, including writing and testing code.
• Ensure the project meets customer requirements and standards of security and quality.
• Perform thorough testing and debugging to eliminate bugs.
• Consult with clients, security specialists and other stakeholders to ensure the software program meets expectations.
• Maintain software, optimizing performance, adding new features, debugging issues and ensuring overall performance and security of applications.

• High school diploma with coursework in computer science and coding.
• College degree, usually a bachelor’s in computer science, information technology (IT) or an accredited software engineering program.
• Undergraduate certificates in specific programming languages or technical areas.
• Internship experience during the bachelor’s degree.

• Technical support specialist
• Quality assurance tester
• Software test engineer
• Junior software engineer

• Professional Software Developer Certification
• Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional
• Certified Software Engineer

• Coding languages:
  Java, Python, etc.
• Object‑oriented programming
• Operating systems
• Cloud computing
• Agile and Scrum project management
• Design, testing and debugging
• Version control

• Critical thinking
• Problem‑solving
• Time management
• Communication
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Leadership

Software engineers may find work in almost any industry. Popular sectors include software development companies, finance and insurance firms, and manufacturing companies.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $132,270 for software developers as of May 2023, with an expected 18% job growth through 2033, translating to an estimated 303,700 new jobs. (See disclaimer 7,
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Potential career paths include senior software engineer, artificial intelligence specialist, IT project manager and systems manager.