Updated December 22, 2023
Difference between Programmer vs Developer
A developer is a person that is responsible for building the applications and software on the basis of real-life scenarios that the organization can use. The developer is responsible for finding the bugs and issues present in the source code of the complete software application. The other name of the developer is a software developer. The programmer is the person that is responsible for creating the computer software and has a specialization in one of the computer areas that writes the source code that can be used to create the software. In this topic, we are going to learn about Programmer vs Developer.
Head to Head Comparison Between Programmer vs Developer (Infographics)
Below are the top differences between Programmer and Developer
Key differences of Programmer vs Developer
Let us discuss some of the major key differences between Programmer vs Developer:
- One of the major differences between developers and programmers is job duties. The job duty of the programmer is to just write the code. The major job duty of the programmer is to create the new code and then test the code, solve glitches, and reduce the risk of errors in the code. The job duty of the developer is almost the same, but they need to analyze the user requirement and need to develop the computer that fulfills the user requirements. The developer has the duty to make the design of the software and then give that design to the programmer to just code that software. Developers and programmers work closely with each other so that the end product, that is, software application, can be delivered to the user.
- The other difference between developers and programmers is on the basis of the role. The role of computer programmers is to write the code that gives life to software applications. The programmer uses a different type of programming language to code and then do rigorous testing so that if there is any error, it can be resolved. On the other hand, developers act as designers that make the design for the software on the basis of the user or client requirements. The developer plays an in-charge role that is responsible for the entire development phase of the software application and delivers it to the end-user.
- The other key difference between the developer and programmer is the working atmosphere. The working atmosphere for both types of individuals is almost the same, but the programmer flexibility is more as they can do their work from home. On the other hand, in most cases, the developer needs to go to the office and do their work only.
- Joana Almeida, Software Developer at DistantJob says: “The other key difference between programmer and developer is the skillset required. There are some common skills that need to be present in the programmer as well as the developer. Skills like programming skills, knowledge about the database, object-oriented concepts knowledge of project management. But when a comparison is made between programmer and developer, then it can be noted that the programmer needs to have excellent coding skills as their main role is to do coding and testing of software applications. On the other hand, the software developer should have transferable skills, planning, teamwork, decision-making capability, and other managerial skills that are required to become a good developer. Developers and programmers need to the programming and development in a collaborative manner and need to work in a team to develop a well-designed software application.
- The other main difference between programmers and developers is training and education. Computer programmers have mostly bachelor’s degrees. And in the bachelor’s degree, programmers mostly have a computer science degree. Programmers need to have knowledge of ongoing technology and need to upgrade their knowledge base according to that. On the other hand, developers need to have a bachelor’s degree, and the degree should be in the computer science branch of engineering and have knowledge of programming language and should have good coding practice. Developers need to have knowledge of the industry also as they need to work as project managers in large-scale organizations.
Comparison table of Programmer vs Developer
Let’s see some more differences between Programmer vs Developer through a comparison table for clear understanding:
| Factor | Programmer | Developer |
| Role | The programmer is the person that is responsible for writing, testing, debugging, and also maintain source code written for the computer programs. The programmer needs to test their source code continuously as in one computer program; there can be multiple programmers contribute to writing the source code. | The developer is the person that is responsible for analyzing the user requirement first before starting the development of software. After that development of the program starts, and then testing of computer programs is done to solve any bug or threats present in the application. |
| Company dependency | In the small-scale or large-scale organization, the role of the programmer is fixed, and they just need to write the code. | In the small-scale organization, the role of the developer is equivalent to the programmer, while on the other hand, in the large-scale organization developer needs to play the project manager role that needs to maintain the software development cycle. |
| Scope of work | The programmer has a limited work capacity when he is compared to the developer. The programmer has very limited instructions, and according to that development of the computer, the application is done. The programmer has a limited scope of coding only. | The developer has complete project scope that needs to maintain a complete software development lifecycle. The developer needs to analyze the requirements, develop the application, and then test the application. |
| Different qualifications | Programmers have little fewer qualifications when it is compared to the developer. The programmers need to do is coding only. Programmers are basically known as technicians. | A developer is a qualified person that is responsible for starting the product from scratch and work until it gets delivered to the client. Software developers are also known as project managers. |
| Salary | The programmer has a decent salary in the organization, but when it is compared with the developer’s salary, it is less in number. | The developer has a handsome package in the industry and has more packages compared to the programmer. It is because they have more role and duty in the organization and play a more important role than programmers. |
Conclusion
The programmer and developer work in a collaborative manner, and it is up to the individual that which career he chooses. The role of computer programmer and software developer overlap in nature, and the only requirement is to have good knowledge of computer science concepts and should have proper background knowledge.
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