Lately, I wondered if there is a difference between a software engineer and a software developer. I tried to draw some similarities between the software and construction industries. Both have architects, developers and engineers. So, how come, a software developer can become a software architect, while it is pretty hard to imagine a construction worker becoming an architect just by accruing experience and attending a few online courses?
This situation bothered me, especially after observing several software projects that had become hard to maintain and develop due to poor engineering or architectural decisions. Also, I gained a lot of insights from griding Leetcode to prepare for the coding interviews. But this is a story for another post, I guess.
Working in web development, I came up with my understanding of the differences between a developer, an engineer and an architect. I believe these ideas are not unique to web development, but I also think there could be corners of the Software industry where these differences do not apply.
Team composition
Software development teams comprise people who have different skills and functions. Three of the most common are the software developer, the software engineer, and the software architect. Let’s take a closer look at the differences between these roles and the value each one brings to a software development team.
Software Developer
A software developer is someone who is effective in creating a solution in their preferred framework or programming language. They have a deep understanding of the tools and technologies they work with and can build functional software applications in a short time. Often developers have extensive expertise in different frameworks or languages.
Software developers are typically focused on app implementation and testing. They are up-to-date with the latest features of frameworks or languages. However, developers may not have as extensive expertise in software engineering topics like algorithm design or data structures.
Software Engineer
A software engineer is someone who has a strong hand in the area of computer science. They think about a problem from the algorithms and data structures standpoint as they possess deep expertise in topics like algorithms and data structures. A prevalent trait of an engineer is to propose a solution agnostic to a language or a framework. Collaboration with developers is highly fruitful to achieve the best possible outcome.
It is worth noting that many professionals combine the skills of software developers and engineers.
Software Architect
A software architect is someone who specializes in high-level system design and data flow. They typically focus on solutions agnostic to concrete implementations. They are responsible for designing the overall structure of a software application, including its components, interfaces, and interactions with other systems.
Software architects have a deep understanding of system design principles and can create robust and scalable software architectures that meet the needs of complex enterprise systems. However, a good software architect does not lose touch with the implementation challenges.
The Value of Each Role in a Software Development Team
In a healthy software development team, there should be a mix of different skills and roles. For example, a software architect may design the overall structure of a software application, but they may not be as effective in solving an algorithmic problem. In this case, a software engineer could collaborate with the architect to implement the algorithm or data structure in a way that meets the architectural requirements. Add some solid software development skills into the mix and the engineering team is set for success.
It is important to note that people may combine these skills. For example, a person can be an outstanding engineer and developer and have experience architecting solutions.
Another very important point I want to make is that despite some differences, I believe, all three types of skills are equally valuable. If you think about a lifespan of a software product, there are heaps of things to take care of: the architecture to keep the system flexible, the engineering to keep the system efficient, and the development to make the most out of the existing solutions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these are just my personal thoughts on what are the strengths of a developer, an engineer and an architect. The boundaries are by no means strict. However, in my opinion, knowing the differences helps to understand where a team is lacking in terms of skills and experience. Ultimately, we all need to know that our contribution is valuable and helps our team(s) and organisation move forward.