Across the world, employers expect demand for tech talent to skyrocket as more and more businesses go online.

To be ready to fill those slots, you need to know what developer career paths and roles you can offer.

But what exactly is a software developer career path, and what types of software developers exist?

Junior Developer

A junior developer is a software engineering professional who assists senior developers. They typically work under the guidance of a senior developer from concept to completion. They solve problems and improve the software code.

They write, test, and debug code for in-house software projects. They also collaborate with other software engineering professionals working on the same project. This is to ensure the project meets customer requirements. A junior developer is also responsible for preparing and maintaining technical documents like:

  • system plans
  • process diagrams

Junior developers can become the architect of a software project by getting more experience and going to school.

Software Developer

Pioneers in the field crafted solutions to programming problems from the ground up with little guidance or template. As a result, software developers today have a broad spectrum of roles.

Each role challenges practitioners to use their skills in unique ways. This is to ensure that software meets the demands of modern-day users.

Through it all, a common thread binds each role together. They have a passion for creating and delivering innovative software solutions.

Software developers are furthering the progress of the software development ecosystem and strengthening the industry as a whole. To enter the software-developing industry and become a software developer, check out these Microsoft technology jobs available here.

Lead Developer

Developers have carved out various roles as software evolves and becomes increasingly complex. From ‘pioneers,’ who create large-scale applications and design elegant solutions to age-old problems.

Architects, whose job is to plan and oversee the whole architecture of the software applications. They need a spectrum of knowledge and skills to produce quality code.

At the top of this scale is the Lead Developer: a software engineer with excellent development and organizational skills. They leverage their influence to lead a team of developers to success. The Lead Developer is responsible for structuring the development process. It also manages the development team.

VP of Engineering

The VP of Engineering is responsible for leading the engineering team in the following:

  • strategic and technical initiatives
  • setting goals
  • making design decisions

They are expected to work closely with all involved in the software engineering process. They must have the ability to recognize weaknesses. They must also take advantage of opportunities that coincide with the company’s objectives.

Their overall task is to ensure that software is created and produced that meets the following:

  • customer needs
  • company’s objectives
  • achieves success

Understanding the Software Developer Career Path

The software developer career path has come a long way from the pioneers who found ways to solve problems using their imagination and knowledge. So if you want to explore which developer role is proper for you, start with the resources here and leap into software development today!

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