The purpose of this article, then, is to:
What is a software developer?
A software developer is, simply put, a person who creates computer software. This can vary from creating and developing applications for mobile devices and desktop devices to working on operating systems and more underlying software. Software developers typically work with computer programmers to complete projects, from the developer coming up with the design of the application, to the programmer then writing the code.
Sofware developers have many different career responsibilities, and they will vary from job to job. Generally, software developers talk to the client about what they want the function of the application to be, design and plan how each application will work together, and pass the project to computer programmers to write the code. They also debug software and ensure that the applications they create continue to run smoothly by suggesting specific security measures. In addition to the hard skills of software development, there are soft skills that most developers find useful to have. Some of these skills include communication, working as a unit of a team, and the ability to lead a meeting.
A brief history of software development
The very first piece of software was written by Tom Kilburn in 1948 (Yost 2018). The software was written on a computer he built, the Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine, and the function of the software was to solve the greatest divisor of 2 to the power of 18. It took the software 52 minutes. With how quickly technology seems to progress now, it’s amazing to think that it was first developed just over 70 years ago, with software that moved much slower. While the first piece of software was written in 1948, the first high-level programming language emerged in 1957: Fortran. Other different programming languages which defined software development were created over the next couple of decades.
Software development really took off with the introduction of the personal computer. Apple and IBM both released their first personal computers in the late 70’s and early 80’s. During this time, more software applications were developed, namely signification applications such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. With the 90’s came open-source software, the Linux kernel, and the release of Java.
The release of mobile smartphones brought software development into its present state. With Apple’s release of the first iPhone in 2007, developing mobile applications became a booming practice. As of 2020, there were 8.9 million mobile applications globally, and that number only grows every day (Koetsier 2020).
Working as a software developer in 2022
So, what does work as a software developer look like in 2022? There are three trends that the industry anticipates seeing in the next year.
Launching a software development career
In the last five years, many tech giants announced they no longer require a computer science degree in order to work for them. This announcement opened the door for many different candidates to join the software development field. While it’s not necessary to have a degree to start a career in software development, it is necessary to choose a pathway to enter the career. There are a few different ways to do this:
WOZ U
WOZ U offers hands-on training to create full-stack web applications using front-end, back-end, and database development. In addition to the training program, eligible candidates can apply for the Woz Registered Apprenticeship Program and train for a career in software development while working within different apprenticeship opportunities. To learn more about training for software developer skills with WOZ U and one of our partners, click here.
References
Koetsier, John. “There Are Now 8.9 Million Mobile Apps, And China is 40% Of Mobile App
Spending.” 28, Feb. 2020. https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2020/02/28/there- are-now-89-million-mobile-apps-and-china-is-40-of-mobile-app-spending/? sh=23f0816d21dd
N.A. “Surprising Working From Home Productivity Statistics.” 2, June
2021. https://www.apollotechnical.com/working-from-home-productivity-statistics/
Yost, Michah. “A Brief History of Software Development.” Medium. 25, Jan.
2018. https://medium.com/@micahyost/a-brief-history-of-software-development- f67a6e6ddae0
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