Types of software engineering roles

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The 2022 estimate shows that there are 26.3 million professional computer engineers in the world. Since the early days of computer programming in the 1960s, the profession has come a long way.

For a start, within computing, software was once considered an easier branch and was often delegated to women, with men taking on the prestigious hardware-related positions. Historical studies suggest that some types of software engineering were considered "a low-skilled administrative role, akin to filing, typing or telephone switching."

Women operating the ENIAC machine

Women operating the ENIAC machine in the 1940s (source: Clayman Institute )

A lot has changed since then. Today, software engineering roles are among the most sought-after in the world. The profession has gained great prestige and commands some of the highest pay packages.

Above all, the nature of work in the software engineering field is now incredibly varied and multi-faceted. From a data engineer fine-tuning the architecture of company applications to a hacker checking perimeter security, there are all kinds of computer engineers!

Before we get into the croatia number data top roles and how to excel in them, let’s understand what software engineering encompasses today.

Understanding the scope of software engineering
Software engineering includes everything involved in planning, designing, developing, testing and maintaining digital applications. This expands across several parameters.

Devices or operating systems : You could be an iOS or Android developer

Application Type : What you're programming could be an HR app for corporations, a consumer-focused food delivery service, or the latest multiplayer game.

Programming Languages : Depending on the device and type of application, you may be proficient in a small set of languages ​​such as Java, Kotlin, Swift, etc.

Business Process : When people say app development, we often think of coding a website or mobile app. However, software engineering can encompass workflows, data, collaboration, and much more.

Lifecycle Phase : Engineers are not just people who write code to “build” software. As a software engineer, you may work in architecture design, UX, programming, testing, deployment, infrastructure management, data systems, security, monitoring, etc.

Each of these roles is unique and critical to the usability, performance, and security of the software. What you choose plays a big role in shaping your career. Before you choose, here's where to start.

There are two types of engineers: Generalists and specialists .

A generalist typically masters a range of technologies and languages. They can develop, deploy, and maintain apps. They may also have experience in requirements gathering, project management, or leading teams.

Specialists, on the other hand, focus deeply on one area of ​​work. For example, one might specialize in AI app engineering for a specific industry, such as healthcare or finance. Specialists have deep knowledge and can solve complex problems.

These are some of the most common roles for generalist and specialist software engineers.

Different types of software engineers
Not all software engineer roles are created equal. The skills, responsibilities, and compensation of each vary greatly. Let's take a look at what the top ten software engineer roles look like.

1. Frontend Engineer
A frontend engineer builds the user interface we see and interact with. They take the designs created by the UX team and bring them to life as a functional piece of software.


Expected Salary Range According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a frontend engineer ranges from $113,000 to $183,000. With experience, it can go up to $260,000 for senior engineers.
2. Backend Engineer
A backend engineer builds the server side of the business. He or she deals with everything under the hood, including architecture, business logic, databases, and application programming interfaces (APIs).