Are you looking to get into the Software Development landscape?
Are you unsure as to where to start? You’ve come to the right place!
In this article, you’ll find a quick intro to software dev, its types, and languages.
Are you ready to dive into it? Let’s go!
What is Software Development?
According to IBM Research, “Software Development is a set of Computer Science that creates, designs, deploys, and maintains software.”
What is software? Here, it’s a set of instructions, data, or programs to tell a device what to do.
Yet, as you may know, there are different types of it, which we’ll address in the next section.
What are the Types of Software?
To start your journey into software development, you should know what type of software you are interested in.
Here’s a short description of the three main types.
- Application Software. Desktop, web and mobile applications help users perform tasks. Examples include media players, word processors and data management.
- System Software. This software provides core functions to run other software on a device. Examples include operating systems, firmware and device drivers.
- Programming Software. Lastly, this software gives programmers tools to create code, including text editors, debuggers and compilers.
Some may consider other software types as subcategories of these main ones, while others think they need their own category.
These include driver software, middleware, firmware and utility software.
We stuck to the main three, but it’s always good to know there might be further distinctions.
Software Engineering v. Software Development
These two terms can often be mixed up, so we believe explaining the difference is important.
A software engineer designs, develops, maintains, tests and evaluates computer software.
Meanwhile, a software developer builds software that can run on various types of computers, writing code from scratch.
The main difference is that the engineer oversees the system while the developer creates functional software.
Although we’ll be focusing on development, there might also be some references and useful material for software engineers.
Most Popular Programming Languages
There are countless programming languages out there.
Which ones are best for beginners depends on many factors.
Edges include specializations, ease to learn and available resources.
Below, we have included a list of some popular programming languages to consider.
- JavaScript. JavaScript is a widely used language, mainly used for interactive FE and dynamic BE (with the Node.js).
- Python. Python is often used to build web applications but can also be used for automated tasks and Artificial Intelligence.
- Java. Java is a “write once, run anywhere” platform-oriented language used for developing client-server applications and Android apps.
- Swift. Created by Apple to develop iOS and macOS applications. Swift may be a bit harder to learn but opens many job opportunities.
- R. Besides a language, R is an environment for statistical computing and graphics, commonly used for data analysis and ML.
Software Development Resources For Beginners
1. Roadmaps
As you can see from all of the information above, the software development field is huge.
It is key to look into the different paths you can take and the technologies required for them.
A clear roadmap will help you determine what steps to take and where to go.
You must decide whether to take online courses or attend a boot camp.
You will need to figure out if you want to become a front, back-end or full-stack developer.
Front End refers to client side, Back-End focuses on the server one, and Full-Stack blends both.
You should also define if specializing in a specific framework, language or area (React, Java, Android, etc.).
If you are still a bit confused, you can take a look at Kamran’s developer’s roadmap for help.
It doesn’t cover every area, but it gives a clear idea of popular paths in software development.
2. GitHub
If you want to become a software developer, chances are GitHub will become your new best friend.
GitHub is a cloud hosting platform used by over 73M and 4M organizations around the globe.
You can work on projects with other people from anywhere in the world, and has its very own Learning Lab.
This Lab includes free courses to learn about GitHub itself, as well as many programming languages and tools.
3. Rules
Having some rules to guide you on your journey is always good.
Thanks to Mickey Muldoon, you have an excellent site to refer to for these.
His Rules of thumb for a 1x developer will make a great addition to your bookmarks.
4. Practice
Practice makes perfect. This is the best resource you can get.
In addition to any course or documentation you study, find and create projects to test knowledge and skills.
How much practice is included might be a good factor to consider when choosing the right course for you.
5. Career
Once you feel confident enough, it might be good to consider looking into career prep resources.
You can take a look at Interview Cake, which gives interview tips for free.
It also allows you to run through typical interview questions as part of its paid course.
Break into Tech also includes cover letters, resumes, and interview tips in its paid courses.
Conclusion
We have given you an introduction to software development for beginners.
We’ve included some necessary context and quite a few resources so you can decide what path to take and to help you through it.
We hope this article has given you all the tools you need to get on your way, and we wish you the best of luck in your career!
