Web Developer vs Software Engineer – Analyzing the dissimilarities between a software engineer and web developer might be puzzling in the beginning. Here is the basic difference in technical terms. A software engineer is mainly concerned with the building of system/application software. It might be desktop software like Adobe Photoshop. Whereas, web developers are the programmers who develop websites according to the required specifications.
Responsibilities
Web developer (responsibilities)
Web developer deals with the computer the same as the software engineer. But unlike software engineers, web developers oversee the design and coding of a website. Web developers make sure the website is fully functioned and responsive.
- A web developer is responsible for the appearance and working of the websites.
- Developers communicate with clients to understand the specifications of a website and meet the requirements.
- A web developer is concerned with programming the site to make it responsive and fully functional.
- Acquiring the images or other contents for the site is also the developers’ responsibility.
Software engineer (responsibilities)
Software engineers cannot do remote jobs like web developers. They usually have bachelors or master’s degree and they work in office. So obviously they cannot choose who they are going to work with or who will be their colleagues. Software engineers have to be very creative and innovative. Their responsibilities include:
- Software engineer meet with client and other staff involved in the project.
- Identifies the problems in software or application program and solve it.
- Design a plan to meet the requirements.
- Supervise the development of programs.
- Software engineer is also responsible for testing programs to ensure the quality.
Web Developer vs Software Engineer Career path
Web developer (career/ profession)
Web development is a remote job and amid Covid-19 all the remote jobs are considered very convenient in 2020 (and beyond). So stop wondering which company will hire you without any prior experience or low grades. If you are a passionate person with some relevant skills, you can give it a go. If you don’t want to work full time, you can work as a freelance web developer. You must be able to code and understand the documentation. Don’t be scared to invest your time in web development because it will give you so much experience that one day you will be able to read your client’s mind and understand the specification that he is demanding. The key point is that you should keep learning new things and stay updated as technology changes every day.
Software engineer (career/ profession)
If you are looking forward to starting your career as a software engineer, then you must have a bachelor’s or Master’s degree to be eligible for this job. Stay focused and complete your education first and then you can go for some professional training. But once you start your career as a software engineer, keep that in mind, it is irreplaceable. Software engineers tend to be creative and they always come up with an innovative idea either it’s about the software or a solution to any existing problem related to the operating system or system applications. If you are very passionate about coding and developing new software then this work can be your dream job.
Web Developer vs Software Engineer Required skills
Web developers (required skills)
As mentioned above, the degree is not important if you want to start your career as a web developer. But, that doesn’t mean you don’t need any skills. After reading the above-mentioned topics, you are familiar with the responsibilities of a web developer. The major responsibility is the appearance of the website. I am mentioning some important and basic skills set that are necessary for a forward-looking web developer.
- HTML
- CSS better appearance of the website
- Search engine optimization skills
- Strong grip on WordPress
- Any scripted language (python)
- Must know the basics of design and analysis of Algo
- Analytical skill set.
Freelance web developers are in high demand in 2020 (and beyond). The key point is that a web developer must be able to understand the specifications. After understanding the requirements he can design and implement the code.
Software engineer (required skills)
Software engineers are often involved in the technical work. They provide effective plans for software development. Software engineers tend to offer maintenance services as well.
Software engineer must acquire following skill set.
- Basic programming skill.
- Must be able to work in team.
- Very efficient communication skills.
- Work load handling skills.
- Software maintenance.
As we are living in a very modern era where computers and technology are everywhere, robots have taken the job of many humans.in 2020, artificial intelligence is being used to test and debug the software, but still, there are some seekers who search for such skilled human being. Software engineering can be very hectic sometimes when it comes to problem-solving. The thinking of a software engineer must be very logical to survive this era where robots and technology are everywhere.
Basic programming skills
Basic programming and coding skills is the foundation of software engineering. There is no specific language to learn. You can master any language that you like or you think its easy.in 2020 python is very popular and it is a scripted language. You don’t have to be good at all languages just know the basics of them, but you must be truly skilled in one language of your choice. It can be any of the languages which are being used to program computers, like Java, Python, and Ruby etc.
Team work
The team is a very basic and necessary skill for software engineers. They must have the courage to bear feedback and change accordingly. They sometimes have to face criticism as well. This skill can be learned in any official environment. You start working in the team during your training sessions and it prepares you for the professional environment.
Communication skills
When it comes to communication, it can be categorized in two types. Communication can be either verbal or written. One should be good in both types. Communication is a major thing for software engineers because if the things are not clear then it will affect the quality of software. This is why software engineer demands proper documentations for the project. If you want to avoid any kind of mistake then communicate with the client directly and discuss the project in detail.
Software maintenance
It can be rough sometimes. During the development of software, the problem can show up where you can’t even imagine. It can be tiny or major but both ways you have to be very logical to deal with it. Software engineers provide software maintenance to their clients for 6 months or more depending on the project. Maintenance can be free or paid. The lifecycle of software starts and ends not only while coding and launching, but whenever maintenance is needed. Maintenance can be categorized into four types.
- Corrective maintenance of a software
- Adaptive maintenance of a software
- Perfective maintenance of a software
- Preventive maintenance of a software.
Web Developer vs Software Engineer Salary
Salary of a web developer
Web developers are highly paid in 2020. Regardless of other occupations, web development is the fastest-growing profession. Web development will grow by 13% by 2018. The salary of a web developer depends on the career level. Beginners make $50,990 approximately. The average salary of a web developer is $69,430 in the USA, but obviously, the salary package varies according to the career level of a developer and job position. Freelance web developers make handsome amount annually as freelancing doesn’t require any prior experience. You just need some relevant skills to showcase and then you can turn your skills into cash. Some unaware people will tell you that web development is a dying career, don’t listen to them and keep learning to make a 7 digit salary.
Salary of a software engineer
Software engineering is an efficient money-making career. Engineers with prior experience earn more cash than the beginner level software engineer without any prior experience. Either way software engineers enjoy a handsome salary. The average salary of a software engineer in the United States is about $110,000 on yearly basis. Even the starting income of software engineers is around $113,211 which is very competitive. Senior software engineers make $23837. So now you know which career is best for you.
Compensation difference
From the above mentioned well-researched paragraphs, we came to know that software engineer tends to get higher salaries, but, at the same time the web developers make more cash because they get paid according to the hourly rate and market demand of web developers is higher in 2020 (and beyond0. Unlike software engineering, the options of compensation are very vast in the field of web development. Whereas software developers/ engineers try to get hired in government organizations or offices. Web developers can easily work remotely and they don’t have to be worried about securing a job at a big organization. Software engineering and web development are quite similar but the core function of both fields is very different.
Starting your career as a web developer vs software engineer
We are living in the era of digital technologies. There are numerous options for web developers and software engineers, still, a lot of people wonder which career is best for them. I got you. First of all, you have to analyze your skills and identify your abilities. If you have a very creative and sharp mind but you don’t want to do work all day every day, then I would suggest you be a web developer. Web developers often get independence and they work in flexible hours remotely. Don’t waste your time waiting for the job to get some experience, just pick any project and test your coding skills. You can secure a very well-paid project by showcasing your skills in your portfolio.
If you have a bachelor’s degree in the relevant field plus you are a master in coding/programming and very well aware of the latest technology. Then software engineering is a good option for you. If you have a strong grip on coding then you can easily get hired in any IT company or government organization. To survive as a software engineer you must be a very creative and innovative thinker. Teamwork is the key point for this profession because you cannot do the whole project on your own.
Key differences
Abilities
- Web developers possess skills of developing any kind of website (any specifications)
- Software engineers acquire ability to develop needed software for clients.
Architecture
- Web developer is involved in creating the client server architecture.
- Software engineer work on client based systems more often and provide solution to client
Development platforms
- Web developers ensures that his creation work smoothly over the variety of web browser.
- Software engineers make certain that their creations work properly in various operating system platforms.
Programming language
- Web developers are most likely to use react native, react JS, HTML, CSS and java.
- Software engineers master c language, python, java and more.
Which is more difficult (web development or software engineering)
I would really say that it totally depends on your interest but the experienced web developers and software engineers mentioned that web development is very easy for beginners. The basic learning tools are very easy to learn and understand. Unlike web development, software engineers need to learn everything in detail and depth. Which might be crucial for some people. I hope I made everything very clear for you in this blog regarding software engineering and web development. So if you have identified your skills, go ahead and choose the right path for you.
How to be a software engineer
To become a software engineer you have to complete a four years bachelor’s degree (minimum two years) in relevant subjects. You can keep practicing via boot camps as well. You need to practice a code every day at least one time in order to nourish your skills. Like web developers, software engineers also have to make their portfolio and showcase their skills. Usually a boot camp of coding last 30 week. In boot camp, you can as much practice as you can. You put your skills into practice and learning so many new things. During this learning phase, you cover almost all the necessary topics that are important, like my SQL, react native, and more. After the boot camp session when your skills are polished very well, you can search for a job and secure one in any IT company or organization. One thing you should be very conscious about is to master at least one programming language. It could be c or java or python any of them whichever you like or think easy, go for it.
How to be a web developer
In order to become a web developer in 2021 you should be very passionate for programming and coding.
Final thoughts
Both categories, software engineering, and web development are relatively the same. But they differ when it comes to the specifications and tools. The profession of software engineering is probably most suitable for those who have degrees and are willing to work in an office environment. While web development is freedom giving career. Freedom of location and time. Web developers can work remotely without having any degree. They just need some relevant skills to perform specific tasks for their clients.
