Key Takeaways
- Distinct roles in software development: Developers and architects play crucial but different roles in creating software systems. Developers focus on writing code and building applications, while architects design the overall system architecture and ensure it meets business objectives.
- Responsibilities and skills: Developers are responsible for coding, debugging, and implementing software features using programming languages. Architects oversee the high-level design, set technical standards, and ensure that the software aligns with both technical and business requirements.
- Career growth opportunities: Both roles offer promising career paths with opportunities for advancement. Developers can progress to senior developer or technical lead positions, while architects often advance to roles like enterprise architect or chief technology officer.
- Collaboration is key: Effective communication and collaboration between developers and architects are essential for the success of software projects, ensuring that design plans are implemented correctly and efficiently.
- Choosing the right path: Understanding the key differences between developers and architects can help you decide which career aligns better with your skills, interests, and career goals.
The path to becoming a software engineer can take many turns. Those who study software engineering develop core engineering skills and often have the opportunity to explore two career trajectories: developer vs. architect.
Software developers create computer programs using their programming and coding knowledge. Developers need to know how to write code, fix software bugs, and manage software updates so that the software user has a seamless and uninterrupted experience.1
A software architect, on the other hand, is essentially a software engineer who manages the design and technical components of software. These computer programmers help make key decisions in the software development design process; ensure software quality by regularly inspecting code; and assign tasks to developers before, during, and after the software development process.
As you might imagine, these two roles are crucial to any software development lifecycle (SDLC), but knowing which role is right for you requires self-exploration and deeper insight into each job’s responsibilities.
In this article, we’ll examine the similarities and differences between software developers and software architects to help you decide which software engineering career path is best for you.
Understanding the role of a software developer
At its core, a software developer’s role is to conceptualize, build, test, and maintain computer software and software programs. Software developers can work on a range of software, like operating systems, web platforms, or desktop and mobile applications.2 As one example, Salesforce developers might specialize in building Salesforce-compatible programs and app integrations to maximize the use of this platform.
To accomplish these tasks, software developers are responsible for writing code to develop software and implement patches if and when bugs pop up. Through collaboration with the greater software team, including software architects and project managers, software developers rely on their analytical and problem-solving skills to build programs that are easy to use, reliable, and serve the necessary functions.
Software developer skills
To become a software developer, it’s crucial to understand programming languages like Python, Java, and C++, among others. Developers also need a basic understanding of databases and structured query language (SQL) so they can access and analyze data within databases.
To build high-functioning software like Salesforce, a Salesforce developer would need to know how to build and run tests to ensure the software performs as intended. Finally, knowledge of operating systems and how they interact with each other is another important skill for the budding software developer.
In addition to these hard skills, software developers also need to possess soft skills, like the ability to work as part of a team and communicate well. They also must know how to multitask while also paying close attention to detail, as they’ll regularly work on multiple parts of an application at the same time.
A typical software development lifecycle (SDLC).3
Potential software developer career paths
Software developers can follow multiple career paths. Most start as junior developers and then rise through the ranks to become senior developers. After gaining enough experience on a development team, they may become technical leads. Some developers may advance further to the role of principal software engineer, a senior position that requires strong leadership skills and expertise in the latest technologies.
Outside career growth, software developers also have the potential to specialize in certain areas of development, such as front-end, back-end, or full-stack development.
Understanding the role of a software architect
Unlike a software developer, a software architect plays a more overarching role in the software development process. The software architect is responsible for defining the technical standards and the architectural guidelines of a project to ensure they align with given business objectives. The architect also assembles the development team, assigns roles, and instructs the team to follow certain frameworks.
Once the project is underway, the software architect oversees the development and tweaks the architecture as needed. A cloud architect, for example, might specialize in knowledge about cloud-based infrastructure.
Software architect skills
Successful software architects tend to possess the following skills:
- Technical expertise. Technical knowledge is essential for architects to make informed decisions throughout the project. To assign team members to appropriate roles, software architects need to know what is required of each role. If an issue arises, they’ll need to know how to fix it and delegate responsibilities. For example, an architect for Amazon Web Services, also known as an AWS architect, is an expert in AWS operations and can direct AWS developers as needed.
- Software system comprehension. A leader who assigns project roles needs to be well-versed in the duties of each role. Knowledge of software systems enables a software architect to maintain an overall vision for the project and make sure every system function is accounted for. This knowledge might extend to the cloud, as it would for a cloud architect.
- Communication and leadership skills. Software architects need to be able to communicate clearly so all team members are on the same page. They also need to know when to step in if their team gets stuck.
- Problem-solving and action-oriented. Software architects need to be able to think on the spot and devise solutions for when things go awry. They often address real-world problems that require innovative solutions. Depending on the severity of the issue, they need to make fast decisions and be proactive rather than reactive.
- Ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions. It’s the software architect’s responsibility to take a client’s business requirements and translate those into a technical solution that will meet the client’s objectives.
Potential software architect career paths
Software architects may have once been software developers who have worked their way up and are ready for a new challenge. When they reach the level of senior developer or technical lead and prove they have the skills mentioned above (particularly communication and leadership), software developers can become excellent software solutions architects.
In large companies, architects often have clearly defined roles and responsibilities, following formal methodologies and working within structured hierarchies. In smaller companies, a single person may need to wear many hats, taking on multiple roles such as architect, developer, and even decision-maker, which demonstrates the versatility required in these organizations.
Software architects can grow their careers even further by advancing into roles like enterprise architects or chief technology officers (CTOs).
Key differences between software developers and software architects
Software knowledge and soft skills are universal for developers and architects, but once duties are drilled down in more detail, the differences between these two roles become clear.
Scope of work
While developers focus on software details like coding, implementation, and bug fixes, a solutions architect has a bird’s-eye view of the entire development process and focuses on software design and system structure.
Hands-on software duties
Software engineers are typically more involved in projects and focus on coding, testing, and maintaining software. They’re tasked with following the software architecture designed by the architects. Software architects guide engineers and ensure that software aligns with business objectives.
Skills and expertise
Software engineers’ expertise extends to coding, programming, and basic functionality. Software architects have broader expertise that hinges on design and scalability. They also need leadership skills to guide and mentor their technical teams.
Decision-making authority
Software engineers need to be able to make quick decisions, especially when faced with software bugs or system downtime. But software architects are involved in more project-wide decisions and long-term planning and strategy to keep a project moving forward. Both software engineers and software architects are responsible for solving technical problems, but architects typically address more complex and high-level issues, while engineers focus on specific, immediate challenges.
Communication with businesses
Because software engineers work on projects in more detail, they have very little interaction with the client. Software architects are the conduit through which progress is reported and other software-level information is translated.
Shared skills and qualifications for developers and architects
Despite contrasting job duties between a software developer and a software architect, there are many overlapping technology skills and qualifications for both roles. Although their duties differ, all team members work toward a shared goal: Delivering good software that meets business requirements and adheres to quality and business standards.
Below are a few of the shared skills that are necessary for both developers and architects.
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- Communication. In a collaborative working environment, all parties need to know how to communicate effectively.
- Documentation and guidelines. Software architects are usually tasked with providing architectural documentation and guidelines that developers must follow. In the case of an AWS architect, this might involve ensuring developers follow AWS protocol. Meanwhile, developers need to know how to interpret the architectural guidelines and, at the end of the project, produce code documentation.
- Problem-solving. Whether fixing bugs or dealing with the client’s demands, everyone on the software team needs to stay agile and solve problems as they arise.
- Software engineering knowledge. The team needs to have foundational knowledge about building software, best practices, and the latest advancements they can implement into their product.
Venn diagram comparing the responsibilities of a software engineer vs. a software architect.4
Software maintenance considerations
Software developers and architects need to know not only how to build software but also how to maintain it, mitigate the risk for bugs, update software features, and optimize code so that software can operate at its highest capacity.
Developers’ roles in maintenance
Developers are responsible for troubleshooting solutions when problems arise. Developers also must perform periodic tests to find ways to optimize the software’s performance and efficiency.
Architects’ roles in maintenance
Technical architects make sure developers have what they need to keep the software system up and running. They’re also responsible for the scalability of the software by identifying and preventing future maintenance mishaps.
Career growth opportunities for developers and architects
Because of the overlap in knowledge and duties, developers and architects usually begin their careers from the same place. Once on their respective career tracks, however, they tend to grow in different directions.
Career growth opportunities for developers
Software developers typically start their career path as entry-level developers writing code. They may move into mid-level or senior developer roles where they’re given larger projects, work more independently, and supervise junior developers. As a team technical lead or principal engineer, they supervise full teams of developers and oversee development projects, including making high-level decisions and allocating resources to meet greater business goals.
The common final stage for a software developer is the executive track toward a director of engineering or a chief technology officer. These leaders are responsible for ensuring their technical strategy satisfies the business goals of an entire company.
Software developers also have the opportunity to specialize in more granular aspects of development and may explore some of the roles listed below.
- Mobile app developer. Mobile app developers create apps for operating systems like Android and iOS.
- DevOps engineer. These engineers focus on software deployment, scalability, and daily operations.
- Data scientist. A data scientist is crucial for collecting and analyzing data, and developing AI solutions.
- Game developer. Game developers create video games for consoles, computers, and mobile devices.
- Cyber security developer. Developers are responsible for building and maintaining secure software and addressing leaks if and when they happen.
- Cloud developer. These pros concentrate on developing cloud-based applications and require special knowledge of cloud infrastructure.
Career growth opportunities for architects
Software architects can set themselves up for a wide range of career opportunities. Once they’ve built solid technical, leadership, and strategic skills, they might embark on one of the following career paths.
- Senior software architect. Software architects work as technical leads to guide engineers through the construction of complex software architecture.
- Principal engineer. A principal engineer solves structural issues while driving software projects forward.
- Chief Technical Officer. A CTO guides a company’s technology strategy and ensures business objectives are considered in new software development.
- Technological consultant. Software architects may find they want to venture into self-employment and work as independent technological consultants.
- Entrepreneurship. Experienced software architects can start their own businesses.
Developer vs. architect: How to choose
It might seem hard to choose between the career path of a software developer and a software solutions architect. If your interests lie in more detailed work that involves coding, programming, and debugging, software development may be for you. However, if you aspire to lead and possibly build your own company one day, you might choose the software architect career path.
Developers and architects: The software dream team
Every software development project requires different levels of capabilities and expertise. In-the-weeds experts write code, learn how to debug, and implement architectural elements defined by the project manager. Software architects keep the project moving forward, manage the developers, and communicate with the business or client.
In deciding which career path to choose, you’ll need to assess your interests, skills, and professional goals. As you begin researching possible developer vs. architect career paths, keep this article handy. With all the right tools and information, you’ll be able to make the best decision for you and your future.
Sources:
1 https://www.careeronestop.org/Videos/careeronestop-videos.aspx?videocode=15125200
2 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm
3 https://www.browserstack.com/guide/learn-software-development-process 4 https://intellisoft.io/software-architect-vs-software-engineer-core-differences/
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