Knowing how to code doesn’t make you a software engineer. Being a programmer is about writing code. Being a software engineer is about solving problems. The industry wants problem solvers, not just code writers. Companies look for engineers who understand architecture, scalability, and how to make trade-offs between time, cost, and complexity. Automation is creeping in. Engineers are needed to design complex systems, make judgment calls, or understand user needs which AI cannot do as of now. If you want to be a software engineer, you need to know how to design systems. Learn about load balancing and caching, database design and indexing, distributed systems, and microservices. The best engineers never stop learning, explore new tools, frameworks, and paradigms.
The article elaborates on how programming is different from software engineering. This article highlights that to thrive in the tech industry, you need to think beyond syntax and start thinking about systems.
The article suggests that the Job market for just 'programmers' is already saturated, and companies are looking for engineers who understand scalability, make trade-offs, and can design robust solutions.
Automation is creeping in on the work of a programmer—basic coding—but engineers are needed to design complex systems, make judgment calls, and understand user needs better.
The article explains the shift from Programmer to Software Engineer, and the fundamental principles to learn for the same. In-depth knowledge of system design, business context, collaboration, and never-ending curiosity is a must.
Software engineers need to be adaptable and keep up with new tools and paradigms. Focusing on building systems, not just writing code, is the key to becoming an indispensable resource in an ever-changing industry.