Top Qualities That Help You Become Or Spot A Rational Application Developer
Are application developers still the most sought of technical roles in the software industry? — And before one answers this question, it’s important to have a clear understanding about roles and responsibilities of application developer, app developer, software developer and software engineer. Besides, one should be able to differentiate the terms application, app, development and engineering.
TL;DR: Application developers design, create, test and update apps and/or programs for specific devices or environments. Along with technical skills, it is imperative for application developers to acquire certain non-technical skills for career survival and progress. It is also necessary to gain some perspective over the differentiation of the terms application developer, app developer, software developer and software engineer, if there are any.
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In this blog, we’ll be looking at the following points:
- What is application development?
- Who is an application developer?
- Responsibilities of an application developer.
- Top technical skills an application developer should possess.
- Non-technical skills an application developer should learn.
- Application developer Vs App developer Vs Software developer Vs Software Engineer.
- How-to-become a software development OR an application development expert.
What is application development?
Application development involves creation of an individual or a set of computer programs that execute multiple tasks required for a business or a system to run.
For instance, daily and recurring activities can be automated using applications, which increases the efficiency of any system.
Usually, the application development process follows the same steps:
- Gathering requirements
- Designing prototypes
- Testing
- Implementation
- Integration
Who is an application developer?
An application developer is someone who designs, creates, tests, programs and updates applications for a particular device like mobile or web or a specific operating system.
Application developers usually focus on specific areas of development, such as database applications, enterprise applications, mobile applications etc.,
They also implement regular update cycles on applications and release the latest versions to the end users.
They play an important role in the PM or technical team that is responsible for meeting user needs.
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Responsibilities of an application developer
- Learning client needs and specifics of the application that’s about to be developed.
- Designing and building application prototypes based on the client needs.
- Avoiding any delays when it comes to the delivery of the application without any compromise in the quality of coding.
- Putting the application through a thorough testing process before going live.
- Debugging in case of errors.
- evaluating current applications, appending fresh features, reengineering modules to boost performance and release updates.
- Preparing and maintaining proper documentation of application code and design.
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Top technical skills an application developer should possess
- Programming language skills
- Proficient with computers
- UI design skills
- Backend development skills
- Cross platform development skills
- Product management skills
- IoT
- Cybersecurity
- Agile development
- Business skills
Additionally, learning system design will skyrocket your development career and make you a qualified candidate for senior engineering roles. Learn more about system design interviews.
Non-technical skills an application developer should learn
- Communication skills: Application developers should be able to clearly communicate with their teams, and should be skilled enough to translate technical information to non-tech people.
- Problem-solving & Analytical skills: Should able to comprehend and analyze user needs and then apply that information for finding fresher solutions. Application developers should look at user experience and decide how the problem can be solved or optimized.
- Creative skills: Application developers should naturally form a creative thought framework to find a client-oriented solution.
- Patience: Application software development and testing take a lot of time owing to multiple bug and code fixes. Developers must learn to stay calm and composed when trying multiple iterations of a solution.
Let’s clear all the confusion about software developers, software engineers, application developers and app developers.
- Software Engineering deals with the process of creating software in its entirety. It’s about taking a peek beyond the what’s & how’s of coding and looking at the software lifecycle.
- Software Development, however, is about getting a stronghold over the coding aspect of the software. It demands us to look away from the engineering process and behind the system frameworks.
- Application Development takes a targeted approach by turning the attention more towards the applications, that are perceived in a graphical representation.
At times, the operations of an Application Developer intersect with the tasks of a Software Developer. The primary differentiator being the tools that are used.
- App development, in general, focuses more on design, UX and feature upgrades.
All things said, every individual is free to form their own opinions and perceptions in case of defining the roles of developers, engineers, apps, applications and software.
It’s an open-ended question after all.
How to become a software development or an application development expert?
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