The choice between “software engineer” and “software developer” often sparks debate, with many arguing that the terms are essentially interchangeable. While there are similarities, there are also subtle differences in emphasis and scope.

A Software Developer typically focuses on the technical aspects of software development, including coding, testing, and debugging. Developers often work on specific components or features within a larger software system.

A Software Engineer implies a broader range of responsibilities, encompassing not only coding but also system design, architecture, and problem-solving. Engineers may be involved in the entire software development lifecycle, from initial requirements gathering to deployment and maintenance.

Ultimately, the preferred title often depends on individual preferences, career goals, and the specific role within a company. Some individuals may prefer the more technical focus of “software developer,” while others may value the broader scope and problem-solving aspects associated with “software engineer.”

The best way to determine which title is most appropriate for you is to consider your own skills, interests, and the specific requirements of the role you are applying for when applying for jobs.

It’s evident that you need to prioritize the development of your technical skills, enhance your problem-solving capabilities, and keep abreast of the latest industry trends. This combination of skills and knowledge will make you a highly valued member of any team, whether you’re working as a developer or an engineer.

Ethereum, a decentralized platform that operates smart contracts, has emerged as a significant force in the world of blockchain technology. While Bitcoin, the first and most well-known cryptocurrency, primarily functions as a digital currency, Ethereum offers a more versatile and comprehensive platform with a wide range of applications.

At the core of Ethereum’s innovation lies the concept of smart contracts. These self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code can automate and streamline various processes, reducing the need for intermediaries and minimizing the risk of errors. Ethereum’s blockchain technology ensures transparency, security, and immutability, making it a promising solution for various industries.

One of the most prominent applications of Ethereum is in the realm of decentralized finance (DeFi). DeFi protocols built on Ethereum enable users to access financial services, such as lending, borrowing, and trading, without relying on traditional financial institutions. These decentralized platforms offer greater financial inclusion and empower individuals to take control of their finances.

Beyond DeFi, Ethereum has the potential to revolutionize numerous sectors. In the supply chain industry, smart contracts can track the movement of goods, ensuring transparency and accountability. In the healthcare industry, Ethereum can securely store and manage patient records, enabling seamless data sharing and improving healthcare outcomes. Additionally, Ethereum can be used to create decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), which are organizations governed by rules encoded as computer programs. DAOs can streamline decision-making processes and foster community-driven governance.

While Ethereum has made significant strides, it faces challenges such as scalability, high transaction fees, and energy consumption. However, ongoing research and development efforts are addressing these issues through solutions like layer-2 scaling solutions and proof-of-stake consensus mechanisms.

In conclusion, Ethereum’s potential to transform industries and disrupt traditional systems is immense. As the technology continues to evolve, it is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the digital economy.

A common hurdle for new programmers is developing strong logical thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving skills. These cognitive abilities are crucial for efficient algorithms and crafting effective code.

One excellent way to sharpen your mind and enhance these skills is by engaging in brain teasers. These puzzles challenge your thinking in unique ways, helping you develop a more analytical and logical approach.

Below are some examples brain teasing questions

1. A doctor and a bus driver are both in love with the same woman, an attractive girl named Sarah. The bus driver had to go on a long bus trip that would last a week. Before he left, he gave Sarah seven apples. Why?

2. I left my campsite and hiked south for 3 miles. Then I turned east and hiked for 3 miles. I then turned north and hiked for 3 miles, at which time I came upon a bear inside my tent eating my food! What color was the bear?

3. A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him underwater for over 5 minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But 5 minutes later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be?

4. What is special about these words: job, polish, herb?

5. I am taken from a mine, and shut up in a wooden case, from which I am never released, and yet I am used by almost everybody. What am I?

6. A man stands on one side of a river, his dog on the other. The man calls his dog, who immediately crosses the river without getting wet and without using a bridge or a boat. How did the dog do it?

7. I can’t be bought, but I can be stolen with a glance. I’m worthless to one, but priceless to two. What am I?

8. Turn me on my side and I am everything. Cut me in half and I am nothing. What am I?

9. No matter how little or how much you use me, you change me every month. What am I?

10. How can 8 + 8 = 4?

11. What has cities, but no houses; forests, but no trees; and water, but no fish?

12. A red house is made from red bricks. A blue house is made from blue bricks. A yellow house is made from yellow bricks. What is a greenhouse made from?

13. There is a word in the English language in which the first two letters signify a male, the first three letters signify a female, the first four signify a great man, and the whole word, a great woman. What is the word?

14. In my hand I have two coins that are newly minted. Together, they total 30 cents. One isn’t a nickel. What are the coins?

15. What is harder to catch the faster you run?

16. You’re escaping a labyrinth and there are three exits. Exit A leads to an inferno. Exit B leads to an assassin. Exit C leads to a lion that hasn’t eaten in 3 years. Which exit do you pick?

17. What fastens two people yet touches only one?

18. What kind of running means walking?

19. What can be swallowed, but can also swallow you?

20. They fill me up and you empty me, almost every day; if you raise my arm, I work the opposite way. What am I?

21. Which three letters can frighten a thief away?

22. First I am dried, then I am wet. The longer I swim, the more taste you get. What am I?

23. Lovely and round, I shine with pale light, grown in the darkness, A lady’s delight. What am I?

24. My voice is tender, my waist is slender and I’m often invited to play. Yet wherever I go I must take my bow or else I have nothing to say. What am I?

25. I am a box that holds keys without locks, yet they can unlock your soul. What am I?

26. I have a big mouth and I am also quite loud! I am NOT a gossip but I do get involved with everyone’s dirty business. What am I?

27. I have four wings, but cannot fly, I never laugh and never cry; On the same spot I’m always found, toiling away with little sound. What am I?

28. What can be stolen, mistaken, or altered, yet never leaves you your entire life?

29. Until I am measured, I am not known. Yet you miss me, when I have flown. What am I?

30. Some try to hide, some try to cheat, but time will show, we always will meet. Try as you might, to guess my name, I promise you’ll know, when you do claim. Who am I?

31. Four cars come to a four-way stop, all coming from a different direction. They can’t decide who got there first, so they all go forward at the same time. They do not crash into each other, but all four cars go. How is this possible?

32. Take one out and scratch my head, I am now black but once was red. What am I?

33. I weaken all men for hours each day. I show you strange visions while you are away. I take you by night, by day take you back. None suffer to have me, but do from my lack. What am I?

34. He has married many women, but has never been married. Who is he?

35. My life is often a volume of grief, your help is needed to turn a new leaf. Stiff is my spine and my body is pale, but I’m always ready to tell a tale. What am I?

36. What has no hands but might knock on your door, and if it does you better open up?

37. What do you throw out when you want to use it but take in when you don’t want to use it?

38. I can be short and sometimes hot. When displayed, I rarely impress. What am I?

39. What can be driven although it doesn’t have wheels, sliced but stays whole?

40. The cost of making only the maker knows, Valueless if bought, but sometimes traded. A poor man may give one as easily as a king. When one is broken pain and deceit are assured. What is it?

41. What rocks but does not roll?

42. Shoot at me a thousand times and I may still survive. But, one scratch from me and you will find your prospects take a dive. What am I?

43. Why is the letter F like death?

44. You do not want to have it, But when you do have it, You do not want to lose it. What is it?

45. An elevator is on the ground floor. There are four people in the elevator including me. When the lift reaches the first floor, one person gets out and three people get in. The lift goes up to the second floor, 2 people get out, 6 people get in. It then goes up to the next floor up, no one gets out but 12 people get in. Halfway up to the next floor up the elevator cable snaps, it crashes to the floor. Everyone else dies in the elevator except me. How did I survive?

47. Arnold Schwarzenegger has a long one. Michael J. Fox has a short one. Madonna does not use hers. Bill Clinton always uses his. The Pope never uses his. What is it?

48. The number 8,549,176,320 is a unique number. What is so special about it?

49. Find a number less than 100 that is increased by one-fifth of its value when its digits are reversed.

50. What letter comes next in the following sequence? D R M F S L T_

51. You are in a place called Wally’s World and there is only one law. There is a mirror, but no reflection. There is pizza with cheese, but not sausage. There is pepper, but no salt. There is a door, yet no entrance or exit. What is the law?

52. I come in different shapes and sizes. Parts of me are curved, other parts are straight. You can put me anywhere you like, but there is only one right place for me. What am I?

53. I have no eyes, no legs, or ears, and I help move the earth. What am I?

54. A sundial has the fewest moving parts of any timepiece. Which has the most?

55. What is unusual about the following words: revive, banana, grammar, voodoo, assess, potato, dresser, uneven?

56. Put a coin into an empty bottle and insert a cork into the neck. How can you remove the coin without removing the cork or breaking the bottle?

57. In 1990, a person was 15 years old. In 1995, that same person was 10 years old. How can this be?

58. You’re standing in a hallway with three light switches on the wall, each of which turns on a different lamp inside a closed room. You can’t see inside the room, and you can’t open the door except to enter the room. You can enter the room only once, and when you do, all the lamps must be turned off. How can you tell which switch turns on which lamp?

59. Two boxers are in a match scheduled for 12 rounds. (Pure boxing only. There are no kicking or takedowns). One of the boxers gets knocked out after only six rounds, yet no man throws a punch. How is this possible?

60. What does this mean? I RIGHT I

61. I have a large money box, 10 inches wide and 5 inches tall. Roughly how many coins can I place until my money box is no longer empty?

62. Brothers and sisters I have none but this man’s father is my father’s son. Who is the man?

63. Who makes it, has no need of it. Who buys it, has no use for it. Who uses it can neither see nor feel it. What is it?

64. What runs all around a backyard, yet never moves?

65. What tastes better than it smells?

66. What has a bottom at the top?

67. What goes through cities and fields, but never moves?

68. During which month do people sleep the least?

69. What is made of water but if you put it into water it will die?

70. Which creature walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?

71. What 4-letter word can be written forward, backward or upside down, and can still be read from left to right?

72. Take off my skin — I won’t cry, but you will! What am I?

73. A family has two parents and six sons. Each of the sons has one sister. How many people are in the family?

74. The water level in a reservoir is low, but doubles every day. It takes 60 days to fill the reservoir. How long does it take for the reservoir to become half full?

75. How far can a squirrel run into the woods?

76. Which word logically comes next in this sequence? Spots, tops, pots, opts…

77. Which tire doesn’t move when a car turns right?

78. What do an island and the letter “t” have in common?

79. Is the capital of Kentucky pronounced Louisville or Luee-ville?

80. On which side of a chicken are there more feathers?

81. How can a man who shaves several times a day still sport a long beard?

82. What coat goes on wet?

83. A rancher had 500 cows and took one shot that got them all. How did he do it?

84. What can’t talk but will reply when spoken to?

85. What can you keep after giving to someone?

86. A man dies of old age on his 25 birthday. How is this possible?

87. I have branches, but no fruit, trunk or leaves. What am I?

88. The more of this there is, the less you see. What is it?

89. Where does today come before yesterday?

90. What can’t be put in a saucepan?

91. What is black when it’s clean and white when it’s dirty?

92. What can you hold in your left hand but not in your right?

93. What has many keys but can’t open a single lock?

94. What is cut on a table, but is never eaten?

95. What kind of band doesn’t play music?

96. What building has the most stories?

97. It stalks the countryside with ears that can’t hear. What is it?

98. A man describes his daughters, saying, “They are all blonde, but two; all brunette but two; and all redheaded but two.” How many daughters does he have?

99. What is 3/7 chicken, 2/3 cat and 2/4 goat?

100. If you drop me I’m sure to crack, but give me a smile and I’ll always smile back. What am I?

101. What would you find in the middle of Toronto?

Embarking on the journey to become a computer programmer can be daunting, especially when you’re starting out solo. Dedication and consistent practice are key, but having the right guidance can significantly smooth the path.

I’ve noticed that many aspiring engineers begin their journey with whatever resources they can find, and their initial experiences can profoundly shape their development. For self-taught engineers, the first materials or videos they encounter can have a significant impact on their mindset.

Similarly, for students in coding schools, the first teacher they meet can play a crucial role in shaping their approach. To make your journey less challenging, it’s essential to have the right materials and a mentor to guide you.

Here are a few things to focus on as you start your programming journey

1. Adopt the right mindset.

Learning to code is a challenging endeavor, so be prepared to face obstacles head-on. Laziness won’t cut it. Cultivate a mindset of curiosity and determination. Always strive to understand every line of code and question how things work. This persistent effort will set you apart and help you become a confident, self-sufficient software engineer.

2. Understand the Basics of Problem-Solving:

• Learn about algorithms: Algorithms are step-by-step instructions to solve a problem. Start by understanding basic algorithm types like linear search, sorting algorithms, and decision-making. Interactive visualizations and explanations to grasp these concepts easily.
• Practice computational thinking: This involves breaking down problems into smaller, manageable steps, identifying patterns, and designing solutions. beginner-friendly games and puzzles that can help you develop these skills.
• Explore logic puzzles and brainteasers: Regularly engaging with logic puzzles and brainteasers can train your brain to think logically and creatively, which are essential skills for programmers.

3. Familiarization with Programming Fundamentals:

• Explanation about different programming paradigms: These are different approaches to programming, like object-oriented programming and procedural programming. Understanding the basic ideas behind these paradigms will give you a broader perspective on the field.
• Explore and Explain data structures: Data structures are ways to organize and store information in a computer program. Learn about common data structures like arrays, linked lists, and stacks etc. You can find resources with visual representations and explanations to help you understand their functionalities.
• Get introduced to variables and operators: Variables are like containers that hold data, while operators perform actions on that data.
• Explanation about basic data types like numbers and strings, and common operators like addition, subtraction, and comparison.

4. Practice with Tools and Activities:

• Coding activities: These are activities that simulate programming concepts without using a computer. They can involve physical objects, paper, or even role-playing, and can be a great way to grasp fundamental concepts in a fun and interactive way.
• Use flowcharts and pseudocode: Flowcharts are visual representations of the logic flow of a program, while pseudocode is an informal language that resembles spoken language but is easier for computers to understand than natural language.
• Practicing with these tools can help you design and visualize the logic of your program before translating it into an actual programming language.
• Explore interactive coding environments: explore programming concepts visually and experientially. These environments often use drag-and-drop blocks or simplified syntax to teach you the core principles without overwhelming you with complex syntax

4. Get the right mentor/coach

A good mentor or coach can significantly impact an aspiring software engineer’s journey. They offer more than just technical knowledge, they provide invaluable guidance, support, and a sounding board for challenges and triumphs.

Here are some key reasons why a mentor is crucial:

• Personalized Guidance: A mentor can tailor their advice to your specific learning style and goals. They can help you identify areas where you need improvement and suggest strategies for growth.
• Industry Insights: Mentors often have years of experience in the software engineering field. They can share insights into industry trends, best practices, and potential career paths.
• Networking Opportunities: Mentors can introduce you to other professionals in the field, expanding your network and creating opportunities for collaboration.
• Emotional Support: The journey to becoming a software engineer can be challenging. A mentor can provide emotional support, encouragement, and a listening ear when you’re feeling overwhelmed or frustrated.
• Career Advice: Mentors can offer advice on everything from job hunting to career advancement. They can help you set realistic goals and develop a plan to achieve them.

Python is arguably the most popular programming language in the world, it is widely used due its vast application in various aspect of technology such as Web application development, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and so on.

Big technology companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook have all used python to develop some of their projects like over the years. But then, does it really matter if Python is your first programming language of choice? Well, I’d argue that is an excellent choice because Python syntax is quite similar to writing the English language, programming wise at least.

However, writing Python code can be fun and frustrating at the same time, especially when you are just starting out as a programmer. So how can you make that journey a bit easier and less stressful?

1. After Installing Python Interpreter, you need to use a very good Integrated development Environment (IDE) like pycharm or a good code editor like Virtual Studio Code (VS Code). These software have programs like pyflakes embedded in them which highlights syntax error in your code.

2. Python is not a strictly typed language, but you still need make sure your syntax are correct. For example, missing a Colon (:) at the end of an “IF” or “For Loop” statement or improper indentation could be very frustrating. But then, most of the IDEs and Code editors help with this.

for example

if python:
    print("coding can be so much fun")

Note: the action state did not start at the same line with the if statement

3. Please note that at the end of an “IF” statement or a “For Loop”, when you press the Enter key, the cursor jumps to the “IF” statement block on the next line.

4. The standard indentation is four Space-bar key or by simply pressing the Tab key once.

5. Python has 33 reserved words. Avoid using any of it or any name of functions in naming your module because this can cause the file to replace the original file in the Interpreter and cause the program to malfunction or give wrong result.

6. In reference to the above, when you name your file with the same name as one of Python keywords or reserved words, the interpreter will assume you want to replace the file with the one that comes with it and will cause it to misbehave. For example you are working on an exercise on range function and you name your module(python file) range.py, your interpreter will assume you want to write and use your own range module so it will keep its own and will use your own which will cause the file to give the unexpected response during execution.

I hope I’ve been able to give one or two tips in making your python journey more fun. Thank you for your time, see you in my next article

In other to explain decorators very well, we need to understand higher order function. (H.O.F.) Higher order function are function that accept another function as parameter.

for example

def hello(func):
  func()

Higher order function returns another function as result.

def hello():
    def func():
        return "inner function result"
    return func()

examples are map, reduce, filter functions etc.

Implementing a simple decorator function.

def my_decorator(func):
    def wrapper_func():
        print(***************)
        func()
        print(***************)
    return wrapper_func()
    

Lets define another function and apply our decorator function on it. writing the name of the function we want to use as decorator preceding with @ sign for example @my_decorator

@my_decorator
def welcome():
    print("welcome user
This will output 

**************

welcome User

**************

we get additional fancy output by simply adding a decorator on our welcome function. our decorator function is reuse-able we can apply it on another function and it will give additional functionality to the function.

Lets create another decorator that check the time taken for a function to finish performing its task.

from time import time

def perfromace(func):
    def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
        t1 = time()
        result = func(*args, **kwargs)
        t2 = time()
        print(f"time take for the function to complete its task is {t2 - t1} seconds")
        return result
    return wrapper

lets apply this function on a function to know the time taken for the function to complete its task.

@performance
def long_time():
    for i in range(1000000000):
        print(i)

This will display the taken for the long_time function to complete its operation

Note: the time may varies based on the system its been tested on.

String is not peculiar to to python alone, it exist in other programing languages as well.

Any characters in quotes is a string for example = ‘welcome to python’ or “welcome to python”

you can wrap a string across single quotes or double quotes in python, just make sure if the opening quote is single the same single quotes is used to close it.

for example ‘hello world” or “hello world’ will give you syntax error.

If your string is going to spanning across multiple lines, the string is wrapped in triple opening and closing quotes

for example

“““

for a long sentence.

”””

String Iteration, Indexing and Slicing

In python you can iterate over a string, what this simply means is that since a string is sequence of character. you can move over each character one by one and perform an action.

for i in “hello world”:

print(i)

when texting the program above please make sure you indent the code into the for loop block properly

The code above will print each character of the string into the console

String Indexing

String is combination of characters which mean means we can access each character with his index, in python and most programming language index start from zero.

for example

“hello world”[0] will give you h

“hello world”[-1] will give d i.e negative indexing start counting from behind.

String slicing

String slicing is use to get portion or part of the the string.

we use the square bracket after the string with the values where we want to start getting the string and where we want to stop stop and and optional step for example “the string”[start : stop: step]

for example

“hello world”[2:10] will give “llo wor”

“hello world”[6:] will give world

“hello world”[:-1] will give hello worl

“hello world”[:] will make a copy the entire string

String concatenation

Two or more strings can be join together to form a single string

for example

string1 = “hello”

string2 = ‘world’

my_string = strin1 + “ ” + string2 will give you “hello world”

note: i added empty string in between in order to get the space in between the two strings

Escape characters

Sometimes our strings include quotes, for example it’s a baby boy, how do we present them in our without our program throwing error.

something like ‘it’s a baby boy’ will throw error while “it’s a baby boy” will not. In a case where we have more in our string it can become confusing but with the help of escape characters we will be able to write our string in a more convenient and readable way.

for example.

“it\’s a baby boy and we\’re gonna parry” will work because the \ is used to escape the ’ as text and the interpreter will read it as text.

Other types of escape character include \n for new line, \t for a tab space, \r for carriage return.

String methods

String is an object in python, the moment we declare a string in python we have access to method from the String Class that we can use to manipulate the string. We can access these method by pressing the . notation after the string itself or the string variable

Lower and Upper — these methods change the case of a string to upper and lower case respectively when the method is called on a string.

for example “hello world”.upper() will change the string to upper case HELLO WORLD. and “HELLO WORLD”.lower() will change the case to lower.

length — will count the length of a string and return the number of characters in it including the space.

len(“hello world”.) will give you 11 (including the space in between)

visit here to see list of python string methods

Formatting a string.

A string can be formatted using the format method or f string

profile = “My name is {} and I am {} years old.format(‘joseph’, 21), ”

or you can use the f string

name = ‘programmer’

age = 21

profile = f“My name is {name} and I am {age} years old”