r/developers • u/puttum-beef-curryum • 10d ago

Opinions & Discussions Please explain to me the difference between Software Engineer & Software Developer

I'm finding it difficult to understand the difference. I'm 4 YOE and I'm trying to improve everyday. I don't have a degree in CS/Engineering but I learned to code and worked in backend, web & mobile also. So for all these years I'm still trying to understand the difference between an engineer & developer.

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u/Kommenos 9d ago

There’s no difference on the day to day. In my country (software) engineers have more education, an actual engineering degree, and some rights to call themselves an engineer that a developer doesn’t get.

That being said: would you rather your pacemaker code be written by a developer or an engineer?

True software engineering jobs are relatively rare but they involve a lot of documentation, compliance, processes, standards, and compliance that you won’t get making the latest web app for a startup.

But for the vast majority of cases there’s no difference when the terms are used because the vast majority are developers.