Introduction
Congratulations to taking your first step into the world of development. When you hear the word “programmer”, what first comes to your mind? Are there different type of programmers? If they are, what kind of programmers are they?
Generically speaking, there are many different types of programmers. Each with different roles, skillsets and mindset. In today’s context, I will be talking about 5 different kind of programmers. So lets begin!
Programmers are broken down into:
- Web Developers
- Short Answer: They build and maintain website. You can get a more detailed explaination here
- Application Developer
- Game Developer
- UI Developer
When you branch into any of the fields, all of them will have 2 different sub-categories which will be front-end and back-end developer. So your title could be something like a Front-End Web Developer or a Back-End Application Developer. For the more ambitious, they can proceed to becoming a full-stack developer whereby they would be able to handle both the front-end and back-end aspect of the application that they are building.
Important Distinctions
Front-End Developer?
“Front End” typically refers to the stuff that you actually see on the website in the browser. Languages that they primarily focus on includes: HTML, CSS, Javascript, JQuery and React.js. Despite being in charge of making things that appear to the visitor’s eyes, the “pretty” website is still designed by another person with the role of a “designer”. Some of the things they do include making buttons, menus, formatting of texts, transitions and modals.
Back-End Developer?
“Back End” typically refers to the stuff that happens behind-the-scene. They are more focused on connecting the website request to the correct services which would include ensuring that the right data are passing through the browser, connecting services to databases, implementing infrastructure and mapping the ports of the services. They ensure that all the buttons and data collected are moving as intended.