Software / Application Developer
Ship features people use every day.
$72k–$95k entry · $130k+ senior
0 of 5 lessons completed
5 short lessons · drills · 11 interview questions
Role summary
Write, test, and improve code for websites, mobile apps, and business software. They ship features, fix bugs, connect APIs, and work with designers and product managers to make sure the product actually works for users.
What this job does for businesses
Software developers turn business ideas into working products. They build the apps, websites, and internal tools companies rely on to sell, serve customers, and run operations. Good developers reduce manual work, speed up delivery, and make products reliable enough that the business can scale without breaking.
- Turns requirements into shipped software
- Automates slow manual processes
- Keeps products stable so revenue doesn't stop
Day-to-day responsibilities
- Standup with the team
- Write or review code
- Debug issues from users or QA
- Ship a small feature or fix
- Document decisions and open a pull request
Skills
Tools
Salary & trajectory
$72k–$95k entry · $130k+ senior
What makes a standout
- Shipped something real (internship, club app, freelance)
- Understands users, not just code
- Writes clear PRs and asks good questions
Real people in this path
Bill Gates studied CS-related work early and built software products that defined the industry — use as inspiration for product-minded engineering, not as a required path.
Lessons
- 1
A Day in the Life
What the role actually does
- Build features users can click and use
- Fix bugs and improve performance
- Work in teams with product, design, and QA
- 2
Tools & Tech Stack
Technical skills required
- One programming language deeply (JS, Python, or Java)
- How the web works (HTTP, APIs, databases)
- Git + reading other people's code
- 3
Internship Bar
What an entry-level candidate must know
- Can build a small full-stack project
- Explains trade-offs simply
- Shows a GitHub portfolio with clean commits
- 4
Pay & Trajectory
Salary ranges and growth
- Entry base pay lands around $72k–$95k
- Senior developers clear $130k+
- Growth path: senior dev, tech lead, or architect
- 5
What Makes a Standout
Strong candidate signals
- Shipped something real (internship, club app, freelance)
- Understands users, not just code
- Writes clear PRs and asks good questions