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For a software engineer do they code a lot?

What programs do they use the most if they do?

Thank you comment icon Each company has different goals, so they're choice of software will likely vary. Look at various job postings in your area and in places where software engineering jobs are widely available to get a better idea. If you want a fantastic beginner language to get into, just about everyone starts with Python. Maxwell

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Indranil’s Answer

As a software engineer, your key role will be to create software products and applications. Crafting code is a crucial aspect of a software developer's duties. But, before diving into coding, it's essential to grasp the requirements of the product or application you're about to develop. You'll then need to devise an architecture and a design for your project. Only after these steps, you'll begin to write code.

Software engineers also create tests for their code and automate the building and deployment processes. While some organizations have separate teams for these functions, many expect application developers to handle these responsibilities too. Moreover, software engineers are also tasked with supporting the products and applications they've developed, especially when customers start using them and reporting issues.

The advent of Generative AI has brought about a significant change in the software development landscape. Tools powered by AI, like Amazon Codewhisperer and Github Copilot, can now generate a substantial amount of code. You can look up 'code companion tools' on Google to learn more. As Generative AI continues to evolve, these tools are anticipated to improve and generate even more precise code.

Therefore, it's challenging to predict how the roles of software engineers will transform over time. The field is rapidly changing, and the responsibilities of software engineers in the future might be quite different from what they are today. But rest assured, as a software engineer, you'll always be at the forefront of technological innovation. So, embrace the journey and keep learning!
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Hasnain’s Answer

Yes, coding is a core part of a software engineer's job, but it's not the only thing they do.

They will spend a significant amount of time writing code. This involves translating an idea or problem into clear instructions for a computer to follow. The amount of code they write can vary depending on the project and their specific role.

However, software engineering involves more than just coding. They might also be involved in:

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞: This includes figuring out how the software will work, what features it will have, and how it will interact with users.
𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞: This involves making sure the code works as expected and fixing any errors.
Collaborating with other engineers and designers: Software is rarely built by a single person. They will need to work with others to bring the project to life.
The specific programs they use will depend on the programming languages they're working in and the project's requirements. Some common types of programs software engineers use include:

𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐬 (𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬): These are specialized programs for writing and editing code. They often provide features like syntax highlighting, code completion, and debugging tools.
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: These programs translate the code written by the engineer into a language the computer can understand.
𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬: These systems help track changes to code over time and allow for collaboration among multiple engineers.
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Elisaul’s Answer

It really depends on the number of tasks you're juggling.
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olivier’s Answer

Hello
It really depends on the type of project you're working on the cosing load can go from 50 lines to thousands. Again it depends there are hundreds of coding languages out there and each are used for a specific type of problems solving. So you got to know what type of projects you want to work On, find the the languages that go with it.
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Jesse’s Answer

Simple answer is yes. The more complex answer is maybe. Software engineers is a role that is naturally made up of more than coding. They design, estimate, validate, communication, prioritize, etc. in addition to possibly coding. Some software engineers may due more configuration than "coding". Some may be do more consulting vs implementation. It does vary, but I'd expect to know how to "think" and implement code.
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Emely’s Answer

For many entry-level software engineers who are early in their career, their role involves a lot of coding. You might spend your days at your computer all day fixing bugs, coding many lines of code, and meeting with your teammates. As software engineers progress in their career, they usually take on more responsibilities such as managing teams, planning/architecting projects, estimating work time, etc. It'll come down to what you're interested in and what path you take in your career.

The types of programs/languages they use will depend on the type of work. Javascript frameworks like Angular or React are often used for the front-end development of web applications, while Java is usually used for the back-end development. Python is a popular programming language usually used in data science/analytics.
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Sharon’s Answer

Generally speaking, the answer is yes, but it significantly hinges on the precise role. A software engineer's tasks are multifaceted, encompassing writing, debugging, and maintaining code, along with designing, integrating, and implementing systems. Moreover, they are tasked with problem-solving and analysis. Lifelong learning is an essential trait for them!

When it comes to tools, the variety is vast and depends on several elements - the programming language in use, the systems they are supporting, the company they are employed with, and many more factors. Therefore, it's highly recommended to master fundamental programming concepts and algorithms, as these skills are universally applicable!
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Kaman’s Answer

The simple answer to your question is Yes. But as a software engineer, you will do much more than just sit in front of a computer and code. You might be doing software design, or even troubleshooting issues, and working with other team members (e.g. project managers/scrum masters, other engineers and architects, business analysts) to solve problems. For example, when troubleshooting issues you might do more debugging and review existing code rather than creating new programs. But you should be proficient on the language of your choice and be able to read, write and analyst code in that language. Best of luck!
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Subhasish’s Answer

The primary responsibility of a Software engineer is to design and build software. This definitely involves a significant amount of coding!

The choice of programming language is determined by what you're developing. Software is used in numerous areas, each with different objectives, and there's a wide array of languages suitable for each. Therefore, it's challenging to single out one language. To identify the programming language you should concentrate on, you need to specify the application areas.
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John’s Answer

Depending on where you are in your career, your team, and the day's agenda, your tasks may vary. On certain days, you might find yourself immersed in coding within an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for the majority of the time. However, on other days, you could be engaged in meetings to plan future projects. As you progress and become a senior engineer, you'll notice that your role evolves to include more planning and mentoring responsibilities, reducing the time spent on individual coding.

When it comes to software tools, IntelliJ, an IDE, is where I spend most of my programming time. To ensure the functionality of my RESTful services, I use Postman for testing. Git is my go-to for source control, providing a reliable platform for tracking and managing changes. In addition, since my deployment environment is AWS, I utilize AWS-CLI in my terminal for command-line interactions.
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