How to be a Software Developer in 2025 Guide!

As we recall, there was a huge explosion in e-commerce when everyone was locked up at home during the pandemic that shook the whole world. In an environment where people ordered even the water they drank over the internet, almost all companies moved their sales to digital and everyone was after creating mobile applications. In this global digitalization frenzy, one of the most sought-after professions became software developers.

In connection with this, how to be a software developer and how much their salaries are have become highly sought-after topics. Today, we will enter the world of these mysterious and silent men (or women, of course) and make a short analysis.

Let’s think about it this way: There is someone behind everything, from the alarm that rings when we wake up in the morning to the applications we browse on social media, from the applications we want to get a consumer loan from in the financial world to online shopping sites and the programs we use at work. Those “someones”, that is, those who build the electronic world, including digital marketing, with the codes at their fingertips, are generally called “software developers” or “software engineers”.

So, what do these mysterious people, identified with their hooded sweatshirts and constant screen time, actually do? Do they just write complex codes, or is there something else involved?

If you are wondering “How to be a software developer, What do they do and how much do they earn?”, get your keyboard ready, because we are going on a fun and friendly journey into the world of software developers!

What Does a Software Developer Actually Do?

We should state it in the simplest and most understandable way; a software developer is a person who writes the commands, that is, the codes, that tell computers or other electronic devices what to do. In addition, we know that software developers, also called software experts, are actually the architects and problem solvers of the digital world. In this context, they understand a need or idea, divide it into logical steps and translate these steps into a language that the computer can understand (programming language) and turn it into a working application, website or system.

Along with these facts, we can say that they are people who create tools that make our lives easier, entertain us or make our jobs more efficient by using technology.

We can think of software development as a kind of digital craftsmanship. We can say that; just like a carpenter processes wood to make furniture, a software developer creates a functional software product using codes and logic. This process requires not only technical knowledge, but also imagination, creativity, attention and patience. There is usually more than one way to solve a problem and a good software developer works hard to find the most efficient, safe and understandable solution.

When we ask how to be a software developer, we should know that sometimes they spend hours trying to find a single bug, and sometimes they sign a ground-breaking project in the digital world with a brand-new idea.

Is a Career in Software Development Right for You?

Let’s not forget that the job of software developers is not just about writing code. At the beginning of a particular project, they talk to customers or product managers to understand what needs to be done (requirements analysis). Then, they plan how the software will work and draw the skeleton of the project (design). After the coding phase, they check whether the code they wrote works correctly (testing). They often work as a team with other software developers, designers and testers, so communication and collaboration are also an important part of the job.

When it comes to how to become a software developer, we should know that perhaps the most distinctive feature of a good software developer is the desire to constantly learn.

If we want to know how to be a software developer we should know that the world of technology is changing incredibly quickly; new programming languages, tools and methods are constantly emerging. For this reason, software developers constantly research, read and improve themselves in order to keep their knowledge fresh and adapt to new developments.

What a Developer’s Day Look Like? (Beyond the Codes)

If you are a new graduate or want to change direction in the middle of your career and enter this world, you must be wondering how these mysterious people spend their days. Now let’s analyse the topic of how a software developer spends their day, item by item.

• If we are analysing how to become a software developer, we should describe an average day. On the other hand, a typical day for a software developer varies depending on the stage of the project and the culture of the company they work for. But in general, the day can start with a short team meeting (usually called “Daily or Stand-up”). In this meeting, everyone shares what they did yesterday, what they will do today, and any obstacles they encounter. This allows the team to be in sync and support each other. After the meetings, the focus is usually on the tasks of the day. It is also important for how to be a software developer explanation.

• Of course, a significant part of the day is spent writing code. This could be adding a new feature, improving an existing feature, or fixing a bug. The developer writes codes that are in line with the specified design and requirements, using the selected programming language and appropriate tools. This process can require intense concentration; sometimes you can see them putting on their headphones, disconnecting from the outside world, and focusing entirely on the code.
• Another activity that is as important as writing code, and sometimes even more time-consuming, is testing and debugging. It is the responsibility of the software developer to check whether the code works as expected and to find and fix possible errors. Sometimes even a small comma error can cause the program to crash, and finding this error can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Debugging is very Important!

Therefore, patience, attention and a systematic approach are very important at this stage.

• A software developer’s day does not only consist of writing code and debugging. Researching new technologies, reading documentation, exchanging ideas with other team members, conducting code reviews – that is, checking the codes written by other software developers and providing feedback – and maintaining existing systems can also be part of the daily routine. When we are analysing the question of how to be a software developer, we have to know these routines. In short, a software developer’s day is a very dynamic, problem-solving-oriented and continuous learning process.

What Skills Are Required to Be a Software Developer?

If we have come this far, it means that we now have knowledge about how to be a software developer. Now it is time to analyse the skills. Although desire and intention are essential, basic technical knowledge is of course needed to become a software developer. Learning at least one or more programming languages ​​(for example, Python, JavaScript, Java, C#, some of the popular languages) is the beginning of the job. But more important than learning a language is understanding the basic logic of programming, that is, the ability to think algorithmically.

Being able to break down problems into logical steps, knowing data structures (how to organize information), and basic algorithms (methods for solving certain problems) provides a solid foundation. In addition, basic database knowledge is usually required to understand how data is stored and managed.

In addition to technical knowledge, it is also important to be familiar with certain tools that software developers use. Version control systems such as Git have become standard for tracking versions of written codes and facilitating teamwork. Effective use of special software called IDE (Integrated Development Environment) (e.g. VS Code, IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm) that facilitates coding and helps with debugging increases productivity. In addition, basic command line (terminal/command line) knowledge is also very useful, especially for those interested in back-end or DevOps. And of course, the ability to quickly find the information you are looking for is a must!

As you will appreciate; software development is not just about technical skills, social and personal skills called “soft skills” are at least as important as them. Especially if you work in a team, your communication skills must be strong. This is very important about how to be a software developer subject.

Every Software Engineer Do The Same Thing?

Being able to explain technical issues to non-technical people, expressing your ideas clearly and working in harmony with your teammates (teamwork) are critical to the success of projects. In addition, time management skills and being patient and solution-oriented in the face of difficulties encountered are also requirements of this profession in order to complete projects on time.

Although “software developer” is a general term, there are actually many different areas of expertise in this field. Just as doctors specialize in different areas, software developers often focus on specific technologies or types of applications. These areas of expertise vary in terms of the technologies used, the type of projects worked on, and the skills required. A person researching how to be a software developer should know these as well.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common areas of expertise.

• One of the most well-known areas is Web Development. Web developers create the websites and web applications that we access through internet browsers (for example, social media sites, news portals, e-commerce platforms). This area is divided into two: Front-end Developers code the interface (design, buttons, menus, etc.) that users see and interact with (using technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript); Back-end Developers manage the behind-the-scenes logic of the site or application, the server side, and database operations (using languages ​​such as Python, Java, C#, Node.js, PHP). Sometimes those who can do both are called Full-stack Developers.

• Another popular field is Mobile App Development. They are software developers who develop the applications we use on our smartphones and tablets (games, social media applications, banking applications, etc.). They usually focus on two main platforms: for Apple’s iOS operating system (using Swift or Objective-C languages) or for Google’s Android operating system (using Kotlin or Java languages). Sometimes they use cross-platform tools such as React Native, Flutter to develop applications that can run on both iOS and Android.

The Fundamentals: Essential Skills Beyond Coding

• Apart from these, there are many other areas of expertise about how to be a software developer. For example, Game Developers who develop computer games (working with engines such as Unity, Unreal Engine); Data Scientists and Machine Learning Engineers who analyze large data sets and create artificial intelligence models; There are many different career paths, such as Embedded System Developers who develop software inside various devices, from cars to white goods; Cloud Engineers who write desktop applications for the specific needs of businesses or work on cloud computing infrastructures; and DevOps Engineers who combine software development with operational processes.

How Much Software Developers Earn?

The average software developer salary in the world in 2025 varies widely depending on a number of factors. Just to give an idea, it is estimated that this figure could be between 25,000 USD and 125,000 USD. This range is shaped by factors such as the developer’s level of experience, areas of expertise, the size and location of the company they work for. In particular, software developers who are specialized and experienced in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cybersecurity can earn salaries close to or even above the upper limit of this range. Of course, when you are looking for how to be a software developer, you have to also know salary average.

While salaries in large cities and international companies are generally higher, salaries in smaller cities or newly established companies may be below this average.

For example, while the average salary for back-end developers is 25,000 USD at the junior level, this figure increases to 80,000 USD at the senior level. In addition, the average salary for front-end developers is 30,000 USD at the junior level and 80,000 USD at the senior level. Salaries for Android mobile developers start at 25,000 USD at the junior level, while they can go up to 100,000 USD at the senior level.