27/12/2022
Programming vs Coding vs Development – What's the Difference?
A lot of people use the terms "programmer", "coder" and "developer" synonymously. But do these three terms mean the same thing? Well, not quite.
What is Programming?
Programming is making decisions or telling the computer what decisions to make under different circumstances. Once you've clicked the red button, you can program a computer/browser to access data and make a network request.
Programming makes use of your critical thinking skills and ability to solve logical problems.
What is Coding?
Coding encompasses the following topics and activities:
- programming languages;
- a language's syntax and how it differs from other language's syntax;
- code arrangement;
- code optimization;
- debugging;
- writing and running tests;
- creating and using libraries and frameworks and so on.
You can be a programmer without being a coder, but you cannot be a coder without being a programmer.
While a programmer simply has to think and build a logical framework of decisions for the application, a coder has to implement that logic with a particular programming language in a standard, efficient way.
A coder has to become familiar with code syntax and be up-to-date with newer and recommend ways of writing code.
A coder has to be good at technical tasks like testing, debugging, and so on.
Code is simply the language a machine understands. To implement an application, you have to take the set of instructions created by a programmer and make it understandable by the machine. That is the act of coding.
What is Software Development?
Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved from the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process.
Software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products.
As you can see from the above extensive definition, development is bigger than just programming and coding. It’s all about creating a solution to a real-life problem by building an application that solves that problem, maintaining that application, marketing it, researching mays to optimize it, and so on.
Development is the full package.
Making a clear distinction between these three terms can help you learn software development faster. It'll help you know what to prioritize in your learning. And it'll let you look at the whole process of software development from a different perspective.
On a lighter note, it can help you avoid awkward situations with developers :)