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Comment by gigatexal | Hacker News Reader

Web developers are software engineers.

There’s a lot of interesting posts with facts and the like for me it’s just: “I’ve tried to do web development and failed every time. The barrier to entry is too damn high. Babel, webpack, blah blah blah, then frameworks, and then good UI design and then efficient API consumption...”

At my company, this was not true until a new CTO stepped in. That was nice because it instantly increased my salary by about 20% with no change in work.

Depends in what country they reside, for the designation at least.

IDK why you are being down voted, its true in the US at least. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has the following Standard Occupational Codes:

- 15-1251 Computer Programmers

- 15-1252 Software Developers

- 15-1253 Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

- 15-1254 Web Developers

- 15-1255 Web and Digital Interface Designers

I wonder what the difference between Computer Programmers and Software Developers is. And are web apps not software?

I was curious about that too.

Quoted from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

5-1251 Computer Programmers

Create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information.

Illustrative examples: Applications Programmer , Computer Language Coder , IT Programmer , Systems Programme

15-1252 Software Developers

Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.

Illustrative examples: Computer Applications Engineer , Computer Systems Engineer , Mobile Applications Developer , Software Applications Architect , Software Engineer , Systems Software Developer

15-1254 Web Developers

Develop and implement websites, web applications, application databases, and interactive web interfaces. Evaluate code to ensure that it is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers and devices. Optimize website performance, scalability, and server-side code and processes. May develop website infrastructure and integrate websites with other computer applications. Excludes "Special Effects Artists and Animators" (27-1014).

Illustrative examples: Intranet Developer , Web Applications Developer , Web Architect

(Source: https://www.bls.gov/soc/2018/major_groups.htm)

Instead of seeking wisdom in this arbitrary tome, I'd instead look at it as if it's an append-only CSS file where nobody ever goes back to rethink the taxonomy which I guarantee more closely reflects the reality of it.

It's like thinking there's actually difference between "Coder", "Computer Programmer", and "Software Developer" just because developers kept penciling in those roles into a form. Anyone with experience in the industry knows that any of those could have the exact same job.

Thank you, BLS, for finally settling the ages old question of whether a software developer actually programs a computer or not.

Yes but by definition restricted to the web.

- Create Desktop apps with NodeJS-- Look at Electron

- Create iPhone & Android Phone apps with React Native framework

- Create robots/IoT projects with frameworks like Cylon.js, Johnny-Five, etc.

Sure, you can't use JS to program some stuff (integrated circuits, cisco networking gear, etc.), but there's a lot more you can do with it than web programming.

Given there are plenty of browser, mobile, desktop, and even embedded disciplines that utilize URIs to transmit resources I think that's a very broad term. Or did you have another definition for web?

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