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Software Engineering - Which Career Path is Right for You?

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10 Career paths you can Navigate to in Software engineering

Software engineering is an exciting and constantly evolving field with a wide range of career paths to choose from. Whether you're interested in developing web applications, creating mobile apps, or designing software systems, there are many opportunities to explore in this field. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at some of the most popular and rewarding career paths in software engineering, along with examples of job roles and tech stacks needed in each. Whether you're just starting your journey in software engineering or looking to switch careers, this post will provide you with valuable insights and inspiration to help you choose your next steps.

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1. Web Frontend Engineer

This is the easiest entry point when joining tech world. - it is all about building user interfaces for websites. The technologies to pick up here are, HTML, css, and javascript.

After fully grasping these three, you could go agead and learn new frameworks: Javacsript frameworks which include Angular, ReactJS,NextJS,Vue JS

With one technology , you are in a good position to land a job in tech without any knowledge in backend. and TailWind CSS, Bootstrap

2. Web Backend Engineer

Most universities teach students JAVA, C, or C++ which could be a starting point for a beginner to becoming a backend engineer.

This however, could limit you as most companies do not use these languages that much. The likes of facebook, microsoft and other big tech companies are moving inot using python and php for their backend languages. In this case, pick up python language, php and nodejs and you are good to go.

3. Web Fullstack Engineer

This is where you combine both frontend and backend skills. Which is more excellent and it gives you more optons as you look for jobs in tech.

If you can develop a website from backend to frontend then you are pretty much good to go. The technologies to use here are combining html,css, javascript for frontend and python for backend. You can as well go ahead to use javascript and python frameworks.

You dont need to pick all frameworks at a go. Lately, there aere many frameworks out here. My advice here is you could pick one frontend framework and one backend framework and be good at it. For example, you could do NextJS for frontend and use Django (python framework) for the backend. This is pretty much it, you get to learn these two and you're good to go.

Additionally, frameworks are building blocks for these laguages.Therefore,make sure you fully understand python ad javascript before jumping into their frameworks.

To add to the fullstack knowledge, get to know about databases i.e myQSL.

also web is here to stay and its pretty much in high demand.

4. Mobile Engineer - Android/iOS

Suprisingly, this category has the largest number of engineers.Mobile engineering is big that it has surpassed desktop usage by far.

This field is a pretty much good entry point into tech in that if you pick one path to it, either Android or IOS and become pretty good at it, then you are good to go.You don't need any web-languges or database knowledge to build mobile applications.

If you're into Android - pick Kotlin or Java. if youre into IOS, pick Swift or Objective C.

I believe its the easiest objective path becaue all you need to learn is one language and you are good to go. so go build apps, launch them on google play store or appstore, you never know, it could be the next uber/twitter/instgram.

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5. Game Development Engineer

For most people, their first interaction that they had with computers was through playing computer games. This sometimes is insiping and most people want to venture into this field mostly out of passion or curiosity to come up with their own games.

If you are planning to venture into this , learn C++ language

6. Data Engineer

This is really building data pipelines about organizing data in a nice way. since it involves writing scripts, the most language used here is python, you also need to be really good in SQL

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7. QA Engineer

this involves writing test automation and coming up with test suites to test softwares all round. there are many langages for writing test scripts: python ,C#, javascript. On a side note, with he flood of AI-generated code, there will be more eed for rigorous testing and validation.

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8. machine learning

with the rapid growth of ai and ai products, machine learning is definitely a hot-cake right now. you need ma the most used language is R programming with python .However, other languages can come in.

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9. cyber security

this field is famously known as ethical hacking where an engineer performs information security functions that include designing, developing and implementing highly secure network solutions Shockingly php is the most used language. other languages include, python, javascript, powershell.

10. DevOps and Site Relaibility engineer

Languages used here are Bash, Python, Golang, Perl knowledge or mastery of linux commands is a big advantage.

Conclusion

Really think about the career path that you want to take, if you could follow your passion, thats good too. Check out the roles that companies are looking for as this will help you prepare and pick on what you need to learn, and it will als help you have focused learning and in turn land a job easily. Finally, any career in software engineering field is actually fine, just pick one which is exciting for you.