Progress in today's digital era has spawned many startups engaged in technology. This is also in line with the high demand for a developer or programmer for a technology company. You are certainly no stranger to hearing the term programmer, right?
Programming is one type of job that is quite prestigious for young people today, with "big salary" which is often the stereotype attached to a programmer. It's no wonder that many young people today work as programmers.
What is a Programmer?
To understand the world of programmers in depth, let's look at the meaning and duties of being a programmer.
Programmer is a job or profession that has the responsibility to design a system using a programming language. However, people who have expertise in writing program code or syntax into a program can also be referred to as programmers.
There are several types of programming languages that are often used, including Java, Python, PHP, Javascript, and many more. As a programmer, you need to know what software or systems are commonly used, such as operating systems, applications, and websites, of course, all of these are designed using programming languages.
Programmer's Task
From the understanding above, of course, you already understand a little about the definition and at a glance about the tasks that a programmer has to do. Well, here are some other tasks that are the responsibility of the programmer.
- Do a needs analysis
- Modeling or designing systems such as flowcharts , ERD, UML, and so on
- Writing program code or coding using languages such as Javascript, CSS, and others.
- Detecting bugs or program debugging
- Doing testing or testing the program
Types of Programmers
The programmer profession is divided into several types based on the type of program produced. If you plan to become a programmer, then you should first understand the following types of programmers.
1. Web Programmers
Web programmers are the most popular type of programmer and are most often needed by startups and other companies. The reason is, almost all companies have a website that must be managed.
To develop it, then, people who are experts and not haphazard are needed. A web programmer has the responsibility to develop websites. For example designing web services, social media, online stores, and so on.
Web programmers are also required to have the ability to manage databases . Because databases and websites are two things that are very related.
2. Application Programmer
Application programmers are tasked with creating applications on smartphones and computers. Another example is the existence of a browser or other tools on your laptop or PC which is the result of system development carried out by an application programmer.
Applications that are formed on smartphones can be in the form of games , social media, and so on. Basically all applications that can be downloaded from the Appstore and Playstore are designed by application programmers.
Seeing the prospects, application programmers are quite promising due to the increasing number of internet and smartphone users . This reason makes many people vying to learn code languages so they can become application programmers.
3. Embedded System Programmer
This third type of programmer is not as well known as the previous two types of programmers. However, that doesn't mean that this type of programmer doesn't play an important role in technology development. An embedded systems programmer's job is to write code that is useful for operating electronic equipment.
Examples of its application are in washing machines, remote controls , digital cameras, televisions, and cell phones.
Compulsory Skill Owned By A Programmer
Becoming a programmer is not an easy thing. Before becoming a programmer, you must master the following skills.
1. Mastering the Algorithm
In designing an application, a programmer must determine the right method to process the system. This can be determined by an algorithm. The algorithm itself is a term used to refer to the steps in solving a problem.
The algorithm is the main key that must be owned by a programmer. Besides that, you also have to understand functions, loops or loops , as well as various types of data types.
2. Code Reading Ability
Before becoming a programmer and starting to design programs, you must have the ability to read code first. This is so that you understand the patterns of thinking and writing a program.
To hone your code reading skills, you can search for source code from various programs via GitHub or Sourceforge.
3. Mastering Programming Languages
As a programmer, you must master at least one programming language. If you can master more than one language, of course it will be better. Before learning many languages, at least you must have strong fundamentals in one language first.
4. Mastering Object Oriented Programming (OOP)
By mastering OOP, you can create program code that is more readable and structured. This is very important, especially when you are creating long scripts or complex programs.
Although OOP is very important, the fact is, not all programming languages can be written with OOP. Some programming languages don't require OOP because they are functional.
Apart from mastering some of the skills above, a programmer is also required to have English skills, computer networks, application layouting, along with source management.
After you know what a programmer is, are you interested in getting into this field? If so, you should major in college like Informatics or take programming courses online.