Beyond Web Development: Exploring the Vast Landscape of Software Development Genres
Web development is a significant part of the tech industry. It involves building websites for the Internet or intranet (a private network). It is considered one of the most prominent tech sector areas, with a substantial market size and high demand for developers.
Although web development is a dominant sector of the tech industry, there’s more to tech, software development especially, than web development. Software development is a large technology industry sector that includes web development alongside several other genres. Software development is considered the largest sector within the tech industry encompassing a wider range of applications and functionalities beyond just web design and development. It includes desktop applications, mobile apps, embedded systems, game development, enterprise software development, DevOps and cloud engineering, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
This article explores the many other genres of software development you could go into for a career, with an introduction to web development for a start.
What is Web Development?
Web development involves creating, building, and maintaining websites and web applications for the Internet (or intranet). It is typically divided into two distinct parts: the front end and the back end. The front end is the client-facing interface with which the users and the browsers interact. It is tasked with creating the visuals the clients can see and interact with and the implementations of API that enable the front end to communicate with the server. The back end is the server side of a website or web application. It handles the critical parts of the application such as database management, authentication and authorization, application logic, APIs, and server architecture, among many others.
Three professional roles can arise from these two distinct parts of web development: front-end developer, back-end developer, and full-stack developer. As their names suggest, a front-end or back-end developer focuses solely on implementing their task roles, while a full-stack developer combines both functions.
Web development is dominant primarily because of the increasing demand for websites and applications for businesses and non-profit organizations. In today’s digital world, every business and individual faces immense pressure to publicize and create awareness for their brand or business. One of the means of achieving that is a website. The high demands for web apps and the easy learning curve of the profession have made it highly dominant and popular but that does not mean it is the only important sector of technology. Web development is indeed one of the many vital components of a standard technology enterprise. However, when it comes to building a startup, crafting a product, or advancing as a professional, the significance of other software development genres cannot be overstated. These genres are not only as important but often hold the key to innovation and differentiation in the tech industry.
Exploring Other Software Development Genres
There are several contributing factors to a successful technology product and—not to underestimate the importance—web development is a scratch off the surface. While web development’s accessibility and demand have solidified its dominance, it represents just one layer of the multifaceted world of software engineering. Beyond the browser, a universe of specialized domains—each critical to shaping modern technology—offers untapped potential for innovation and career growth.
Mobile App Development
Just as web development involves creating, building, and maintaining websites and web apps for the Internet, the same applies to mobile app development, but in the context of software for mobile devices like phones, tablets, and digital assistants. Mobile app development is more complex than web development because it requires creating software tailored to the mobile device operating system, OS. The two major operating systems on mobile devices are Android and iOS. They control the hardware and software of the device. Therefore, in building software for mobile devices, it is important to consider OS if your application’s features will interact with the system’s existing hardware or software.
The primary difference between iOS and Android development lies in their preferred programming languages. While iOS uses Swift or Objective-C, Android employs Java or Kotlin, leading to variations in development complexity and device fragmentation. Unlike web development where a developer can choose to specialize in front-end or back-end development, a mobile developer is expected to be able to develop an Android and iOS application, complicating the learning curve, even as a beginner. Even the development process was intricate because the developer had to build the app for the Android and iOS OS separately until the introduction of cross-platform frameworks like React Native and Flutter. Cross-platform frameworks and libraries allow mobile developers to build mobile applications compatible with the Android and iOS operating systems in a single codebase, simplifying the build process for the developers.
Desktop App Development
Desktop application development is developing software on desktop operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux. It requires the development of software for larger-screen devices and mouse interaction. Desktop applications are generally memory-intensive. They primarily utilize a lot of computing power and therefore require the full computing capability of modern desktops and laptops. Desktop applications can leverage the full potential of a device's hardware, i.e., CPU, GPU, and RAM, and hence are best for compute-intensive tasks like video editing, 3D modelling, and data science. In addition, they are installed natively and can be executed offline, and thus offer better performance than websites and web applications.
Similar to mobile app development, desktop application developers can use platform-specific languages like .NET (C#), WinForms, WPF, and UWP for Windows, Swift, Objective-C, and Xcode, for macOS, and GTK, Qt (C++), and Python for Linux or cross-platform frameworks like Electron, Qt, and Flutter to create desktop applications that can run on multiple operating systems with a single codebase.
Earlier in desktop app development, ensuring compatibility across different operating systems can be complex, but with cross-platform frameworks, compatibility issues are now a thing of the past, except in rare cases like building platform-specific features. Desktop applications, as opposed to web applications, must be installed and updated occasionally, which is a hassle for users. Desktop applications also generally have unbridled access to system resources, so they become targets of malware and exploits. Due to this, desktop application developers must enforce stringent security while creating their applications.
Desktop application development remains an important software development aspect, with advantages that meet specific user needs and preferences. With the improvement of technology, the methods and tools employed in creating desktop applications continue to improve to make them relevant and effective.
Game Development
Game development is quite special. It is not just programming but an art. It can be undertaken by almost anyone, even a person without prior programming experience. A game developer could be a programmer, sound artist, designer, or artist, but the focus here is the programmer. It involves describing the design of a game concept, building the game, testing it, and releasing it to the public. A game developer takes a gaming concept, idea, or storyboard and codes it into a reality gamers can interact with using the designs.
Game development was complex, earlier, as developers had to write the code from scratch. Even the frameworks and libraries available then were not as good as now. The programmer had to have a deep knowledge of hardware architecture and write low-level languages like Assembly, leaving little room for error. Also, the hardware devices available then were not as optimized as today. They lacked dedicated graphics or sound processors. Game developers had to manually manipulate pixels and generate sound effects using basic waveforms, often pushing hardware to its absolute limits. Early game developers were expected to be the jack of all trades, a master of all, as they worked in isolation sometimes being the programmer, part artist, and part engineer.
With the recent introduction of game engines like Unreal Engine, Unity Game Engine, Game Maker, CryEngine, and Frostbite, among others, developing games is now a breeze. Game engines make it possible for developers to build games without worrying about 2D and 3D graphics rendering, game physics, collision detection, sound engineering, animation systems, navigation and pathfinding, and more. Although some game engines like CryEngine have a not-so-straightforward learning curve, they are exceptional tools for game developers of all skill levels, allowing them to focus on creativity, design, and ideation.
The game development roadmap combines technical skills, creativity, and industry knowledge. To be a game developer, you need an understanding of C#, C++, Python, and JavaScript; Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot, and others for game engines; Mathematics and Physics subject-specific topics like Linea Algebra, Calculus, basics of mechanics, collisions, and gravity for realistic gameplay; shaders, 3D modelling basics, lighting and texturing for graphics and rendering, and much more. The list is endless, but with one step at a time, one can be an excellent game developer.
DevOps and Cloud Engineering
Cloud Engineering and DevOps are two related but distinct fields of software development. Together, they have transformed how software is developed, deployed, and run so organizations can deliver quality software fast, reliably, and at scale. DevOps and Cloud Engineering encompass building, developing, and creating software infrastructure. However, whereas DevOps performs the processes that deploy the software, Cloud Engineering builds the infrastructure where the software is operating.
As per the name, DevOps bridges the gap between development and operation. It is all about collaboration, automation, and continuous improvement to provide a smooth software delivery life cycle. It is applied to shorten the systems development life cycle and provide continuous delivery of quality software. A DevOps engineer applies his expertise in programming, infrastructure planning, system administration, and network security to deploy and develop software applications. DevOps engineers would require knowledge in version control technologies like Git, CI/CD pipelines like Jenkins, CircleCI, GitHub Actions, and GitLab CI/CD, containerization tools like Docker and Kubernetes, and logging and monitoring tools like Grafana and Prometheus.
Cloud Engineering ensures the software developed is kept in the appropriate conducive environments. It employs AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud platforms to provide scalable, reliable, cost-effective data and application hosting solutions. Cloud Engineering involves building cloud infrastructure for cloud-based software applications like mobile apps, games, and database systems. A cloud engineer therefore requires proficiency in software development, network infrastructure, and cloud computing. Cloud Engineers need to be certified in AWS, Azure, and GCP, be skilled in Python, Bash, or PowerShell for automation, Docker and Kubernetes for containerization, Terraform, and Ansible, to name a few.
The only difference between a DevOps and a Cloud Engineer is the responsibility in each position. A DevOps engineer builds software apps and automates their processes, while a Cloud engineer adds cloud designs and infrastructure to existing software applications. Nevertheless, both professions care about making the software development and deployment processes more efficient, reliable, and scalable.
Embedded Systems Development
An embedded system is a small computer part of a larger device, which can also be a computer. It has a distinct function within the large device. Embedded systems are designed to operate under the constraints of the device they are part of, such as minimal power, memory, and processing power. Embedded systems are found in daily applications such as household appliances, vehicles, wearable electronics, security, medical imaging machines, and navigation devices. Embedded systems are classified based on functional needs and the controller's performance. There are real-time, stand-alone, and networked embedded systems under functional needs, while controller performance has small-scale, medium-scale, and complex or advanced embedded systems.
Embedded systems engineers design, develop, and assemble the system’s software program and integrate it with the hardware. They execute machine code using a microcontroller and programming languages like C and C++. One of the duties of an embedded systems engineer is to combine hardware and software, use low-level programming languages like C and C++ to create machine code that accommodates maximum performance and resource utilization, use RTOS for systems that need precise timing and reliability, test and debug, and design low-power-consuming systems, especially for battery-powered devices.
Embedded systems development is a complex and dynamic process that empowers the functionality of many devices we use daily without even realizing it. For software engineers, it offers an appealing blend of hardware and software complexity, making it a rewarding and worthwhile profession. As technology progresses, the importance of embedded systems can only grow stronger, driving innovation in various industries and, hence, the engineers in the field.
Enterprise Software Development
Enterprise software development is an interesting niche of software development. It is the narrowed-down version of web and mobile app development to only enterprise-specific software applications. By enterprise-specific, they are special tools that cater to enterprise functions and processes. It involves building software that helps organizations and businesses manage their operations, content, and customer relationships, plan resource utilization and allocations, streamline communications, and effectively and efficiently provide satisfactory experiences for employees and customers.
Similar to web development, an enterprise software developer needs HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, but only for the front end. The main job requires a strong background in Object Pascal, an excellent enterprise development tool that integrates well with other languages like Python and JavaScript via a WebView. Java, C++, Azure, or AWS (for hosting) are also important tools in the quiver of an enterprise software developer. Nonetheless, the best language depends on the goal, size, and requirement of the enterprise software.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence, AI, which is now a ubiquitous phrase found in almost any paper or conversation about innovations today, is software that allows machines to simulate human learning, think independently, solve problems, hold conversations, and comprehend instructions. Artificial intelligence has existed since 1956 but was made popular in the 21st century with the advent of chatbots like ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Claude, and DeepSeek, among others. Machine Learning, ML, Artificial Intelligence’s immediate brother, is software capable of learning and improving as it consumes more information (data). It applies to several industries including e-commerce, agriculture, business, etc. ML uses a complex algorithm trained to identify patterns and trends and make useful predictions and information.
While both are related, AI and ML are distinct fields that might require different trained professionals but both cross paths. AI engineers design, build, and maintain AI systems—systems that use AI techniques such as machine learning, expert systems, rule-based AI, and neural networks. ML engineers are usually found in specialized roles within an AI setting. They are responsible for designing algorithms and developing, training, and optimizing ML models. AI engineers have a broader work scope than ML engineers. The former works on AI systems, ML, NLP, and Computer Vision, develops end-to-end AI systems and integrates them into products. ML engineers focus mainly on ML models, training and fine-tuning them for their purpose.
Becoming an AI or ML engineer requires programming, mathematical, and domain-specific skills. While both roles share a strong foundation in machine learning and software engineering, their focus areas differ slightly. AI engineers require specific knowledge of Natural Language Processing (NLP) like Transformers, BERT, GPT, and Hugging Face; Computer Vision such as OpenCV, YOLO, and Detectron2, and Knowledge Graphs and Rule-Based AI. ML engineers' specifics include model optimization and tuning, big data and scalable ML, and model deployment with tools like AWS SageMaker, Vertex AI, and TensorFlow Serving.
Conclusion
As a starter or experienced developer looking for more fun or challenge, you could pivot into a new career among the numerous software genres.
So, hey kid, you now know there are massive genres of software development, not web dev, right? Well, this article mentioned a few. Explore and you will find out more.
