Programmers and Developers

On the surface the differences seem minor. In fact the terms developer and programmer are used interchangeably. Outside the programming community, people may not even notice the difference. Not according to Developers are from Mars, Programmers from Venus

A modern programmer loves cutting code – and only cutting code. They delight in code the way a writer delights in text. Programmers see their sole function in an organization as being the production of code, and view any task that doesn’t involve having their hands on the keyboard as an unwanted distraction.

Developers like to code as well, but they see it as being only a part of their job function. They focus more on delivering value than delivering program text, and know that they can’t create value without having an awareness of the business context into which they will deploy their application, and the organizational factors that impact upon its success once delivered.

I certainly agree with the conclusion having worked with both developers and programmers over the past 20+ years.

It is the developers that you want working in your organization. Programmers are a dime a dozen, but developers can bring real value to a business. Wise employers know how to tell the difference.

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