Main image of article What's the Difference Between a Web Developer and a Software Engineer?

Web developers and software engineers are popular roles within tech. Is there a lot of overlap between them? If not, what are the key differences? We’re going to break down the differences between a web developer and a software engineer, and highlight what makes both roles unique.

What Does a Web Developer Do?

In simplest terms, web developers build and maintain websites, web applications, and services. Depending on their interests and specialization, they may focus on the front-end (i.e., what web users see and do), the back-end (i.e., the servers and other components that actually keep websites and services running), or both. In the course of a typical day, this can mean engaging in tasks such as:

  • Writing and debugging HTML and CSS.
  • Using JavaScript to make websites’ front ends truly interactive (i.e., pop-up menus, animations, etc.).
  • Working with servers, databases, and back-end tools.
  • Deploying, maintaining, and iterating websites and web applications.

According to Lightcast (formerly Emsi Burning Glass), which collects and analyzes millions of job postings from across the country, companies frequently ask for the following skills in web developer job postings:

Those web developers who opt to focus on the front end will generally need to have a grasp of the following:

  • JavaScript
  • Front-End Development
  • Software Engineering
  • React JavaScript
  • TypeScript
  • Software Development
  • Web Application Development

Meanwhile, those who want to concentrate their efforts on the back end will need to master skills including (but certainly not limited to):

  • Java
  • PHP
  • SQL
  • Git
  • CSS
  • HTML
  • JavaScript
  • Python
  • Cloud platforms (AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure)

Anyone who wants to become a master at full-stack web development will need to know how to use all of the above skills. That might seem like a lot, but keep in mind that many organizations will opt to hire a full-stack developer over someone who specializes exclusively in the front- or back-end; the difficulty of mastering the core concepts is commensurate with the opportunities out there. 

What Does a Software Engineer Do?

Software engineers have a broad scope of responsibilities, and their daily tasks can vary wildly depending on their respective organizations’ goals. In general, software engineering involves:

  • Developing software applications.
  • Writing code, usually in collaboration with a team.
  • Debugging code and checking software for quality.
  • Deploying and updating software applications.
  • Working with other stakeholders to ensure the software aligns with company priorities.

Lightcast’s “necessary skills” for a software engineer, based on job postings, include:

But that can also depend on the organization’s needs; for instance, a software engineer tasked with mobile development will absolutely need to know the programming languages involved in building apps and services for iOS and Android, including Objective-C, Swift, Java, and Kotlin.

How Do Web Developers and Software Engineers Overlap?

Although the technical skills utilized by a software engineer might differ considerably from those needed by a web developer, the professions do share some commonalities. Specifically, both web developers and software engineers need to understand the principles of software design, and they need effective “soft skills” (such as communication and teamwork) in order to accomplish their goals and work with other stakeholders.

Both web developers and software engineers are in high demand, and those who want to jump from one role to the other will find a lot that’s familiar, especially when it comes to using programming languages to build services and apps.

Differences Between Web Developers and Software Engineers

The core difference between web developers and software engineers is obviously focus: web developers work on websites and applications, whereas software engineers can focus on anything from desktop and mobile software to cloud infrastructure. They use different tools and programming languages to achieve their respective ends.

What are the Differences in Pay for Web Developers and Software Engineers?

Dice’s latest Tech Salary Report suggests software engineers can earn quite a bit, especially with specialization and seniority. For example, a principal software engineer can earn $153,288, while a cloud engineer can pull down $145,416. Back-end software engineers earn slightly lower ($129,150), just ahead of data engineers ($122,811) and systems engineers ($120,800).

Meanwhile, the Tech Salary Report puts the average web developer salary at $87,194—but keep in mind that number can climb far higher with specialization and experience. (The Report also puts the average tech professional salary at $111,348, up 2.3 percent year-over-year).