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Albérico Junior
Albérico Junior

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Software Development - Everything you need to know about this area!

Today we have seen a great expansion of the internet and technology, more and more people have access to these resources and, consequently, companies are also following the same path, digitizing their processes and solving problems through technology.

In turn, software development plays an essential role, after all, a software programmer is a professional who, through the language of computers, manages to create programs, applications and automations that aim to make life easier for those who use it.

Digital transformation is already a cultural reality around the world, which is why this profession is so valued in the job market. So today you will understand the meaning of this term, what are the steps for developing software and how to become a trained professional to be able to program these applications.

What is Software Development?

Software development is the activity of programming computer solutions through computer languages, that is, creating computer programs. This program is created through specific languages, codes, which the computer is capable of reading, processing and translating on our screens present on cell phones, tablets and computers and even behind them, in a part that we do not see, but which is extremely essential for let everything happen.

Softwares are virtual products built through codes and that nowadays are part of our daily life almost (100%) of the time, after all they are the applications we use, the systems of our devices, what is behind the technological resources.

The activity carried out in software development is the planning, structuring, creation, testing and refinement of these technologies that surround us on all sides, whether at work, at home or in our daily lives.

How does Software Development work?

Software Development works in a complex way, which unfolds in several steps and needs trained professionals to carry them out. From designing the project to delivering the final product, there are several phases that can take months to complete, however, this depends on the initial project proposal. The division into stages is necessary for the work to be fluid and organized.

What are the stages of software development?

The stages of software development depend on the methodology used to manage the project.

Each stage has its particularity and can count on the participation of other professionals, people and of course the client.

Check the importance of each step.

Requirements gathering.

This is one of the most important stages of the project: understanding the problem to be solved by the software that will be developed.

It is time to collect all the information from the client, understand the idea, intentions, expectations and reasons behind the construction of the project, so that the development is based on the correct values.

There is also the study of the user's need to determine the requirements, that is, the specific conditions, requirements that the software will need to follow to understand the customer's request. This study is essential to understand what the product will solve, after all there are countless ways to elucidate the same problem, but it has to be seen very carefully to find the best solutions.

Requirements Analysis.

After the demands made by the client, it's time to evaluate with a technical eye if all the requirements are viable. This is the moment when the developer and his team analyze whether it is possible. The developer and his team analyze whether it is possible to perform the requested service within the established conditions. After all, not everything that is idealized can be created.

Financial analysis.

After defining the scope of the project and all its functionalities and specifications, it's time to calculate how much this service will cost.

The value of a Software Development project is directly linked to the complexity of the solution, the bigger the more expensive it is.

Production.

From this stage, the execution of the project in the development of the program begins, in fact, and is usually divided into two parts: code architecture and the code itself, that is, the process of writing the code.

Depending on the methodology chosen, the delivery of this step can occur in different ways. Most companies that develop large software deliver their codes in modules, that is, instead of delivering only when everything is ready, smaller parts of the product are delivered over time.

As a result, the product is constantly being tested, evaluated and approved by the customer, accelerating learning and gathering important feedback from the contractor that can influence other stages of development.

Test.

And talking about errors, this is the phase where they appear the most, but this is not seen as a bad thing, this is the opportunity that the team has to be able to fix whatever is going out of plan.

Also, as the test is the stage destined to find errors, the code is subjected to uses even outside its scope of use, trying to anticipate any type of use by the user that may indirectly lead to a product error.

Implementation

After having all the functionalities tested and errors solved, it's time to deliver the project to the client. In the implementation there are other rounds of tests, now in the environment where the software will actually work.

There is also training for the client and the people who will use the solution, ensuring that everyone is integrated and knows how to use the program, and understands how it works.

What is Software Architecture?

Software Architecture is how the parts of a software are organized, far beyond the interface layout, but also the languages and technology used in each part of the code and how all of this communicates without anything being lost.

Much like what the word suggests, software architecture is the structural project of the application that will be developed aiming at its functionality, regardless of its size and complexity.

This system structuring organizes all components, facilitates portability and maintenance, and also improves flexibility.

What are the main languages of Software Development?

Below we will list the main languages of Software Development.

JavaScript:

JavaScript is the most used language in Brazil and around the world, it has a large international community with people always willing to help, it contains a widely known library thus facilitating support.

It was created to incorporate complex behaviors on web pages, but with the advancement of the internet and the consequent development of the language, today it is already found in software for desktop, mobile and even as part of the structure of applications.

JavaScript is a multi-platform language and is largely responsible for bringing dynamism to applications, as fast visual interactions are developed through these languages.

Python:

Python is a free, open source language, with several libraries and very easy to learn, it was developed for this purpose. It has simplified syntax, which brings it closer to human language itself.

It is a language widely used to perform tests because it has a robust structure in this area of being present in web development and computer graphics. Another strength of Python is its use in more complex areas such as data science, automation and artificial intelligence, and it is often used not only by programmers, but also by engineers and scientists.

C++:

The most common use of the C++ language is in developing more complex, robust software. This language is ideal for applications that demand performance and high complexity at the same time, which is why it is widely used in the financial market, in game development, in general, and in real-time systems.

It has great versatility, and can also be used as the language of the machine itself and in photo and video editing, in addition to being widely used since the 1980s, which is why it is easy to find material on the internet. It is derived from the “C” language, which is most often used in computer programming.

PHP:

PHP is the main language used in web development, it is present in e-commerce, blogs and social networks for its ability to build dynamic applications. It is compatible with almost all existing operating systems, which reduces the cost of use, in addition to being easy to use.

It is a language that runs on the server side, that is, in the software part, more commonly known as the back-end. Although it is also composed of scripts like JavaScript, it is not used in the front-end like JavaScript.

In addition to these features, PHP also stands out because it has the ability to be integrated into an HTML file, facilitating the repeated use of tags, thus speeding up development.

How is the job market for this area?

The job market for software development was already growing, but during the COVID-19 pandemic this number was exponential, with the digitization of various services and processes, the demand for trained developers grew a lot and is still growing.

The lack of trained developers is a problem that happens around the world, but in Brazil the situation is still critical, despite being one of the largest markets outside the United States.

In addition to vacancies, another point that draws a lot of attention in this software development job market is the average salary. The average salary of a full-time developer in Brazil is R$6,000.00, more than double the national average.

Software development is an area that over the years has gained a lot of space and with the advancement of technology, the use of applications and systems are increasingly present in our day-to-day lives. Technological solutions are being used to solve different types of problems, including social ones, which further expands the scope of a developer.

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