A computer programmer is a person who creates, writes, translates, and tests software programs for computers. These people are one of the main reasons why you can use your computer to play games, watch movies, write documents and emails, or even just turn it on. Programmers must know a variety of different computer languages and translate their written programs into codes so that the computer knows how to operate. The type of language that is used to translate is dependent on what type of software that the programmer is writing. For example, C++ is the language that all programmers are fluent in because it is for general use, but there are other codes such as HTML or Perl that are used for more specific aspects of computers.

Average Salary

Due to the highly meticulous and time-consuming nature of their work, computer programmers are paid quite well for their services. The scale for a computer programmer’s salary ranges between $40,000 to over $100,000. There are various factors that affect how much a programmer makes, such as: experience and geographic location.

Experience

When a programmer has spent a lot of his spare time creating programs without the supervision of anyone else, he builds his portfolio. This portfolio shows employers that he is a very dedicated individual who has a lot of experience with the industry. As a result, his salary will become higher. In addition, some programmers choose to specialize in certain types of code, which allows them to become experts and even more of an asset to their team.

Location

Certain areas of the country have a higher overall salary that their citizens earn than other areas. High cost of living contributes to this fact; citizens need to be able to afford basic necessities like food and shelter, which means that they make more money in order to do so.

In addition, the type of company that a programmer works for is an important part to the salary equation. A larger and more well-known company will have more money to allocate to paying employees than a smaller company.

What is a Computer Programmer?

A computer programmer is a person who writes and creates software programs for computers. They are given specific details about the software function, and are responsible for writing the program and translating it into a language that the computer will understand (called coding). Depending on the type of software, the programmer must use specific coding. For example, for software dealing with web pages, HTML coding must be used. In addition to creating software, programmers must test and re-test their programs in order to find and fix any bugs or glitches that could cause them to malfunction.

With so many people depending on programmers, it is easy to see why you would want to learn how to become a computer programmer.

Important Attributes

This career stems from a passion for computers and having a fondness for learning how things work. Without these two attributes, you cannot simply be thrown into the world of programming and expect to be successful.

Education

Obtaining a bachelor’s degree is an important factor in becoming a programmer. This degree allows for you to build and fix programs, in addition to learning several different computer languages. Most programmers major in computer science or a similar study.

Tips for Applying for Jobs

After the bachelor’s degree is obtained, then it is time to apply for jobs. Most programmers write programs in their spare time outside of school, which is very impressive to employers. Having a portfolio of your own written programs will be very helpful in the job searching process. You are more likely to be hired if you prove to employers that you more experience with programming than just what you learned in school, and it will often lead to an increase in salary.

Coding Process

Computer programmers must understand several computer languages (called coding) in order to communicate with them, such as Java, C++, and HTML. Each type of language refers to a different aspect of the computer. HTML, for example, is the language used when working with web pages and making them active on the web. They write software for computers, and must translate the software information into coding in order for the computer to understand what it’s supposed to do.

They are given a general idea of the program’s function, but it is up to them to create the program and write the code to enter it into the computer. Programmers often create flow charts in order to get more of an idea of how the information will flow through the computer and any other equipment needed for the program to work.

Testing…and Re-Testing

Due to the meticulous process of creating a computer program, there are various opportunities for mistakes to occur. This is why programmers must test their programs, and then proceed to re-test them. They need to find any glitches or bugs that cause the program to not work, or to work slowly. Testing the program involves running it on the computer multiple times, in addition to other types of computers.

Working Conditions

The software that they write depends on the type of company that they work for, and ranges from starting up the computer, to creating a game. Some companies specialize in just creating computer games, while other companies may not have a specialization and just have teams that work on different types of software. They spend most of their days in front of the computer entering code,  and typically work about 40 hours a week.

Computer programmers mainly create software programs for usage in computers. They tell the computer what they want it to do, and the computer does exactly so. However, programmers must learn how to translate what they want into a programming code so that the computer will be able to understand it. Programmers have specific programs that they write that will help the computer user to operate the machine properly.

Programmers often create and develop their own programs, so they must test them out to make sure that they work. Although they create the programs themselves, they are generally given a guideline that describes the essential functions of the program.

They must test their programs more than just once or twice. Oftentimes, computers will have glitches and the program may work one time and not another, or it may work on one computer and not on any other ones. They are always creating new programs to keep computers working efficiently and properly, and are always testing and de-bugging the programs. Through testing, they find any glitches in the software and work out the glitches (called de-bugging) to make the program work again.

In addition to their own programs, they will often work out glitches and bugs with existing software programs. When an existing program has a bug, the programmer will look at the code and determine the root of the problem. Then, they re-write the part of the code that was causing the problem. Sometimes, they have to re-write the whole entire code if it had a lot of glitches.