How Many Software Engineers In South Africa

What Are Software Engineers?

Software engineering is the branch of computer science that deals with the design, development, testing, and maintenance of software applications. Software engineers apply engineering principles and knowledge of programming languages to build software solutions for end users.

Software engineers design and develop computer games, business applications, operating systems, network control systems, and middleware to name just a few of the many career paths available.

A career as a software engineer can be both fun and challenging with opportunities to work in almost any industry, including large and small businesses, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, healthcare facilities, and more. And as technology continues to evolve, the need for software developers continues to grow. Many companies are also shifting towards hiring software engineers who work from home, allowing for increased flexibility and more opportunities to enter the field.

How Many Software Engineers Are In South Africa?

There are 716,000 developers in Africa, according to the 2021 Africa Developer Report by Google. South Africa is responsible for a considerable portion of this population, accounting for 121,000 developers.

What Tasks Do Software Engineers Do?

Successful software engineers use programming languages, platforms, and architectures to develop everything from computer games to network control systems. In addition to building their own systems, software engineers also test, improve, and maintain software built by other engineers.

Day-to-day tasks for a software engineer might include:

  • Designing and maintaining software systems or applications
  • Evaluating and testing new software programs
  • Optimizing software for speed and scalability
  • Writing and testing code
  • Ensuring platform compatibility
  • Creating and enforcing IT standards within an infrastructure
  • Maintaining documentation of IT systems
  • Releasing software updates
  • Collaborating with development teams, senior systems architects, and data science professionals
  • Consulting with clients, engineers, security specialists, and other stakeholders
  • Recommending software upgrades for existing programs and systems
  • Presenting new features to stakeholders and internal customers