Considering a role in software development? Here's what you need to know

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Your expert guide to software development roles

What is the role of a software developer?
Skills, experience, and education
What’s the average software developer UK salary?
Software developer job FAQs

Are you thinking of starting a role in software development? There are plenty of opportunities in the UK job market for developers with ambitious goals and a hunger to learn.

Tony Koyratty, Client Services Manager at Robert Half Technology UK, shares everything you need to know about software developer roles, including new insights on salaries, skills, and high-demand sectors from the Robert Half 2025 Salary Guide.

Software developers are primarily tasked with designing, building, and testing new software. If you decided to opt for this career path, you'd also be responsible for maintaining the quality of existing software and making improvements wherever needed.

Daily tasks include:

Designing software architecture and solutions

Debugging and fixing issues

Lead and promote best practice

Collaborating on software projects

Creating and updating technical documentation

Analysing and fulfilling user/business requirements

Planning implementation approaches

Liaising with project managers and stakeholders

A career in software development can start with an undergraduate degree in an IT-related subject, like computer science, computer engineering, or software engineering. Bootcamp schemes are also a good entry point for people looking to enter the market. It's typical for a software developer to start as a front-end or back-end developer before gaining enough experience to progress to a full-stack capability. Some software developers even prefer specialising in specific technical areas to increase their value and job satisfaction.

Our tech recruitment specialists have noticed that the software and data markets have steadily merged. Because of this, we’ve seen software developers shift into data analyst, data engineer, machine learning engineer, and data scientist roles. Interestingly, we've also seen software developers becoming AI engineers — a brand-new role in the hiring landscape.

Technical skills:

Knowledge of modern programming languages (Python, JavaScript, CSS, HTML)

Prince2/Scrum

Experience with version control systems (Git)

Cloud platform experience (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Experience with development tools and testing environments

Soft skills:

Problem-solving skills

Strong communication skills

Attention to detail

Good analytical skills

Adaptability

According to new data collected for the Robert Half 2025 Salary Guide, expertise in cloud, software and applications development, and project and programme management are in high demand within tech hiring.

Gaining an additional skill or qualification in any of these specialist areas could help increase your earning potential and give you the edge in a competitive hiring market.

Our tech recruitment specialists are seeing many finance professionals upskilling in the data market, with a high uptake in clients using data tools like Power BI to help businesses make quicker and more informed decisions using more accurate forecasting.

Software developer salaries in the UK will depend on your area of specialism, and the region and sector you work in. On average, full-stack developers can start on an average salary of £42,750 and earn anything up to £70,500 with the right skills and experience. Back-end developers can start on an average of £44,250 and earn up to £72,250, and front-end developers could start on £44,250 and earn up to £76,750.

Software developers might also be able to secure a higher salary by applying for a role in a new location. Areas like London (£54,000), Southeast England (£48,750) and Scotland (£48,250), currently offer the highest starting salaries in the UK.

According to the 2025 Salary Guide, tech professionals are highly sought-after in sectors like private equity, retail, financial services, and energy. Applying for a role within any of these sectors could increase your professional worth. Currently, full-stack developers are some of the hardest tech professionals to find, so switching your focus or levelling up your skillset could also increase your salary potential.

Read more: 5 best UK cities for tech jobs

It's possible to renegotiate your salary using a recognised, trusted salary benchmarking tool, like the Robert Half Salary Calculator or Salary Guide. They offer a reliable way to benchmark your salary against your experience level and region so you can enter negotiations with realistic expectations and a firm grasp of your professional worth.

It's also wise to ensure you have a full list of recent KPI and target achievements, along with evidence of in-demand or sought-after skills for your role to increase your bargaining power.

Use the 2025 UK Salary Calculator

What is the difference between a software engineer and a software developer?

Software engineer and software developer roles often overlap, and the job titles are sometimes used interchangeably, leading to potential confusion. However, there are some key differences which can help you hone your career path.

Software engineers take a broader view (looking at the entire software development cycle and larger system implications), whereas software developers tend to focus on specific implementation (like individual program creation and hands-on coding). In most cases, software developers create the systems, and software engineers maintain them.

Software engineers often focus on system-level thinking using engineering principles and structured methodologies, whereas developers focus on feature implementation in a more agile and creative way.

What programming languages should a software developer learn?

The programming languages you learn for a software developer job role will depend on the specialism you choose to work in. Generally, Python, JavaScript, and HTML/CSS are considered universal basics.

You can then progress onto languages like Java (Android development and enterprise applications) and SQL (database management) depending on your career goals. You can also progress your programming language skill set depending on whether you'd like to move into mobile development (Swift, React Native), back-end development (PHP, C#, Ruby), or front-end (React.js, TypeScript).

What is the typical salary for a software developer?

The salary you can command as a software developer depends on your seniority, location, and experience. Front-end developers in the UK can earn between £44,250 - £76,750. Back-end developers can earn £44,250 - £72,250, and full-stack developers can earn between £42,750 - £70,500.

You can increase your professional value by training into in-demand skills (mentioned above) or by applying for a role in a sector or location with higher demand for your skills.

Start your software developer career by browsing open roles at Robert Half or uploading your CV. To find out more about skills, hiring, and salaries in the tech sector for 2025, download your free copy of the Robert Half 2025 Salary Guide now.

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