Can someone explain the job duties of a software engineer?

I'm interested in software engineering and I want to know more about what software engineers actually do. Is it mostly coding, or are there other important tasks too? Trying to figure out if this is the right path for me.

Sure, happy to demystify the role of a software engineer for you. In essence, software engineers are the creative brains behind computer programs. In the simplest terms, they use computer science principles to create, test, and evaluate the software and systems that make computers or other devices containing software work.

While a large part of a software engineer's job involves writing and revising code, their duties extend far beyond that. Here are some of the key tasks they might undertake:

1. Analyzing user needs: Before a single line of code is written, software engineers often need to understand exactly what the users want, which involves interaction with clients or other departments, depending on the setup of their organization.

2. Designing software system: This is where they outline the foundational architecture of the software, deciding on the most effective way to achieve what the user needs in the most efficient way possible.

3. Programming: Of course, the role involves coding, which essentially means turning the designed system into a working software. This can involve front-end development (working on the user interface), back-end development (working on the server-side development and the business logic), or full-stack development which encompasses both.

4. Testing: After the program is written, it must be thoroughly tested to make sure it performs as expected. This means finding and fixing bugs, looking for any potential security issues, and optimizing any slow parts of the program.

5. Maintenance: Once a software is up and running, it's not all done and dusted. Software engineers need to provide updates, patches, and improvements over time. They might also need to optimize or rewrite parts that aren't efficient.

6. Documentation: Software engineers also document their code so that others (or even they themselves in the future) can understand what they did and why they did it.

These responsibilities might shift slightly depending on the size of the company and specific role within software engineering. For instance, at start-ups, a software engineer might end up wearing multiple hats and dealing with a wider scope of work compared to their counterparts at large corporations.

So, while coding is an essential part of the job, a software engineer's work truly encompasses a mix of analytical, problem-solving, project management, and communication skills.

If you like solving problems, building things, and working collaboratively, software engineering could certainly be a good fit for you! Be sure to try out some coding on your own to see if you enjoy the actual bread and butter of the job. This will give you a firsthand idea of what a big part of the role involves.