Software Developer
Also known as: Software Engineer · Associate Software Engineer · Programmer
Writes, tests and maintains code for software applications.
What you’d do
Software developers write, test and maintain the code behind applications, websites and systems. They work in IT services firms, product companies, startups and in-house tech teams of banks and other businesses, and the day mixes coding, reviewing code, fixing bugs and meetings with the team.
- Writes code for new features
- Fixes bugs in existing software
- Reviews code with teammates
- Writes basic tests and documentation
How you get in
Most freshers enter through campus placement or off-campus drives at IT services firms, which run aptitude and coding tests and then a training period. Product companies and startups hire more on coding tests and projects, so a portfolio of work on Git helps.
Salary in India
Fresher salary over the years
middle of the 0–1 yr range, ₹ lakh a year
Fewer than two years of fresher data so far — the trend shows once there are two.
Skills you’ll use
From our guide · a curated list is coming
- Programming in at least one language
- Data structures and problem-solving
- Version control with Git
- Databases and SQL
- Testing and debugging
About this field · for freshers
Job openings by year
Is demand growing?
Not added yet.
Competition3
How many graduates enter each year?
B.Tech / B.E. (all branches) graduates in 2023-24 at institutions that reported to AISHE — everyone finishing that degree, not only those entering this role.
Who hires
IT firms, banks, government, startups?
Not added yet.
Where the jobs are
Which cities?
Not added yet.
Women in the field3
Is it diverse?
Share of women among B.Tech / B.E. (all branches) graduates in 2023-24 — the entry degree, not people already working in this role.
At a glance
- Entry-level hiring volume varies a lot from year to year.
- Common next steps: senior developer, tech lead, architect, or a move into product or DevOps.
- Tools change fast, so ongoing learning is part of the job.
Stay safe
No legitimate employer ever asks you to pay to get a job.