developer - technical definition

A person who designs and writes software. The term generally refers to designers and programmers in the commercial software field. However, it may also refer to professionals developing internal business applications within an enterprise.

Software Is All About Developing
Software is mostly a service industry, and it is all about developers and developing, which consumes almost all the time and resources of the software company. This contrasts with computer hardware or any other industry that makes equipment, wherein manufacturing is a major part of the business.

The manufacturing constituent in software involves making CD-ROM or DVD packages for distribution, which is a minuscule part of the business by comparison. Complete packages cost only a dollar or two, and if delivered online, distribution costs are practically nil. New versions cause a change in packaging, but this is still a minor cost compared to other industries that produce tangible products. See software engineer and systems programmer.