Learning to code is a fantastic decision. From high-paying salaries to remote work, coding is a future-proof skill that’s heavily in demand. The next step is to explore which engineering path you’d like to pursue.

Not All Software Engineers Are Created Equally

• Game Developers: Build video games for console, PC, and mobile devices.
• Web Developers: Create websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
• Backend Developers: Build backend systems for large corporations and banks.
• Metaverse Engineers: Work with augmented and virtual reality technologies to build the metaverse.

When choosing your engineering path, think about what excites you. Employers want engineers who are passionate and driven to become the best in their chosen field.

High Demand and High Salaries

Some of you may be exploring software engineering to earn a higher salary. Rest assured, there is high demand for each of these disciplines, and the average starting salary across the board is around $70,000 or more.

Choosing Your Tech Stack

So, how should you choose the tech stack you’d like to work with? And what are the available tech stacks? A tech stack refers to the software, tools, and programming languages used to build a specific product or service. Here are some examples:

Game Developer & Metaverse Engineer:

• Tech Stack: Unity and Unreal Engine, C# and C++
• Description: Build video games and immersive experiences in virtual reality.

Front-End Web Developer:

• Tech Stack: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Angular, VueJS
• Description: Manage the structure and design of websites. Frameworks speed up the process of building large-scale products and websites.

Back-End Developer:

• Tech Stack: Node.js
• Description: Connect the front of the website to the backend servers and databases. For example, when you log in to Facebook, the login screen is the front end, but clicking the login button communicates with a backend server to run queries on a database.

Full Stack Developer:

• Tech Stack: Combination of front-end and back-end technologies
• Description: Learn both front-end and back-end development to be more valuable to employers.

Data Scientist:

• Tech Stack: Python
• Description: Engage in testing, automation, and machine learning.

Core Programming Languages

Going down the rabbit hole of programming languages and tech stacks can be overwhelming. Here are five programming languages that are most favorable on the world stage:

1. C#: Built and maintained by Microsoft. Used in corporate America and gaming studios.
2. C++: The world’s fastest and most powerful programming language. Used in everything from microcontrollers to graphics programming.
3. JavaScript: The language of the web, essential for all websites.
4. Python: Popular for data science, machine learning, and automation.
5. Java: Widely used for a variety of applications, including Android development and financial systems.

These languages are Object-Oriented, meaning if you learn one, the others are easier to pick up due to shared principles and concepts.

Where These Languages Are Used

• C#: Corporate America, gaming studios.
• C++: Graphics programming, microcontrollers, traffic lights, and more.
• JavaScript: All websites.
• Python: Data science, machine learning, automation, robotics.
• Java: ATMs, credit card processing machines, Android applications.

This page is designed to give you a high-level overview of the different engineering paths you can explore. Coding is a vast world, but what each of these paths has in common is that they require a fundamental problem solver at the helm—that’s where you step in and become a software engineer.

Once a software engineer, you can easily pick up and explore additional tech stacks and frameworks. In the next steps, we’ll talk further about GameDevHQ and the tech stacks we teach so you can make an informed decision on moving forward