Become a Developer

There are many developer jobs—from web and app developer to software engineer—but all involve creating and coding computer software. Begin learning how to code and explore short online programming courses, whatever your level.

  • Best jobs in the UK

    #11
  • Job satisfaction

    4/5
  • Median base salary

    £35,000
  • UK job openings/month

    1,841

What skills do you need to become a developer?

  • Coding and programming

    Professional developers specialise in at least one programming language, though most have a knowledge of several. New languages and platforms are constantly appearing, and online courses are a great way to learn about them.

  • Collaboration

    Developers work closely with project managers, analysts, designers and clients. This might also involve working as part of fast-moving team structures such as Agile or DevOps.

  • Testing and maintaining

    Developers are tasked with debugging, upgrading and reiterating programs and work with testers and users to keep improving them.

  • Problem-solving

    No matter the discipline, developers are called upon to solve user problems with code and fix problems inside programs.

Develop these skills. Start a short programming or web development course

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What do developers say about these programming courses?

I wish it was more than 4 weeks long!

"This is a great course and I would love to see more of these type of projects that children (and myself) can play around with as they learn new skills. I wish it was more than 4 weeks long!"

"I enjoyed taking this course a lot because it provided a structured framework for getting to grips with the language and a very friendly and collaborative atmosphere which made it fun. The camaraderie seemed to embrace everyone, including lecturers, mentors, and fellow students—we had a great bunch of people."

The benefits of taking software developer courses online with FutureLearn

Learn flexibly online

Develop valuable skills with a short, online programming course wherever you are. Start learning for free, on desktop, tablet or mobile.

Buy a course upgrade or subscribe to Unlimited for extra benefits

Buy a course upgrade for ongoing access to the course content, tests, and the chance to gain a Certificate of Achievement. Subscribe to Unlimited for access to hundreds of short courses and the ability to keep access to courses you gain a certificate on.

Meet development experts

Learn with experts from top international universities and business schools. Network with developers all over the world.

National Coding Week Logo

National Coding Week

September 2019

National Coding Week helps to bring coding and digital skills to everyone, regardless of their age or experience. During this week, you could

  • Join our coding courses and start learning, no matter what your experience level is
  • Follow #nationalcodingweek on social media for related events and resources
  • Download a National Coding Week toolkit and run your own community event

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