Four Types of Web Developers, Which are You?
After years of working with developers and observing motivations – it seems I’ve somewhat generalized people into a few categories.
Please don’t balk if they aren’t 100% accurate, since everyone is different it is hard to generalize – but this shows the general trends I see of paths people follow when developing for the web.
Type A: Developers for Developers
The core of the coding world. They have philosophical debates about code with each other.From this group of people came all the programming languages ( C++, PHP, Java, Ruby, etc). If they have any people skills at all you will see them leading conferences and in the lime-light. Otherwise you can find them in password protected MIRC channels and in the deep dark caverns of corporations where no business person has ever step foot.
Type B: Developers for Client-Developers
They build plugins, frameworks and tools for themselves and fellow developers. The focus is on developing bits of reusable code to accomplish client work more efficiently. In the marketplace some are self-employed, yet most of these people occupying full-time positions as team leads (or normal developers who exceed employer expectations). Their philosophical debates are found to be mostly around what are the best tools to use, but also on how to write the best code. Community activity is high – as most have blogs, comment regularly on blogs and attend conferences.
Type C: Client-Developers
These developers use out-of-the-box software packages and slightly modifies them to get client work done. Their focus is on doing what the boss or client tells them for the day. May listen to podcasts, or participate in community lightly via blog comments or in-frequently posted to blog hosted at Blogger.com. Will only attend a conference if it is local and 100% paid for. In the marketplace you will find them working 40 hour weeks. Prime motivating factor is family and job security.
Type D: Developers for Money
These people are hack’n’mash, “developers”. You will find them grabbing dreamweaver or any WYSWYG tool to, “make a million” via affiliate programs and any idea they can get their hands on to make money. Visit their sites and see all types of ads – link ads, popup ads, pop-under ads (though some are finding smarter methods). Products are being sold because they understand the human condition and feed desire into a sale (conversion).
What type of devleoper are you? I am definitely type B.
14 comments
I am Type E: A developer who develops to push the boundaries of what has been done, interfacing everything thing together cause I can…but I agree Marc, you hit the four most common.
Oooh look…a rabbit hole…..
Of the four you described, I definitely fall under Type B as well.
We share the same archetype; am I finally a cool kid?
This should be titled “Four types of web developers”.
Really, what about all the actual backend developers, software developers? They fit into none of these categories.
Paul: Changed the title to include, “web developers”. Since this blog is about web development, I just assumed people would read it from that perspective.
i’m spanish web developer, I think the type b.
greetings
Ah! I was actually thinking along the same lines, but just not as clear as you’ve said it here – u really solved 1 prob o mine – thanks! :P
n abt me …. i’d say 95% type B – 5% type C (it’s quite circumstantial really) but yes, some of the times I do find my self in the Type C bracket.
SayB: Many people I know are Type-C, and that is not a bad thing. They provide a certain stability and besides, there is more to this life than work!
Ad a number 5, which is like 4, except not spanning automatic websites to produce ads and affiliate links (the garbage of the internet). A developer with intentions of completing his or her own project with intention of enterprise.
I’m definetly a B type developer, but i’m learning and maybe sameday I will touch the A type developer world (even if is very hard to go there), but let’s be serious, A type developers are the ones that make the world of technology evolve, but I think that sometimes B type developers try to go to uncharted territory, and they push A type developers to extend the boundaries and develop new technology.
I agree with you completely, Radu. Good luck on working on learning to be type A.
I think I’m one that is mostly B but with a pinch of C. I’m currently working as a web developer, backend & frontend, for the money and I enjoy it(but my plan is to earn my living by my own code as my own boss) – and in my freetime I have a bunch of own pojects I work with, both apps, plugins, frameworks and sites. I do not contribute very much yet, have no time, but do have mye own blogg and twitter account that I sometimes update. Do not attend conferrences unless paid for, find them on web afterwards anyway :-p
Circumstances put me in the type C bracket. Though I am trying real hard to get into the type B. Type C just does not feel right, at least for me.
really cool men..i think i am on type B developer .
Hope your next topic would be based on the other part which is
Developers composed of
The Gifted
The Natural
The Passionate
I am type A developer.