Shallow on Purpose

There is often
spirited discussion and debate
about the differences between Programmers, Hackers, and Developers. Most
descriptions I’ve seen are flawed in at least one serious way, so I wanted
to assemble my own—hopefully more accurate—definitions.

1. A Programmer is someone who can solve problems by by manipulating
   computer code. They can have a wide range of skill levels—from just
   being “ok” with basic scripting to being an absolute sorcerer with any
   language.

2. A Hacker is someone who makes things. In this context, it’s
   someone who makes things by programming computers. This is the original,
   and purest definition of the term, i.e., that you have an idea and you
   “hack” something together to make it work. It also applies to people who
   tinker with things in a way that extends or changes their functionality,
   or otherwise uses them in ways that weren’t originally intended.

3. A Developer is a formally trained programmer. They don’t just
   solve problems or create things, but do so in accordance with a set of
   design and implementation principles. These include things like
   performance, maintainability, scale, robustness, and (ideally) security.

Programmers solve problems using code, a Hacker is a
creator/tinkerer, and a Developer is a
formally trained programmer who doesn’t just solve problems but does
so in a structured and disciplined way that was probably learned formally.

What developers, hackers, and programmers all have in common is that they
solve problems using code.

Relationships

People can be any combination of these. Here’s how they relate to each other
(also see the Venn diagram above):

• All hackers and developers are programmers.

• Many programmers, and even developers, are not creative enough to be
  considered hackers.

• Many programmers, and even hackers, are not educated or experienced
  enough to be considered developers.

Ideally, one would strive to be all three, i.e., creative enough to be
considered a hacker, but with enough formal training and experience to
design software rather than simply…well, hacking it together.

But even if you aren’t very creative, and/or lack the education and/or
experience to properly build massive applications, you should still be proud
to be a programmer.

Solving problems using code is a superpower by itself.

Notes

1. There is a broader type of Hacker which can apply to any field, not just
   computers. This article specifically deals with the software type.

2. A “coder” is basically a synonym for programmer.

3. Hacking is often, but not always, associated with poor quality. This is
   because it usually takes place in a rush of creativity that is best not
   slowed by the friction of doing things properly. In cases where a hacker
   is also a developer, or has an eye for design and quality elsewise, they
   almost inevitably have to come back to their creations afterward and
   clean them up.

4. The determination of who gets called a hacker and who doesn’t is a
   contentious one. The basic rules that most agree on include 1) that you
   need to have made one or more things that people find useful, and 2) be
   recognized as a hacker by other hackers.

5. The term “Software Engineer” is nearly synonymous with Developer for
   these purposes. It means someone who is well-rounded in all aspects of
   software creation, and not just a few.

6. It is possible for someone to have engineer/developer-type skills
   without formal training, but it is not common.

7. In the security world, a hacker also means multiple things. For testers
   it usually means someone who understands systems and can defeat their
   security controls. In the top tiers of security, however, the definition
   returns to its more pure form, i.e. someone who creates security
   software or tools used by others.

8. In popular culture, hacker means computer criminal. Within the security
   world that type of actor is often referred to as an “attacker”.

9. Eric Raymond, a notable programmer and personality in the original computer
   community, defines a hacker like so, “An intelligent, creative, and
   open-minded individual who enjoys problem-solving, learning, and the
   sharing of knowledge above all else.”

10. “Software Engineer” is synonymous with Developer. It implies a formal
    education in the core concepts of software architecture, design, and the
    requisite pre-education to support it.