Software Development

Learn more about the skills and certifications you need for a career as software or DevOps engineer, mainframe developer, QA tester, and more.

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[Featured Image] A smiling man in a black shirt wears a VR headset and headphones, and wonders how to become a game developer.

How to Become a Game Developer

Game development is a growing career field that uses programming languages to code video games. Learn how to become a game developer, the average game developer salary in the US, and the skills and education you’ll need to be successful.

November 6, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] A happy group of engineers working on their laptops at a communal table debate the benefits of a DevOps engineer vs. cloud engineer career path.

DevOps Engineer vs. Cloud Engineer: Which Career Path Is Right for You?

Explore the careers of DevOps and cloud engineers, including job responsibilities, skill sets, educational requirements, and more.

November 6, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] Three web developers sitting at a table in an open concept office use backend languages to write code on their laptops.

Why Learn Back-End Languages?

Modern websites need back-end development to maintain a responsive, smooth system that provides users with a positive experience. Explore back-end development, including role types and paths to learning this skill.

November 4, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] A smiling man in a black shirt wears a VR headset and headphones, and wonders how to become a game developer.

How to Become a Game Developer

Game development is a growing career field that uses programming languages to code video games. Learn how to become a game developer, the average game developer salary in the US, and the skills and education you’ll need to be successful.

November 6, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] A happy group of engineers working on their laptops at a communal table debate the benefits of a DevOps engineer vs. cloud engineer career path.

DevOps Engineer vs. Cloud Engineer: Which Career Path Is Right for You?

Explore the careers of DevOps and cloud engineers, including job responsibilities, skill sets, educational requirements, and more.

November 6, 2024

Article

Explore popular software development courses

Status: Free Trial

IBM

Skills you'll gain: Software Development Life Cycle, Software Architecture, Software Design, Scrum (Software Development), Software Engineering, Software Design Patterns, Agile Methodology, Software Development, Programming Principles, Application Development, Cloud Development, Web Development, Back-End Web Development, Front-End Web Development, Computer Programming, Integrated Development Environments, Python Programming

4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
4.1K reviews

Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

Status: Free Trial
Status: AI skills

IBM

Skills you'll gain: Prompt Engineering, CI/CD, Software Development Life Cycle, Cloud-Native Computing, Software Architecture, Istio, Cloud Computing Architecture, Application Deployment, Kubernetes, React Redux, Node.JS, Responsive Web Design, Restful API, Django (Web Framework), Git (Version Control System), Server Side, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cloud Computing, Data Import/Export, Engineering Software

Build toward a degree

4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
58K reviews

Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Status: Free Trial

University of Minnesota

Skills you'll gain: User Story, Agile Software Development, Software Design Patterns, Design Thinking, Software Development Methodologies, Software Design, Agile Methodology, Agile Project Management, Process Mapping, Software Engineering, Kanban Principles, Software Development Life Cycle, Software Quality Assurance, Application Security, Scrum (Software Development), Object Oriented Design, Software Architecture, User Experience Design, Software Quality (SQA/SQC), Requirements Analysis

4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
9.8K reviews

Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

[Featured Image] A software developer sits at a table with a laptop and uses a procedural programming language.

Procedural Programming Language: What It Is and When It’s Used

Explore procedural programming languages, including how they differ from object-oriented programming, their advantages, and tips for learning them. Discover some careers that use procedural programming languages.

November 1, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] An app development team discusses its ongoing strategy to improve a new application's performance after evaluating TestFlight results.

What Is TestFlight?

TestFlight is a beta testing tool for iOS applications. Learn how Apple’s beta testing platform helps you inspect apps’ performance prior to releasing them on the App Store so you can get feedback and look for errors in a real-world environment.

November 1, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] Three mobile-friendly website developers gather around a mobile device to analyze a new application created using bootstrap.

What Is Bootstrap and Who Uses It?

Bootstrap is a framework for building mobile-friendly applications using responsive design. Explore the question, "What is Bootstrap?" and learn Bootstrap's pros and cons and why you might want to start learning Bootstrap.

November 1, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] A woman who followed a software developer career path presents to two men in an office with a screen filled with code behind her.

Software Developer Career Path: How to Qualify, Develop, and Build Your Career

The software developer career path can lead to many unique and exciting career opportunities. Learn how to become a software developer and what your journey may look like from start to finish.

October 31, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] In an office, a woman points at a computer screen filled with code, as she and a woman colleague discuss software integration.

Software Integration: Examples and Why It’s Important

Software integration is key for efficient, intuitive systems. Learn more about software integration examples, types of software integration, and careers to consider within the software integration industry.

October 31, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] After learning what a hackathon is, a group of young professionals participate in their first hackathon for charity, sitting at computers in a large office space, as one woman addresses the group.

What Is a Hackathon and Why Attend One?

Hackathons are an exciting way to test your knowledge, collaborate with other people in your industry, and be part of an innovative, fast-paced environment. Explore hackathons, why you should enter one, and the different types of hackathons.

October 30, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] An IT specialist examines various computer parts, including the central processing unit.

What Is a Central Processing Unit (CPU)?

The CPU is a collection of circuits that run the operating system and apps and manage other computer operations. Learn more about central processing units and the important role they play in all computing devices.

October 30, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] Two computer programmers sit at a laptop and discuss what is open source software.

What Is Open Source Software and Why Use OSS?

Open source software is software anyone can view, copy, or modify. It’s popular because it’s free to use and a collaborative experience. Learn more about types of open source software and open source software examples.

October 29, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] A woman sits at a desk and participates in a virtual meeting, one of many software as a service examples.

Software as a Service: Examples to Know in 2025

Software as a service, or SaaS, is a business model for software providers to offer access to their centrally hosted products for a subscription fee. Read on to learn eight software as a service examples and gain insight into their business models.

October 29, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] Three web developers sitting at a table in an open concept office use backend languages to write code on their laptops.

Why Learn Back-End Languages?

Modern websites need back-end development to maintain a responsive, smooth system that provides users with a positive experience. Explore back-end development, including role types and paths to learning this skill.

November 4, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] A software developer sits at a table with a laptop and uses a procedural programming language.

Procedural Programming Language: What It Is and When It’s Used

Explore procedural programming languages, including how they differ from object-oriented programming, their advantages, and tips for learning them. Discover some careers that use procedural programming languages.

November 1, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] An app development team discusses its ongoing strategy to improve a new application's performance after evaluating TestFlight results.

What Is TestFlight?

TestFlight is a beta testing tool for iOS applications. Learn how Apple’s beta testing platform helps you inspect apps’ performance prior to releasing them on the App Store so you can get feedback and look for errors in a real-world environment.

November 1, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] Three mobile-friendly website developers gather around a mobile device to analyze a new application created using bootstrap.

What Is Bootstrap and Who Uses It?

Bootstrap is a framework for building mobile-friendly applications using responsive design. Explore the question, "What is Bootstrap?" and learn Bootstrap's pros and cons and why you might want to start learning Bootstrap.

November 1, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] A woman who followed a software developer career path presents to two men in an office with a screen filled with code behind her.

Software Developer Career Path: How to Qualify, Develop, and Build Your Career

The software developer career path can lead to many unique and exciting career opportunities. Learn how to become a software developer and what your journey may look like from start to finish.

October 31, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] In an office, a woman points at a computer screen filled with code, as she and a woman colleague discuss software integration.

Software Integration: Examples and Why It’s Important

Software integration is key for efficient, intuitive systems. Learn more about software integration examples, types of software integration, and careers to consider within the software integration industry.

October 31, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] After learning what a hackathon is, a group of young professionals participate in their first hackathon for charity, sitting at computers in a large office space, as one woman addresses the group.

What Is a Hackathon and Why Attend One?

Hackathons are an exciting way to test your knowledge, collaborate with other people in your industry, and be part of an innovative, fast-paced environment. Explore hackathons, why you should enter one, and the different types of hackathons.

October 30, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] An IT specialist examines various computer parts, including the central processing unit.

What Is a Central Processing Unit (CPU)?

The CPU is a collection of circuits that run the operating system and apps and manage other computer operations. Learn more about central processing units and the important role they play in all computing devices.

October 30, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] Two computer programmers sit at a laptop and discuss what is open source software.

What Is Open Source Software and Why Use OSS?

Open source software is software anyone can view, copy, or modify. It’s popular because it’s free to use and a collaborative experience. Learn more about types of open source software and open source software examples.

October 29, 2024

Article

[Featured Image] A woman sits at a desk and participates in a virtual meeting, one of many software as a service examples.

Software as a Service: Examples to Know in 2025

Software as a service, or SaaS, is a business model for software providers to offer access to their centrally hosted products for a subscription fee. Read on to learn eight software as a service examples and gain insight into their business models.

October 29, 2024

Article

Software development covers a wide variety of skills and careers, from programming to quality assurance to DevOps. With so many options and opportunities available, it can be tricky to know where to start. On Coursera, you'll find expert resources to support your goals, whether you're just starting out or are ready to take the next step in your career. Explore software development topics, including:

Ready to start learning? Explore our catalog of software development, DevOps, and IT courses for beginners and experienced professionals.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)