Why We Need Software Engineers More Than Programmers

The other day, in a conversation with my CEO Lalit, he said something that stuck with me:

“We need engineers, not just programmers.”

That one line made me pause. In tech, we often blur the lines between programmer, developer, and engineer. But there’s a deeper difference—and Lalit’s words made me reflect on why it matters.

Programmers: The Builders of Code

A programmer is someone who turns ideas into working code. They:

Write code based on given requirements
Debug and fix errors
Focus mainly on getting features to work

Programmers are essential. Without them, nothing would ever ship. But the scope is often narrow—they build what’s asked for, without always thinking about the bigger system.

Engineers: The Architects of Systems

A software engineer goes beyond coding. They:

Apply engineering principles to design reliable systems
Think about scalability, performance, and maintainability
Collaborate with teams across product, QA, operations, and business
Consider trade-offs and long-term sustainability

Where a programmer asks “How do I make this feature run?”, an engineer asks “How do I design this system so it keeps running for years?”

Lalit’s Point: Why Engineers Matter More

When Lalit said we need engineers, not just programmers, his point was clear:

Programming is a subset of engineering. Every engineer writes code, but not every programmer is an engineer.
AI is changing the game. Routine programming tasks are increasingly automated.
Engineering judgment is irreplaceable. Decisions about architecture, trade-offs, and long-term design are what make software resilient.

This is what organizations truly value. Not just lines of code, but the ability to think in systems.

My Takeaway

That conversation reminded me: anyone can learn to program. But to grow in this industry, you need to think like an engineer.

Ask why before you code how
Solve for the system, not just the feature
Build not just software, but sustainable solutions

Conclusion

Both programmers and engineers are vital. But the future belongs to those who can think bigger—those who can design, scale, and sustain systems.

As my CEO Lalit put it best:

“We need engineers, then programmers.”