What Does a Software Developer Do in Malaysia?

Job Description of the Work of a Software Developer in Malaysia

Software Developers are one of the highest in demand jobs within computing. They are also paid well in Malaysia and globally. The terms software engineer and software developer are used interchangeably industry-wide. Traditionally, Software Engineers have an educational grounding in engineering and scientific principles that they apply to programming.

Basically, Software Developers create and develop software applications that allow people to perform specific tasks on the web, computers, or mobile devices. They also develop the underlying systems that control networks, databases, and operating systems.

In addition, Developers are responsible for the performance of the product in all its aspects which is referred to as the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). They need to a have a range of technical abilities and be familiar with computer languages, their ability to think laterally and develop logical solutions to modular problems is central to their role.

In Malaysia, the Software Developer is a professional who works in designing and coding software for businesses and consumers alike. They use programming languages like Java or C++ to create programmes for clients based on their needs. Typically sitting within the Information Technology (IT) team in a company, a Software Developer will be involved in liaising with the Business Analysts and Development Managers to ensure software projects meet specific requirements. For example, a Java, C#, .Net, C, Sybase and Oracle Software Developer is generally responsible for the development, design and implementation of new or modified software products or ongoing business projects.

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What is Software Development?

People both inside and outside IT often ask what is software development. It is a process to create computer software using one or more specific programming languages that provides functionality to address particular business or personal objectives. The development of software is usually a planned initiative with a number of steps and stages that result in the creation of operational software.

Hence a good definition is: “a process with a set of activities that create computer software products, including their design, development, testing, and deployment.” Software itself is a set of instructions or programs that tell a computer what to do. It is independent of hardware and makes computers programmable.

Software is developed using computer programming, carried out by a software developer. A software developer definition is “a person that creates software, either by themselves or in conjunction with others.”

Is Software Development a Good Career in Malaysia?

With software permeating virtually all aspects of our work in our society, a Software Engineering graduate in Malaysia has the option to work in many different sectors such as telecommunications, finance, health care, manufacturing, retailing, security, transport.

Other engineering areas like aeronautical, automotive, mechatronic, building, electrical, etc. also have increasing needs for software developers. The entertainment industry with video games and movie animation also has a large demand for Software Developers.

As a Software Developer you will be a qualified professional involved in the technical work of designing, coding, and testing large software products. You will also be responsible for tasks such as directing projects, managing teams, estimating costs and resources, assessing business plans, reviewing proposals and suggesting innovations.

What is the Salary of a Software Developer in Malaysia?

2023 HAYS ASIA SALARY GUIDE

DEVELOPMENT / DESIGN

Full-Stack Developer 84 – 240
Mobile Developer 84-220
Server-side Developer 472 – 240
Front-End Developer 48 – 180
Embedded Developer 74 – 220
Back-end Developer 72-240

DEVELOPMENT / DESIGN

Web Designer 46-140
UX/UI Designer 84 – 240
Java Developer 84-240

SOFTWARE TESTING

Test Analyst 80 – 120
Senior Test Analyst 18-140
QA Manager 156-240
OA Director 264-330

IOT

Solution Architect – IOT 240 – 384
IOT Engineer 168-264
Engineer – IT Innovation 180 – 360

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT | FINANCIAL SERVICES (JAVA/C++/C#)

CASH (ALL ASSET CLASSES)

Non-Officer (Associate) 70 – 1201
AVP Senior Associate 90 – 160
Vice President 160 – 220
Executive Director 220 – 350
Managing Director 300+

DERIVATIVES (ALL ASSET CLASSES)

Non-Officer (Associate) 80 – 100
AVP Senior Associate 90-160
Vice President 160-220
Executive Director 220 – 330
Managing Director 320 +

ELECTRONIC TRADING

Non-Officer (Associate) 80 – 100
AVP Senior Associate 110-150
Vice President 160-240
Executive Director 240 – 320
Managing Director 320+

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT | FINANCIAL SERVICES

APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

Database Developer 80 – 150
Application Architect/ Lead Developer 150 – 260
Development Manager 144 – 300

APPLICATION SUPPORT

Application Support 60 – 140
Application Support Manager 132-192

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Business Analyst 96 – 156
Proiect Manager 120 – 300
Program Manager 300 – 720
Project Coordinators/PMO 72 – 120
Service Delivery Manager 144 – 300

Test Manager 156 – 240
Test Analyst 108 – 156

MANAGEMENT

Infrastructure Manager 150 – 300
Development Manager – Front Office 120-240
Development Manager – Middle/Back 120 – 240
IT Director 300 – 540

Note: Salary ranges are represented in local currencies (RM) in ‘000. All salaries are representative of the total package value.

Kelly Services 2022/2023 Salary Guide

According to Kelly Services 2022/2023 Salary Guide, the monthly salaries (RM) for Information Technology (IT) are:

Position                                                            Years of Experience         Minimum              Maximum

Chief Information Officers                                  10 & above                                 25,000                    40,000
Sales Directors                                                       10 & above                                 25,000                    40,000
Programme Director                                             10 & above                                 20,000                    35,000
Service Delivery Directors                                   10 & above                                 20,000                    35,000
Project Director                                                     10 & above                                 15,000                      35,000
SAP Team Lead                                                      8-10                                            15,000                      35,000
Software Development Manager                        8-10                                           12,000                       20,000
Information Security Manager                           8-10                                            12,000                      20,000
Lead Software Developer                                     8-10                                             9,000                       15,000

Software Sales Manager                                      8-10                                              7,000                         15,000

Account Manager                                                 5-8                                               4,000                          8,000
Fullstack Developer                                              3-5                                              6,000                         15,000
Application Developer                                         3-5                                              6,000                          15,000
Java Developer                                                      3-5                                              6,000                          15,000
Senior Systems Engineer                                     3-5                                              6,000                          15,000

ETL Developer                                                      3-5                                             6,000                          10,000
Analyst Programmer                                           3-5                                             6,000                          10,000
Systems Programmer                                         3-5                                              6,000                          10,000
Technical Writer                                                  3-5                                             6,000                           10,000

Software Engineer                                             1-3                                                3,000                               5,000
IT Executive                                                       1-3                                                 3,000                               5,000
Web Designer                                                    1-3                                                  3,000                               5,000
Junior Programmer                                         1-3                                                  3,000                                5,000
Technician                                                          1-3                                                  3,000                                5,000

What are the Different Types of Software Development?

Each of the categories of the different types of development typically attracts different types of software developers, with different personalities, characteristics, and specialisms. For example, medical device software development requires software developers that are fully conversant with developing safety-critical systems.

This is a specialism that a typical application software developer is unlikely to possess, but which is critical for all aspects of healthcare software development. A music software developer will need to have musical ability, as well as a grounding in formal music theory, to be successful in developing software for the notation and performance of music. A security software developer needs to have more than just development skills, they must also be experienced in all aspects of IT security. Mobile development specialises in developing application software for mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets. Enterprise software development is used to develop a suite of applications that are used across an organisation.

The software that is developed can remain proprietary within the organisation, or be sold to others. It can also be made freely and widely available to anybody that wants to use it; this is called open source development.

There are several different types. They can be grouped into four basic categories:

1. Application development that provides functionality for users to perform tasks. Examples include office productivity suites, media players, social media tools, and booking systems. Applications can run on the user’s own personal computing equipment or on servers hosted in the cloud or by an internal IT department. Media streaming development is one example of application development for the cloud.
2. System software development to provide the core functions such as operating systems, storage systems, databases, networks, and hardware management.
3. Development tools that provide software developers with the tools to do their job, including code editors, compilers, linkers, debuggers, and test harnesses.
4. Embedded software development that creates the software used to control machines and devices, including automobiles, phones, and robots.

There are a number of different approaches that can be taken to develop any of these categories. These include:

• Scrum development where multiskilled teams use timeboxed development stages.
• Kanban development, using a visual work pipeline without any timeboxing.
• Sandbox development where untested code is isolated from production systems.

What does a Software Developer do?

A Software Developer designs and builds computer programs that power mobile devices, desktop computers, and even cars. They not only identify user needs but also create new applications for any given market while making improvements based on feedback from users.

They also use processes and techniques to create working software, including requirements definition, data flow design, code design, process flow design, flowcharting, code creation, software development testing, and debugging.

The end-to-end process is sometimes referred to as the software development life cycle (SDLC). The term ‘full stack software developer’ is someone that develops both user-facing software and server software, including database development and the development of application interfaces.

A Software Developer is involved in the whole lifecycle of creating a software:

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Every organization that develops software should have a development roadmap or plan that sets out all of the development steps that need to be carried out. That’s true whether you are using a traditional ‘waterfall’ software development workflow, or an agile software development process.

Most, if not all, organizations will continually develop software using iterative development, adding more and more functionality over time. An agile software development plan will deliver this in frequent small increments, repeating the steps involved in development life cycle in 1 or 2 weeks. More traditional approaches will take longer to execute the steps involved in the software development lifecycle, delivering the new functionality at much longer intervals, sometimes as long as a year.

Today, the most widely adopted software development process is based on the Manifesto for Agile Software Development. This sets out the agile software development principles patterns and practices that give frequent delivery of working software that customers want. Many ask what is Scrum in agile software development; it is just one approach to this that uses a team approach.

A common question is, “what are the steps in software development?” The precise steps will vary according to which of the development models have been adopted by the organization, but the outcome from any generic development plan will be the same for every software development process – working software.

A typical Software Development Life Cycle consists of the following stages −

1. Stage 1: Planning and Requirement Analysis
   • Requirement analysis is the most important and fundamental stage in SDLC. It is performed by the senior members of the team with inputs from the customer, the sales department, market surveys and domain experts in the industry. This information is then used to plan the basic project approach and to conduct product feasibility study in the economical, operational and technical areas.
   • Planning for the quality assurance requirements and identification of the risks associated with the project is also done in the planning stage. The outcome of the technical feasibility study is to define the various technical approaches that can be followed to implement the project successfully with minimum risks.
2. Stage 2: Defining Requirements
   • Once the requirement analysis is done the next step is to clearly define and document the product requirements and get them approved from the customer or the market analysts. This is done through an SRS (Software Requirement Specification) document which consists of all the product requirements to be designed and developed during the project life cycle.
3. Stage 3: Designing the Product Architecture
   • SRS is the reference for product architects to come out with the best architecture for the product to be developed. Based on the requirements specified in SRS, usually more than one design approach for the product architecture is proposed and documented in a DDS – Design Document Specification.
   • This DDS is reviewed by all the important stakeholders and based on various parameters as risk assessment, product robustness, design modularity, budget and time constraints, the best design approach is selected for the product.
   • A design approach clearly defines all the architectural modules of the product along with its communication and data flow representation with the external and third party modules (if any). The internal design of all the modules of the proposed architecture should be clearly defined with the minutest of the details in DDS.
4. Stage 4: Building or Developing the Product
   • In this stage of SDLC the actual development starts and the product is built. The programming code is generated as per DDS during this stage. If the design is performed in a detailed and organized manner, code generation can be accomplished without much hassle.
   • Developers must follow the coding guidelines defined by their organization and programming tools like compilers, interpreters, debuggers, etc. are used to generate the code. Different high level programming languages such as C, C++, Pascal, Java and PHP are used for coding. The programming language is chosen with respect to the type of software being developed.
5. Stage 5: Testing the Product
   • This stage is usually a subset of all the stages as in the modern SDLC models, the testing activities are mostly involved in all the stages of SDLC. However, this stage refers to the testing only stage of the product where product defects are reported, tracked, fixed and retested, until the product reaches the quality standards defined in the SRS.
   • Let’s look at why testing is important in software development life cycle. Software testing aims to evaluate the quality of the software product and improve it by identifying defects. It does this by running a series of tests against the new product code. Good software testing strategies for software development should include a range of different types of testing:
   • Functional testing: does the software provide the expected functionality? This is the most common form of testing, sometimes referred to as ‘Utility’ testing.
   • Non-functional testing: This tests all aspects that aren’t related to the expected functionality; it is often a neglected but very important part of the development lifecycle. Good software testing strategies for software development will include:
     • Security testing: Is the application secure against external or internal attack?
     • Performance testing: will the application run as fast as expected/required?
     • Load testing: How does the application perform under continuous load?
     • Scalability testing: How does it perform under increasing load?
     • Disaster recovery testing: How will the application recover after a disaster?
     • ‘Break’ testing: This can be a fun part of software development testing, where you see if you can make the application fail by doing things you wouldn’t expect users to do, e.g., Typing non-alphabetic characters into a ‘Name’ field.
   • Testing is often sacrificed when there are time or resource pressures, but this adds major risks of disruption to your business. Testing new software should always be a fundamental part of your software development lifecycle.
6. Stage 6: Deployment in the Market and Maintenance
   • Once the product is tested and ready to be deployed it is released formally in the appropriate market. Sometimes product deployment happens in stages as per the business strategy of that organization. The product may first be released in a limited segment and tested in the real business environment (UAT- User acceptance testing).
   • Then based on the feedback, the product may be released as it is or with suggested enhancements in the targeting market segment. After the product is released in the market, its maintenance is done for the existing customer base.

What are the duties and responsibilities of a Software Developer?

Software Developers have many different day-to-day responsibilities, such as creating efficient algorithms, producing clean code, integrating third-party programs into systems, and identifying areas of improvement based on user feedback.

What makes a good Software Developer?

A good Software Developer will have a deep understanding of programming languages and the software development life-cycle, as well as excellent analytical abilities and problem-solving skills.

They must have critical thinking skills, as well as strong problem-solving abilities.

Who does a Software Developer work with?

Typically, Software Developers work with a team of other developers, such as a Full Stack Developer, in order to create great software for their clients.

What are the Job Requirements and skills for a Software Developer in Malaysia?

• Ability to analyze user requirements
• Create innovative, scalable, fault-tolerant software solutions for our clients and customer base
• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies
• Experience with software design and development in a test-driven environment
• Knowledge of coding languages (e.g. C++, Java, JavaScript) and frameworks/systems (e.g. AngularJS, Git)
• Experience with databases and Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) frameworks (e.g. Hibernate)
• Ability to learn new languages and technologies
• Researching, designing, implementing, and managing software programs
• Testing and evaluating new programs
• Identifying areas for modification in existing programs and subsequently developing these modifications
• Writing and implementing efficient code
• Determining operational practicality
• Developing quality assurance procedures
• Deploying software tools, processes, and metrics
• Maintaining and upgrading existing systems
• Training users
• Working closely with other developers, UX designers, business and systems analysts

Other Skills

As well as formal qualifications, a Software Developer job description should highlight the following qualities:

• Knowledge and interest in computer systems and the latest technologies
• The ability to learn new technologies quickly
• An analytical mind
• The ability to communicate complex procedures to other colleagues
• Commercial and business awareness
• Good communication skills – both written and verbal
• Attention to detail and desire to probe further into data
• Excellent communication skills
• Resourcefulness and troubleshooting aptitude