A software engineer is an IT professional who develops the fundamental concepts that exist within the software life cycle. Software must go through a cycle of repeating phases (like many other products or services) before it is finalized and put on the market. Software engineering is the application of a quantifiable and systematic approach to the design, creation, development and maintenance of software. The software engineering process involves the structured set of activities required to develop a software system, such as design, specification, evolution and validation.

As more systems and processes become software-oriented or controlled, the engineering aspect of these systems plays a big role in an organization's budget, time, operation and performance. Even the economies of many developed and advanced nations have become dependent on software. The methods, theories and tools used during this development are the foundation of software engineering.