Pick a role, see what to learn

• Software Developer (SDE)

  Software developers (often called SDEs or software engineers) design, write, test and maintain the code behind apps, websites and systems. Strong programming fundamentals, data structures and problem solving matter most, and they are what technical interviews test.

  • One language in depth (Java, C++ or Python)
  • Data structures and algorithms
  • Object-oriented design
  • SQL and databases

  7-step learning path

• Data Analyst

  Data analysts collect, clean and analyse data to answer business questions, then present the results in reports and dashboards. SQL is the core skill, supported by Python, spreadsheets and clear communication.

  • SQL (joins, aggregation, window functions)
  • Python for data handling
  • Spreadsheets
  • Basic statistics

  7-step learning path

• Web Developer

  Web developers build the websites and web apps people use in their browsers. Front-end developers focus on what users see (HTML, CSS, JavaScript); back-end developers build the servers, APIs and databases behind it; full-stack developers do both.

  • HTML, CSS and JavaScript
  • TypeScript
  • A front-end framework (such as React)
  • A back-end language (Node.js, Python or Java)

  9-step learning path

• Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE)

  Forward deployed engineers work closely with a company's customers to get its product working on their real problems. The role mixes software engineering, data work and customer communication: you write production code, integrate data, and often work on site or alongside the customer's team.

  • Strong coding in Python or Java
  • SQL and data integration
  • APIs, files and automation
  • Debugging unfamiliar systems

  6-step learning path

• Backend Developer

  Backend developers build the server side of applications: the APIs, business logic and databases that front ends and other services rely on. They care about correctness, performance and security.

  • Java, Python or Node.js (JavaScript/TypeScript)
  • SQL and database design
  • APIs and HTTP
  • Concurrency basics

  6-step learning path

• Data Engineer

  Data engineers build and maintain the pipelines that collect, clean and move data into warehouses, so analysts and data scientists can use it. Advanced SQL and Python are the foundation.

  • Advanced SQL
  • Python
  • Data modelling
  • ETL / ELT pipelines

  5-step learning path

• Front-End Developer

  Front-end developers build everything users see and interact with in the browser: layouts, forms, navigation and interactive features. They turn designs into accessible, responsive and fast interfaces using HTML, CSS, JavaScript and usually TypeScript with a component framework.

  • Semantic HTML and accessibility
  • CSS layout (Flexbox, Grid) and responsive design
  • JavaScript and the DOM
  • TypeScript

  7-step learning path

• Full-Stack Developer

  Full-stack developers build complete features end to end: the interface in the browser, the server and API behind it, and the database underneath. They need breadth across the whole web stack and enough depth to ship working products.

  • HTML, CSS and JavaScript
  • TypeScript across client and server
  • Node.js (or Python/Java) on the back end
  • SQL and database design

  7-step learning path

• Mobile App Developer

  Mobile developers build apps for Android and iOS phones and tablets. They work either natively (Kotlin or Java for Android, Swift for iOS) or with cross-platform frameworks such as React Native and Flutter, and connect apps to APIs and local storage.

  • Java or Kotlin (Android), Swift (iOS), or JavaScript/TypeScript (React Native)
  • Object-oriented programming
  • APIs and JSON
  • Local data storage

  6-step learning path

• Embedded Systems Engineer

  Embedded engineers write the software that runs inside devices: appliances, cars, medical equipment, sensors and industrial machines. They work close to the hardware, usually in C (and increasingly C++), with tight limits on memory, power and timing.

  • C in depth
  • Pointers, memory and bit manipulation
  • Microcontroller architecture
  • Interrupts and timers

  7-step learning path

• Game Developer

  Game developers program gameplay, graphics, physics, AI and tools for games on PCs, consoles and phones. C++ dominates engine and performance-critical work (Unreal Engine is written in it), while C# is used with Unity.

  • C++ (or C# for Unity)
  • Memory and performance
  • Data structures and algorithms
  • Linear algebra for 2D and 3D

  6-step learning path

• Data Scientist

  Data scientists use statistics, programming and machine learning to answer questions and make predictions from data. The work goes from getting and cleaning data with SQL and Python, through analysis and modelling, to explaining results to decision makers.

  • Python
  • SQL
  • Statistics and probability
  • pandas and NumPy

  6-step learning path

• Machine Learning Engineer

  Machine learning engineers take models from experiments to production: they build data pipelines, train and evaluate models, and deploy and monitor them in real applications, including systems built on large language models. The role combines strong software engineering with ML knowledge.

  • Python and software engineering
  • Data structures and algorithms
  • SQL and data pipelines
  • Machine learning and deep learning

  6-step learning path

• Database Administrator (DBA)

  Database administrators install, configure, secure and tune the databases that applications depend on. They manage backups and recovery, user access, performance and upgrades, and help developers design efficient schemas and queries.

  • Advanced SQL
  • Database design and normalization
  • Indexes and query tuning
  • Transactions and concurrency

  6-step learning path

• DevOps Engineer

  DevOps engineers build the systems that take code from a developer's machine to production safely and often: build pipelines, automated tests, infrastructure as code, containers and monitoring. They sit between development and operations, and automate everything they can.

  • Linux and the command line
  • Scripting (Python, Bash)
  • Git
  • CI/CD pipelines

  7-step learning path

• Cloud Engineer

  Cloud engineers design, build and operate applications and infrastructure on platforms such as AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. They choose the right services, keep systems secure and cost-effective, and automate deployments.

  • A major cloud platform (AWS, Azure or GCP)
  • Linux and networking
  • Scripting (Python)
  • Databases and storage

  6-step learning path

• QA Automation Engineer

  QA (quality assurance) automation engineers make sure software works before users see it. They plan test cases, write automated tests for user interfaces and APIs, run them in CI pipelines, and report bugs clearly so developers can fix them.

  • A programming language (Java, Python or JavaScript/TypeScript)
  • Testing concepts and test design
  • UI automation (Selenium, Playwright, Cypress)
  • API testing

  6-step learning path

• Cybersecurity Analyst

  Cybersecurity analysts protect an organization's systems and data. They monitor for threats, investigate alerts and incidents, find and fix vulnerabilities, and help teams build securely. Understanding how software, networks and operating systems work is the foundation.

  • Networking (TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP)
  • Linux and Windows administration
  • Scripting (Python)
  • Web application security

  6-step learning path

These paths are a suggested order, not a fixed rulebook: job requirements differ between companies and teams, so read real job descriptions for the roles you are targeting. Where a step needs a topic that Laviyx Learn does not teach yet, it is listed plainly so you know to learn it elsewhere.