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AWS Solutions Architect vs Developer: Key Differentiators

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17th Nov, 2023
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    AWS Solutions Architect vs Developer: Key Differentiators

    Why do we need to differentiate between the jobs of AWS Developer and AWS Solutions Architect? We are aware that technology is a dynamic industry. And yes, we are aware that AWS feature updates are both thrilling and overwhelming because they are like a tsunami of new services. What remains unchanged? The demand for people to enter the workforce with solid skills—and maintain those abilities over time—is growing. In light of this, this essay will compare and contrast the fundamentals of the two well-known career pathways available inside the Amazon ecosystem: AWS Developer and AWS Solutions Architect. If you are new to the profession, you may not understand how the two career pathways differ from one another or which is best for you. We will make it clear.

    Now, is choosing between these two really that difficult? Of course, it is! You may have many questions if this is your first time looking into Amazon AWS certification. Here you can get the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate course and know more.

    AWS Solutions Architect vs Developer Associate: Head-to-head Comparison

    The detailed distinctions between the AWS Developer and AWS Architect certifications will be covered in the discussion that follows. The talk would centre on significant factors rather than the distinction between the exam requirements for AWS Solutions Architect Associate and AWS Developer Associate. The table to explain you better about AWS solution architect vs developer associate:

    ParameterAWS DeveloperAWS Solutions Architect
    CertificationsOne certification: AssociateTwo certifications: Associate and Professional
    Exam130 minutes, multiple-choice questionsProfessional – 180 minutes, multiple-choice questions

    Associate – 130 minutes, multiple-choice questions
    Fee$150 USDProfessional – $300 USD

    Associate – $150 USD
    Salary$92,000 to $158,000$75,000 to $190,000
    DemandHighHigh, but fewer architect jobs per company, though this is a valuable cert for DevOps.

    I learned through my online investigation that solutions architects make more money on average (only very slightly). I, therefore, naturally tended to Favor that. But after looking over the exam objectives, I thought the Developers certification would benefit me more (as I am a developer myself). I had no idea that the two had such a large amount of overlap and that obtaining one made obtaining the other quite simple. So, I got both. Which one is best for you, then? Let us investigate!

    AWS Solutions Architect vs Developer Associate: Detailed Comparison

    It can be difficult to decide where to start if you are unfamiliar with the cloud or the AWS ecosystem, you can get help AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate course, and despite their names, these qualifications will not be enough to help you land a job as a developer or solution architect.

    The good news is that the abilities you acquire as you study for the examinations may enable you to pursue a number of different professional choices. The even better news is that we give you access to all the AWS training you need to be successful.

    So here you will know more about AWS solutions architect vs developer:-

    AWS Developer: Exam and Other Details

    The following are the exam's objectives for AWS Cloud Developer (DVA-C01)

    Best practices for building on Amazon Web Services are given a lot of attention (not surprising). This topic automatically piqued my interest because I felt it to be a little more relevant to my everyday work. The Serverless computing topic is covered in-depth on the AWS Developer test because AWS wants developers to adopt it.

    Lambda, DynamoDB, Step Functions, X-Ray, API Gateway, ECS, CloudFront, SQS, SNS, and Kinesis are the services that are being highlighted. If you look at exam materials from 2018 or before, you will see that earlier editions of the exam probed deeper into EC2. This is no longer the case. It focuses on serverless computing. I am not claiming that EC2 will not come up on your test. It will. However, concentrate your efforts on serverless services.

    Exam Details

    For developers learning how to create with AWS, this exam is excellent. The information you learn while studying for this exam will give you all you need to succeed, whether it is for personal use or a profession.

    To succeed, you do not need to be extremely technical. The people who created the test did not mandate that you code. They will ask you questions of the "which is the correct API" variety, but prior coding experience is not necessary. Rephrase that, please. You do not require prior coding experience; however, it may be helpful.

    Here is an illustration: Every few minutes, your web application uploads a 10GB file to an S3 bucket, and you want to reduce the amount of time it takes for each upload to finish. How do you accomplish this? What are the best methods I might employ to utilise the most cutting-edge AWS technology if I were to introduce AWS to my business?

    Or how would I go about developing my applications in a cloud environment if I were building my own business from the bottom up? This test is appropriate for you if any of these statements applies to you. Use the Multipart upload API is the response. The solution to this question, as well as others like it, can be discovered in a variety of methods. It is possible to learn about S3 buckets by experience, reading the API documentation, or taking an online course.

    Prerequisites for Developer

    At least one high-level programming language in-depth understanding. Understanding of the fundamental AWS architecture best practises, such as the application lifecycle management, the AWS Shared Responsibility Model, and the usage of containers in the development process.  

    Without meeting any qualifications, you can acquire any AWS Certification. Nevertheless, AWS offers suggestions for knowledge and experience that are in line with the subject matter and level of expertise for each certification.  

    Domains Covered

    • Deployment
    • Security
    • Development with AWS Services
    • Refactoring 
    • Monitoring and Troubleshooting 

    AWS Solutions Architect: Exam and Other Details

    If you may infer from the objectives, the main focus of this certification is creating the best architecture for your systems.

    Services including EC2, VPC, ECS, Elastic Load Balancers, CloudWatch, EFS, EBS, FSx, and CI/CD tools are given a lot of attention.

    Exam Details

    This qualification is intended for individuals who play a variety of solutions architect roles. Your ability to create secure, reliable, and AWS-compatible architectures will be put to the test in the exam.

    There will be many scenario-based questions. Consider the following scenario: You are employed by a sizable aerospace engineering company, and you require your NoSQL database to be highly scalable and capable of accommodating regular schema changes. What AWS service ought to you utilise? 

    You will learn about all the AWS service offerings and how to optimise their interoperability while pursuing a career as a solutions architect. Such inquiries will become simple for you. The question at hand is: How can I build my application architecture to be safe, effective, resilient, and economical if I were to introduce AWS to my business? Or, if I were to build my own business from scratch, how should I best architect my applications to use AWS? 

    You can still use the knowledge gained from this certification if you work as a developer or in another non-solutions architect role. I found the notions to be of utmost value as a developer. Additionally, this gives me the self-assurance I need to immediately transition into a technical lead or solutions architect type role in the future.

    Exam Details: What is Common?

    AWS solutions architect associate vs AWS developer associate certification, have a tonne of overlap, I found. So as soon as I earned my AWS Developer Certification, I set the Solutions Architect exam for two weeks later. I did not need to study much more because I aced the second exam.

    With the knowledge I had gained from my Developer certification, I found it to be rather simple to make that decision. Let us examine what you can take away from each. Every certification exam you take includes a test on the fundamental AWS services, which are present everywhere. By the core AWS services, what do I mean? It includes EC2, VPC, S3, RDS, Lambda, Route 53, SNS, SQS, ELB, DynamoDB, Amazon Aurora, and CloudFront.

    Compute, security, databases, monitoring, deployment, and serverless on AWS are all covered by these services. The more you know about each of these services individually, the better, as they are the subject of the vast bulk of the questions. Having a thorough understanding of security is also beneficial. On both of these tests, having a solid understanding of VPCs, Cognito, STS, subnets, security groups, and NACLs will come in handy. 

    And why stop with only the Solutions Architect and Developer certifications? Once you possess this fundamental information, you can pursue any certification you choose! The whole list of certificates you can obtain is as follows: Certifications for AWS. It is also important to note that getting ready for these examinations will make it simpler for you to earn Google Cloud Platform or Microsoft Azure credentials. Even if they go by different names, many of the ideas and principles are the same.

    AWS Certified Developer Associate vs Solutions Architect: Skills and Abilities Required

    An effective AWS architect should be able to create code in any of the programming languages that have an official AWS SDK, including Java, Python, C#, and others. In order to develop practical, logical solutions that will function as planned, it is essential to have a general understanding of programming. 

    The duties of an AWS Developer can change depending on the organization's hiring priorities at the time. Some potential responsibilities include: 

    1. Ensuring efficient development, testing, and design.  
    2. Coding infrastructure using a tool like CloudFormation. 
    3. Ongoing management of knowledge.
    4. Creation of cost-conscious design.
    5. Defining and capturing best practices and tactics for infrastructure upkeep and application deployment. 
    6. Minimizing downtime during infrastructure migration. 
    7. Putting a monitoring stack together. 
    8. Putting service capacity planning concepts into practice.

    Comparison of Demand and Popularity

    AWS Developer

    The fact that cloud computing is unavoidable for IT professionals in 2021 is one of the key justifications for why AWS certifications are worthwhile. All industries are moving to the cloud as a result of revolutionary technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning. According to Forbes, the majority of IT professionals think that the adoption of cloud computing is significantly influenced by these cutting-edge technology. 

    IT professionals will need to become experts in cloud computing, especially in AWS services, in the near future. Therefore, you cannot ignore AWS certifications in 2021 if you want to obtain a competitive advantage and stand out from the crowd.

    AWS controls nearly a third of the IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) market, which is another reason you should begin your cloud computing adventure with it. This surpasses the combined offerings of the following two suppliers, Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure. In the coming years, AWS is poised to experience exponential growth if this pattern persists, which analysts predict it will. Therefore, for IT professionals and those looking to expand their businesses and skill sets on this well-respected platform in 2021, earning an AWS certification is a wise career move.

    AWS Solution Architect

    Because AWS provides such a wide range of services and capabilities, AWS architects are in high demand. The infrastructure and programmes that use AWS are designed and constructed by AWS architects. They collaborate with clients to develop unique solutions that are tailored to the unique requirements of their companies.

    It is crucial to have a well-thought-out and efficient infrastructure in the modern world. This implies that you require experts who can assist you in creating and maintaining this infrastructure. The AWS Solution Architect is one such expert.

    Amazon Web Services offers the AWS Solutions Architect Associate (ASA) credential. The certification equips people with the abilities and information needed to develop, implement, and maintain AWS solutions. AWS has a lot to offer its staff members as the biggest cloud provider in the world. The company's position of solutions architect is no different. You will be in charge of creating and maintaining cloud-based apps as the solutions architect.

    The fundamental abilities and information needed to function as a Solution Architect are covered in the online course AWS Solution Architect Associate. The course is intended for seasoned IT professionals who want to increase their proficiency with the AWS cloud computing platform. The course is thorough and covers all crucial subject matter needed to succeed as a Solution Architect. It is no surprise that more people are seeking employment in the cloud computing industry given the popularity of Amazon Web Services (AWS), which is only increasing.

    AWS Solutions Architect vs Developer Salary

    In salary comparisons, the demand for AWS Solution Architect is high. A Solution Architect makes an average salary of $167,920, according to Stack Overflow. This represents an increase from the prior year when a Solution Architect made an average income of $161,440. The quantity of job posts reflects the high demand for Solution Architects.

    What is the salary of an AWS Developer? In India, an AWS Developer has an average annual income of 6,25,525 rupees. The 53 salaries supplied by anonymous AWS Developer employees for review are the basis for the salary estimations.

    Choose the One According to Your Preferences

    Factor In Career Goals

    When we include career opportunities, the AWS solutions architect vs developer jobs depend on the candidate's interests and plans for professional development are also very important. It appears that the AWS Solutions Architect position might pay you more money. The AWS developer job role, on the other hand, can assist you in delving further into real-world applications using the AWS console.

    Consider your Personality

    Jobs as an AWS solutions architect demands a high level of cognitive reasoning in order to visualize solutions using an understanding of AWS architecture best practises. Apart from the limited opportunity for hands-on participation in the design, implementation, and management of applications, AWS Solution Architect is typically a preferable choice for a new employee. The AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification is the response if you are still wondering which AWS certification is in demand.

    Finally, if you do not yet have a clear professional goal, you should be aware of your temperament. This will help you choose a career route and determine whether the solutions architect or developer test would be the ideal place for you to start.

    You should first take the solutions architect exam if you can absorb a lot of material across many disciplines. You will discover how to create an enterprise-grade architecture that is highly available, performant, elastic, and economical as you study for the exam.

    Looking to boost your career? Get the latest version of ITIL certification. Stay ahead in the game with our unique courses. Enroll now!

    Conclusion

    In conclusion of difference between AWS solution architect and developer, I strongly advise taking both tests. But if you must pick one, hopefully the following will guide your choice:

    Developers that are interested in learning about AWS from a developer's perspective should take this exam. The skills you learn in this training will lay the groundwork for you to build absolutely amazing things on AWS.

    You will also be able to participate in debates about AWS development, which I think is very fascinating. Take the Solutions Architect test if you are a technical architect of some kind or want to discover how an architect works in the context of the AWS environment.

    A comparison of the AWS Developer and AWS Architect credentials is necessary for someone just beginning their AWS journey. However, a lot of would-be candidates focus only on one particular answer rather than exploring all of the available options. Compared to the AWS developer associate certification test, many applicants believe the AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam to be quite challenging.

    AWS Developer vs. AWS Architect comparisons, however, only have one possible response: you will not find the "better" one. You can earn lucrative income packages by passing either certification exam. In order to select the test that is right for you, you must first list your requirements for seeking AWS certification. The AWS Solutions Architect credential, for instance, is appropriate if your focus will be on AWS cloud architecture.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    1Which is better AWS solutions architect or developer?

    To verify your baseline knowledge of fundamental AWS concepts if you are aiming for a speciality certification, I strongly advise acquiring the AWS Solution Architect - Associate certification first. 

    2What is the difference between solution architect and developer?

    A software architect oversees technical standards while outlining the overall design and direction of the project using their vast and in-depth technical knowledge. Software developers, on the other side, act as the fulfilment team, writing the code to the architect's specifications. 

    3Does AWS Solution Architect require coding?

    Although it is not required, having a rudimentary understanding of Python, Java, or any other programming language would be very beneficial. Security: Aspiring architects of cloud solutions must have a thorough understanding of fundamental security ideas like firewalls. 

    4Is AWS Solution Architect job difficult?

    AWS developer associate vs solutions architect which is easy, One of the toughest AWS qualifications is the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional. You would require in-depth knowledge of cloud computing and numerous crucial AWS services to pass this certification. 

    Profile

    Abhresh Sugandhi

    Author

    Abhresh is specialized as a corporate trainer, He has a decade of experience in technical training blended with virtual webinars and instructor-led session created courses, tutorials, and articles for organizations. He is also the founder of Nikasio.com, which offers multiple services in technical training, project consulting, content development, etc.

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