The world of software engineering is evolving. Companies are rethinking traditional roles and embracing new approaches to building products that delight customers.

Product engineers are emerging as a key role, bringing together the technical expertise of software engineers with the customer focus of product managers. This hybrid role is in high demand, particularly among startups that prioritize agility and customer-centricity. Product engineers take ownership of the entire product lifecycle, from ideation to implementation, and are empowered to make autonomous decisions that drive business value.

The rise of product engineering reflects a broader shift towards more collaborative and cross-functional ways of working. Instead of siloing responsibilities, companies are recognizing the benefits of having engineers work closely with designers, marketers, and other stakeholders to create cohesive product experiences. This approach fosters innovation, speeds up development cycles, and ensures that products meet the evolving needs of customers.

As the software industry continues to mature, we can expect to see more companies adopt product engineering practices. Whether you're a seasoned software engineer or just starting your career, developing a customer-centric mindset and learning to work autonomously will be key to thriving in this new landscape. By embracing the principles of product engineering, you can position yourself for success and make a meaningful impact on the products you build.

Key differences between product engineers and software engineers

While both product engineers and software engineers write code, their focus and responsibilities differ in important ways.

Product engineers prioritize customer needs and business outcomes. They take a holistic view of the product, considering factors like user experience, market fit, and revenue potential. They're comfortable talking directly to customers, analyzing usage data, and making strategic decisions about what features to build and how to prioritize them.

In contrast, software engineers focus primarily on technical implementation. They're experts in specific technologies and programming languages, and they take pride in writing clean, efficient, and scalable code. While they may have some input into product decisions, their primary responsibility is to build and maintain the software systems that power the product.

Another key difference is the scope of ownership. Product engineers own the end-to-end product experience, from conception to launch and beyond. They're accountable for the product's success or failure, and they're expected to adapt quickly based on customer feedback and market trends.

Software engineers, on the other hand, own specific components or features within the larger product. They're responsible for ensuring that their code is reliable, performant, and maintainable, but they may not have visibility into how it fits into the bigger picture.

Of course, these distinctions are not always clear-cut. Many software engineers adopt a product mindset, and many product engineers are also skilled coders. The key is to understand where your passions and strengths lie, and to seek out roles that allow you to make the most impact. Product engineers prioritize building what users need to succeed. They are willing to iterate quickly, even starting from scratch if necessary. This pragmatic approach contrasts with the more idealistic mindset of traditional software engineers.

Product engineers still spend most of their time coding. However, they also talk to customers, analyze usage data, and research competitors. They use these insights to prioritize a product roadmap they own.

Demand for product engineers is growing

Startups and early-stage companies often hire product engineers to ship improvements faster. Even larger companies see product engineers as a way to drive focused innovation. They can inject urgency into smaller teams with the autonomy to ideate and execute.

Twitter's recent dramatic product changes highlight the need for product engineers. Rather than maintaining the existing codebase, they needed engineers to identify opportunities and implement solutions quickly, even if imperfectly.

Is product engineering right for you?

Successful product engineers are customer-obsessed and enjoy direct user interactions. They care deeply about outcomes and impact, remaining flexible on exact implementations.

If you prefer focusing on complex technical challenges and optimizing existing technologies, traditional software engineering may be a better fit. Remember, product engineering is more a mindset than a rigidly defined role.

When should companies hire product engineers?

Product engineers excel in agile environments that prioritize speed, like B2B SaaS or consumer subscription services. They take a holistic product view and can pivot quickly when needed.

For large, technically complex products or enterprise platforms, specialized software engineers may be more effective. The right choice depends on the company's goals and product nature.

Product engineers are more customer-focused

Product engineers are obsessed with understanding customer needs and solving their problems. They talk directly to users to gain insights. Product engineers use this knowledge to prioritize features that deliver the most impact.

Software engineers are more implementation-focused

In contrast, software engineers focus more on the technical implementation details. They care about writing clean, efficient, and maintainable code. Software engineers optimize systems, follow best practices, and build off prior work.

Product engineers move fast and iterate

Product engineers are pragmatic and willing to ship quickly, even if the solution isn't perfect. They build prototypes, run experiments, and iterate based on feedback. The goal is to deliver value to users as soon as possible.

Software engineers prioritize scalability and security

Software engineers take a more methodical approach, considering factors like scalability, security, and long-term maintainability. They invest time upfront to design robust systems that can handle future growth. Software engineers aim to build solid foundations.

Both roles are critical for success

While product engineers and software engineers have different focus areas, both roles are essential. Product engineers ensure the product solves real user problems. Software engineers ensure the product is built on a strong technical foundation. The two roles complement each other.

Transitioning from software to product engineering

If you're a software engineer interested in becoming more product-focused, start by talking to users and understanding their needs. Take ownership of features and prioritize based on impact. Be willing to iterate and ship quickly. Over time, you can develop the skills to become a successful product engineer.

Skills and mindset of successful product engineers

Customer obsession is a key trait of successful product engineers. They are willing to talk directly with users to deeply understand their needs and pain points. This direct interaction helps them build empathy and design solutions that truly resonate.

Product engineers care deeply about the outcomes and impact of their work, not just the technical implementation. They measure success by the value delivered to users and the business, not just the elegance of the code. This mindset helps them prioritize the most impactful work.

Flexibility and autonomy are also crucial for product engineers. They are comfortable adapting their approach as needed and working independently to drive projects forward. This allows them to move quickly and iterate based on feedback.

Successful product engineers are pragmatic problem-solvers. They focus on finding the simplest solution that meets the user's needs, even if it's not the most technically sophisticated. They are willing to make trade-offs and prioritize speed over perfection.

Strong communication skills are essential for product engineers. They need to clearly articulate their ideas and rationale to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. They also need to be good listeners and incorporate feedback into their work.

Product engineers are lifelong learners who stay curious about new technologies and industry trends. They are always looking for ways to improve their skills and knowledge to better serve their users. This growth mindset helps them stay ahead of the curve.

Ultimately, the key to success as a product engineer is a user-centric mindset. By deeply understanding and empathizing with users, product engineers can build products that truly make a difference. This requires a blend of technical skills, business acumen, and emotional intelligence. Product engineers are ideal for startups and companies prioritizing agility and speed. They take a holistic view of the product and can move quickly when needed. This makes them particularly effective in B2B SaaS or consumer subscription services, where rapid iteration and responsiveness to user needs are crucial.

However, product engineers may be less suitable for large, technically complex products or enterprise platforms. These often require specialized software engineers to scale and maintain the codebase effectively. Companies with both types of roles have succeeded, and more will continue to succeed.

Picking the right type of engineer depends on the company and its goals:

• For small teams focused on building great products, multi-skilled product engineers who can talk to users are a great choice.

• If your larger product requires specialization to scale and maintain, software engineers are the better option.

The demand for product engineers is growing, typically motivated by a desire to ship product improvements faster. Many engineers already behave like product engineers, even if it's not their official title. At larger companies, product engineers are seen as a way to drive innovation through smaller, autonomous teams.

A good example is Twitter's recent dramatic product changes. They needed product engineers who could identify problems, opportunities, and execute solutions quickly — not software engineers maintaining or optimizing the existing codebase.