What if you met someone who told you that everything you think about being a Software Engineer is wrong?

Well… meet Peter White a 2x founder and Senior Product Engineer with over 10 years of startup experience.

I asked him to share with me his take on Product Engineering vs Software Engineering, deciphering that and what it could mean for you!

Over to you Peter.

Once, tech was neatly divided:

• Product Managers handled the “what”

• Software Engineers took care of the “how”

But no more. Enter the mutant superhero of the tech industry, the Product Engineer.

As companies race to deliver value faster while balancing technical quality, the Product Engineer bridges the gap, driving user-focused results with technical execution.

So, is it just another fad? Or are startups being cheap, trying to squeeze two roles into one bargain pack? Or is it something else - the future of building software?

Why Should You Listen to Me?

I've been a Product Engineer since before it was cool. 

Back in the day, SWE colleagues thought I was a “PM in disguise”, whilst the PMs felt I was stepping on their toes. 

I switched between the roles, trying to figure out where I fit.

I found a solution - startups, where wearing multiple hats is a feature, not a bug. 

Today, I’m a Senior Product Engineer at Graphy. I focus on building a product that users love. 

Want more insights? Follow me on LinkedIn (Peter White) for daily posts about life as a Product Engineer and navigating startup challenges.

Product Engineers vs. Software Engineers

So, what’s the actual difference between Product Engineers and Software Engineers?

Both write code, but here’s the key difference:

• Product Engineers focus on customer outcomes and speed of iteration.

• Software Engineers focus on technical excellence and stability.

There are engineers out there who do all four by having a “product engineering mindset”.

But we can focus on achieving specific outcomes by making them distinct job titles. 

Why Are Product Engineers Suddenly Popular?

In today's tech landscape, it is being first that matters.

Product engineers are the special forces of the software world – they parachute in, get stuff done, and move on to the next challenge.

They're perfect for:

1. Startups needing to move fast

2. Big companies trying to stay nimble

3. Any team that's sick of the "throw it over the wall" silo approach between product and engineering

They’re not great for:

1. Projects where long-term technical stability is more critical than speed.

2. Teams that need deep technical specialisation over generalist versatility.

3. Large organisations with established structures that don’t need fast pivots.

Day in the Life of a Product Engineer vs. Software Engineer

The best way to understand the difference between these roles is to see a typical day in the life:

Product Engineer:

• Morning: Huddle with PM, sales, and customer support. You're a product detective, piecing together user feedback. 

• Midday: Quick prototype of a new feature, demo internally and with pilot customers

• Afternoon: Push out a functional (if rough) version for feedback

Software Engineer:

• Morning: Deep dive into a persistent bug, syncing with the PM to get some extra context

• Midday: Optimising database queries for better performance

• Afternoon: Tackle scaling issues to ensure the system can handle growth, ensuring long-term stability and efficiency.

Product Engineers + Software Engineers: A Powerful Partnership

The best tech companies aren't choosing between product engineers and software engineers. They're using both.

Product engineers bring the speed, the user focus, the "let's ship it and see" mentality. 

Their Product Engineers might even be part of marketing, GTM, activation, analytics directly, rather than placed in a dedicated engineering team.

Software Engineers bring the depth, the scalability, the "let's build this to last" approach.

Together? They're unstoppable.

Product Engineering vs. Software Engineering - Which Is Right for You?

Product Engineering Path:

Ask yourself:

1. Do you get a rush from seeing users interact with your features?

2. Are you comfortable with ambiguity and changing requirements?

3. Do you enjoy thinking about the "why" as much as the "how"?

Then Product Engineering will be a great fit for you. But you'll find it frustrating if:

1. You want deep specialisation - Product Engineers trade depth for breadth.

2. You prefer clearly defined roles - this job feels like straddling two worlds.

3. You dislike ambiguity - things move fast, often without a clear roadmap.

4. You hate context-switching - expect to juggle projects and priorities constantly.

5. You’re not a fan of explaining technical details to non-technical stakeholders.

You’ll also likely find yourself working in startups or fast-moving companies, rather than larger more traditional companies or FAANG engineering teams.

Consider if this works with your risk tolerance, life and career goals.

Software Engineering Path:

If you're more excited by:

1. Solving complex technical challenges

2. Building systems that scale globally

3. Diving deep into specialised tech fields like AI, infrastructure, or security

Then software engineering is likely right for you. But you might find it frustrating if:

1. You crave fast user feedback

2. You dislike working on systems that aren't always visible to end users.

3. You get bored working on one big project for an extended period

4. You want direct influence over the product direction and strategy

Your Path:

Don’t get hung up on job titles.

Want to dive into technical challenges but also shape product strategy? Do it.

Prefer getting fast feedback from users but still love optimising systems? Do it.

The modern tech landscape is flexible, and the best engineers are those who mix and match skills to identify and solve the right problems. 

Whether you lean toward the deep technical focus of software engineering or the fast-paced, user-centred world of product engineering, it’s all about achieving your goals and driving impact.

The Takeaway

The rise of product engineers isn't about replacing anyone. It's about evolution.

As the tech world gets more complex and user expectations skyrocket, we need people who can bridge the gap between raw code and real-world impact.

Whether you call yourself a product engineer, a software engineer, or just "that person who builds cool stuff" what matters is this:

Are you building products that users love?

If the answer is yes, you're on the right track.

Enjoyed this post? You’ll find more every weekday on my LinkedIn -  I post daily about life as a Product Engineer and the challenges of a career in startups.

A Thanks From Ryan to Peter

As a Software Engineer for over a decade of my life, I had the potential to be a bit touchy about this write-up. I wanted to push myself outside of my comfort zone and have someone write an article for us who might not see things exactly the way I do and write about them in the same way I do.

Peter did a perfect job of injecting his personality into this and I love that he put an emphasis on choosing your path and laid that out for you.

He encourages us to think about choosing the path which leads down not only the path that users love but also hints at the path that you love. Which is crucial. Some of us will have four decades in this industry, and I for one want to know I made at least some impact on others and my personal growth.

I strongly recommend following Peter on LinkedIn where I was personally drawn to his imagery and humour.

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