Hackers and programmers are software specialists. The term "hacker" is most often used in its classical meaning as a synonym for the word "cracker", but sometimes other specialists who develop and edit software are also called hackers.
Cracker
Most often, the concept of "hacker" is associated with a specialist who is engaged in hacking software, searching for vulnerabilities in programs, operating systems and computers. In this case, a hacker must necessarily be a programmer of a sufficiently high qualification, who must be fluent in at least one programming language and know the structure and construction of computer applications.
Hackers are well acquainted with the theory of computer security and networks, they know data transmission technologies and common mistakes of programmers in order to hack a software product or an entire computer (server).
The activities of hackers are not always aimed at destroying any information or seizing access to a particular Internet resource. There are specialists with extensive experience in programming and writing applications. Such hackers work in large companies as researchers of vulnerabilities of IT systems, which are built in the enterprise and can store large amounts of data. The work of specialists is to improve security systems in order to preserve the operability of the software and ensure the maximum degree of data safety.
Unlike hackers, programmers design, write, and debug computer programs. Experts write computer code that is used to solve a variety of tasks, from computers of ordinary users to operating systems or database management programs.
Other meanings
Also, the word "hacker" is often used by people to refer to a highly qualified person who is perfectly familiar with the basic principles of the functioning of computer systems and installed software. In this case, most professional programmers can be called hackers, since a real programmer meets these criteria.
The term "hacker" is sometimes used in relation to people who are not related to the field of IT by their occupation, but who are real specialists in their work.
The word "hacker" used to be used to refer to people who fix bugs in software. The necessary fixes were made on an urgent basis to quickly resolve any security issue or fix errors that occurred while using the application.
