Top 10 Must-Listen Software Developer Podcasts in 2024

In an era where ‌competition for software development roles is fierce, it’s important to use everything available to stand out. By keeping up with the trends, veteran programmers can further polish their skills and establish their roles, while juniors can stand out. 

One of the best ways to ensure you’re up-to-date with the industry is to consume relevant media. While following TikTok or X (formerly Twitter) influencers can give chunks of information, podcasts still contain much more knowledge. 

However, a problem emerges. There are millions of podcasts, and finding the one that gives you the proper information can be hard. This list of software developer podcasts should help you expand your programming knowledge and give you exciting tech news. 

1. Software Engineering Daily

As the name suggests, Software Engineering Daily is a podcast published daily. This podcast offers actionable insights from people involved in some of the most recognizable companies. 

Individuals from Blender, Chess.com, and Mastodon have been notable guest speakers. 

Regardless of the programming language that you’re learning or using and the industry that you’re working in, you’ll find interesting episodes. The episodes are well-prepared, and the guests are subject matter experts. 

There are a few podcasts that can compete with the wide range of guests that Software Engineering Daily has. 

The founder and previous host was Jeff Meyerson. 

2. Talk Python to Me

Some software developers enjoy learning about a wide range of different topics, while others like to specialize. Talk Python to Me caters to the latter. This weekly podcast goes in-depth about the various uses of Python and its features. 

If you’re a Python developer who wants to keep up with the latest trends, you should certainly take a look at this podcast. The podcast’s host, Michael, is great at making his guests explore the topics extensively. 

In the last couple of episodes, he had the chance to cover interesting topics that revolve around developing mobile apps with Python and its use in Excel. Most importantly, Michael and his guest, Sydney Runkle, made an episode that breaks down the journey of young programmers, which can help many novice developers on their path. 

3. Dev Interrupted

In the innovative tech landscape, many fresh entrepreneurs often need actionable advice. Dev Interrupted is a podcast where industry leaders have the opportunity to tell us about their stores.

The hosts, Dan Lines & Conor Bronsdon, have brought a number of exceptional individuals. Dan Lines is also one of the founders of a company called LinearB. 

In the past, Dev Interrupted had episodes with developers and managers from notable companies such as Atlassian and Stack Overflow. In recent times, you can hear from engineers at Netflix and ChatGPT on Dev Interrupted. 

You can find this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, and Stitcher. 

4. The Cloudcast

Cloud storage and cloud computing are among the most exciting topics that must be mentioned when discussing software development. This concept has significantly impacted how software is developed and maintained. 

For those working in cloud computing or if they are interested in starting, The Cloudcast is an excellent choice. The Cloudcast is the number one cloud computing podcast, and it’s been around since 2011.

The Cloudcast is published every Saturday and Wednesday, covering a wide range of educational topics in the field of cloud. The co-hosts are Aaron Delp & Brian Gracely, and they have also started another podcast called Cloudcast Basics for those new to the industry. 

5. The Changelog

There’s a significant community of tech enthusiasts and software developers interested in open source. The Changelog is the perfect choice for those interested in learning more about open-source, as well as other tech topics. 

Although this podcast doesn’t have captions or textual versions of the episodes, you can use an auto subtitle generator to create ones for yourself. The podcast is hosted by Adam Stacoviak and Jerod Santo, who are both developers themselves. 

The show is published weekly, and it hosts a number of individuals who range from developers to controversial hackers. If you’re interested in learning more about high-level hacking, The Changelog is one of the rare places on the Internet where you can learn proper information about it. 

6. Thoughtworks Technology

Thoughtworks Technology is a company that’s been around since 1993, and it’s an impactful technology consultancy company. Eventually, they started a podcast, and they have a number of hosts who are leaders of various Thoughtsworks departments. 

This podcast is a great option if you’re looking for an objective source of information about the latest trends and megatrends in the industry. The episodes are published every other weekend, but they come packed with helpful information and valuable insights. 

You can listen to the Thoughtworks Technology podcast on Spotify and Apple Music. Their episodes are separated into three different categories: technology podcasts, pragmatism in practice, and architecture of future technology.

7. The CSS Podcast

Web development is a large field of programming. It’s often easy to get into with some basics of HTML and CSS, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. Dozens of frameworks and different programming languages are used for creating web applications properly.

The goal of The CSS Podcast is to break down this stylesheet language into different chunks and then effectively explain each of them. This is the perfect source of knowledge both for those who are already in front-end development and for those who are learning to code.

The hosts, Una Kravets and Adam Argyle work for Google, and their software developer podcast is one of the best sources of knowledge for CSS. 

8. Neil on Software

The content that emerges from the software engineering world can sometimes be too technical. While many of us enjoy reading and listening to such articles and podcasts, others enjoy it when someone’s personality shines through such content. 

Neil on Software is certainly one of the best software engineering podcasts. The host, Neil, covers a wide range of topics, ranging from video games and work culture to the latest tech news.  

The last new episode was published in December, and the length of the episodes varies. Most importantly, you’ll get great, entertaining information on technical topics. 

9. In Machines We Trust

So far, we’ve covered a great podcast about cloud, open source projects, and web developers, but we’ve missed one of the most important trends: artificial intelligence and automation. In Machines We Trust is a short podcast exploring AI's impact on society. 

Like many other podcasts on this list, In Machines We Trust is hosted by Jennifer Strong, an expert with a diverse background. MIT Technology Review supports the podcast, and a team of experts is working on it. 

If you’re interested in learning about the history of AI and what future trends we can expect, this podcast should undoubtedly be on your list. Even if they aren’t directly working with AI, professional software developers and DevOps teams can learn much about this topic from this podcast. 

10. Software Engineering Radio

While podcasts have experienced a significant boost in popularity recently, some have been around for years. Only a few other podcasts can compare with the longevity of Software Engineering Radio — they've been around since 2006.

This is a podcast that’s targeted toward professional developers. Software Engineering Radio is a lasting educational resource. This podcast is brought by the IEEE Computer Society and IEEE Software magazine, which are both significant groups in the software development space.

With weekly new episodes, this podcast provides knowledge on emerging best practices and helps developers like you grow professionally.  

From Growing a Career to Building a Business

More and more professionals are following the call of self-employment. From 2020 to 2022, the number of people working for themselves rose a staggering 69%, and that trend hasn’t slowed since. 

The opportunities for skilled professionals to enjoy greater flexibility, higher pay (the average annual salary for a freelance web developer is $90,000), and optimal work-life balance have never been better. For those considering a transition, it’s important to also consider financial strategies, such as understanding how to move 401k to Roth IRA, to maximize the benefits of freelance income. But to make this dream a reality long-term, you need to have certain structures in place.

Exploding Topics.

Creating a comprehensive business plan is vital for developers venturing into entrepreneurial pursuits or seeking to enhance their career trajectories. Enlisting or collaborating with a skilled business plan writer can be beneficial in crafting a professional plan, helping developers articulate their goals, identify target audiences, and outline strategies for success.

By combining the strategic framework provided by a business plan template with the latest industry knowledge from podcasts, you can get (and stay) ahead of your competition. These podcasts can be a fantastic source of exciting insights to keep you moving forward in a constantly evolving landscape. 

Good Podcasts Can Transform Your Software Development Career

Watching thousands of hours of podcasts won’t make you a programming mastermind. Only hard work and writing thousands of lines of code can help you reach those levels of expertise. But podcasts can help expand your tech knowledge and stay on top of new trends. 

Think of software developer podcasts as a supplement to your career and formal education. 

This list will help you boost your career and improve your skillset. You don’t have to watch all the episodes and podcasts listed. Just find the one (or three) that suits your career and style best. 

To your success!