a developer who

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a developer who" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to introduce a specific type of developer or to provide additional information about a developer's characteristics or actions. Example: "A developer who specializes in web applications can greatly enhance the user experience of our platform."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

The graph shows a developer who contributed to a large variety of in-house developed and externally developed artifacts, according to his role in the development team.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

"It was sold to a developer who tore it down".

The New York Times

"A lot of people got destroyed," said Alan Messner, a developer who built three Scarano buildings.

The New York Times - Magazine

It was sold to a developer who turned it into 16 apartments.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

He then vowed to sell the land to a developer who would build houses on it.

The New York Times

So, if you're a developer who spent months creating an amazing app, you only got $100.

The Guardian - Tech

"It's everything it's supposed to be," said Bird, 53, a developer who lives in Dallas.

The New York Times

Joshua Muss, a developer who bought land near Grossinger's, is still waiting to build.

The New York Times

No parking was available, so the guild sold to a developer, who tore the building down.

The New York Times

Eventually, a developer who had bought it in foreclosure agreed to turn it over to him for about $600,000.

The New York Times

He is a developer who said the last few years had been "crippling" for him and his family.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a developer who" to introduce a developer and provide clarifying information about their role, skills, or actions.

Common error

While "that" can sometimes replace "who" in relative clauses, it's generally preferred to use "who" when referring to people. "A developer that" is not wrong, but less appropriate and can sound less natural than "a developer who".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a developer who" functions as a relative clause, specifically a subject relative clause. It modifies the noun "developer" by providing additional information about the developer's attributes or actions, as shown in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a developer who" is a grammatically correct and very common way to introduce a developer and provide additional information about their role, skills, or attributes. As Ludwig highlights, this phrase is versatile and suitable for a variety of contexts, particularly in news, media and scientific writing. Alternatives like "a programmer that" or "a coder who" can be used depending on the desired level of formality or specificity. However, ensure "who" is used when referring to a person. By following these guidelines, you can effectively use the phrase "a developer who" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a programmer that

Replaces "who" with "that", a common alternative relative pronoun, and developer with programmer.

a coder who

Substitutes "developer" with "coder", a more informal synonym.

an engineer who

Replaces "developer" with "engineer", emphasizing the technical skills.

a developer specializing in

Shortens the phrase by using a participial phrase.

a software architect that

Replaces developer with a more specific role, software architect, and who with that.

a builder that works on

Uses the term "builder" in place of developer.

someone who develops

Changes the structure to use "someone" instead of "a developer".

a programmer that specializes in

Adds more context by emphasizing specialization.

an author that creates

Replace with a synonymous using author.

an individual that develops

Replaces 'developer' with 'individual', generalizing the reference.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "a developer who"?

You can use alternatives like "a programmer who", "a coder who", or "a software engineer who" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "a developer that" instead of "a developer who"?

While grammatically acceptable, it's generally preferred to use "who" when referring to people. So, "a developer who" is often considered more appropriate.

How do I use "a developer who" in a sentence?

Use "a developer who" to introduce a developer and provide clarifying information about their role, skills, or actions. For example, "We need "a developer who" understands mobile app development."

What's the difference between "a developer who" and "a developer specializing in"?

"A developer who" introduces a relative clause that provides additional information, while "a developer specializing in" uses a participial phrase to describe their specialization, it is a more concise way to express a similar idea.