One is more advanced than the other, and they contribute to the team in different ways, but plenty of overlap exists between the two - both are essential to a successful product design. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but the most general difference is that programmers concern themselves first with logic and project mapping, while coders specialize in converting that logic into a script that a processor can read. That's a problem for managers who aren't familiar with the development world because if they miss the differences, they may hire the wrong employee for the job. 'Coder' and 'programmer' are terms that carry important nuance that few non-techies grasp. Bugs, cookies, and sprints have very different meanings in tech than outside the industry. Every industry has its jargon, and the tech sector is no exception.