Software to finance, help

Hi yall,

I’m currently a full stack software developer with strong coding experience (mainly in Java/React). I’ve recently become more interested in exploring roles on the quantitative developer/analyst side, mainly to get on higher salary, I work for tier 2 bank atm and looking at london as I am from there, but I don’t come from a financial background.

I’d really appreciate some advice on a few points: • How can someone like me start building financial knowledge alongside coding? Any good resources or structured ways to approach this? • Is a Master’s degree (conversion course, finance/econ/quant) important to make the switch, or can experience + self-study + certifications (e.g., CFA, CQF) be enough? • Does it make a big difference if the degree is from a prestigious university, or is practical skill and proof of work more important? • What would be the best way to position myself as someone with strong development skills but no direct finance background?

I’d love to hear from people who’ve made this transition (developer → quant/analyst) or work in the industry.

Thanks!