Well...this is an interesting topic...so let's dig into it...

I would say that none of the given reasons divides a professional from a hobbyist. As an example...when I am at work, I am developing professional applications. While being here at CodeGuru answering questions, I do it with the same professionality as I develop applications at work, although I am doing CodeGuru as one of my hobbies.

So...that basically leads to the question....am I a professional at work (since I built my career on it) and am a hobbyist here at CodeGuru? I would not say so since my answers provided here are based on the same professionality as my work is. That would make me both a professional at work and here at CodeGuru.

Based on the fact that CodeGuru however is only one of my hobbies, it would lead to the assumption that I am a professional hobbyist...

Thus, there cannot be distinguished any difference...so, let's go back to the words itself...

A hobbyist is
  • a person who pursues and activity in their spare time for pleasure


A professional is
  • a person following a profession, especially a learned profession.
  • one who earns a living in a given or implied occupation: hired a professional to decorate the house.
  • a skilled practitioner; an expert.


Does this definition brings something new? Not really...still there isn't anything that would prevent a hobbyist from being an expert in his area as well.

So...what is the conclusion? In my eyes there is no difference necessarely...as stated, a hobbyist can be a professional as well, however, in general people will simply follow the rule: If someone is doing something in his spare time he is a hobbyist (despite the fact that he might be an expert in his hobby), if someone is doing it as a job he is a professional.

This is basically an example of words which cannot be complety divided from each other and thus are more relying on what the majority used to put in it...

If it does not make sense, then this answer was provided by me as a hobbyist, if it does make sense, it was the professional in me...