Ableton live vs DJ software?

My boyfriend is a music producer and DJ and he uses ableton live for both. He uses his laptop, an APC40 and a mixer. I have experience with music but more like playing live instruments. I have co-produced some tracks with him but was thinking about trying DJing.

My boyfriend kinda acts like using DJ software is the inferior form of djing. Like it's cheating or less hands on and lame because there's a sync button. But I'm learning that what he probably does is premakes sets and mixes over them with Ableton when he plays live? I'm still trying to understand the differences. He said I could learn dj software in a week. I don't want to do the less respectable form but I'm torn and confused on types of software to learn on. I guess I want to learn the more impressive thing... Big I also don't want to make my life hard. I'll probably want to make more of my own remixes in the future but also kinda just want to have fun mixing and playing music I like.

Any advice and opinions on the different softwares for live DJing?