What skills can you develop to become a successful software engineer?

The fundamentals of a good software engineer or developer is not the programming language. These are my fundamentals to becoming a good software engineer: - Algorithms and data structures - software Architecture and design. When mastered properly the language no longer becomes the issue. Some projects pick their own programming language. You can build an artificial intelligence software with either c++ or java but the cons outweigh the pros. I will say fundamentally speaking we can't be a good software engineer without a good understanding of algorithms, data structures, software architecture and design.

Well, I do agree programming language has nothing to do with being a good software Engineer because if a person is good with fundamentals, one can easily adapt to switching from one technology to another.

There are many aspects to being a successful software engineer. But the following, in my opinion, are fundamental and everything else can be learned on top of these: 1. A good understanding of Algorithms & Data Structures 2.Being curious about problem solving 3. Unit Testing one's code.

As a first step, it's crucial to choose a programming language and master its core concepts. I began with C++, delving into topics such as data types, control flows, functions, object-oriented programming, and pointers. This foundation facilitates faster comprehension when transitioning to other languages.

The most important skill of a software engineer is curiosity. You should be curious and willing to learn new things regularly. Apart from this, you should have strong CS fundamentals like OS, DBMS, OOPS etc Problem-solving skills are also very important.

As per my experience, DSA is the heart of the programming. because even if you have a good logical Approach knowing DSA will make you fall in love with Programming.

Without DSA there is no point in being an engineer who codes. Knowledge of DSA is essential to build efficient and scalable products. Without DSA it is impossible to develop anything. It also helps us to improve our problem solving skills, especially solving questions like Leetcode it molds us to think outside the box. Which in later implies in a real world working situation too.

Understanding the runtime behavior of the code is very essential before getting in to DSA. i.e., calling `someObject.toString()` itself can be a CPU Killer. Definitely, understanding List, Set, Stack, Queue, Map (Dictionary) are very important. People should be very familiar with when to use ArrayList and when to use LinkedList. Developers need not compute the complexity of a highly complex code until they really get a work on that. But, The knowing the fundamentals and the behavior of the data structures given above is something that developers must not skip.

The first thing that comes to my mind is the quote by Linus Torvalds, "Good programmers worry about data structures and their relationships." What I have seen, programmers often miss is that the code is just a way to express the algorithms and the data structures. A well-designed algorithm, paired with suitable data structures and their relationships, guarantees scalability, built-in documentation, fewer bugs, and easy modification.

After being familiarised with a programming language, one needs to find efficient ways of solving a problem rather than well just solving a problem. Emphasising aspects such as storage, speed, reusability, and readability becomes crucial. This underscores the significance of a solid understanding of data structures and algorithms. Practicing DSA also improves logic building. ~A DSA problem a day keeps the brain from rusting away~

Please avoid doing trend-driven development, technologies that fascinate you. Rather design and prepare the software architecture keeping the client's actual requirements and budget in mind. Make sure things are creating business value for your customers. Oftentimes, we tend to focus more on non-functional requirements instead of focusing on the functional requirements of the software which will create value for our customers. Yeah, non-functional requirements are as important as functional requirements but if we fail to deliver the product within the time and budget of our client, non-functional things won't be useful. Please choose the technologies based on the client's budget and time as well as your capability to handle them.

Designing a project is like making the blueprint. It involves determining components, defining connections and behaviors, abstracting essential elements, and identifying reusable chunks. A comprehensive design offers a clear overview, enabling structural enhancements for improved performance, security, scalability, maintenance and adaptability.

The key to successful software architecture is understanding that change is inevitable - extremely rarely will you have all the knowledge up front to make the right decisions for features that might come along in 6-24 months. Building an architecture that is adaptable and modular, and not baking in too many assumptions about the order of execution/ workflow will make it easier to adapt to new requirements in the future. With a flexible architecture the barrier to refactoring is lower, and you're far more likely to embrace making changes in future as you learn more.

Levante os requisitos/especifica??es mais relevantes e críticos da aplica??o. Antes de come?ar veja se já existe alguma aplica??o parecida que satisfa?a os requisitos e tente entender como ela foi implementada. Se sim, n?o tente reinventar a roda. Use uma arquitetura que você já sabe que existe e está bem validada. Caso contrário, fa?a um diagrama de blocos sem incluir detalhes que você n?o tem certeza que ser?o relevantes. é uma itera??o grosseira. Em seguida, tente definir qual será a entrada e a saída de cada bloco, seus possíveis gargalos e como testar cada um deles pra garantir que estejam prontos.

?? From my own journey, learning how to design a reliable, scalable and secure software architecture was one of the most rewarding learning experiences I had. ??Understanding different design principles, patterns, and frameworks has not only enhanced my ability to build robust systems but has also significantly broadened my problem-solving toolkit. ??This continuous learning and application of architectural best practices has been instrumental in my career so far, enabling me to create software that is not just functional, but also modular, reusable, and adaptable to changing needs.

A capacidade de testar bem a aplica??o é uma medida de quanta clareza você tem a respeito dos requisitos dela. Isso é extremamente importante. Se você consegue definir claramente como deve ser o teste da aplica??o, seja ele automatizado ou através de uma pessoa (QA) você provavelmente entendeu bem o que ela deve fazer. Caso contrário, alguma coisa n?o ficou clara pra você. Além disso, definir o teste antes de mesmo de desenvolver um componente de software ajuda a desenvolver ele de forma simples e rápida.

How efficiently a software engineer can test and debug their application can impact their overall performance as an engineer. As a self-taught developer, earlier in my career I overlooked automated testing when I started coding. However, after working with a few automated testing tools I discovered how they can save time and make repeating tests easier. Being able to trace issues & bugs fast can make you more efficient. You can also help more junior engineers in your team unblock. To improve your debugging skills, learn how to read error logs and stack traces. Also, learn more about how the various tools and libraries you use handle error and error reporting. To fix bugs fast, you can paste vital parts of error messages on Google search.

In my experience I've found it most effective to focus testing primarily in two areas: unit testing the low level building blocks, and integration/end-to-end testing API endpoints / user flows. Unit tests give you confidence that your essential building blocks, calculations and utilities perform as expected. However they do not inform you if you have correctly wired these together. For backend services I focus most of my other testing at the API level. By testing the public interface you can change the implementation and have confidence that the API contract is maintained. For the front-end I find little benefit in component level testing. Automating key end to end user flows provides much more confidence in deployments.

My two cents is to invest in learning the debugging tools. I’ve seen many junior developers relying on print statements because they never dove into gdb. I’d recommend learning your debugging & profiling tools early and then benefit from them for the rest of your career.

Adiantar os testes com a abordagem "Shift Left Testing", implementar melhores solu??es de automa??o, fomentando a cultura DevOps, influenciando o time de desenvolvimento com melhores práticas (SOLID, Clean Code, Unit Test, etc), assegurar que a aplica??o seja "debuggable" no modo de depura??o para facilitar a identifica??o e corre??o de bugs. Além disso, dar assistência para o time melhorar a divis?o dos testes em cada camada (Ex. Piramide de teste e Quadrante do Teste ágil) e até ajudando a área de negócio no direcionamento do produto, através de melhores Critérios de aceite, testes baseados em Riscos, para prevenir bugs e facilitar a compreens?o das expectativas do cliente, reduzindo retrabalhos e melhorando a eficiência.

Collaboration and communication is one of the most important factors in the success of any project. Without this, even a highly skilled team may not be able to deliver an effective solution on time. It's the project manager's responsibility to keep all stakeholders informed about the progress of the project. Any change in scope, delays, roadblocks, requirements etc should be very well informed to the relevant stakeholders so that the issues can be brainstormed and resolved timely.

One would be engaging in conversations with both technical and non technical people in their team, so effective communication and collaboration becomes important. Be clear and concise while articulating your thoughts and ideas. Be open to others suggestions and feedback. Utilise version control systems, incorporate comments, and choose meaningful function names. Engage in peer code reviews and, if needed, create comprehensive documents. Having good communication within a team makes a great difference! Not only for deliveries but also for one’s mental health.

As a Software Engineer, you spend a lot of time coming up with solutions to different problems and that’s where collaboration comes in. When you sit together and discuss different approaches with your team, it does marvels, you get to discuss diverse perspectives and approaches and build upon it. Same goes with communication, if you cannot communicate your ideas ans your problems and the solutions to your colleagues, no amount of efforts and brains will help you. Its very important to learn collaboration and being a team member and efficient and clear communication!

Team skill is very important in any project. People of different knowledge background come together and work in a project. Everyone's ideas should be taken and best ideas should be considered for a solution.

The foundation of any major project lies in the teamwork, collaboration, and communication within the team. It involves articulating ideas with clarity and precision, defending them, engaging in constructive debates, and, equally crucial, knowing when the timing isn't opportune for proposing them. Communication is an art, and while scientists might not always excel in this realm, it's essential not to make sweeping generalizations. Each team member's contribution is a crucial element in the final construction, and what we ultimately deliver is the tangible result of this collective collaboration.

IT is one of revolutionary fields. You stop learning you are out of race. Does not matter how many years you have been in this field the only thing that keeps you alive in this field is to learn and implement. Yes implement , learning without implementation is of no use .You will forget it too quickly. Learn one thing and try to implement it either in company or personally.

To be expert in atleast one of the technologies or language with a continuous curve of learning is most important for the survival of a software engineer. So the learning is small part but application of what you learn plays a vital role in a long run because the fundamentals remain same even though the technology changes completely.

Since the scope and technologies are ever changing we should keep ourselves updated and always re-skill towards the latest stacks so that we keep learning new ways to solve a problem and also optimize the existing codes to make them faster and more maintainable.

The field of technology evolves rapidly. Successful software engineers embrace lifelong learning to stay updated with the latest tools, languages, and methodologies. Example: Learning a new programming language or exploring a new framework to enhance your skill set.

I agree, Continues learning and utilise the same in your day to day development. Because only learning is not enough if you are not utilising the skill.

On top of the skills defined above for software engineer, it’s essential to understand the SDLC like Waterfall, V or spiral models. The Software Development Life Cycle can be coupled to the market insights. Like spiral model suits best when requirements evolving. Configuration Management is another important aspect of Software Engineering. The SE can leverage CM to fulfil application diversity and customer support in reliable manner

In my experience in order to become a better software engineer one need to understand the life cycle of the software for the respective project, have a clear understanding of the design and should be able to produce a testable software.

Curiosity. The need for understanding how things work. The urge to chase that bug "down the rabbit hole". The anxiety to get things done, the passion to do them right.