10 Things I’ve Learned Working as a "Software Developer"

As a Software Developer, here are ten things I have learned over the past few years that have helped me become a better Software Developer.

1. The best software developers think like designers.

Top software developers think deeply about their code's user experience(UX). Developers consider who will be using it, how it will be used, why it will be used, and its importance to the user. Keeping the user’s needs in mind is the heart of good user experience(UX).

2. Understand the System Properly

This is something I struggle with a lot as my responsibilities take me further and further from the day-to-day of software development. Keeping up with the developer ecosystem is a huge amount of work, but it is critical to understand what is possible and what is not. If you don’t understand what is possible and what is available in a given ecosystem then you’ll find it impossible to design a reasonable solution to all, but the most simple of problems.

3. Stop | Plan | Execute

Some people tend to jump into problems and just start writing code. Other people tend to want to research and research and get caught in analysis paralysis. In those cases, set a deadline for yourself and just start exploring solutions. You’ll quickly learn more as you start solving the problem, and that will lead you to iterate into a better solution.

4. Focus on Continuous Improvement.

Worry less about elegance and perfection; instead, strive for continuous improvement and create a livable system that your team enjoys working in and sustainably delivers value.

5. Ask Questions

Make sure you understand the goal and what is driving the desire for this functionality. If you don’t get a clear answer, keep asking "WHY" until you understand.

6. Googling is a legitimate skill

If you want to be a great developer, you will need to enhance your googling ability. It’s essential to be able to find the solutions and code that you are looking for.

There is frequent googling, especially when you’re learning brand-new technology.

7.?Don't be a Spectator

Just watching courses or watching programming videos on youtube does not help. Get your hands messy, and try doing them simultaneously (You'll get a bunch of errors at times which gets super irritating). Learning by doing brings much more results than learning passively, especially when it comes to programming.

8.?Errors and Frustrations is a significant part of the experience.

Programming has the property of being extremely logical while sometimes seeming not logical because we just can’t see what we are missing. It’s okay to hate it sometimes, and it’s okay to ask for help, Stack Overflow can be a great lifesaver.

9. Don’t build everything from scratch

Don’t reinvent the wheel. We have to make sure that we do the right things and don’t do unnecessary things. Let’s use tools and libraries developed by others. Also, there are coding guidelines across languages. Try to understand what solutions exist in the world before venturing into building something from scratch.

10. Have Side Projects

Your side projects are your playground, a place to follow your interests and try out new tools without harsh deadlines or high stakes. Having side projects is a great way to fill gaps in your knowledge, build your experience, make decisions – and deal with the consequences, both good and bad – all on your own. If you believe in what you’re doing, and know it will improve things, then brace yourself for a long battle.

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