Hello guys! Lately, I don’t have much time for writing, so that’s the reason you haven’t seen any new articles. But I promise this is going to change (drastically).
Today I will share with you three steps to take to be a better developer. They are not easy or straightforward. They require time, commitment, and discipline. But if you want to be an excellent professional, you should walk the extra mile. So let’s go!
Read the old books
These days many developers come from software boot camps, coding academies, or self-taught learning from online resources and experimenting. Don’t get me wrong. That’s great, but it is very far from enough. If you are one of these guys or have slept during your university courses, this step is crucial for you.
The software engineering profession is not only about learning technologies. You as a developer should know what principles and ideas lie behind the things you use.
Without fundamentals, you can not grow as a developer. Sooner or later, your problem-solving capabilities will hit a wall.
This happens because your problem-solving abilities are limited only to the end product of the already created ideas and concepts of the technologies you depend on.
My advice to you is, well, learn fundamentals. It sounds easier than it is, but in reality, it takes time, a lot of time. You should not only read and get familiar with very complex theories and ideas, but the most important thing is to understand them. So, don’t rush it and take your time.
The best thing you can do is to start with the good, old books.
Have a playground
If you wait only on your daily job to grows you as a software developer, sorry, that’s not going to happen.
It is simple. No business grows (well, at least 99% don’t) as fast as our professional sphere’s technologies and ideas.
If you want to stay fresh and competitive, you should develop your skills and learn new things.
Online tutorials, courses, and workshops are a great start, but you should put your hands on the things you learn about. If you do not practice what you have learned, stop. It is pointless, and you waste your time.
Believe me for this. I have wasted a lot of my time in my junior years.
Start small. By project, I don’t mean something big and complex. Just have a playground.
Commit to contributing to the project every single day, even if it is only a single line of code!
Developing our software development skills is a marathon, not a sprint. We have to run it throughout our careers. Don’t force it, but be consistent, disciplined, and make all the necessary baby steps.
A lone warrior is nothing
Maybe you have heard the saying – you are the average of the five people you spent the most time with. This is so true. If you want to be a great developer, you need to surround yourself with great developers.
I know you like the idea of the socially rejected, but otherwise, a genius guy who saves the day. But this is only for the movies. The collective mind is always better than the individual’s one.
Try to find and be a part of a highly professional and motivated group of developers. And by a highly professional and motivated group, I mean people who are ready to talk passionately about the problems they have solved during the workweek over a couple of beers Friday night. You got the idea.
Invite them to your side project or join some of theirs, or start something new together. Be active and nurture these relationships.
