You don’t have to be an expert

All through my career in the software industry, I have seen many developers who want to learn and underestimate their capabilities. Many of us think we can be a top developer only if we are an expert in the language, framework, and domain.

I am one of those as well. I have spent a lot of time getting expertise on certain topics just to realize there is always something new coming up.

Here are few mistakes developers make to climb the ladder to be a top developer.

Master a Language

Many think being an expert at one or more languages makes them a good programmer. I have seen many naive programmers asking which language to learn. This is a wrong question to ask. You need to be a good programmer, language does not matter.

The only way someone can become a good programmer is by writing a lot of code and with continuous learning.

Years of Experience

This is something that is given a lot of importance in every industry. Software is no exception. But just the experience does not make a good programmer.

Just adding the number of years of experience does not make a good programmer. Quality of experience makes big difference.

Try to grab quality work early in your career. Remember, “Real hands-on experience” is the key.

Gather a lot of Design Knowledge

I have seen many programmers spend a lot of time reading design patterns and blogs. They assume that makes them good software developers.

This is not wrong but again the application of this knowledge is more important than gathering this knowledge.

Mostly you need to tweak a design pattern or club more than one pattern in the design of your software. This kind of experience definitely helps you raise the bar.

You need a job

Having a great software job surely helps you become a great developer. But for real experience, you don’t have to rely on your job.

Only a handful of developers get a chance to do great work at their job. Most developers think their job is the only way they can gain experience and become good programmers.

Nowadays there are enough freelance options that one can take up to improve his/her skills. Or a hobby project can serve this purpose as well.

You should always keep building something, whether at your day job, freelance, or your own projects.

Final Words

Continuous learning is one attribute that keeps you ahead in the race. Whether it’s coding, design, or architecture, there is always scope for improvement.

Gain real and relevant experience in your domain helps to improve your skills. Reading what other great developers are doing keeps you up with the continuously changing landscape of the software industry.