Dear new developer, I have recently been doing a lot more puzzles. It's a low tech way to spend time with the family. As I was working on one recently, I snapped two large sections of a puzzle together. It was very satisfying. I mused on how working on a jigsaw puzzle is a lot … Continue reading Coding is like a puzzle
This is a guest post from Elise Shaffer. Enjoy. Dear New Developers, As I sit down to write this letter, I'm struck by the thought that I don't know you. You could be like me, a person who’s loved computers since she was nine years old and has taken every opportunity to learn more about … Continue reading Show up
This is a guest post from Adam Leventhal. Enjoy. Dear new developer, I love software engineering. Even as excited as I was to start my first job, I didn’t imagine the deep and enduring joy it would bring. In my career, I’ve oscillated closer and farther from writing code, and while management and entrepreneurship are … Continue reading Writing great software isn’t all about the software you write
Dear new developer, I want to preface this with the fact that I am not a lawyer, so please don't take this as legal advice. This is my experience with employment contracts and other legal adventures as a software developer. When you are starting a new job, you'll be confronted with a big basket of … Continue reading Don’t sign anything you can’t understand
Dear new developer, For large long term life decisions, you should realize a few things. First, that few decisions are 100% irreversible. Second, that the choices you have in the future are based on the choices you make (this is called path dependence). Finally, that you should take time for important decisions. In fact, you … Continue reading Take time for decisions
Dear new developer, Dev.to is a relatively new community of developers. A few years ago, someone on that community asked for advice for junior developers, and I found the answers fascinating. Here are a few of my favorites. People should respect you. It's your right to push back against disrespectful interactions. If it's waved away … Continue reading What’s your best advice for a new developer?
This is a guest post from Luca Florio, lightly edited. Enjoy. Dear Self, You just graduated and you are ready to start your career in the IT field. I cannot spoil anything, but I assure you it will be an interesting ride. I’m writing you this letter because I want to give you some advice … Continue reading A letter to myself as a fresh software engineer
This is a guest post from Donnie Berkholz, lightly edited. Enjoy! Dear new developer, Since joining an enterprise (the world’s largest business-travel company) a while ago to drive their DevOps transformation, my ongoing mental evolution regarding the value of technology has gone through an almost religious rebirth. I now think in a completely different way … Continue reading How to be a 10x engineer: Business value for technologists
Dear new developers, Update July 5, 2020: I now have a launch date and a cover. You may have noticed the pace of new letters has slowed down a bit. There have been some fantastic guest posts, but there's only been one new letter per week for a while. There's a reason for that. I'm … Continue reading I’m writing the book I wished I’d read
Dear new developer, I saw this insightful tweet: https://twitter.com/nora_js/status/1224905963804606467 The whole thread is worth reading, but you get the basic idea. Sometimes you don't know what you don't know. When I think back over the years, I am amazed at how many things I can do without thinking now that would have been baffling to … Continue reading You’re going to put some plates in toasters
Letters To A New Developer 