Dear new developer, Debugging systems is a key skill to have. Here are a few thoughts about it. Try to get the problem to be as simple as possible. Start with the problem and keep isolating and removing pieces and see if the problem persists. Modern systems are complex and the less you have to … Continue reading On debugging
How to Develop Expert Intuition
This is a guest post from Kim Schlesinger. Enjoy. Dear New Developer, I know you worked hard to get where you are. You are self-taught, you earned a degree in computer science, or you graduated from a coding bootcamp, and your hard work helped you master the skills required to be a ‘junior’ developer. (I … Continue reading How to Develop Expert Intuition
Context is king
Dear new developer, I put this image in almost every presentation I do. There are two reasons. It's a striking picture, and funny. It reminds me that context is important. In some contexts, a pumpkin is a decoration. In others, food. In others, a frickin' boat. On that note, I recently posted my letter on … Continue reading Context is king
Start the conversation
This is a guest post from Tae Kim. Enjoy. Heyo! So you’ve entered the world of… development? Software engineering? Programming? Coding? So many words for the same thing! I usually stick with “Software Engineering” for the resume because that sounds the fanciest, and fancy === money. But when my friends or family ask, I say … Continue reading Start the conversation
Are you ready to work remotely?
Dear new developer, Remote work is fantastic. You avoid a commute, have control over your work environment, and save money on lunches. However, it has downsides. You need a fast internet connection, you must be disciplined, over communicate and stay on task. You have to be OK with relative solitude. My desire to work remotely … Continue reading Are you ready to work remotely?
A bunch of career advice from a new developer
Dear new developer, This post has a lot of great career tips including how to select companies to apply to, what to do in an interview if you don't know the answer to a question, and how to challenge yourself in a new job. This piece of advice in particular resonated with me: Show how … Continue reading A bunch of career advice from a new developer
Learn SQL with sqlite
Dear new developer, I wrote a post about learning SQL a while back. I posted the link in Lobste.rs, an online community, which generated some interesting comments. One of them was that sqlite was a better way to learn SQL than using PostgreSQL or MySQL. This is due to the fact that there are some … Continue reading Learn SQL with sqlite
The care and feeding of developers
Dear new developer, I thought this post from 2012, about what software developers want, was penetrating and relevant. This passage resonated for me: And here’s the real crux of the problem: software engineers aren’t builders. Software engineers are creators. Building is what you do when you buy a piece of furniture from Ikea and get … Continue reading The care and feeding of developers
No choice is permanent
Dear new developer, Sometimes when you are thinking about a new job or shifting to a new position in a company, it can feel overwhelming. What if I make the wrong choice? At least, I've often felt that way. Every choice you make has effects. When you choose to study ruby, you can't also study … Continue reading No choice is permanent
Cultivate the Skill of Undivided Attention, or “Deep Work”
This is a guest post from Josh Thompson. Enjoy. Dear New Developer, You know that there's a chasm between your skill level and that of the mythical "senior software developer". If you build a list of topics you encounter on your job that, if learned to a deep enough level, would put you on the … Continue reading Cultivate the Skill of Undivided Attention, or “Deep Work”
Letters To A New Developer 