What does it mean to be a developer?
Tags: webdev, programming, sotware, softwaredevelopment
Published: 2024-02-11 17:25:29


Today I asked myself the question, _**what does it really means to be a web developer/software developer/programmer?**_ A new bee might also ask is it really hard to code or program or give instructions to a computer, is it some kind of magic?

I’m going to answer this questions to the best of my ability and from my own personal experience, this I think will be the most honest answer and view. I reminisce on the first code that I wrote in HTML ( that was 3 years ago). It was a H1 tag with the statement "hello world!" 😂😂 obviously. I was very excited on working on a YouTube clone with the help of a tutorial of course. I felt as if I was this kind of genius and the most awesome part was being able to launch the website live using the ‘live server extension’ that was the  first vs code extension I downloaded. Whenever I pressed on the Ctrl key + S on my keyboard it automatically reloaded and refreshed the page. Men! I tell you it was so exciting and satisfying, from designing the buttons and padding the divs to styling the paragraphs, it was something that always seemed like magic to me. I used to think and wonder how web applications, mobile applications work and think it is magic. Creating my first website to be honest was almost something I never thought a normal human being but only geniuses were able to achieve.

_As I began to venture more into the world of programming , writing ,deploying code _I began to realize some things about the field and that actually coding was not really meant for ‘very smart people’ or geniuses. The software development field was actually meant for the tough, mentally strong and not the ‘soft hearted or the give up easily type’. On creating my first application I was almost close to certain that I would land a first job or get my first paycheck on a project within a few days .It took me an year or so to be hit by the harsh reality that to be good at it you have to suck at it.
 
Yep,” **to be good at it you have to suck at it** “ , that’s the phrase I would tell any beginner in the field who would seek for some kind of guidance .** The best programmers are those that have dealt with the most programming bugs and errors**.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ksndzcacixqxjy3xtgt3.jpg)
 
In order to achieve and learn something you have to make mistakes and I use the phrase “have to”. Bugs and errors that last for days and might even make you quit are the real teachers. The journey of becoming a great programmer is actually like life itself which comes with a lot of ups and downs. Watching one tutorial about the basics of HTML CSS or React is not going to make be that programmer that you desire to be. You really have to ask yourself   a question what kind of applications do I interact with everyday? If I’m able to upload a profile picture or a video or a file and submit how did the developers achieve that? How I’m  I able to subscribe to Netflix ,medium what kind of code or technology do they use? How can I create an application in the real world that users will be able to accomplish various tasks, uploads images receive feedback emails ? 



![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/fojjq0pbbbkwwvca7vps.jpg)

Working on projects that can actually solve problems in the real world as a developer is the beginning of your path to success. It’s not just about the simple interface or the beautiful design it’s actually what the system can do. With this view you will start focusing more on projects that actually make a difference and you will not just be any other developer but one who can actually make an impact. It will make you learn a lot more and expand your horizons of reasoning and you will surely stand out. As I mentioned on bugs and errors this are part of the process to getting somewhere. I almost get sleepless nights trying to design my database and thinking of what to include what to leave out, what would be appropriate and what will not be of need e.t.c…trying to wrap my head around this things can at times leave you with headaches. Whenever I’m about to quit I remind myself its not really easy and nothing great should