HOW TO BECOME A BETTER PROGRAMMER
Tags: webdev, programming, productivity
Published: 2023-11-10 22:48:13

The best in their field are the ones who appreciate that there is always more to learn. You've taken coding courses to hone your programming skills, created websites you're proud of, and debugged a ton of code. However, there is no end point to honing your dev talents.

It is essential that you learn to feel comfortable seeking assistance as needed when you are starting your quest to become a better coder.

The field of coding is dynamic. Aside from the chance to work for some of the biggest corporations in the world, it's frequently what attracts people to it. However, it also means that workers in the field must always look forward.

📌 **Boost the soft skills in you**

Soft skills are essential for your professional development even though they may appear to be the complete opposite of programming, which is oftentimes a major part of its attractiveness.

Many elements of your professional life will become easier if you can present yourself and your ideas in an engaging and pleasant style, and connect with both superiors and clients in an approachable manner.

Fortunately, if you're concerned that your soft skills are inadequate, you can acquire them.

📌 **Test your units**

While unit testing can instill terror and dread in developers, it can also be used to ensure that every part of your work operates exactly as you intended.

Programmers shouldn't consider unit testing as a means of identifying defects, as Steve Sanderson points out; just because two components function separately doesn't imply that they are compatible.

A crucial element of test-driven design is unit testing. The procedure takes a little longer overall, which may add gasoline to the fire if you're already stressed out about an impending deadline, but the payoff is cleaner code that shows you paid attention to detail.

📌 **Apply the Feynman Method**

A mental model called the Feynman Technique is named after scientist Richard Feynman, who won the Nobel Prize in physics.

Essentially, it involves applying the spirit of this subreddit to find knowledge gaps by thinking that you had to explain a concept in a classroom using straightforward language and analogies.

When you identify the gaps, return to your books or whichever source of knowledge you rely on to teach yourself the elements you’re less familiar with.

Simply rinse and repeat, and you'll soon find that you have a deeper grasp of code and are much more comfortable executing it.

You can use the Feynman Technique by contributing to discussion boards like Stack Overflow. Through responding to inquiries and seeing the responses from others, you will develop a deeper understanding of what you do.

📌 **Don't be scared to smash things.**

"The coder's objective is to make as little changes as possible with each new module and to hold his breath with each release.

"The system is broken, which is why making changes is so nerve-wracking. It need medical attention; otherwise, its condition will only get worse.

Even though no professional, much less a programmer, wants to end up making things worse, the thought of breaking something while moving things around may sound unsettling. However, if you're prepared to break things, you'll ultimately write better code overall and improve as a coder.

📌 **Write code three times.**

It's been said that developing code is similar to writing a novel, and that you should never present your first draft as your final work.

Sure, the code will function by the time you finish creating it, but will it function well? Will it be elegant, even though it might be functional? Write code three times if elegance is your goal (which it should be).

Consider the first writing attempt as a proof of concept, the second as an attempt at making it work, and the third as an attempt at making it work right.

📌**Write a lot of code overall.**

The adage "practice, practice, practice" is applicable to more than just programming, and with good cause. Since coding is a talent like any other, writing a lot of code is the greatest way to get better at it professionally.

You can share your projects on GitHub, where other developers can comment on them and offer advice on how to do things differently.

Next, gather your finest work into a compelling portfolio that can help you establish your reputation.

To improve your abilities, you can participate in pair-programming mentorship programs or hackathons.

As a means of gaining knowledge and establishing relationships within your area, think about participating in open-source groups.

📌 **AND LASTLY, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, IF ANYONE WON'T, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND YOUR CRAFT. YOU CAN DO THIS!
**