Why should you try pair programming?
Tags: blog, softwareengineering, pairprogramming
Published: 2023-01-22 09:51:56

[caption id="attachment_733" align="alignnone" width="582"]<img src="https://codingforspeed.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/pair-programming.jpg" alt="Pair Programming" width="582" height="591" class="size-full wp-image-733" /> Pair Programming[/caption]

This week is nearly finished and we can already feel the weekend approaching, but before you go crazy with your side hustle, let’s talk about pair <a href="https://codingforspeed.com/dev-containers-to-the-rescue/" title="Dev containers to the rescue">programming</a>.

Let's jump right in.

<h3>Why should you try pair programming? 👨‍💻👩🏾‍💻 Don't Code Alone</h3>
Another name for pair programming is collaborative <a href="https://codingforspeed.com/please-dont-touch-my-php/" title="Please don’t touch my PHP">programming</a>, where collaboration represents two or more people working together to create or achieve something.

A lot of companies use <a href="https://codingforspeed.com/pair-programming-for-interviews/" title="Pair Programming for Interviews">pair programming</a> and find it highly beneficial, while some companies run from it. But when pair programming is done right, it will surely have a positive impact. Here are the most important aspects:

<h4>Sharing knowledge</h4>
When two or more people work on the same problem, they will exchange ideas and thoughts, as well as give each other instant feedback or suggestion. Using this method developers share knowledge and find more alternatives and better solutions. They will also see how others think and find ways to solve a problem. Another benefit is easier onboarding of new people (a common problem we wrote about last time). Pair <a href="https://codingforspeed.com/what-is-literate-programming/" title="What is literate programming?">programming</a> enables knowledge sharing, making it easier for new joiners working on a project.

<h4>Two heads are better than one</h4>
More than one developer working on the same problem will need less time to find a solution to a certain problem. There is a great chance that one of the developers already knows how to fix a problem, thus decreasing the time spent on it and making it possible to focus on other important issues.

<h4>Fewer coding mistakes</h4>
It is completely normal to lose focus while working on a code for a longer period of time, but when there is another developer, with a fresh pair of eyes, it can greatly reduce the number of bugs and time needed to find them. <a href="https://codingforspeed.com/fighting-perfectionism/" title="Fighting Perfectionism">Coding standards</a> are usually followed more consistently when working in pairs.

<h4>Harder to procrastinate</h4>
Working alone means that you’ll probably take more breaks or look at your phone more often, but with collaborative <a href="https://helloacm.com/teaching-kids-programming-algorithm-to-design-a-random-sudoku/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">programming</a> you can’t just stop working on something. Having another person working with you encourages both of you to work harder and focus more, resulting in better solutions and getting things done more quickly.

Looking for a collaborative coding tool that will work with your remote team? 👈

Reposted to [Blog](https://codingforspeed.com/why-should-you-try-pair-programming/)