Some Bad Habits I Developed as a Developer...
And What I Learned From Them.
A Thread...
And What I Learned From Them.
A Thread...
We are creatures of habit.
Habits are a powerful part of life.
There is no fixed set of habits for a programmer.
Software engineers want to be as effective as they can be, but some aren't hitting the mark.
I developed some bad habits over years of forging code.
Habits are a powerful part of life.
There is no fixed set of habits for a programmer.
Software engineers want to be as effective as they can be, but some aren't hitting the mark.
I developed some bad habits over years of forging code.
1- Not writing tests:
Forget TDD & let's just focus on the bad habit of not writing automated tests.
The thing with writing automated tests is that while it can seem like a waste of your time or a client’s budget, the time you invest in writing a test has massive returns.
Forget TDD & let's just focus on the bad habit of not writing automated tests.
The thing with writing automated tests is that while it can seem like a waste of your time or a client’s budget, the time you invest in writing a test has massive returns.
Simplifying the cost / benefit of writing tests based on time saved may be overly simplistic.
The main point is that you can’t use the excuse that there is “no time/money” to build tests.
Writing good tests is difficult at times.
The main point is that you can’t use the excuse that there is “no time/money” to build tests.
Writing good tests is difficult at times.
2- Not understanding fundamentals:
This is a serious problem.
There are a lot of people, who want to quickly become a programmer, or are already developers, but want to change technology, but they only learn specific frameworks, instead of starting with basics.
This is a serious problem.
There are a lot of people, who want to quickly become a programmer, or are already developers, but want to change technology, but they only learn specific frameworks, instead of starting with basics.
This is really common and it’s like building a house without a floor, it may even work for some time, but at some point, everything will collapse.
You cannot just learn React.js without understanding JavaScript basics like closures, scope, callbacks, etc.
You cannot just learn React.js without understanding JavaScript basics like closures, scope, callbacks, etc.
3- Never branching:
If you leave all your code on a master branch then it becomes hard to manage multiple features, releases, & multiple contributors.
The best thing to do is create a branch for every new task you’re working on & push changes.
Take the latest before a new PR.
If you leave all your code on a master branch then it becomes hard to manage multiple features, releases, & multiple contributors.
The best thing to do is create a branch for every new task you’re working on & push changes.
Take the latest before a new PR.
I personally like a simple categorization of branching: feature, bug, and hotfix.
- A feature is for most regular updates,
- A bug is obviously for bugs that are breaking the site,
- A hotfix is for something that needs to go live asap.
- A feature is for most regular updates,
- A bug is obviously for bugs that are breaking the site,
- A hotfix is for something that needs to go live asap.
4- Trying to be too clever:
As writing "one liner" programs that accomplish a lot in very little space or doing tricky things with the hardware or the operating system.
Interesting from a theoretical perspective but such code can be a nightmare to maintain and support.
As writing "one liner" programs that accomplish a lot in very little space or doing tricky things with the hardware or the operating system.
Interesting from a theoretical perspective but such code can be a nightmare to maintain and support.
5- Not asking for help:
Asking for help doesn’t mean you are stupid.
If you got stuck and are trying to solve the same problem for few hours, testing different approaches and it still fails... maybe it’s worth asking for help.
Asking for help doesn’t mean you are stupid.
If you got stuck and are trying to solve the same problem for few hours, testing different approaches and it still fails... maybe it’s worth asking for help.
Ask your friends, maybe someone solved that issue in the past,
if not, maybe ask on StackOverflow or Twitter.
Just share what problem do you have, what solutions did you test, what exactly is failing.
Pro tip: Did you know about "Rubber duck debugging"
if not, maybe ask on StackOverflow or Twitter.
Just share what problem do you have, what solutions did you test, what exactly is failing.
Pro tip: Did you know about "Rubber duck debugging"
6- Not practicing standard practices
7- Saying “I’ll do that later, I just want this code to work right now”.
8- Thinking “my code doesn’t have bugs, but when someone takes a look at it, people puke”
Bad practice + bad habits = bad developer.
7- Saying “I’ll do that later, I just want this code to work right now”.
8- Thinking “my code doesn’t have bugs, but when someone takes a look at it, people puke”
Bad practice + bad habits = bad developer.
This is true because your behavior influences the way you think and the way you write code.
When this happens, it influences the way you become a developer.
Anyone can learn to code, but developing good programming habits is another matter entirely.
When this happens, it influences the way you become a developer.
Anyone can learn to code, but developing good programming habits is another matter entirely.
I have changed & develop good habits through years of hard work.
I post threads like this.
Follow along as I help you in your growth as a dev.
See my past threads here @TheAnkurTyagi
Follow your mentor to watch more stories like this of my exp in software development...
I post threads like this.
Follow along as I help you in your growth as a dev.
See my past threads here @TheAnkurTyagi
Follow your mentor to watch more stories like this of my exp in software development...
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