How often do you find yourself coding the same thing over and over again. Or hit your finger against the monitor because you've made the same silly syntax or logic error every time?
I was a junior Web Developer in 2016.
3 years later:
- I found my dream job
- Senior Web Dev
- $250K+ salary
- Make money online using programming skills
Coding habits are formed over years.
If you've been doing it for a while, there are probably certain things you do without thinking which might be bad habits.
This blog aims to help you fix these habits so you stop breaking the promises of your team mates and deliver better code!
Working on your own all the time
It is important for you to share your progress and ideas with the team. Building something the right way isn’t always possible, so constant communication is very important.
Working alone can make you feel like you're getting more done, but in reality, you're missing out on important feedback and collaboration that can help you take your work to the next level.
Having excessive confidence in your own code
Do you ever feel like you can't really trust anyone else's code? That it's always better if you do it yourself, because no one else is as smart as you are?
The truth is that this kind of attitude can be dangerous—it's what leads to having a lot of bugs and security issues in your system. The best thing to do is get help from other people and build relationships with them so they can give you feedback on how your code works, and how it could be improved. This will help you grow as a programmer and improve the quality of your work.
Refusing to write bad code
There are times when developers will write horrible code because of deadlines. It is therefore important for a programmer to be versatile and that he or she can write good and poor code at the same time. In this way, you can revisit and eliminate your technical debt.
Writing bad code is not always a bad thing—it can actually be a great way to learn from your mistakes and improve.
The problem comes when you refuse to write bad code because you're afraid of what other people will think about your abilities. It's important to remember that it takes time to become good at something, and having someone say "wow" when they see your work doesn't necessarily mean anything about your actual skill level. So don't let fear of being judged stop you from doing what needs done!
Blaming others
Arrogance is a common trait among technical professionals such as developers. Being able to admit your mistakes makes you stand out. Do not shy away from apologizing when you make mistakes.
Blaming others for your own mistakes is a bad habit that will make you look untrustworthy and unprofessional.
The best coders know that there's no such thing as a "computer error"; there are only human errors. So if something goes wrong with the code you're working on, don't blame it on your computer or the programmers who wrote it.
Instead, take responsibility for what happened and figure out how to prevent it in the future.
Overvaluing your personal style
Ensure that your working style and environment setup are coordinated with your team. Each member of your team should follow the same coding style and work under similar conditions.
I know, I know—you want to be different from the rest of the pack. You want to stand out with your unique coding habits and techniques. But here's the thing: it's not going to get you anywhere. As a developer, you should focus on writing code that works and is readable by other people, not just yourself.
Think of it this way: if everyone wrote code like you do, we'd have an awful lot of bugs in our software! And nobody wants that.
Being too slow on giving feedback to managers/clients
When you're working on a project, you need to be able to give your clients or managers feedback quickly—otherwise, how will they know what's going wrong?
But if you always wait until the end of the day or week before giving them this feedback, it can be hard for them to adjust their schedule accordingly. Instead, try giving them regular updates throughout the week and set up regular meetings where you can discuss any issues that arise during development.
Giving up as soon as something goes wrong.
Should you give up so quickly? Despite getting so close to a solution, too many programmers give up before they arrive at a solution.
This is the worst habit of all, because it's a way of telling yourself that you don't have what it takes to succeed in this field—and that's not true!
You'll run into roadblocks and challenges, but the only way to get better at programming is by working through them, not by giving up and going home because there was one problem you couldn't solve on your own.
To sum it up
I think the most important thing to take away from this article is to listen to your body and not push yourself too far. Take breaks, get some sleep, stretch, etc. We spend so much time at a keyboard or mouse that we sometimes don't remember how taxing it can be on our bodies. It's easy to forget when you're so immersed in a project, but the more you can moderate the way you work, the better off you'll be in the long run.
If you want to be successful at programming, you need good habits. Good habits will give you good foundations and allow you to focus on bigger things. The tips above should help you start a great life with programming!
I love jotting down my thoughts on my blog Sleepless Yogi.
Follow me on Twitter [@sleeplessyogi]