I get asked sometimes how some people on my team can become a better programmer. I think it’s useful to think in terms of different evolutions of the programmer. In the beginning there’s a scripter or coder and at the highest level you have an architect. There is much, much more to go into here, but this is a rough framework to plot your skills over time.
Use this to fill in your current skills and to identify key areas of improvement.
Progression from Scripting to Developing
Move from “scripting” to “programming” to “developing”
- Coders understand how to solve immediate problems in a sometimes brute force way. Question -> Google -> StackOverflow -> Copy -> Paste is a standard method of development and problem solving.
- Lack algorithms or data structures understanding well enough to know when there may be an efficient solution to the problem
- Develop primarily in a text editor
- Write code -> compile -> fix compiler errors -> run -> fix runtime errors -> repeat
- Struggles to estimate coding projects larger than one month
- Understands their IDE can use it for debugging
- Understands basic Algorithms and Data Structures
- Breaks problems into reusable parts
- Is comfortable with their programming language and the common libraries and frameworks
- Googling is still common, compiler errors are less frequent, runtime errors are less frequent
- Can break problems down to estimate more effectively
- Fluent with their IDE and all features
- Understand all features and components of the software (from DB, to unit tests, to OS, etc.)
- Knows multiple languages and when to do different things in different areas (for example when it’s best to let the database handle something vs. code)
- Understands Advanced algorithms and data structures
- Deeply understands language constructs, libraries and frameworks they’re using. Understands The Law of Leaky Abstractions.
- Understands performance tradeoffs
- Can reliably create time estimates, and track progress toward them
- Knows when to use different systems for best performance/security/logic
- Sophisticated knowledge of data structures and algorithms including space and time complexity analysis
Books to read:
Posted By: Joe Basirico