Do you like to code? Are you willing to make a formidable career choice in the field of development? The demand for software developers has been increasing day in and day out! So are you ready to surf in the high tide? Well, the following post can act as your surfboard assisting you to enjoy the ride and become a good programmer.
Why is it important for software developers to explore these essential skills in the first place? Well, I won’t make any fake promises that after reading the post you will be the next Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai or Bill Gates. In fact, surviving in today’s software development industry can be insanely tricky. It’s a vast ocean featuring small and large fishes, friendly dolphins, killer whales and even sharks. However, it is still a doable job!
Now I am sure you must have gone through a plethora of posts that say how to become a software developer, what it takes to become one, and how to do things right but none of these posts suggests what to avoid while you are becoming one. Yes, you read it right! Sometimes instead of what to do, it becomes very important in regards to what is not supposed to be done to become successful. So we will begin right here!
Things to Avoid While Becoming a Software Developer
Fundamentally speaking, like any other career path even software development is no different. It requires one to be extremely hardworking, dedicated and consistent. Despite all this, several individuals are found to misconceive the software development industry as incorporating only tech-savvy geeks, math wizards or prodigy. This is certainly not the case!
Further below I would like to shed some light on some of the common misconceptions to avoid if you want to become a successful software developer.
● You must be a genius!
One of the common myths is that one has to be a genius in order to become a software developer. Well, that’s certainly not true! It’s not whether you are a genius or not, you see anyone can become a software developer. All you have to do is keep enhancing your skill set, knowledge and experience level from time to time and see the sky will be the limit for you! No matter how great, extraordinary or hardworking a developer is, after all, he is just an ordinary person who tends to work extra hard than others, who tries to see an opportunity right from the point where everyone else has given up.
The key is to allow yourself to go through every phase till you reach mastery. Remember, if you want to do this, then no one is more destined than you.
● It is difficult to learn the code
With so much information, data and resources available, I say it is pretty easy to learn the code. What’s more, it is difficult to master it! However, this is also a doable job! Unfortunately, several individuals who dream about becoming software developers are found switching their careers just because they find learning the code as difficult as rocket science. Technically speaking, coding is a language that people use to talk to their computing devices. As a software developer, you are supposed to talk to these computing devices to perform certain tasks such as creating a dynamic web page or an entire website.
So where comes the difficult part? It’s when you are supposed to master it! A job of a software developer is not as monotonous as a typist, they must master, and leverage the power of using different frameworks, programming languages, tools and technologies. And this comes with experience, so you have to remain calm and poised.
● Knowing the best programming language
First and foremost, there is no first place, second place or third place winner when we talk about programming languages. Yes, you read it right! Each language is different here and each language you learn will sooner or later become your hard-core weapon in the arsenal. For example, if you learn javascript you can create amazing frontend UI whereas PHP is used mainly for backend or server-side scripting purposes.
Can you compare a hammer and a screwdriver? Certainly not! So how can you compare these programming languages? All of them are designed keeping different purposes in mind but together are meant to come up with an astounding software development solution.
So yeah, these are the common yet crucial misconceptions that every software developer or those who are willing to become one must avoid. Now moving on, let us explore certain skills a software developer must comprise in 2022.
Essential Skills That Every Software Developer must Take into Consideration
1. Cloud Computing – AWS, Azure, GCP
Cloud is the present and future of the software development industry. So one cannot run away from it! It doesn’t matter whether you are just a startup or a well-established business, cloud computing is something that everyone seems to be adapting at a fanatic pace. Also, not to mention cloud computing offers different perks such as cost-effective solutions, better scalability, flexibility and robustness.
Some of the common cloud computing platforms to take into account include Amazon web services, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure and whatnot! Of course, I am not saying that you need to learn each one of these but learning anyone can be of great help. If you ask me, I would suggest beginning with Amazon Web Services (AWS) since this one is quite popular and easy to use in comparison to others.
2. Coding Languages
Did you know that being a coder one can write numerous source codes for a software program? Now being a software programmer it becomes pretty important to specialize in at least one kind of a coding language and if somehow he or she manages to learn more than one then it will be a cherry on the cake.
On the initial level, while you are trying to learn a language, first of all, you must determine which type of program aligns with your current interest or your current project. For example, if you are willing to develop a mobile application then not all of these languages are needed and the same goes for developing video games.
Anyway, down below I would like to shed some light on the certain crucial coding languages one must learn if you want to succeed as a software developer.
● Javascript
By using javascript several developers end up creating a system that surely results in an interactive website application. Take for example a webpage, now what exactly does it do – it substantially displays certain information as soon as the user clicks on a button.
● Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
If you want to display text, and image content on a website application then HTML is the right option for you. Here developers can easily add paragraphs, bulleted lists and charts.
● Cascading Styles Sheets
Adding fonts or vibrant colors or even placing the content on a website application is no more troublesome as we have Cascading style sheets at our disposal. In fact, HTML and CSS and even both can be used at the same time.
● Python
Another interesting multifaceted programming language that enables developers to conduct several software development tasks in a seamless way is Python. Here everything can be done whether the developer aims to write the code or track errors in that language in particular. More or less, Python comprises a simple structure which means it becomes way easier to learn in comparison to other options available.
● C++
Do you want to develop programs that provide great assistance by optimizing hardware capabilities? C++ is the right option worth considering. In fact, several video game developers prefer C++.
● Java
Now this one is no less than the others! Here programmers can develop apps irrespective of different computer systems, yes they aren’t bound to work on a specific one. In fact, if developers aim to create video games then hands down, this is it!
3. Testing Knowledge
Who says a software developer shouldn’t have testing knowledge? Well, in the present scenario, the need for software testing seems to have increased to a great extent. Now what exactly happens here is that a wide range of tools and technologies are being used to ensure that a product functions and fulfills everything in accordance with the pre-defined requirements.
Here the program is being checked again and again in regards to whether it is able to function on different hardware seamlessly or not. Here I would like to mention certain components of software testing.
- Unit Testing – This kind incorporates the evaluation of individual lines or areas of code to determine cases if they require modification. Here a plethora of unit tests is being conducted for every project just to ensure that things are going right according to the plan.
- Integration Testing – In a software development project, merging different areas of a program is very important. After all, this results in successful coding.
- System Testing – As soon as you are done with integration testing, it’s time for system testing where it is determined whether the product fulfills user expectation well or not.
Conclusion
Regardless of what path or road you choose, make sure you stack yourself up with an appropriate amount of hard skills and soft skills. Sooner or later, you are bound to have a rewarding career. So I wish you Good luck and Good fortune.