2 Steps to Becoming a Great Developer | Hacker News Reader

2 Steps to Becoming a Great Developer

theadmin.org

83 pointsjmonegro10 comments

I can definitely appreciate the fears listed in step one. I am about four years into my career and have recently begun realizing that I will not surpass what I consider mediocrity without taking steps beyond my 9-5 job. Now that I have begun looking seriously at my path, it is amazing to look back at the fears that have been holding me back. I have been afraid to start my own side projects, out of fear that I won't be able to contend with what other people can do. I had to have the very obvious realization that I will never get better if I don't try, and that everyone has to start exactly where they are. Since then it is like a light has gone off, and I have become much more appreciative of those who try, rather than hold back and criticize. Thanks for posting this.

"I have been afraid to start my own side projects, out of fear that I won't be able to contend with what other people can do"

Why do you care? Taking some one else's code and rewriting is a great way to learn. First, you don't need your own idea. Second, there is already a "viable" solution you can learn from and third, you can get to the meat of being a great coder. "How can I make XYZ better, simpler, more performant..."

Once you learn thoughs skills you can go off and create yor own projects. Look at all the things people love today, they are simpler. better architected, more performant versions of existing solutions. Apache -> ngnx, MySQL -> ...,

If you are afraid to fail or worry about what others think you won't be a great coder.

I don't know whether it's the same guy, but some other blogger was saying about the same thing - to code in public, and get over your fear. Good advice for the long run.

These blog posts are kind of like those "Learn this language in 24 hours" books. They're not bad per se, but it's as if becoming a great developer is some kind of <insert-number-here>-step process. Becoming great is, in my opinion, not a final destination. You can be great from day #1 by pushing yourself to learn more, for every day in your life as a developer.

That is essentially what this article is saying. It just gives a couple concrete examples of how to do this. I think the title of the article does it a disservice.

Wow. What has Giles started?! This "I'll-teach-you-to-be-a-great-developer-for-$$$" trend is scary...

#5 is true: fear makes you tired.

Is Eric Davis a great developer?

Maybe not (don't know him), but teaching is an entirely different skill set. Perhaps he's not a great developer, but is a great teacher?

I can't emphasize this enough. It applies across all disciplines too. Great teachers don't have to be the best in their field, most are not. However, in my limited experience, those who think they are best in their field are more often than not awful teachers.

In those rare cases where they are both, it's something magical. I can only think of 3-4 teachers that I have ever had that fit that bill.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com