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Software development is a complex field, and it can be easy for junior developers to get stuck in bad habits. But don’t worry! We’re here to help you break out of your rut with 13 pieces of advice on how to improve your skillset as a software developer. Learn what not to do from other developers’ mistakes and then avoid those pitfalls yourself.
When you’re coding, use your time wisely.
Every minute spent not working on the task at hand can lead to hours of delays and frustrations later. Make a list of tasks for each day as soon as possible so that you have an idea of what needs to be done when it’s time to start work. This way, if there are any emergencies or other crises, they’ll be easier to handle because you’ve already accounted for them in your plan.
Organize files by class and function instead of relying on directory paths in finder/Explorer windows so that navigating your software projects is easy enough even after months without using them. Learn how Git works: make sure every line change gets committed immediately
Write code that you can understand the next day, not just today.
Use a style guide to help keep your coding consistent and readable for others on the team as well as yourself in six months time! The best way to clean up last minute fixes is if they’re done with simple styles rather than complex ones! When it comes down to making changes or refactoring, if there are 100 lines of code it will take twice as long but require only one line change when using simple styles rather than complex ones.
Save the more difficult styling until later trust me this works better!
Fancy formatting should be reserved for explanations about how something works and not part of the actual implementation Some of the worst habits that junior developers can have are: Being inconsistent with their work. This includes not being on top of deadlines and tasks, or getting distracted by other things going on in life. They may also spend time working too long hours because they feel under pressure to reach an unreasonable deadline instead of managing themselves better.
Not asking for help when needed.
Juniors often think they should be able to solve problems all by themselves without any assistance from another person. However, this is a mindset which will only lead them down a dark path towards failure and feelings of frustration about not knowing what to do next.
