Try googling the highest in-demand professions worldwide, and no wonder, “software developer” must be heading the list.
Logically, many aim to become one and strive to develop the appropriate skills.
Programming is often limited to coding when defined, so for many, programming sounds like mechanical work with no background requirements. Unlike coding, software development includes a set of processes that require many hard and soft skills.
Just like the front-end and the back-end, so much more lies behind software development rather than just writing code. Here’s what a simple “Inspect” click will never show you.
An objection to university-level computer programming education lies in studying math.
At first sight, math seems completely unlinked to programming until getting into it. Having a thorough knowledge of math enables the professional to dive deep into coding and make the best use of it.
You won’t apply those formulas in your codes, but rather the influence studying math had on your thinking. Programming is all about problem-solving: here algorithmic and logical thinking comes to help. So if you were a topper at math, you must be building all your problem solutions based on your mathematical reasoning.
Ahead of the above-mentioned, identifying and foreseeing the problem is of no less importance. As already noted, programming is much more than just coding, so it does not require doing the given task, but foreseeing the user's needs, looking at things from the user's perspective, and having the imagination to do these all.
After all, you are building, and if you lack at keeping things out-of-bounds, you may not want to do this. Remember, minor things create great results, and coding is very similar. If you have been paying attention to small details, you will most definitely avoid extensive errors and bugs. In programming, every line and every symbol matters. That does not apply to writing codes only, but also “proofreading”.
Remember that you do not want your codes messed up. Therefore you need to double-check every small aspect to pay off your hard work in the form of a well-operating app.
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Strong memory plays a vital role in programming, and do not be confused as we are not speaking of memorizing formulas. Whether you like it or not, you must deal with complex systems, structures, and terminology. Yes, coding takes time, and it, therefore, requires patience and lots of it since complex problems take much time.
That will cost failures, retrying, redoing, and lots of it. You better make yourself ready for thinking hours to write a single line in your code, and that is fine: Remember, we already spoke about mathematical thinking. No one ever said coding would be just as easy as typing :)
Programming is a continuous process of finding answers, and not every time will fixed schemas solve issues. And since you surely don’t want to tread water, but excel in your profession and enjoy what you are doing, do not forget what must be thrusting you ahead - your curiosity and passion. The more skilled you get over time, the more you will need to explore.
Good luck!