A developer’s technical skills can only get them so far. Beyond their technical skills, there are other important factors such as their behaviors and mindsets. For a developer to stand out from the crowd, they need to have the right behaviors and mindsets. So, for this post, I am going to talk about 10 habits that you’ll likely find from successful developers.
1. Writes Code Only When Necessary
A great developer understands that every line of new code added into a codebase has the possibility to introduce issues. As a result, they only resort to writing code if there are no other alternatives.
Before writing code, they tend to look for solutions that are already out there. They see if there is a package or library that do what they need. They check if there are open source projects that fulfill their need. If there is a library or open source project, they will opt to use it instead because they know it has been tested and maintenance will not be involved with their project.
2. Writes Clean, Readable, and Maintainable Code
Developers that are great tends to deliver code that is understandable and easy to work with. They understand that the code they are writing is for others and not just the compiler and themselves.
There are many ways to write clean code that it can have a whole post dedicated to just that topic, but in general, it means the following:
- The code has meaningful variable and function names
- Each function has a clear intention and is only doing one thing
- The code is easy to follow
- No premature optimization or introduce a lot of complexity for minor optimizations
3. Understands the Overall Business and How Their Work Fits In
Developers that can grasp the big picture of where their work fits in will be able to deliver more meaningful software. This is because they are no longer just being told to write code that does X. Instead, they understand the reason why they need to write code to do X. Understanding the reason to code something is important because it helps the developer understand what problem(s) they are trying to solve for their customers or organization.
4. Customer Focused
Developers that are customer focused will deliver a product that is more suited for their customer’s need. They have the ability to put themselves in the shoes of their customers, which help them provide a solution that is suitable for the customer.
At the end of the day, the product is to solve problems that the customers are having. All the hard work will not result in the desired result if it is not meeting the needs of the customers.
5. Listens More Than Speaking
When it comes to solving problems, a great developer tends to listen more than they speak at least at the beginning. They let the other person finish speaking before they speak. They are not afraid of admitting that they don’t know something. Lastly, they understand who they are talking to. That means they won’t be the one person who spews out a bunch of technical jargon to anyone.
6. Persistent Problem-Solver
Some problems are hard to solve. It can take days, weeks, or even months to solve some problems. A developer that stops after the first sign of failure will not be able to solve the hard problems.
To solve difficult problems, it requires persistence. A great developer tends to have persistence, which allows them to eventually solve the tougher problems.
7. Expert “Googler”
A great developer understands the difference between pride and persistence. It is one thing to keep trying until you reach a solution and it is another to refuse help to reach a solution.
Great developers learn to take advantage of the resources out there. If they can’t solve something, they will go and seek out the answer from others. As a result, they build up the ability to search for solution really fast and efficiently when needed.
8. Always Learning and Growing
Great developers are always learning new things and stepping out of their comfort zone. They are eager to take on projects that can provide them with an opportunity to learn something new. The unknown doesn’t scare them, instead, it excites them.
Developers that are always learning will naturally lead to growth. They are becoming a stronger developer by expanding their skill set. Sure, they have some core skills that they focus on, but they also have a range of other skills too. Take for example, who do you think would do better? A developer that is very strong in mobile development only or a developer with a weaker mobile development background, but have some experience with backend and frontend as well.
9. Refactor When Necessary
Great developers are not afraid to refactor. They don’t save refactoring for later when they see the need for it as they are developing something else. They understand that chances are there won’t be a chance to come back to refactor it later if they don’t do it at that time.
In addition, great developers understand that technical debt has compounding consequences to them. The longer refactoring is put off the more exponential it can grow. As a result, great developers fearlessly refactor when they encounter a need for it because they know it will help keep tech debt down.
10. Open to New Things
Being open-minded is an important trait as a developer. A great developer doesn’t think they always have the best solution or an answer to a problem. Even when they do have a solution, they will hear others out because they might have a better solution. When faced with a better solution, they are welcoming of it.
I hope this post was helpful to you. If you found this post helpful, share it with others so they can benefit too.
How many of these traits do you find yourself checking off? Have any of the traits helped you?
To get in touch, you can follow me on Twitter, leave a comment, or send me an email at steven@brightdevelopers.com.
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