David Whitney’s Post

3 benefits of letting requirements drive your development effort, and 1 reason why you should not over code. 1. It's all about efficiency: Code that caters directly to requirements eliminates frills and unnecessary complexity. 2. The ideal client-solution fit: When you focus on requirements, you ensure that the final product is exactly what the client asked for. 3. Budget-Friendly: Guided development reduces waste, thus saving money. However, a word of caution! Overcoding could be a trap. When you dive too deep into coding specifics, it's easy to lose sight of the big picture. The trick lies in finding the right balance. If you've got a knack for software solutions and love problem solving, why not take the challenge? Try and strike the balance and let's create simple yet effective software solutions. Pass on your comments!

⚡ 10 tips for programmers: 1. Don't be a perfectionist - IT systems are constantly evolving and changing, so creating overly rigid and complex code can cause problems. Professionalism is different from perfectionism - what matters most is that it works optimally in most cases. 2. Make code refactoring a part of functionality creation, don't allocate separate time for it in your calendar - New services need to be added quickly, so asking for additional time for refactoring might be denied. 3. Legacy code doesn't automatically mean outdated - Old but well-tested and stable code is often used. Don’t waste time chasing new technologies if they don’t provide real benefits. 4. Functional programming isn't suitable for everything - For example, excessive use of "pure functions" in user interfaces can cause performance issues. Always choose the appropriate tool for the specific task. 5. Don’t blindly follow "best practices" - There are many good principles, but context is important. Always think about what benefits a particular approach will bring in this specific case. 6. Don't try to solve problems alone - Always seek advice from experienced colleagues. Use their knowledge and don’t waste time "reinventing the wheel." 7. Be cautious when "in the zone" - When writing code with inspiration, you might fall into the "rewrite syndrome." Use time management techniques to avoid this. 8. Don’t forget physical activity - Sitting at a computer for hours damages your health. Stand up, stretch, and move every half hour. Your mind will work better. 9. Writing code should be fun - Following standards is necessary, but don’t forget your creativity. Find time for your own projects and to learn new technologies. 10. Be a programmer, not just a coder - "Coders" can be replaced by AI. Be a problem solver who uses code as a tool.

Would you go to a carpenter who only uses chisels to build everything? Or would you prefer someone who picks the tools based on their needs? Software engineering is no different. A piece of software might have to be built with a variety of technologies or languages, depending on what is required. So, the whole debate of backend vs. frontend is moot and irrelevant. At the end of the day, everything is a set of instructions being executed on a computer. And what matters is how quickly you can execute them. It is all about problem solving and what it takes to solve that problem in the most optimal way. The greatest of the algorithms is useless if users are stuck with an unresponsive UI. Same way, the sleekest of the UIs is worth a penny if the server isn't fast. The affinity for a certain language (unless you are part of the development group of that language) or technology is very restricting for an engineer. True, we need expertise in certain technologies to be proficient at work, but the compulsion to use them for every problem you encounter is highly unbecoming. Assess the problem and pick the best tools to solve it. If you aren't proficient with them already, that's the perfect opportunity to expand your repertoire! #softwareengineering

Software designing should consider: 1. the reviewed/approved version will remain in place at least for a decade. 2. it will be read not only by the designer and the immediate developer(s), QA(s), rather it will be read and re-read by other designer(s), developer(s), QA(s). 3. neither re-reading should create confusion nor it should be complex and hard to read. 4. it the author gets a chance to revisit the design (after few years), then it should be easy for him. 5. too much abstractions in the design makes the things a bit brittle and prone to faults. 6. it should be highly scalable and resilient. #System, #Design #SAD

Part 2 Debugging: Debugging is the process of finding and fixing errors or bugs in your code. You should be able to use tools like console.log(), debugger statements, breakpoints, watch expressions, etc. to inspect the state of your program and identify the root cause of the problem. You should also be able to use tools like Chrome DevTools or Visual Studio Code to debug your code in different environments. Design Patterns and Best Practices: Design patterns are reusable solutions to common problems in software design. They help you write code that is more readable, maintainable, scalable, and extensible. You should be able to recognize and apply different design patterns, such as singleton, factory, observer, strategy, etc. You should also follow best practices such as SOLID principles, DRY principles, KISS principles, etc. to write clean and efficient code. Communication Skills: Communication skills are crucial for any developer who works in a team or with clients. You should be able to communicate clearly and effectively with your coworkers, managers, stakeholders, and users. You should be able to explain your ideas, solutions, challenges, feedback, etc. using appropriate language and tone. You should also be able to listen actively and empathetically to others’ opinions and perspectives. These are some of the things that you should take seriously as a developer. Of course, there are many more skills that you can learn and improve as you progress in your career. The key is to always keep learning and growing as a developer.

If you're not making the design better, you are probably making it worse. 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝘀. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴. In tactical programming, the primary goal is to get something working fast, even if that results in additional complexity. The problem with the tactical approach is that it quickly leads to a messy design. If you want a system that is easy to maintain and enhance, then "working" isn't a high enough standard. The most important goal in strategic programming is to produce a great system design. This idea also applies when you are modifying existing code. "What is the smallest possible change I can make that does what I need?" doesn't work long term. These minimal changes introduce special cases, dependencies, or other forms of complexity. As a result, the system design gets a bit worse, and the problems accumulate. If you want to maintain a clean design for a system, you must take a strategic approach when modifying existing code. - Keep Cleaning your code with continuous refactoring - Use Design Principles - Plan before you code - Practice Code reviews and Pair Programming - Add tests Resist the temptation to make a quick fix; refactor so that you end up with the best possible design. 𝗜 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳, "𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗼, 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀?" If you invest a little extra time to refactor and improve the system design, you'll have a cleaner system. #softwaredevelopment #systemdesign #refactoring

Programming is not a race to build features. It’s a journey to build robust, scalable, and maintainable software. The key to successful software development is not to spend your time solving problems, but to prevent them from occurring in the first place. Common obstacles programmers face along with some solutions: ⛔️Bugs and Errors: Dealing with bugs and errors in code can be time-consuming and frustrating. 💡Solution: Debugging systematically, using tools like debuggers and logging, writing unit tests, and seeking help from peers through code reviews. ⛔️Scope Creep: Requirements constantly changing or expanding during a project, leading to scope creep and timeline challenges. 💡Solution: Establish clear project requirements upfront, communicate effectively with stakeholders, prioritize tasks, and use agile methodologies like Scrum or Kanban to adapt to changes. ⛔️Burnout: Long hours, tight deadlines, and high-pressure environments can lead to burnout. 💡Solution: Practice good work-life balance, take regular breaks, delegate tasks when possible. ⛔️Technical Debt: Accumulation of technical debt due to shortcuts or suboptimal solutions, leading to future complications. 💡Solution: Regularly refactor code, address technical debt during sprint planning, prioritize technical debt reduction alongside feature development. ⛔️Poor Communication: Issue: Miscommunication within teams or with stakeholders can lead to misunderstandings and project delays. 💡Solution: Foster a culture of open communication, use collaboration tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams, schedule regular stand-up meetings, and encourage feedback and transparency. ⛔️Legacy Systems: Working with outdated or legacy systems that lack proper documentation and support. 💡Solution: Incrementally modernize legacy systems, gradually refactor code to improve maintainability, and explore migration options to newer technologies when feasible. ⛔️ Lack of Resources: Insufficient resources, such as time, budget, or skilled personnel, hinder project execution. 💡Solution: Prioritize tasks based on available resources, communicate resource constraints to stakeholders early on, explore outsourcing options for non-core tasks, and invest in continuous training

Do you struggle with keeping your code consistent? Every developer knows it's tough to keep a codebase clean and consistent. A coding style guide helps, but it can't cover everything. What if there was a simple solution that grew with your needs and helped everyone stay on the same page? That's the power of an Agreements Document. Whenever something new or unusual pops up that isn't in the style guide, team members can collaborate to decide the best approach. These decisions are then added to the Agreements Document, ensuring everyone is on the same page. This living document is a great reference point to consistent, better, faster developing software. How do you maintain good code quality in the long term?

What percentage cleaning (software) I have a pretty simple model of software development in my head. Since it's a model, I can leave out all the details, and only include what matters to what I'm trying to think about, so ... here's my model. EITHER (A) you get some work done, and the code gets harder to change, or (B) you clean the code, and it gets easier to change. As a simulation, I wrote it this way: 1 day of programming work on a medium-large system can do one of two things It can EITHER do 1 unit of work, at current work-speed, and slow down ALL future work by some amount (speed * 0.998) OR it can speed up ALL future work by some amount (speed * 1.004) This says that to stay even -- to keep your software AS maintainable as it currently is, you have to devote about 1 work unit out of 3 to cleaning. That could be TDD (Red Green Clean) -- It could be dedicated days It could be all sorts of stuff. Yes, model is sloppy, varies by size of initial work-chunk, but I'm not terribly unhappy with it. What's YOUR estimate for how much cleaning it takes to keep code from decreasing in maintainability. Fun simulation-oid (it would be a fact, but it's from a math model, and we all know how unreliable those are): A chunk of programming work that is 500 units of work (Let's call them team-days) will NEVER get done if you never clean -- you get to 490+ units of work done at ~5000 days before the mess of the code is sooooooo large that you're getting less than 1% of a unit per team-day done, and that's decreasing. (And then we all give up on this software effort, declare it successful, and quietly bury it) On the other hand, 200 units of work can get done in about 300 days, if you clean every 3rd day (or every 3rd minute, or whatever). Does that track, my technical friends?

Programming isn't a race to build features. It’s a adventure to construct strong, scalable, and maintainable software program. The key to successful software improvement isn't always to spend some time solving troubles, but to save you them from taking place in the first place. Common barriers programmers face along with some answers: ⛔️Bugs and Errors: Dealing with bugs and errors in code may be time-ingesting and irritating. 💡Solution: Debugging systematically, the use of tools like debuggers and logging, writing unit tests, and seeking assist from friends through code critiques. ⛔️Scope Creep: Requirements constantly converting or expanding at some stage in a venture, main to scope creep and timeline demanding situations. 💡Solution: Establish clean mission requirements prematurely, communicate efficiently with stakeholders, prioritize tasks, and use agile methodologies like Scrum or Kanban to evolve to modifications. ⛔️Burnout: Long hours, tight time limits, and high-strain environments can lead to burnout. 💡Solution: Practice right paintings-life balance, take everyday breaks, delegate obligations while viable. ⛔️Technical Debt: Accumulation of technical debt because of shortcuts or suboptimal solutions, main to destiny complications. 💡Solution: Regularly refactor code, deal with technical debt for the duration of sprint making plans, prioritize technical debt discount alongside feature improvement. ⛔️Poor Communication: Issue: Miscommunication within groups or with stakeholders can cause misunderstandings and challenge delays. 💡Solution: Foster a subculture of open conversation, use collaboration gear like Slack or Microsoft Teams, schedule ordinary stand-up conferences, and inspire comments and transparency. ⛔️Legacy Systems: Working with old or legacy structures that lack proper documentation and support. 💡Solution: Incrementally modernize legacy systems, regularly refactor code to enhance maintainability, and explore migration options to more recent technologies when viable. ⛔️ Lack of Resources: Insufficient assets, such as time, finances, or professional employees, prevent assignment execution. Link for more: https://lnkd.in/dUqDRmmd 💡Solution: Prioritize tasks based totally on to be had resources, talk aid constraints to stakeholders early on, explore outsourcing options for non-middle responsibilities, and put money into continuous schooling.