Goodbye 2019, come on 2020! 30 experiences for you who are about to enter the programming industry

Introduction: Say goodbye to 2019 and have a good time in 2020! 2019 is destined to be an extraordinary year, and 2020 is another aggressive and hopeful year! Although the overall environment is not as good as before, the IT programming industry is still an industry with relatively good salaries. In 2020, if you want to become a programmer, the following experience sharing as an old programmer, I hope it can help You, guide you to avoid detours!

# Programming is not easy. Many people graduate from top computer science programs in various countries every year, and it is one of the competitive careers that everyone aspires to. At the same time, programming is exciting. As technology advances, there are new innovations every day. For those who like programming and are determined to engage in programming, programming is a career they love and strive for.

This list in this article can help novices answer their questions and save energy. Even though something may not be needed right now, it will come in handy someday.

1. You don’t need a degree to engage in programming, but you need to have some understanding.

Programming is one of the few careers that is not dependent on a degree. But programming is a knowledge-intensive profession. If you want to pursue a career in programming, reading some basic books covering the basic concepts of computer science is a must. In addition to writing functional code, building a solid foundation in your technology and having a deep understanding of basic concepts will enable you to win technical interviews and help you communicate with colleagues.

2. Programming is very creative in terms of problem-solving skills.

Most people have a preconceived notion that programming is the ability to analyze and solve problems. This is only partly true. Programming also involves a lot of creativity. Typically, a given code can be written in multiple ways. Creativity happens when you devise the simplest and most effective way to code.

3. It is impossible to master all programming languages. The trick is to learn a language to its extreme.

There are hundreds of programming languages ​​in the world. There are some programming fields that pave the way for specific career paths: web developer, front-end developer, back-end developer, software engineer, database developer, etc. Figure out what kind of developer you want to be, and then learn the technical skills required for the position.

4. You don’t need to be a machine, it’s better to remain a human being.

Remember, you are a human first and a programmer second. When first programming, it's easy to get lost in the code. You are a human being and you need to laugh, cry, de-stress, and talk to people. As a programmer, balancing life and discovering fun and passion outside of work as much as possible will bring more creativity to the work.

5. Programming is about applying knowledge rather than rote memorization.

Unlike research, which involves inventing and creating new areas of knowledge, programming is all about applying existing knowledge. Books, research papers, online articles, and learning videos will become frequently used resources. There is no need to memorize everything. You can find answers by searching resources. As the number of projects you handle increases, the knowledge will naturally stick in your mind.

6. You fight imposter syndrome every day.

Programming is an industry where all "smart" people work towards the same goal. Unless you're a genius, you'll feel like you don't deserve your success every day. When you are stuck with this feeling every day, you try to think of ways to deal with it. You can always use it as motivation to learn new things and put things into perspective.

7. As a programmer, you also need to have a life outside of work, otherwise, you will only be addicted to programming.

You may stay at home for a period of time without going out. However, to be a happy programmer, you must actively seek a life beyond the computer screen. Career success often depends on the people you meet. Human connections are essential for programmers. Maintaining personality traits other than being a programmer is crucial to preventing addiction to programming. Work is better when you enjoy it rather than forcing yourself.

8. You learn faster when you work with others.

At the beginning of your career, you will want to disconnect from the outside world and indulge in reading these ten books on programming to build your computer science foundation. Guess what? You'll learn faster if you find a study partner. When you work with others, all programming "shortcomings" are exposed. Code written will be reviewed. Thanks to third parties, you will learn to write efficient code. Since your partner is also learning, you'll want to find the best approach. When you work as a programmer, there is always someone reviewing the code. You are never alone and that is something you need to get used to.

9. No need to be good at math and science.

In the technology industry, you will meet various superstar programmers. After receiving a long-term liberal arts education, they discovered the appeal of programming in terms of logical thinking. There are many painters and writers who make a living from programming while pursuing art. To become a good programmer, you need persistence. Programming is hard work. However, with perseverance, anyone can master the basics by reading programming books. There are many people who return to mathematics after working in the industry for a while. Eventually they can understand and implement complex algorithms even without formal mathematics education.

10. Become an all-star “learner.”

Programmers have strong learning abilities. Your learning ability may not be outstanding at the beginning, but it will eventually improve. Sometimes a job will require you to learn three programming languages ​​in six months. This is the state of technological innovation. As a programmer, I am learning every day. Learning is like breathing. Even if you're not comfortable with having to study every day, you'll be forced to get used to it.

11. You will become addicted to completing projects.

Coding addiction is real. At some point in your programming career, you will experience an all-night coding marathon. You won't want to sleep until you've finished your project. Since your brain is processing so much information, you will forget to eat, drink, or even leave to do work. It doesn't matter, after work is done, just go outside for a walk or take a vacation.

12. Spend a whole day just looking for a small loophole.

Most of the time, many parts of a programming project are interrelated. Often, you'll find that you can't move on to the next step unless you fix a small vulnerability lurking in your system. As a programmer, unless you find this vulnerability, you will feel stressed about the entire project. You would sit at your computer all day and sleepless nights just to find this vulnerability. This phenomenon will only disappear once it is found.

13. You will spend most of your time Googling for answers that no one can answer for you.

Most of the questions can be answered if you program in a popular language. However, there are exceptions. Sometimes, you will have problems that others cannot encounter. In this case, consulting a programming book and asking a programming committee will often help answer your questions.

14. Read design pattern books

It doesn’t matter whether you graduated from the best computer science major at home or abroad. At some point in every programmer's career, he or she will sit down and read Head First Design Patterns. It is probably one of the most commonly read books by new programmers. What are you waiting for? Pick it up and read it from cover to cover.

15. Learn to focus on the exact spelling

Every programmer will write enough code in their favorite language in their career to follow their own rules. way of doing things. This includes accurate spelling of naming conventions provided for variables, classes, and even tables in the database. Review this carefully. The last thing you want is a bug in your system due to a typo. Remember, it’s excusable to indulge in something worth paying attention to when the reason is good. But if there is no basis for it, it is just meaningless repetition.

16. You may give up

Sometimes you will encounter a problem that you cannot solve. Sometimes the problems are so difficult that they make you doubt your life and just want to quit. Sometimes work situations can make you want to give up. Passion depends on persistence. At this time, ask yourself, should you persist or give up? When you encounter setbacks and difficulties, you should use them as a harbor and a springboard for the next take-off.

17. Start over again

When you see people who love programming as much as before, you will be very envious and then find that you can't let go. You can't let go. Then it's back to programming projects. You realize that deep down, you breathe and share the same fate as programming, and this is how you become a real programmer.

18. Go back to some form of schooling to learn systematic knowledge.

Even great programmers who graduate from elite computer science master's programs will learn on the job. In fact, on-the-job training is one of the perks of working at a big tech company. Companies will send you to "expensive" courses and seminars to train you in the latest technology they want to use. If you happen to not learn enough on the job, you will be exposed to many online coding academies and free video tutorials such as phpchinese.com to improve your skills.

19. Getting hired by companies you don’t like

Even if you are a mediocre programmer, some companies will need your skills. When they are interviewing you, try to remember that you are interviewing them too. Depending on the company's culture, you may find yourself wanting to say no to what may seem like an easy job. As a programmer, you work long hours. It’s almost crucial to find a company culture that works for you. Happiness leads to good work performance. If your skills are irreplaceable, there will always be other companies lining up to poach you. Don't compromise unless necessary.

20. Failed the technical interview

Technical interviews are no joke. Senior programmers often take pleasure in writing technical interview questions. Often, these questions are extra difficult for some reason. If you fail the technical interview, it’s not the end of the world. This certainly doesn't prove your programming skills. It only tests your knowledge base. Try to think of the positives. If your personal skills are outstanding, managers will remember you. If they like your abilities but you're not a good fit for the role, they may still contact you and offer you another position.

21. Being told you’re awesome

There are times in your career when you feel like a star. Managers rely on you to get projects done, and they praise you for your awesomeness to keep you motivated. You will feel like you are on top of the world. Be careful, this is tempting you to become conceited. Please stay humble. After all, there is no end to learning. There are people outside the world and mountains beyond the mountains.

22. Being reduced to nothing

There are times in your career when you feel like you know nothing. People who don’t have confidence in the project will tell you that you don’t know anything. Maybe they do it to give you an idea of ​​where you are. But, now that you’re reading this, you’re about to hit your stride. Because you probably know more than you think. Your knowledge will also increase over time. After a year, people will respect you, so keep at it. In time, you might even gain the respect of the person who once put you down to nothing.

23. Compete with other programmers you admire

One of the most wonderful aspects of programming is competition. When you write code that a programmer you admire thinks is worthwhile, it feels like winning the lottery. Programming competitions are always fun. The beauty is not who is the best but learning from each other.

24. You may not understand what your colleagues are saying

In the beginning, this may happen once a week or once a month. In your new programming job, you may not understand what your coworker just said. There may be two reasons. Depending on the living environment, you may not understand their accent. In this case, ask another colleague to translate. There is no shame in not being able to understand what someone is saying. It's likely that it took other colleagues years to get used to the accent. Another reason is that what your colleague just said is completely beyond your knowledge. That's okay too. After all, colleagues are the experts. Ask a colleague to explain it in picture form. You're going to want to pull up a chair and sit down and listen, because this may take a while.

25. You will feel ashamed when you see the spaghetti code you wrote last year

This happens all the time. In the beginning I was criticized for my Perl code. This is a well documented code and well designed. But I wrote it in a language that was difficult to read. So, I wrote spaghetti code. But, every year, no matter how hard I try, I still find some spaghetti code that I clean up writing due to getting the job done quickly. This is the daily life of a programmer. We solve problems and fix problems. Don't feel ashamed. When you realize you wrote it, just go back and correct it.

26. You will hide in your database project when you get tired of looking at another line of code

This is what happens when you have a great programming hack Condition. It's been two months. You need a break. But you like the momentum, so keep going. Then you realize that SQL is interesting. Can't figure out why you can't see another line of code. But somehow, putting data into a database and getting it back out makes you happy. You revel in the simplicity of completely logical language.

27. Love and Hate Hackathons

Hackathons are very common these days. Programmers join teams and compete against each other. During this process, they engage in intensive learning over several hours. You’ll love hackathons for the team spirit, but you’ll hate them for the wrist syndrome caused by fast coding. You'll also hate working in crowded rooms and the overstimulation of your senses while programming.

28. When reading a research paper, you feel like you can’t understand a word

Do you speak English? Well, most people would say yes. However, you may read some research papers over and over again and find yourself confused. To me, before learning basic mathematics, most research papers on algorithms looked like a giant forest of fog. Then, suddenly, everything seemed to clear up again.

29. Buy Headphones

At some point in your career, you'll find that any kind of noise blocks your senses when you're focused on code. Investing in good headphones that can block out external noise will allow you to focus on your work in a noisy room. At some point, music is also found to aid in coding. I discovered early in my coding career that the rhythm of music helps with smooth coding. Even now, when I need to be productive, I find some music to listen to.

30. Seize the opportunity to communicate with your peers.

At a certain stage in your career, you will become a very important group of developers in the company. At this time you will be invited to an off-site meeting where technology professionals will socialize. Top management will take this opportunity to get to know you. This is not a time to be carefree and enjoy yourself. On the contrary, it is a great time to socialize and communicate with peers. Sometimes outings include meetings with technical experts from other companies.

Author: Wu Jun

Translation: php Chinese website

Original address: https://medium.com/better-programming/30-short-things-i-wish -i-knew-all-this-when-i-started-programming-b17667e3df0c