Software development remains a field that works on skills developed on your own, with around 69% of people being self-taught. Even full-fledged software companies strive for innovation and talent to succeed in offering various services from Web Development to Software Development to DevOps, cloud solutions, and so on. As a result, this innovation-driven field attracts thousands of software developers and employs them, leading to an employment rate of about 87%.
Yet, the market finds itself short of skilled developers. As a result, the ratio of developers available per vacancy is 1:5. In such a situation, software developers constantly learn and compete to become the best software developers they can be. However, achieving this is no easy task and often comes with hard work. But playing smart and learning the following tips and tricks will enable you to become successful in Software development:
- Diversify
Often software developers will find themselves being advised to specialize. However, in a field that changes overnight due to one innovation, this is a suicide. Just take how fast the IT world moved from the Waterfall methodology to Agile and take a lesson to be constantly receptive to change.
Only adds to the developer’s portfolio and lands more jobs but also enables the developer to take advantage of languages that complement each other such as Java and Scala. This induces a better understanding of software development and improvement in skill.
- Languages Over Frameworks
Frameworks are general protocols for achieving an objective. These frameworks are based upon languages; therefore, they have their backend in languages. Although frameworks warrant learning, it is always advised that the language in which the framework is based be learned. Knowing the underlying language of a framework enables the developer to switch between various frameworks. Moreover, you add a new language to your skillset.
- Practice Makes Perfect
According to 9Listed, it takes 10000 hours of practice to be the best in anything. This 10000 hours’ practice was at the root of Bill Gates and numerous others in the field. Practice is the only formula to guaranteed success, and it is more important in software development than in any other area. Not only is it important to learn a specific programming language, but it comes in handy in every other aspect of the Software Development Life Cycle.
- Code Neatly
That is perhaps one of the most underrated and repeated advice for all software developers, beginners, or experts. Coding neatly not only makes it easier to debug the code but also makes the code much faster. It facilitates the subsequent steps in the Software Development Life Cycle. Significantly reduces the time taken to develop software.
- Communication is Key
As paradoxical as it might seem to emphasize communication for a field as technical as software development, soft skills are always at the base of any successful practice. The ultimate skill is to learn to communicate effectively with the clients to understand their needs and then bring them to reality. This communication must not only be one way, with the developer always listening to what the customer has to say. Feedback is an essential part of the Communication process that explains to the customer the implications of their demands. Leads to a long-term relationship with the customer and improves the software developer’s skills.
Final Word
Although the above advice all works perfectly for any software developer, the fact is that there is no standard set of rules or tricks that a software developer can use to become successful. What dictates success is the ability to work hard and stay updated with all the trends in the industry that dictate development practices.
