The 7 Signs of a Great Programmer 💪

Not foolproof

I recently wrote an article about the 7 signs of a bad programmer. I then found a challenge in the comments — could I write an article about the 7 signs of a good programmer?

Challenge accepted

Willingness to learn

It sounds obvious. Relatively few programmers went to university and studied that CS101 course that everyone talks about.

So how did those without formal education get into coding?

My colleagues were tempted into coding courses by sitting alone in dark rooms, and by bags of money

Ideally, companies should be filtering their staff by their willingness to learn. I wonder how many of our colleagues have a coding blog, a GitHub repo with 100+ stars, or a Stack Overflow score above 50?

I checked my colleagues. 0, 0, 0

If you don’t have colleagues who are willing to learn and adapt to situations, how can you work with them to solve difficult challenges?

With difficulty

Focus on the details, and the wider picture

I still remember when I joined a FinTech that reminded new employees not to watch Netflix at work.

Probably explains the fines for improper financial conduct

I don’t know about you, but following a technical article with someone talking in the background is challenging. Watching a YouTube video? Near impossible.

There are also benefits to understanding Agile and other technical disciplines that touch your own. Get some insight into the wider picture of development, and you will surely become a better developer.

You’ll need to improve your coding to the next level, though, right?

Defeat the Peter Principle, find a path upwards

The Peter Principle means that the wrong people are promoted to senior positions. The best programmers ignore the noise and become the best coders they can. They naturally learn more about the jobs of those around them and move upwards through the organization in a natural way.

Forcing progression through the hierarchy only leads to short-term gains

Is that because you might be fired?

Stay Curious

You’re not going to be able to stay a programmer if you don’t update your knowledge and keep moving.

If you fear that AI will take your job, you’re already done

You might as well fear youth; in the end, it will be gone in any case. Work on your programming skills, keep moving and keep up to date. That’s the only way.

Youth and good-looking people, those ARE the things to fear

Mentoring and coaching

I do believe that the best way of learning is by doing. There is, however, a way to supercharge your progress.

For those not quite as experienced as you, mentor them. Be their buddy when onboarded and ensure they’re all good when they join the company.

Seek out coaching wherever you can find it. If you can get people to champion you within the company, you’re likely to do better within the organization. Find out what might make you better in your position and seek out feedback. Find out what you could be doing better and improve.

Do what you can to get better

Isn’t a coach something people travel on?

Understand your obligation to imitate

Take best practices and learn from them. Improve wherever you can and build on the experience you gain. This is a different activity from just copying like a bad programmer it is going full steam at problems and learning from the best. If you can do that, you’ll someday be the best.

I’m not sure what this advice means to people (like me) who are already the best

This article is a light-hearted look at the following positive developer behaviors:

Willingness to learn

If you don’t want to learn, how do you keep up with technological innovations?

Focus on the details, and the wider picture

Programming is important, but so is the why. Without that, you’re likely the best coder working in the smallest silo

Defeat the Peter Principle, find a path upwards

Ignore the noise, and work in the best way that you can.

Stay Curious

Those that stay curious get the best work done and move the fastest.

Mentoring and coaching

Mentor those below you in the hierarchy, and get coaching from those who are in some sense more capable than you

Understand your obligation to imitate

Look to the best, as you can learn from their successes and their mistakes.

Conclusion

Even if you’re showing one of these signs of a programmer, it doesn’t mean that you’re great. Showing all 7? You’re unlikely to be a terrible one.

You never know though because your arrogance might just get in the way.

Oh, and a good programmer doesn’t need to be senior, which is why this article doesn’t mention “it depends”.

Now that you know what a good programmer looks like, what about a bad programmer? Take a look at the article below:

About The Author

Professional Software Developer “The Secret Developer” can be found on Twitter @TheSDeveloper and regularly publishes articles through Medium.com