Excellent post! I've been programming for almost 12 years now, and I can still remember going through some of the same things you've described.
Your first point really resonated with me, particularly this part:
It took me around 9 months before I had the confidence to branch out of my own bubble and connect with other developers. I was hesitant about putting myself out there. About putting my work into the open. Thinking I wasn't qualified to share ideas or that I didn't have enough knowledge to teach.
I had this exact same experience up until very recently. I was intimidated by other developers, and thought that my opinions were meaningless because I didn't have enough experience. Reading through countless answers on StackOverflow, I developed the impression that all developers are strong-headed people who refuse to consider different opinions and/or context.
As I've grown, I've realized that these types of personalities are the exception, rather than the rule. The majority of developers are actually very similar to me: willing to have open conversations about concepts, and willing to change their opinions as they learn.
Once I realized this, it became a lot easier for me to contribute to discussions without feeling self-conscious. And I received mostly positive feedback, which reinforced the idea that I might actually know something after all!
I think that historically, developers who were more vocal in online communities also tended to have very concrete opinions, and were more likely to tell you why you were wrong instead of engaging with you and having an honest conversation. Those of us who are more introverted/passive took this as a sign that "no developer will ever listen to you, and it's not even worth trying to talk to them". In reality, most people are just looking for opportunities to learn from each other.
Communities like dev.to, and some of the more niche subreddits, are doing a great job of giving everyone a more collaborative voice. I believe that promoting healthier, more respectful discussions will allow us all to learn more about each other, and about the development process in general. I can't wait to see where this progress takes us, and I'm happy I can be a part of it.
It's definitely a very common thing among new developers. For me blogging sites like this and twitter helped me see that there are lots of people in a similar situation and that most developers are not out to get you. I very much enjoyed reading your comment and thank you for sharing!
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Excellent post! I've been programming for almost 12 years now, and I can still remember going through some of the same things you've described.
Your first point really resonated with me, particularly this part:
I had this exact same experience up until very recently. I was intimidated by other developers, and thought that my opinions were meaningless because I didn't have enough experience. Reading through countless answers on StackOverflow, I developed the impression that all developers are strong-headed people who refuse to consider different opinions and/or context.
As I've grown, I've realized that these types of personalities are the exception, rather than the rule. The majority of developers are actually very similar to me: willing to have open conversations about concepts, and willing to change their opinions as they learn.
Once I realized this, it became a lot easier for me to contribute to discussions without feeling self-conscious. And I received mostly positive feedback, which reinforced the idea that I might actually know something after all!
I think that historically, developers who were more vocal in online communities also tended to have very concrete opinions, and were more likely to tell you why you were wrong instead of engaging with you and having an honest conversation. Those of us who are more introverted/passive took this as a sign that "no developer will ever listen to you, and it's not even worth trying to talk to them". In reality, most people are just looking for opportunities to learn from each other.
Communities like dev.to, and some of the more niche subreddits, are doing a great job of giving everyone a more collaborative voice. I believe that promoting healthier, more respectful discussions will allow us all to learn more about each other, and about the development process in general. I can't wait to see where this progress takes us, and I'm happy I can be a part of it.
Thanks for sharing!
It's definitely a very common thing among new developers. For me blogging sites like this and twitter helped me see that there are lots of people in a similar situation and that most developers are not out to get you. I very much enjoyed reading your comment and thank you for sharing!