What I Wish I Knew When I Started Coding

ZUBAIR MAHMUD — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 03:11:53 +0000

✍️ Author: A software engineer who’s made all the mistakes—so you don’t have to.

When I first started coding, I thought learning syntax was enough. If I just mastered JavaScript or Python, I’d be “ready.”

I was wrong.

Here’s what I wish someone told me when I began:

1. Writing Code is Only Half the Job

Most of your time is spent reading, debugging, or understanding existing code.

Learn to read code like you read a book—slowly, with curiosity.

2. Google Is Your Best Friend

Even senior engineers Google things every day.

It’s not a weakness—it’s a skill to search smart and fast.

3. Ask Questions, Early and Often

Being stuck is normal. Staying stuck in silence is not.

Asking questions shows you're invested, not incompetent.

4. Soft Skills Are Superpowers

Clear communication, empathy, and teamwork will take you further than just clean code.

5. Impostor Syndrome Never Fully Goes Away

Almost everyone feels like a fraud sometimes.

It means you care. Keep going anyway.

Final Thought

You don’t have to know everything to be a great developer.

You just need to keep learning, be kind to yourself, and help others when you can.

“It’s not about being the smartest. It’s about not giving up.”

Thanks for reading. If you’re just starting out—I'm rooting for you. 🤝

From Junior to Senior Software Engineer: The Journey, Lessons, and Real Talk

ZUBAIR MAHMUD — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 03:08:59 +0000

✍️ Author: A software engineer still learning, but confident enough now to look back and share the journey.

When I first started out as a developer, the title "Senior Software Engineer" sounded almost mythical to me.

I imagined them as coding wizards—super productive, always confident, knew everything, and never googled anything (which, spoiler alert: is a lie 😅). But as I moved forward in my own journey, I realized being a Senior is less about knowing everything and more about thinking deeply, mentoring others, and making decisions with confidence and context.

So here’s a personal take on how I went from Junior to (hopefully) a competent Senior—and what I learned along the way.

🎯 The Beginning: Coding Isn’t Everything

When I landed my first dev job, I thought my main job was to write code.

Turns out, there was a lot more:

Understanding an existing codebase

Working with Git properly

Understanding CI/CD pipelines

Communicating with designers, PMs, and other devs

Handling Jira tickets

Not breaking production (too often)

I had a lot to learn. And the best advice I got early on?

“You don’t need to know everything. But you do need to be curious about everything.”

That stuck with me.

🧠 Growth Mindset: Googling Is a Skill

It’s OK not to know things. In fact, it’s normal. What matters is how you respond to that.

As I grew in my role, I learned to:

Read documentation instead of avoiding it

Ask thoughtful questions

Google better (yes, it’s a skill)

Break big problems into smaller pieces

A Senior doesn’t always have the answer—but they usually know how to find it, or at least know what questions to ask.

🤝 It’s Not Just About Code

As I moved into more senior responsibilities, I started seeing my role change in subtle but powerful ways.

Being a Senior often means:

Mentoring junior devs

Giving constructive code reviews

Leading discussions during planning

Taking ownership of broken things

Saying “No” to bad ideas—even when they’re shiny

Soft skills matter. In fact, sometimes they matter more than technical ones.

📚 What Helped Me Grow

Here are some resources that truly helped in my growth:

Books:

Clean Code – Robert C. Martin

The Pragmatic Programmer – Andy Hunt & Dave Thomas

Designing Data-Intensive Applications – Martin Kleppmann

Blogs/People:

Kent C. Dodds

Dan Abramov

Martin Fowler

Open Source:

Contributing, or even just reading other people’s code, taught me so much. It made me realize how much I still had to learn.

🎢 The Reality Check

Yes, there’s a lot of excitement in software engineering.

But there’s also:

Deadline pressure

Late-night production bugs

Meetings. So many meetings.

Impostor syndrome

Burnout risk

It’s not always glamorous. But if you enjoy learning and love solving problems, this career will keep you energized.

🔚 Final Thoughts

Becoming a Senior is not a title you earn overnight. It’s a mindset you grow into.

If you're a Junior, you can start thinking like a Senior right now:

Take responsibility

Ask why, not just how

Share what you learn

Care about the why behind your code

“Be the engineer you needed when you were starting out.”

Good luck in your journey. And if this resonated with you, feel free to share your story in the comments—I’d love to hear it. 🤝

✒️ Written by a software engineer who’s still learning, still failing, and still moving forward.

DEV Community: ZUBAIR MAHMUD