The pros and cons of being a developer

Hey people!

As developers, it's easy to praise our profession, because, for most of us, we get to do what we love - solve problems through coding.

That said, there can also be negative aspects.

How I see it:

Pros

• Hobby and work in one
• Get to work in a field that's praised
• Get to use my brain
• IT is part of every industry there is
• A great community
• There's always something new to be learned
• Can use my professional skills for improving personal life
• Salary's good

Cons

• Keeping up with new tech can sometimes be overwhelming
• Long hours behind the computer
• There's always something new to be learned (I know, it's both good and bad imo)
• One can easily burn out

So I'd like to ask you:

What do you believe are the pros and cons of being a developer?

Comments

[Ashwin Hariharan]

Here's a few that come to my mind:

Pros:

1. Low barrier to entry if you're coming via the webdev route
2. Can potentially work from anywhere you want
3. No degrees required

Cons:

1. Fierce competition, you'll have to do a lot to standout from the rest
2. Interviews are becoming excessively tough
3. Rarely ever 9-5 job, you most likely end up working throughout the day if you're in a startup
4. Takes a while to get good salary, depending upon which country you're in.
5. Highly stressful - leading to burnouts, eye-problems, social isolation, etc.

[Swastik Baranwal]

The only con for me is that you cannot meet and spend time with your family and friends.

[jansoriano]

Get to use my brain

[Daniel Einars]

Pro: Work from home is awesome. I can spend so much time with my doggo.

Con: I'm late to the game and I'm afraid of ageism.

Apart from that, your list pretty much nails it for me.