Hi everyone! 👋 Being a junior developer has been an exciting journey, but it hasn’t been without its challenges. I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way—some small, others pretty big—and while they were tough to navigate, they taught me lessons I’ll never forget. In fact, some mistakes have left me feeling so guilty about their impact on my senior developers that I’ve found myself crying in frustration. Let me share these experiences, what I learned, and how I’ve worked to improve.
The Big Mistakes I Made and The "I Can Fix It Myself"
One of my biggest mistakes was waiting too long to ask for help. I remember spending three whole days stuck on a database issue, thinking I could figure it out alone. My senior developer was quite frustrated when they found out - not because I couldn't solve it, but because I hadn't asked for help sooner. This wasted time and delayed our project.
There were times when I spent hours—sometimes late into the night—trying to fix bugs on my own. I thought I had to prove I could handle everything independently. But instead of solving the problem, I often ended up wasting time and making things worse. My senior developer would later discover how much time I had spent struggling alone and, understandably, feel frustrated because they could’ve helped me resolve the issue in minutes. Realizing how my stubbornness let them down left me feeling guilty and even brought me to tears on a few occasions.
The "Silent Mode" Mistake/Poor Communication About Progress
During my first project, I would often work silently without updating anyone. When my senior asked about my progress in meetings, I'd give vague answers like "It's going okay" or "I'm working on it." This made it hard for them to plan and know if the project was on track.
I’ve been guilty of going into “silent mode,” where I buried myself in work without keeping my team updated. I thought I was being efficient by staying focused, but it often caused confusion for my senior developer, who had no idea what progress I was making or if I was facing roadblocks. This lack of communication disrupted workflows and left my senior feeling stressed about whether the project was on track. Reflecting on how this impacted them made me feel deeply remorseful, and I realized how vital transparency is in a team setting.
The "I Forgot to Test" Mistake
In my rush to meet deadlines, I sometimes skipped proper testing and pushed code that later caused errors in production. These mistakes didn’t just embarrass me—they created unnecessary stress for my senior, who had to drop everything to help fix urgent issues. Knowing that my oversight disrupted their schedule made me feel horrible. There were moments when I couldn’t hold back tears because I felt like I’d let them down and caused chaos that could’ve been avoided with a little extra care.
The "Not Reading the Documentation" Mistake/Not Taking Notes During Explanations
Another frequent mistake I made was skipping documentation. Instead of taking the time to understand a library, framework, or API, I would jump straight into coding and rely on trial and error. This often led to bugs and misunderstandings, which frustrated my senior developer when they reviewed my work. Realizing how much I’d let them down by not doing the basics left me feeling ashamed. It was a hard lesson in how preparation is key to being a reliable teammate.
My senior would take time to explain complex parts of our codebase, but I didn't write things down. Later, I'd ask the same questions again. I could see the frustration on their face - they had already spent time explaining these things.
How My Mistakes Affected My Senior Developer
Each mistake didn’t just affect me—they had real consequences for my senior developer:
- Frustration when I spent too much time on problems I could’ve solved with early guidance.
- Stress from a lack of communication and uncertainty about project progress.
- Disruption to their schedule when they had to fix my preventable errors under tight deadlines.
- Disappointment when it was clear I hadn’t read the documentation or taken a proactive approach.
- Doubt in my ability to handle tasks independently, making them hesitant to delegate more responsibility.
The weight of knowing my actions caused unnecessary strain on my senior often left me feeling overwhelmed and even brought me to tears. It was a tough realization, but one that motivated me to take accountability and improve.
How I’m Working to Improve
1. Asking for Help Early
I’ve learned that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s smart teamwork. Now, if I’m stuck for more than an hour, I document everything I’ve tried and reach out to my senior. This not only saves time but also shows them that I’m actively working to solve the problem, not just giving up.
2. Communicating Regularly
I’ve made clear communication a habit. Whether it’s a quick daily update, sharing blockers in stand-ups, or just being transparent about my progress, I ensure my team and senior developer are always in the loop. This has built trust and reduced the stress caused by uncertainty.
3. Prioritizing Testing
Testing is no longer optional for me—it’s a priority. I now follow a checklist to ensure I’ve tested thoroughly in a safe environment. For major updates, I ask a teammate to review my work. These steps have helped me catch issues early and avoid creating unnecessary stress for my senior.
4. Reading Documentation Thoroughly
Before starting any task, I dedicate time to reading the documentation. Whether it’s an API, library, or framework, I ensure I understand its features and best practices. This has significantly reduced errors in my work and demonstrated to my senior that I’m taking my responsibilities seriously.
In short, I mean:
1. Better Question-Asking Habits
Now I try to solve problems for 1-2 hours max before asking for help
I write down what I've already tried
I show my research when asking questions
2. Regular Updates
I send quick daily messages about what I'm working on
I'm honest about challenges I'm facing
I ask for feedback early in the process
3. Taking Good Notes
I keep a simple document for each project
I write down important explanations right away
I review my notes before asking questions
Tools That Have Helped Me
Learning Resources
Continuous learning has been crucial for my growth. Some resources I highly recommend:
1. Frontend
Masters(https://frontendmasters.com/): In-depth courses on JavaScript, React, and modern frontend development.
Kent C. Dodds' Blog (https://kentcdodds.com/): Excellent tips on testing and building React applications.
freeCodeCamp(https://www.freecodecamp.org/): Interactive coding challenges to build real-world projects.
Traversy Media YouTube Channel(https://www.youtube.com/@TraversyMedia): High-quality tutorials on various web development topics.
Code Quality Tools
Ensuring clean, error-free code is a top priority. These tools have been invaluable:
ESLint (https://eslint.org/): Helps catch syntax and logic errors early.
Prettier (https://prettier.io/): Automatic code formatting for consistency.
Jest (https://jestjs.io/): A comprehensive testing framework for JavaScript.
GitHub Copilot (https://github.com/features/copilot): An AI-powered coding assistant that boosts productivity.
Collaboration Tools
Clear communication and organization are key for team success. Here’s what I use:
Slack (https://slack.com/): For quick team communication and updates.
Notion (https://notion.so/): To document processes, notes, and solutions.
Trello (https://trello.com/): A simple tool for managing tasks and workflows.
Linear (https://linear.app/): Helps track issues and tasks seamlessly in a collaborative environment.
Mistakes are inevitable, but they don’t define you. What truly matters is how you respond to them. Here are the lessons I’ve embraced:
- Ask for help early. It’s better to solve problems quickly with guidance than waste time struggling alone.
- Communicate consistently. Keeping your team informed builds trust and ensures smoother workflows.
- Test everything. Proper testing saves you—and your team—from unnecessary stress.
- Read the documentation. Understanding your tools is key to delivering quality work.
- Take responsibility. Own your mistakes and focus on learning from them.
I’ve learned that even when mistakes feel overwhelming and guilt takes over (sometimes to the point of tears), they’re opportunities for growth.
If you’ve made mistakes as a developer, know that you’re not alone. Share your stories—I’d love to hear how you’ve learned and grown!
Top comments (5)
Thanks for sharing your journey! It's inspiring to see how you've turned mistakes into valuable lessons. Asking for help, communicating, and learning from errors are key steps to growth. Down the road, you will look back and you will be proud of the effort you have put in. Keep up the great work! 🌟
Thanks @juniourrau
Thanks for sharing, I have learned a lot from this article
Happy that you found it useful!
great article