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Bronia Jacobs
Bronia Jacobs

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Being A Great Programmer

  1. Get good at Googling
    Being a programmer is all about learning how to search for the answers to your questions. By learning to Google things effectively, you'll save a lot of development time.

  2. Under-promise and over-deliver
    It's better to let your team know a task will take three weeks and deliver in two than the other way around. By under-promising and over-delivering, you'll build trust.

  3. Be nice to your designers; they're your friends
    Designers provide solutions to user pain points. Learn from them and work cohesively to build effective products.

  4. Find a mentor
    Find someone you can learn from and bounce ideas off of. Coding Coach is a great place to get started if you need a technical mentor!

  5. Be a mentor
    Be someone others can learn from and bounce ideas off of. We'd love to have you as a mentor over at Coding Coach

  6. Write useful comments
    Write comments which explain the "why" and not the "what".

  7. Name variables and functions appropriately
    Functions and variables should accurately denote their purpose, so myCoolFunction won't fly.

  8. Take vacations
    We all need time to decompress. Take that trip you've been wanting. Your brain and your co-workers will thank you.

  9. Delete unused code
    No reason to accrue more technical debt.

  10. Learn to read code
    Reading code is an undervalued skill, but an invaluable one.

  11. Establish a healthy work/life balance
    You need time to decompress after a long workday. Shut off work notifications, remove apps off your phone.

  12. Only schedule necessary meetings
    Can it be solved in an email or a Slack message? If so, avoid a meeting. If not, be conscious of the duration. Aim for less.

  13. Pair program
    Pair programming allows you to play the role of both teacher and student https://bestinsulincooler.com/.

  14. Write great emails
    Learn to capture your audience in your emails by being succinct yet clear. Nobody wants to read your four-page email Jerry.

  15. Get involved in the community
    Surrounding yourself with like-minded people will motivate you to push through the lows.

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