Things Maybe You Don't Know as a Newer Developer

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4egHyIV_vE

Talk given at Minnebar 17.

I’ve been working as a software developer for over 15 years, and I’m hoping to compile a useful list of general software development advice I wish someone had taught me from the start.

Transcript

1. Things Maybe You Don't Know as a
   Newer Developer
   Dan Lew
   (Yes, that’s me)
   

   View Slide

2. View Slide

3. Getting a Job
   

   View Slide

4. View Slide

5. Recommendations
   Mentor Meaty Meet-y?
   

   View Slide

6. Learning
   

   View Slide

7. View Slide

8. Sources
   • Google
   
   • Documentation
   
   • Books & articles
   
   • Classes
   
   • Talks
   
   • Samples
   
   • StackOver
   fl
   ow
   
   • Code exercises
   
   • Open source
   
   • Other people
   

   View Slide

9. https://www.
   fl
   ickr.com/photos/43810158@N07/8426525097
   

   View Slide

10. The XY Problem
    How do I get the last

    three characters

    of a
    fi
    lename?
    Did you mean, how 

    do you get 

    a
    fi
    le extension?
    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Two_young_people_demonstrating_a_lively_conversation.jpg
    

    View Slide

11. Take your time
    • Don’t just copy + paste from StackOver
    fl
    ow
    
    • Understanding > working
    
    • Solution might suck
    
    • Easier to modify code later
    
    • Build your knowledge base
    

    View Slide

12. Development
    

    View Slide

13. Software development is a
    non-linear process
    

    View Slide

14. Planning
    Sketch Discuss
    Prototype
    https://www.
    fl
    ickr.com/photos/54327699@N02/8108596621
    

    View Slide

15. Design
    • Rarely one correct design
    
    • Save time by avoiding perfectionism
    
    • Prefer two-way doors
    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Set_of_Crash_Bar_Doors.jpg
    

    View Slide

16. Divide & Conquer
    • Multiple small tasks > one big task
    
    • Easier to develop
    
    • Easier to review code
    
    • Easier to change direction
    
    • Easier to merge code
    

    View Slide

17. Hiding Work
    Avoid
    fi
    nal hookup
    https://www.
    fl
    ickr.com/photos/43053584@N00/2395215000
    Feature
    fl
    ags
    

    View Slide

18. Acronyms
    • DRY - Don’t Repeat Yourself
    
    • YAGNI - You Aren’t Gonna Need It
    
    • KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid
    

    View Slide

19. KISS Example
    • More states -> more complex
    
    • Examples…
    
    • Enums > strings, numbers
    
    • Immutability > mutation
    
    • Pure functions > side e
    ff
    ects
    

    View Slide

20. Code Review Focus
    API
    Bugs
    Architecture
    Maintainability
    Readability
    Tests
    Less important
    More important
    

    View Slide

21. Code Reviews
    Embrace
    
    
    Questions
    
    Discussions
    
    Compliments
    Avoid
    
    
    Code style
    
    Syntax
    
    Preferences
    Nitpicks
    

    View Slide

22. Being a good teammate
    Get stu
    ff
    done Don’t be a jerk
    Help others
    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Long_spoons_modern.jpg
    

    View Slide

23. Testing
    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Laboratory_scientist_conducts_an_experiment_with_a_Rotary_evaporator.jpg
    

    View Slide

24. Two Testing Styles
    https://www.
    fl
    ickr.com/photos/mike_grauer/16898327310/
    Manual
    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Multiple_Server_.jpg
    Automated
    

    View Slide

25. Why automate?
    Safer Refactoring
    Fast
    Repeatable
    https://www.
    fl
    ickr.com/photos/14246866@N05/2207257172
    

    View Slide

26. Test-driven development
    Verify un
    fi
    nished features Better architecture
    Faster development
    https://www.
    fl
    ickr.com/photos/katiekrueger/2351656805
    

    View Slide

27. Testing Thoughts
    • Be tactical w/ test coverage
    
    • Flakey tests are worthless
    
    • Add manual testing tools
    

    View Slide

28. Debugging
    • Print is okay
    
    • Debuggers are better
    
    • Debuggers are not (that) scary
    https://www.wannapik.com/vectors/67772
    

    View Slide

29. Releasing
    

    View Slide

30. Hitting deadlines
    • All estimates suck, so deadlines are often incorrect
    
    • Better answers than “work harder”:
    
    • Over-estimate
    
    • Cut scope
    
    • Let deadlines slip
    

    View Slide

31. Avoid releasing…
    When fatigued In a rush
    Before weekends
    

    View Slide

32. Q&A
    @danlew@androiddev.social
    

    View Slide