There are many key characteristics that make up a great developer.
Let’s dive into the 5 key characteristics and soft skills that define the difference between a good developer and a great developer:
Large Desire to learn
Many developers have acquired knowledge from an online course, degree program, or some type of education. However, the best software developers are amazing self-learners. This means they will take something they do not already know and strive to learn it themselves. Developers tend to find an outstanding balance between learning and doing and are often very curious by nature. They are constantly using their knowledge to practice. Great developers are also always the first to try out the latest tech, which can include new technology they are not already familiar with.
Immense Positive Outlook
The best programmers will greatly care about the product they are working on. They will strive to maintain a positive outlook and will be willing to go the extra mile to complete the task. Developers should be able to receive feedback, where negative or positive, and have a positive attitude and work as a team player. Code reviews and pair programming are very frequent; they help improve the most experienced people.
Problem-Solving Skills
Problem-solving skills are almost essential for developers to have. Software is specifically designed to solve user problems, regardless of the technology or program language you are using. An experienced developer will constantly strive to avoid making the same mistake twice. An effective developer will be consistently watching to avoid any problem that has arisen in the past, to best avoid it in the future. This is a skill amongst itself. Software development is all about problem-solving skills!
Think Big Picture
A great developer will constantly be thinking in “big picture” mode. It is not always about writing code but also about life cycle stages, designing, testing, and maintenance impact coding, and vice-versa. Awareness of the software development life-cycle is always essential as a whole, whether it’s Agile, Lean, Waterfall, Iterative, Spiral, or DevOps models.
Communication is Key
Nowadays, the stereotype of coders who sit alone in front of computers is outdated. The key to agile teams is collaborations, which means sufficient communication skills must be present. It’s best for developers to communicate their thoughts and ideas in a way that the team understands and listens to what others may be telling them. Great developers can take feedback from others, whether it is positive or constructive feedback.
We hope you use these five key skills in your day-to-day life as developers! What skills do you think make up a great developer? What cons do you think developers may experience on a day-to-day basis? Let us know!
