I've been programming for ~3 years now, first just on the side and now full-time. My learning has been in stops and starts. Now I can feel the cumulative learning paying off. I'm also realizing there's SO much more to learn. What advice do you have for programmers just hitting their stride?
Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?
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Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?
#2I wish I knew the Functional Way :)
Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?
#3I wish I had taken the time to understand LISP earlier.
Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?
#4Leadership and conflict solving through empathy. Also public speaking.
Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?
#5Learning new things is great but don't be afraid to reach for familiar tools.
Using one or two new things on a project rather than 10 you'll be both more likely to get somewhere, and more likely to pick up the newer elements well.
Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?
#6I wish I knew the Functional Way :)
I second this very much. As pretty everyone says, it changes how you treat code and data. Surprisingly even when they are not the same thing :)
Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?
#7If you think you are in for the long haul then please buy a standing desk!
Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?
#8Discipline: using, creating and sharing (among the team) checklists.
Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?
#9That while C# is probably a better language than Java, the Java ecosystem is so much more innovative and open.
Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?
#10I was working hard to learn more about the language I was using then.
When I look back at that period, I think I enjoyed what I was doing but in terms of technical knowhow, I wouldn't change much. Of course I know more now than then but I walked a certain path and I enjoyed it. The process was part of being where I am now. So, I think I'm happy with it so far.
What, I would like to have had since then: A good perspective on how the business functions. More empathy.
I've learnt these over time and even in this case, I think learning these was part of life. I don't really feel like "I wish I had the chance to go back and change things". I just feel foolish about some things I did then but I acknowledge that at that time my level of maturity was different from now and even if I had more (relevant) information or ideas, I'd not have been ready to use them.
Finally, I'd say that as long as you tend to reflect on what you do and where you want to go, you'll do fine. Conscious and intentional incremental improvements take you quite far on the long run.
Good luck!