Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What 'deeper technical skills' make up a strong engineer?

news.ycombinator.com

1–10 of 23 posts

Ask HN: What 'deeper technical skills' make up a strong engineer?

#1
A lot of online software industry content is focused on junior engineers: algorithms and data structures, usage of SQL, etc... But I don't think we often discuss what really sets mid/senior engineers apart.

My list would probably look something like:

- ability to use a proper debugging stack (not just tests/printf, use of microbenchmarks for optimisation, systems tracing for services)

- optimisation of how their app interacts with the environment (kernel, network stack, cache lines)

- debugging beyond application level issues (e.g. ability to use core dumps, knowledge of how the JVM works)

Re: Ask HN: What 'deeper technical skills' make up a strong engineer?

#3
Refactoring.

1. Being able to spot the point at which the cost of cleaning up convoluted and fragile code is lower than the cost of continuing to work with it. And evaluating that it’s worth the long term investment.

2. Actually being able to turn the ship around.

Re: Ask HN: What 'deeper technical skills' make up a strong engineer?

#6
post #2

I've never had to deal with core dumps or understand how the JVM works. Why are those worthwhile skills?

"e.g." stands for "exempli gratia", which, in English, means "for example". Maybe dealing with core dumps or understanding how the JVM works hasn't been relevant to you, but for any competent (let alone "strong") engineer/programmer I'd expect them to have familiarity with a rough equivalent to those kinds of things for their own systems.
Post reply on HN