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Ask HN: Job prospects for pure C and C++ programmers?

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Re: Ask HN: Job prospects for pure C and C++ programmers?

#11

Post by UK-Al05 »

gregjor wrote: post #3

I wouldn’t build my career around a programming language. Languages are one of the least important factors in a programming career. That said, if I had to choose a couple of languages for the rest of my career I would choose C, C++, and SQL. All of those have enjoyed huge success since they were introduced, with mountains of legacy code and plenty of new development. Once you master C and C++ a lot of similar languag…

Learning a language is easy, Learning the idioms, ecosystem, culture of a language to become senior level can take years.

Re: Ask HN: Job prospects for pure C and C++ programmers?

#13

Post by gregjor »

treebog wrote: post #6

I agree with gregjor, and I’ll just add that I recommend checking out these (highly entertaining) videos by Alex Stepanov, creator of the C++ STL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHxtyCq_WDLXFAEA-lYoR... In the first few lectures he lays out what he thinks it takes to be a great programmer. I’m pretty confident that there will be a job market for great programmers for at least the next 15 years.

+1 for Stepanov.

Programmers who can solve problems, add value, and work with other people will always be in demand.

Re: Ask HN: Job prospects for pure C and C++ programmers?

#14

Post by gregjor »

UK-Al05 wrote: post #11
gregjor wrote: post #3

I wouldn’t build my career around a programming language. Languages are one of the least important factors in a programming career. That said, if I had to choose a couple of languages for the rest of my career I would choose C, C++, and SQL. All of those have enjoyed huge success since they were introduced, with mountains of legacy code and plenty of new development. Once you master C and C++ a lot of similar languag…

Learning a language is easy, Learning the idioms, ecosystem, culture of a language to become senior level can take years.

Maybe. I think of a senior programmer as someone with a track record of adding value, capable of solving problems, leading a team, making sense of requirements.

Mastering every intricacy of a language and its ecosystem has value but that’s not what most employers or customers care about or pay for. My customers almost never care about the language or tools I use, or quality of the code, or anything programmers obsess over. They care about spending their money to get more value through reduced costs or increased efficiency.

You can optimize to impress your peers, or to always have a job (or customers if you freelance). Depends on your priorities.

Programming expertise is largely cumulative because the basic concepts apply in every language. Someone with 5+ years experience with real C++ projects shouldn’t struggle too much with Java or Python.

Re: Ask HN: Job prospects for pure C and C++ programmers?

#15

Post by gregjor »

papaf wrote: post #4

I used to be a typical C++ programmer but lately I have mostly been using C/C++ with other languages. - C as a workaround for a Docker problem. - C++ with C# in Unity. - C++ in Android with Kotlin As you hinted in the question, it is good to combine C++ with other skills. If you want to stay purely in C++, then the automotive and aeronautical industries are heavy C++ users. But as @gregjor says its best not to stick…

When I’m hiring and get a candidate who seems very focused on a language, or only has experience with one language, I’m probably not going to consider them.

It’s not just the limited skill set. I’ve run into too many programmers who only want to work with the tools they know and like, which limits their usefulness in a team and in the business. Most companies write and use software as a tool to solve business problems, they aren’t all that interested in catering to what programmers think is cool or fun.

I’m all for mastering language and tools, as many as you can, but if you want steady employment keep your eyes on what employers look for.

Re: Ask HN: Job prospects for pure C and C++ programmers?

#17

Post by UK-Al05 »

gregjor wrote: post #14
UK-Al05 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Learning a language is easy, Learning the idioms, ecosystem, culture of a language to become senior level can take years.

Maybe. I think of a senior programmer as someone with a track record of adding value, capable of solving problems, leading a team, making sense of requirements. Mastering every intricacy of a language and its ecosystem has value but that’s not what most employers or customers care about or pay for. My customers almost never care about the language or tools I use, or quality of the code, or anything programmers obsess…

To get anything done fast, and reliably it takes that knowledge to be decent.

Re: Ask HN: Job prospects for pure C and C++ programmers?

#19

Post by jake_morrison »

It's more important to focus on the problem domain than the specific tools. Figure out where you would like to work and the kinds of problems you would like to solve, then evolve your technical skills with them.

C is mostly used these days for embedded systems. C++ for high performance network services. Higher level and more sophisticated languages are coming for those domains, e.g. Rust. Lua is interesting for embedded systems, and the Erlang VM for network services.

Re: Ask HN: Job prospects for pure C and C++ programmers?

#20

Post by giantg2 »

gregjor wrote: post #14
UK-Al05 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Learning a language is easy, Learning the idioms, ecosystem, culture of a language to become senior level can take years.

Maybe. I think of a senior programmer as someone with a track record of adding value, capable of solving problems, leading a team, making sense of requirements. Mastering every intricacy of a language and its ecosystem has value but that’s not what most employers or customers care about or pay for. My customers almost never care about the language or tools I use, or quality of the code, or anything programmers obsess…

Please point me to these employers who don't care about technical skill.

I was a tech lead for a year and senior developer for another on a FileNet application. I would love a $140k+ tech lead position that doesn't require experience in the tech.

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