You should learn multiple programming languages

The first language I used to write a small program was Pascal. Since then I have worked professionally with Java, JavaScript, Groovy and a few more. Currently, I am learning a bit of Go in my spare time. In this blog post, I want to encourage you to learn a new language as well and provide you with a few ideas. Continue reading “You should learn multiple programming languages”

“Just in time knowledge” and the value of knowing a little

To be a good software developer you need to know some things very well. You can’t get away without actually knowing your programming language of choice, or learning good software development practices. Beside mastering some skills, you should also have a large amount of general, high-level knowledge. This blog post is about this knowledge.

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What makes a good software developer CV?

Writing CV is a bit of a game. You are trying to create a short piece of writing, focused on yourself, that will get you to the interview. Ideally, this short text will also help set you up for a successful interview and boost your chances of landing a job. I have screened hundreds of CVs over the past few years, here I want to share with you some advice on how to win the CV game.

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Deliberate Practice for Software Developers

You might have heard of the 10,000-hour rule. It supposedly takes 10,000 hours of practice to become a master at something. This number will, of course, vary depending on what you are trying to master- some skills have a much higher bar than that, others may be easier. What is also important is the quality of that practice. In this blog post I will look at different ways you can carry out a deliberate practice as a developer.

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Leading developers vs managing them

Words like leadership and management are used often when discussing software projects. While they may sound similar, they are quite different and are often (but not always) performed by separate people. In this article, I will look closer at these two terms and explain why one is more difficult than the other. Continue reading “Leading developers vs managing them”

How to learn AWS

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the most popular Cloud solution out there. More and more companies are using it every day. It makes development easier, safer, cheaper and better. Since it is becoming an expectation for backend developers to be familiar with AWS (or other Cloud solutions) I compiled here some of the best resources and ideas for learning it. Continue reading “How to learn AWS”

Should you let your developers work from home?

It seems that everyone wants to work remotely these days. Why wouldn’t they? There are some obvious benefits, such as reduced commute and working from the comfort of your own home. What is the impact on the team though? In this blog post, I focus on the impact on the team rather than individual benefits. Continue reading “Should you let your developers work from home?”

The Physics of the Agile Methodology

There are numerous articles out there talking about agile teams and how being agile will change your life/project. I agree with what Agile Manifesto proposes, but overall, I think that agile movement lacks scientific approach. In this article, I will apply my understanding of physics to “prove” and explain some of the agile phenomena. Continue reading “The Physics of the Agile Methodology”

Audiobooks – a secret weapon of a busy software developer

I have blogged about my road to productivity recently. I received a comment there from one of my readers asking me if I have a secret weapon that helped me be so productive. While I don’t have a secret weapon strictly for productivity, I realised that I have a secret weapon (or two) for learning. That weapon is simply… Audiobooks! Continue reading “Audiobooks – a secret weapon of a busy software developer”