Inside the mind of an expert programmer!

Think-like-a-programmer-Inside-the-mind-of-an-expert-programmer!

Have you ever wondered what goes on inside the mind of a developer or a computer programmer? How do they think and approach problems? Well, today’s post is precisely about that – the mindset of an expert programmer!

When you dive into the world of software development, you must possess one quality – the programmer mindset. In simple terms, to be a programmer, you’ve got to think and act like one. So, what exactly does the expert programmer mindset mean? Keep reading to know the secrets!

The Inquisitive Mindset

  1. What Seems To Be The Problem?

The brain of a programmer is somehow wired in a way that he/she is perpetually on the lookout of a problem to solve. Whenever programmers come across coding problems or issues, they’re like “So, what exactly seems to be the glitch here? I need to find out!” An expert programmer will always view a problem from many possible angles and try to delineate the issues one by one.


  1. How Do I Fix The Problem? How Can I Make It Better?

Once the problems are identified, a programmer then engages himself/herself in trying to find the best possible solutions to the problems. However, that’s not all – the end goal is to enhance the code and make it better by following the three-step rule:

  • Fix the problem – What will be the fastest solution to get the code to run smoothly?
  • Do it right – How to clean the code and turn it into a technically correct one?
  • Boost it – How to optimize the code?

The Learner’s Mindset

  1. Understanding The Code

Programming is not just about solving problems ceaselessly but also learning new things in the process. A programmer must always be open to learning. Before solving a coding problem, it is crucial to read the code carefully and understand its structure and functionalities. Only then will you be able to find the best possible solutions to specific problems and also tweak and optimize the code accordingly.

  1. Experimenting

Experimenting with new concepts and tools is a vital part of the learning process. When programmers learn a new concept, very often they experiment with the concept and try to see how it can enhance or ruin or tweak a code’s functionality. That’s how one gets to know what works best for a code and what doesn’t.

  1. Attention To Detail

When creating a code to serve a specific purpose, every little detail matters. In the most basic sense, a code is merely a set of instructions that are fed into the computer to get it to perform a certain task. One little mistake or a wrong move within a code can have a massive impact on it and can even ruin it. Thus, paying attention to detail is the mark of a great programmer.

An Artist’s Mindset

  1. Striving For Perfection

Software development is very similar to art. Just as an artist brings an image to life with his/her imagination, handwork, and colors, so a programmer, too, builds a code to bring life within a computer, which without code and software is nothing but a lifeless machine. An excellent programmer never stops at the moment when his/her program starts running smoothly; he/she tries to find out ways in which the program can be made even better. Naturally, this involves a lot of practice and perseverance to get it right and still find grounds to improve upon. A programmer’s craft is a pursuit of perfection.

  1. Passion

Until and unless a programmer is driven by a strong passion to find innovative solutions. This passion is what drives a programmer to write codes that are clean, readable, logical, and efficient. Creativity is a key skill here. A programmer uses his/her technical knowledge and the limited set of tools at his disposal to figure out how to solve problems and build a useful code, all the while learning new things. For a passionate programmer, coding isn’t just a task, it is also a fun hobby to indulge in.

Programmers are well aware of the fact that their profession and field of study is a dynamic one and that nobody is perfect – there’s always scope for improvement. Hence, they never hold back from asking for help from their extended community or programmers and developers. Today, there are many platforms where programmers can connect with each other and share their knowledge with the community members, such as Stack Overflow, Reddit, CodeProject, and much more,  thereby enriching the developer community as a whole.

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Yes, a programmer’s mind is that simple and creative at the same time! Do you think you have it in you to become a programming legend?

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