It’s been well over a decade since I started my journey as a front-end developer. I’ve worked on numerous projects, built and maintained websites, and developed applications. I have numerous open-source projects and am on the Aurelia Javascript framework core team. Over the years, I’ve gained experience and learned a lot of things, but there are still times when I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing.
I know I’m not alone in this. As developers, we face a lot of challenges, big and small. From dealing with complex algorithms to fixing simple bugs, obstacles always exist. But despite my experience, I still get caught up in stupid bugs, struggle to install and configure packages and spend hours stuck on things that ultimately have simple solutions.
I could not tell you how many hours I spent; sometimes, days stuck on a problem only to look at what I committed, a few lines of code.
It can be frustrating, to say the least. Sometimes I feel like an imposter, wondering if I’m even cut out for this profession. But then I remind myself this is just part of the learning process. No matter how experienced you are, there will always be new challenges and new things to learn. It ebbs and flows that many experienced developers grapple with.
One of the things that I’ve learned over the years is the importance of asking for help. Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh set of eyes to spot the solution to a problem that has been bugging me for hours. There’s no shame in not knowing everything, and it’s important to remember that there is always someone out there who knows more than you do.
It’s easy to fall into the trap as an experienced developer that you are supposed to have all the answers, and even easier to find yourself stubbornly persisting on a problem someone else might be able to help you solve in a matter of minutes.
I’ve also learned that taking breaks and stepping away from a problem is essential when you get stuck. When you’re staring at the same lines of code for hours, it’s easy to miss something obvious. Sometimes, a fresh perspective is all you need to find the solution, maybe a cup of coffee and a walk to get the blood flowing back to your neglected developer limbs.
Despite the challenges and the moments of self-doubt, I still love being a developer. I love the feeling of finally solving a problem that had been bugging me for hours. I love the satisfaction of building something from scratch and seeing it come to life. And I love the fact that there is always something new to learn.
So if you’re a developer who sometimes feels like they don’t know what they’re doing, know you’re not alone. We all have moments of self-doubt and frustration. But remember that every challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow, and there is always help available if needed. Being a senior developer isn’t about knowing everything or even being the fastest. It’s about knowing your limitations and how to work around them.
