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What are your goals as developer for 2k20+?

Andreas on January 04, 2020

I'm wondering if you developers out there have any plans or goals for the new year or even the new decade that you'd like to share?

And I take the opportunity to say a big THANK YOU to all who create awesome things, contribute to Open Source and help making the work and life of others easier! You are gold! 👏🏻🥇

Nick Young • Jan 4 '20

I am looking to get more involved in developer communities, blog/write about various topics, start a youtube channel, start my own development agency and make some cool new products :)

You asked us the question, but didn't tell us your goals! So, what are your goals?

Uli Mahlangu • Jan 4 '20

It's like you copied my goals, I would also add that i want to make a lot of money this year as a developer. ☺

Evan Moriarty • Jan 5 '20

You took my goals right out of my mouth!

Andreas • Jan 5 '20 • Edited

You asked us the question, but didn't tell us your goals!

Will do soon! Thanks for asking.

Andreas • Jan 5 '20

So, what are your goals?

Andreas Müller

Jan 5

Spend more quality time with my wife and my children
More Open Source contributions than last year
Release next major version of SongDrive
Write less code, better organize code
Get at least 2 new long-term customers
Get FreeCodeCamp's Front End Libraries Certification

Nick Young • Jan 6 '20

Nice! I wish you good luck on all of those :)

Andreas • Jan 6 '20

Thank You! 😊

Richard de Wit • Jan 7 '20

I'm torn between 5 languages, so my first goal is figure out which language I want to master and my second then becomes master language #{previous_answer}.

My current main skills are Python, JavaScript, Bash, Ruby (beginner), (S)CSS. I work primarily as a back-end developer (with DevOps on the side).

I'm torn between the following languages and their reasons:

Ruby (+ Rails) - I like the way Rails works, but is it "too late" to start mastering this "old/aging" framework?
Elixir (+ Phoenix) - I like the way BEAM and LiveView work, but it's a functional language. And is it kind of "niche"? Do I want/need to learn Erlang too (*shiver*)?
Kotlin - I'd like to make an Android app (no idea what though). But is learning just Kotlin enough? Do I have to learn Java as well (*shiver*)? Also I'm not familiar with the whole Java ecosystem.
Dart (+ Flutter) - Same reason as above. I've used Dart in the past, when it was trying to be a JS replacement. Is it too niche?
Rust - Amazing language, though quite hard (low-level). But I have no use-case for it.

So yea. Wish me luck.

Mikolaj Kubera • Jan 8 '20 • Edited

I can only speak for Elixir. If it's web services you are going for, Phoenix should be enough and you shouldn't have to learn Erlang as well. Nevertheless, using a Erlang module here and there is usually not very difficult :)

Elixir School is a reaaaally nice resource. Check it out!

Richard de Wit • Jan 8 '20

I'm certainly going to check this out, thanks!

Andreas • Jan 7 '20

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Unfortunately I'm not used to any of these five languages, so I can't give you a recommendation - but I'm sure you'll choose the right one!

Russ • Jan 5 '20

Learn 5 new technical terms every week.
Answer at least one question every 2 weeks on a Question/Answer site like Stack Overflow or Slack group.
Do 1 coding challenge a week.
Exercise/Stretch for 5 minutes every day.
Write 1 blog post a month.

Andreas • Jan 7 '20

Very good points! I also answered questions on StackOverflow over a long time and it really was a win for both sides! You always learn something yourself when you're helping others solving their problems!

sky • Jan 5 '20

I just want to become good with programming...I am a newbie and looking forward the day I'll be doing stuffs like you ...

Andreas • Jan 5 '20

That's such an awesome goal! Keep it up and don't compare yourself to me or other developers too much! Reach your own milestones in your own speed and you'll become more than good!

sky • Jan 5 '20

thanks Andreas can you suggest where and how i start? can you mentor me ?

Andreas • Jan 7 '20

I would love to! ➡️ DM

Fulton Browne • Jan 5 '20

I am hoping to make several open source products such as my first one here: github.com/FultonBrowne/Ara-android

Andreas • Jan 5 '20

So cool! Big thanks for your contributions!

Fulton Browne • Jan 5 '20

Thanks 😊

Etornam🤴🏽🇬🇭 • Jan 7 '20

👉🏽Learning Swift as a language and also IOS apps development.
👉🏽Contribute more to open source projects
👉🏽Giving talks and presentation outside my country.
👉🏽Give back to the tech community anyway i can

Andreas • Jan 7 '20

Thank you so much for your contributions and help for fellow devs!

Arpan • Jan 5 '20

Learn Azure and get certification, learn Angular, switch my current job for better opportunities, start blog. I also want to spent sometime getting domain knowledge. Likewise, create a passive income source.

Andreas • Jan 5 '20

switch my current job for better opportunities

So encouraging to hear that you're not staying unsatisfied in your current job but being brave enough to switch! Wishing you the best for this change!

Arpan • Jan 5 '20

Yes.. current job is good. Working on latest stack. But now a days it is not challenging enough for me.

Ohm • Jan 5 '20

I will practice English. (since I'm not use English as main language everyday)
Reading more articles in dev.to .
Shaped my Algorithm ever better by playing code challenge at leetcode.

Andreas • Jan 7 '20

Awesome! Good luck!

Salvador Hernandez • Jan 5 '20 • Edited

Deploy my portfolio on AWS using serverless architecture to put my AWS Certifications to good use
Master and implement Algorithms and Data Structures in JavaScript
Finish 2 personal projects(finished a few last year)
1. Capture Page State Chrome Extension
2. Possible Setlist CLI
Get very comfortable with CSS and SASS(my Achilles heel)
Learn more about JavaScript and Python3

Andreas • Jan 5 '20

Wow, that is a set of solid goals! Wishing you all the best to reach them!

Andreas • Jan 5 '20

Spend more quality time with my wife and my children
More Open Source contributions than last year
Release next major version of SongDrive
Write less code, better organize code
Get at least 2 new long-term customers
Get FreeCodeCamp's Front End Libraries Certification

Md. Habibur Rahman • Jan 5 '20

I have listed 4 books for reading in this year and will make handy in GO and Python.

Stanley Lee • Jan 5 '20

Interested as well about the books you're planning to read.

Md. Habibur Rahman • Jan 5 '20

Clean Architecture by Robert C Martin
Clean Code by Robert C Martin
The Art of Computer Programming By Donald E Knuth
Design patterns object-oriented software by Erich Gamma.

And you may suggest me your preference books.

Andreas • Jan 5 '20

👏🏻! What books exactly are you going to read?

Md. Habibur Rahman • Jan 5 '20 • Edited

Clean Architecture by Robert C Martin
Clean Code by Robert C Martin
The Art of Computer Programming By Donald E Knuth
Design patterns object-oriented software by Erich Gamma.

And you may suggest me your preference books.

Júlio Guedes • Jan 6 '20

I haven't read Clean Code completely but I read many bits and pieces of it, and I definitely still want to read what is missing. Its a great book and taught me many things about code patterns, reusability, how to think when writing to keep a clean, understandable and maintainable code, and many other things.

You surely picked a great goal for 2020 :)

Mikolaj Kubera • Jan 8 '20

Finish Kolabiq web app (github.com/mkubera/kolabiq) #indiehacking
⛩ Properly establish a Functional Programming Dojo to teach beginners FP concepts, Elm, and Elixir 🥰🎌
- have one student atm
Learn Haskell! 🤗
- already started!
Write & draw a short comic book 💭🎨
Learn how to live with type 1 diabetes ⚖️

Devin • Mar 5 '20

Awesome goals, best of luck achieving them! And if you ever need someone to talk to regarding your T1 diabetes, feel free to send me a message 🙂

Andreas • Jan 8 '20

Awesome goals! 👏🏻 Especially #4! I love it if developers take time for totally different hobbies!
I wish you every success in achieving all of this!

Mikolaj Kubera • Jan 8 '20

Thanks a lot!!! 🥰🥰🥰

Adam Staples • Jan 9 '20

This year I'm focused on Architecture and Infrastructure.

I've dipped my toe in the Kubernetes pool this past year, but want to real dive deep into it this year. This would allow me to assist in my company's infrastructure and give me some unique strengths for my career.

I've also been primarily focused on back-end microservice development, but I want a broader knowledge of software architecture that includes front-end services and best practices for data security.

Shreyansh Sancheti • Jan 7 '20

My primary goal is to figure out how I can contribute to Open Source Projects to improve upon my tech stack. I find it really hard to find a good project where I can contribute significantly. I really need help from you guys for that.
And I have lot of secondary goals :(
PS:- I am full time Technology Analyst (Software Engineer @ Investment Bank)

Lou (🚀 Open Up The Cloud ☁️) • Jan 4 '20 • Edited

Of course (I did a write up here: thedevcoach.co.uk/2019-a-year-in-r...) but mainly it's to improve my writing. And I have a big stack of things to learn. What about you Andreas?

Andreas • Jan 5 '20

What about you Andreas?

I will tell my goals soon too! Thanks for asking.

Andreas • Jan 5 '20

Here they are:

Andreas Müller

Jan 5

Spend more quality time with my wife and my children
More Open Source contributions than last year
Release next major version of SongDrive
Write less code, better organize code
Get at least 2 new long-term customers
Get FreeCodeCamp's Front End Libraries Certification

LyAVALE95 • Jan 7 '20 • Edited

Mine are a little bit hard to gain, but nothing's impossible

Get a work or study opportunity in a foreign country. I already finished my Engineering degree on computer science, and I have more than 3 years of experience as developer (Web, mobile apps, .Net etc). I want to continue my studies.
Redo my TOEFL to get a higher score. And get a french certification.
Read at least 60 books (I done 2 this week, so, I'm in a good way).
Do some projects in to a new(s) languages(s). I'm interested in flutter, vue JS and Swift/Kotlin. And I have some roots on it as well.
Get some certifications in web/app development.
Start in to a Data science development (I have some roots in python).
Launch my own website and some app projects. Al least 2 app projects for freelance.
Continue my studies in French, Japanese and advance maths.
Start my blog/page/youtube channel project.
Do more exercise and eat healtier.
Meet more people and get foreign friends. And hang out with the old ones.

Considering this, these were my past year challenges (and result):

Got a new better work (check).
Buy my first car (I wasn't consider this for 2019, but is pretty good).
Go to my first festival and listen my favorite band on-live (Arctic Monkeys). That was AMAZING!
Buy a new kindle (I had one as gift on the past, but I crashed 2 years ago after 4 years of use). I'm so happy with it.
Do the TOEFL (I'm not a confident girl, so the speaking test was pretty scary by the first time).
Read 40 books (overdone).
Do more exercise (Yes! I started to go to the gym and swimming).
Travel (I made a small trip in winter).
Get a schedule (for the very first time of my life).
Get my first glasses (I always need glasses, but my family doesn't has the money to buy those medical issues).
Do more crafts (I made the half of the inktober and more painting projects).
Teach my brother to drive (He's better than me on it :o)
Take care of a cat family (they're not mine, I have dogs). For this year I want to catch them all (lol) and send them to an adoptive(s) family(ies).

Launch an app (nope, I never launch it).
Start an animation project (I never done the first chapter, so).
Start a click and go game (I just made some sketches of it).

leob • Jan 5 '20 • Edited

Planning to get more into React (I know the basics but I want to become more confident with the framework); look at Blockstack and dApps; contribute to open source; finally start blogging for real?

Jordan Robert Byamugisha • Jan 7 '20

my goals are to get freecodecamp's certifications in responsive web design, javascript data structures and algorithms, Front end libraries, API's and microservices and Information security and quality assurance .... oh plus Django which i already started on

Werner Echezuría • Jan 7 '20

I want to get into the Machine Learning field, it seems fascinating, but, I just realized I need to improve in statistics knowledge, because data transformation seems to be the most important thing to take care of, because the algorithms and tools are already created and available.

Matt Trask • Jan 9 '20

Retire as early as possible so I can just do OSS work and not have to be beholden to an office job.

Andreas • Jan 9 '20

Haha nice! But you're not going to retire in 2020 don't you? You look way too young 😅

Matt Trask • Feb 4 '20

No, Im about 8 years away based on my current numbers.

And I want to retire as young as possible, so I have more time to do the things I really love.

Andreas • Feb 4 '20

It sounds to me like you don't like your work so much. What's stopping you from finding a job where you do the things you really love?

Matt Trask • Feb 4 '20

I never said I don't like my work, just that as you get older things change. I have gone from wanting to a developer to being a photographer and being outside in nature. There is so much to see and do out there. I still enjoy coding, I enjoy the team Im on. But I dont want to do this forever.

Andreas • Feb 4 '20

I see, thanks for pointing that out and sorry that I got that wrong! I totally agree with you - there is indeed so much more to do out there than coding!

Andreas • Jan 5 '20

Not an easy thing but code efficiency will definitely pay off! Will set this as one of my goals too!

Andreas • Jan 5 '20

That's awesome, Sang! Wishing you all the best to achieve this goal!

protorob • Jan 7 '20

That's one of my most ambitious goals of all time.
I'm trying to transform my branding/marketing agency to a subscription model this year in order to get closer to that lifestyle. Hopefully.

Tj Thaba • Jan 6 '20

I'm hoping to get my first Unity project done and uploaded to itch.io, and to learn a new coding language.

Andreas • Jan 7 '20

Awesome! Let us know when you have something online we can play! 🤓

logictom • Jan 6 '20 • Edited

A side question, why change the zero in 2020 to a k? It doesn't make anything shorter and for electronic engineers (perhaps others also) 2k20 means 2200 so just looks jarring used as a date.

Andreas • Jan 6 '20

I just sometimes like to make something different to be remembered better 😅 (i.e. you can better identify this post from all other "2020" post titles).

For me the K just stands for 1,000 just like M for 1,000,000. Can you explain, how 2k20 is 2200?

logictom • Jan 6 '20

Makes sense, I have noticed it being used more and more.
In electronics we use the abbreviations for the metric prefixes in place of the decimal point, so rather than 2200 or 2.2k it becomes 2k2. Of course the other two can be used but it aids readability on schematics. It means you cannot mistake 2.2 with 22 due to poor printing and/or fading ink or smaller fonts on a screen.