What I would have liked to know before becoming an IT developer

There are a lot of “clichés” about the job of the IT developer. It solves or creates solutions in record time or that is enriched in no time by creating an application like Facebook. Before we go let’s start by defining what is an IT developer.

1. Definition of an IT developer

There are many definitions about an IT developer 😉. In summary what we can say is that an IT developer is a creator of sites or applications using a technology (WordPress,…) or a programming language (JavaScript, C#, Java, …)

1. Types of IT developer

With the exponential evolution of technology, the areas of specialization of computer scientists are only increasing. For this point we are going to list some of the most common types of computer developers that exist:

• Web developer

Also called Front-End developer, the web developer carries out all the technical functions of a site or a web application. Technician or engineer, he designs tailor-made sites or adapts existing technical solutions according to the project and the customer’s request.

• Back-End Developer

Unlike the Front-End developer, the Back-End developer is not concerned with the ergonomic aspect of the site but with the technical and functional aspect. He works in the shadows.

• Software Developer

In itself a software developer means being able to design applications for the web, mobile or tablets.

However, the latter is different from the others on the target platform point. The software developer is called upon to develop software that runs directly on a system or a computer unlike web developers who work on the web.

• Mobile developer

Unlike his colleagues mentioned above, the mobile developer is a developer specializing in the creation of applications intended to be used on mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones.

• DevOps Developer

The term “DevOps” is actually a contraction of the terms “development” and “operations”. This new profession, which has recently appeared on the job market, is a perfect illustration of the evolution of the IT sector. Indeed, the challenges facing companies linked to the necessary digital transformation are giving rise to new needs, and, a fortiori, new profiles capable of mastering several skills at the same time. In this sense, you could say that DevOps combines the skills of the web developer and the system administrator 😎.

This dual skill profile, therefore, is revolutionizing the way software and computer applications are designed since in the past, development engineers and systems administration engineers worked independently of each other .

1. Different levels of IT developers

Developers are also classified according to their experience or skill.

According to this specification, they are generally classified into three categories: junior developers, senior developers, and senior developers. However there is a great debate in the developer community to specify the different levels of developers.

• Junior developers

Between 0 and two years of experience, junior developers are usually out of school and have little experience.

They usually have little or no responsibility for the analysis and design of the solution.

• Confirmed developers

This level brings together the majority of developers.

Senior developers produce around 80% of the total code for the solution.

They know the whole development cycle, the classic problems and how to avoid them in their next codes. Their action is effective because they have perspective and experience 🙂.

They may be responsible for designing part of the puzzle.

They have identified what they do not yet know and are working to fill those gaps.

• Senior developers

An expert in a given technology is the person who will be assigned the most difficult tasks, because only he knows how to solve them.

He is responsible for the design. He is the one who dissects the specifications of a software in order to be able to explain them to his team. He is familiar with the field in which he operates, which allows him to think about issues that others ignore, such as regulatory and legal issues.

He has already seen promising new technologies appear, integrate their workspace and then disappear a few months later. This made him cautious, without being resistant to change.

He is a great debugger, he has run into almost every problem and found solutions. When they breed, he knows where to look first 😎.

An expert always chooses the company where the missions and challenges are the most interesting.

1. The 4 elements to know before embarking on the profession of IT developer

After having made a summary on the job of the IT developer, we now get to the heart of the matter.

Personally, I would have liked to know these things before I got into the world of IT development. Based on my personal experience and testimonials or articles from other developers, I have summarized the list of the four must-know things. These points are as follows:

4.1. The will (passion)

Will is and will remain the fuel par excellence to embark on any field or profession, IT is not spared 💪.

4.2. Curiosity

Computing is changing phenomenally. You just have to observe how other professions are digitizing around you, how much stronger you who are supposed to be in the oven and in the mill.

The IT world is so dense that you have to keep updating yourself 🧐.

Note: You don’t have to learn everything, but you should be aware of new trends especially in your field.

4.3. Work

In this trade the worker will always surpass the talented negligent. Very often we do the parallelism if being good at mathematics will make you an excellent developer.

Another trap is that beginners spend a lot of time playing YouTube videos.

In view of all of the above, what then would be the appropriate resources for a beginner?

Personally, I will advise apprentice developers to start with the basic or rudimentary notions (training, PDF or videos) on the technologies of their choice, then reproduce some YouTube videos on projects and finally move on to carry out a concrete personal project or a submitted project. by another.

Note that the computer scientist who learns by project will always be one step ahead of the one who dwells on YouTube videos. Because the one who learns by project, meets many practical realities that you will not necessarily meet on YouTube videos, tips and from a mental point of view he becomes more and more strong and confident.

4.4. The mental

We can summarize this point in this sentence: “being a developer does not just code”

This point is unfortunately the graveyard of many developers 😭. Contrary to appearances, in this job you will often have to face stress. This can come from various sources: bugs during development (the most common), difficulties in carrying out certain tasks (also very common), negative reviews, etc.

The world of IT is a world of enthusiasts! Don’t hesitate to take off in this immense ocean!