In this week's newsletter I will share 5 simple tips on how you can be a better software engineer in 2023.
I find it a little amusing that the last newsletter of the year and is also coming out on the last day of the year.
Here are 5 tips for being a better software engineer in 2023:
- Keep learning and acquiring new skills
- Invest in code quality
- Work on complex systems
- Be comfortable in the cloud
- Take care of yourself
I'm confident that you will become a better software engineer if you apply one of these, but I challenge you to work on all of them in the coming year.
Let's dive in.
1. Keep Learning And Acquiring New Skills
The field of software engineering is constantly evolving, so it's important to stay up-to-date with new technologies and best practices.
We have a new .NET release every year, and it's easy to get lost with the latest news. How I stay up to date is through online courses, attending conferences and meetups, or working on personal projects.
Personal projects transition best to my day job, and I don't shy away from exploring new topics. I shared many of my personal projects on GitHub, maybe you can find some inspiration over there.
2. Invest In Code Quality
In addition to writing clean and readable code, it's important to also consider the overall quality of your code.
This includes things like performance, security, and maintainability. By writing high-quality code, you'll be able to build systems that are more reliable, scalable, and easier to maintain over time.
One way to write clean and quality code is with the help of static code analysis.
Investing in code quality will pay dividends in the later stages of any project.
3. Work On Complex Systems
If you aspire to be senior engineer or software architect, you have to work on complex systems. You need to be in a position to solve the toughest problems.
What do I consider to be a complex system?
That's difficult to say, but here are some rough guidelines:
- Microservices
- Event-driven systems
- High performance systems
Of course, you don't need a fancy architecture to work in a complex system.
If you are working in a business domain with many domain rules, I consider that a complex system also.
You should strive to always be in a position to work on a challenging project, this will help you grow.
4. Be Comfortable In The Cloud
The cloud is here to stay, and you should be familiar with at least one of the major cloud providers:
- Microsoft Azure
- Amazon Web Services
- Google Cloud Platform
Most of them give you free credits to get started and explore the services they offer.
I stayed away from cloud development for too long in my career, and now I wish I started sooner.
You want to be comfortable in the cloud to be a better software engineer.
5. Take Care Of Yourself
Being a software engineer is mentally and physically demanding, and it's important to take care of yourself in order to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
This includes getting enough sleep, eating well, and taking breaks when needed.
Taking care of yourself can also help you stay focused and productive in your work.
I like to take short breaks every hour or so, and not think about work for a few minutes. This helps me replenish my energy, and allows me to continue to operate on a high level.
What I'm Doing To Make 2023 Amazing
What I'm Doing To Make 2023 Amazing Making New Year's resolutions is popular at the start of the year. The problem is most people get too excited about it, but then proceed to not accomplish anything in a few months.
I've found the simplest rule to always make progress is taking action. I try to make a small step forward every day. And when I look back on the year, I realize I made a lot of progress.
Again, my 5 tips so you can be a better software engineer in 2023 are:
- Keep learning and acquiring new skills
- Invest in code quality
- Work on complex systems
- Be comfortable in the cloud
- Take care of yourself
Where I failed most in 2022 was taking care of myself, and this will be one of my main improvement points.
I also want to learn many new things, so I can share them with you in this newsletter and on my social media channels.
I wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year. Write lots of code, squash many bugs, and may you have green unit tests year round.
Stay awesome! 🎁
Milan