Chapter 58. What Does It Take to Become a Great Developer?

Whether you've been programming for years or if you're just now learning how to code, it's natural to ask yourself: what does it take to become a great developer?

I'm going to start off by saying that there is no right or wrong answer to this question. If you ask 100 experienced software engineers this question, you'll get 100 different responses. The reason why there's no clear-cut answer is because development is truly an art. Therefore, asking this question about programming is similar to asking what makes a great artist.

Tips for becoming a great developer

In preparation for this chapter, I asked various developers, I read blog posts, and I listened to a number of podcasts discussing the topic. As I expected, the components of becoming a great programming are extensive.

In this chapter, I want to give an overview of the processes and requirements that I've found the most effective. The...