Chapter 1: Essential Programming Practices

As a professional programmer with over ten years of experience, I've gained valuable insights into what it takes to excel in this field. These lessons stem from my education, hands-on work, and research endeavors at the university.

Understanding mathematical concepts is crucial; immerse yourself in subjects like Linear Algebra, Statistics, and Calculus before diving into your programming environment.

Begin your journey by conceptualizing the problem at hand. Spend your initial hours or days brainstorming and formulating strategies. Consider various alternatives, especially for complex tasks, and always have a contingency plan ready.

Take the time to jot down your ideas on paper with a pencil. Create diagrams in your own style before presenting structured designs like UML to your team. Additionally, conduct thorough research to see if others have tackled similar problems or developed reusable components.

Experiment with every aspect of your code before integrating it into larger systems. Once a code segment is logically sound (input-output), convert it into a function and add it to your project’s function library. Embrace Functional Programming principles, particularly the concept of purity.

Prioritize writing tests before the actual code. Don’t hesitate to use assertions and other techniques to catch errors early in the development process, rather than facing larger issues down the line. Exhaustively test functions before considering them complete.

Always keep in mind that programming is a professional responsibility. Stay focused on deadlines and the accountability that comes with delivering quality code to your clients or organization.

Documentation should never be deferred. Consistently document your work to maintain quality over mere productivity, as rushing to complete projects can lead to disastrous results.

Avoid coding without version control and reliable backups—using tools like Git and maintaining alternate backups is essential for safeguarding your work. Writing code that lacks clarity for others is detrimental to collaboration.

When it comes to making changes, be cautious. Altering multiple elements at once can exponentially increase your workload, making it essential to test each modification thoroughly.

Chapter 2: Learning and Growth in Programming

The journey of programming has no shortcuts. Embrace every aspect of programming and its related fields to enhance your problem-solving abilities and develop a more effective workflow.

In this video, titled "How I Learned to Code in 4 MONTHS & Got a Job Offer (no CS Degree)," the creator shares their journey of learning to code quickly and effectively, providing insights that can inspire newcomers.

Additionally, "My Best Advice After 20 Years of Programming Experience" offers valuable tips and wisdom accumulated over two decades in the field, ideal for both beginners and seasoned developers.