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Sure, there are plenty of people who can write code—and do so quite well – but the tech industry is becoming more competitive. If you want to keep up with the industry, you need to have a great dev, not just a good dev. But just what makes a great software developer?
What distinguishes a great developer from a good one is often in those little details. It’s the things that don’t seem like much at first glance but end up being crucial later on down the road when it comes time for maintenance or updates.
What makes a good developer?
A good developer is someone who can write code. It’s true that this is a necessary skill for any developer to have in order to do their job well. But when it comes to truly excelling in this career path, there’s so much more than just writing code—you also need to be able to debug and refactor your own work, write unit tests, integrate with other development teams or departments, and write documentation for those who may not understand what you’ve built or why they should care about it.
A good developer will be able to complete tasks on time and within the budget, but they won’t necessarily go above and beyond what is expected of them or think outside of the box like a great developer would do. A good developer will follow instructions exactly as they are given without question, which could cause issues down the line when working on projects that require creativity from their team members.
What makes a great developer?
Being a great developer is not just about writing great code and implementing the best SDLC models; it’s about having certain intangible traits that make all the difference between a good developer and what makes a great developer.
A great developer will take pride in the quality of their work and be committed to delivering quality software development services and solutions that meets the needs of their clients.. They don’t just write solid code; they also know how important it is to keep their code organized so that future developers can easily understand what they’ve done.
Great developers are not just good at getting things done. They’re also great at thinking things through and coming up with unique solutions. Great developers have a knack for seeing problems before they even arise and solving them before they become an issue. It’s not enough for them to understand how things work—they have to understand why they work that way in order to find new ways of doing things. And when they do come up with those new ways of doing things, they’re able to implement them quickly and easily without sacrificing quality or efficiency.
Why it’s so difficult to find a great developer
It turns out that finding a great developer can be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. The demand for developers is higher than ever, but the supply isn’t growing fast enough to keep up. And as soon as one becomes available, they quickly get snapped up.
Companies are always looking for people with strong technical skills and the ability to learn quickly. This means that developers who can do these things are in high demand. Sure, there are a lot of people who can code, but only a few of them are great at it—and even fewer are willing to take on the grueling schedule and stress that comes with working as a full-time developer.
Those who do, get to pick and choose who they want to work for, so it may be worthwhile looking into tips to better your recruiting strategy..
How to make sure you’re hiring a great developer
At first glance, it’s hard to tell what a developer is really capable of. Of course, there are certain questions that you can ask in your interviews that could spark further insights into their thinking and problem-solving abilities. But as the old saying goes: the proof is in the pudding.
But does that mean you have to hire a maybe-dev and just hope that all those hours of onboarding will be worth it?
Well, you might be surprised to know that there is a way for you to find out and be certain before you invest all that time, money, and resources.
Indeed, there now exists a coding test platform capable of assessing how developers think, problem-solve, and perform against a realistic development scenario.
Codeaid is the brand-new coding assessment platform that can truly separate the good from the great. Unlike many other coding test platforms, Codeaid tests developers against a challenge that is as close to the real thing as possible. Using all the authentic developer environments and processes to see how they would actually perform and problem-solve in a real-world project.
What makes this tool even better is that all of its features are completely free. (And we don’t mean just a free trial).
The final takeaway
To boil all of this down to one simple piece of advice: while we all want to work with a great developer, we need to understand that developers are people too. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses and learning new languages, frameworks, and skills takes time. What makes a great software developer is that drive to learn, understand, and constantly improve which will mean far more than simply being proficient in a few languages and frameworks.
Are you a recruiter or hiring manager that is on the hunt to hire a great developer?
Let Codeaid be your guide in finding your next great hire.
Or perhaps you are in need of the services of some great developers to bring your concepts to life? In that case, we’ll be happy to help. Simply reach out and contact us.
