If you believe that technical knowledge is all one needs to be a good software developer, you may be mistaken. Undoubtedly, technical expertise forms the base of a good software developer; there are 10 major qualities of a good software developer in addition to it. Commitment, empathy, team spirit, etc are just a few qualities that can help you stand out from the crowd as a developer. The possession of such skills will reflect on the quality of your work Instantaneously. It will also increase your respect and demand in the market. Following is the list of 10 must have qualities of a good software developer if you wish to make it big-
10 Qualities of a Good Software Developer
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Inquisitiveness
It is common knowledge that technology progresses every day and unless you are inquisitive, you will lag behind. Inquisitiveness will motivate you to explore the most recent developments and employ such research in your projects. If you are curious enough, you will definitely see yourself experimenting with your codes to deliver an unconventional and market-ready product. However, if you lack this curiosity, you will be stuck on to the boring and repetitive codes that will make your products a replica of your competitor’s. Invariably, curiosity is the key to innovation and only an inquisitive mind can code well. Therefore, one of the prime qualities of a good software developer is inquisitiveness to experiment with more and deliver the best.
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Adaptability
Taking reference from the first quality, adaptability also has its roots in the fast-changing face of technology. To prevent one’s product from becoming obsolete, developers have no option but to adapt and renew their technical skills and codes with the trend. Unless you keep pace with the technological advancements, your skills and expertise will become a thing of the past. You shall lose value in the technical market and will be taken over by the millennial generation. Therefore, the next important quality that a good software developer possesses is the power to adapt to the changing nature of technology. Adaptability will help you stay in the game for a long run and make your mark.
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Analytical Mindset
Writing and developing is all about nurturing and refining your analytical skills. Unlike liberal arts, the job of a software developer does not require critical skills. What it requires is an analytical bent of mind. This involves developers to rely on concrete knowledge and facts, rather than base their codes on mere hypothesis and beliefs. For a code to work, software developers must undertake logical reasoning. An analytical mindset requires a developer to observe data, identify and recognize patterns, remember those patterns and employ the findings while writing software codes.
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Enthusiasm
Have you ever seen someone develop a new code to run new software with a lethargic and apathetic attitude, probably not? The reason is quite obvious. Developing or cracking a new code requires a specific amount of enthusiasm and love for what one does. Coding is generally a career option for the ones who are passionate about software and feel a chill whenever they embark on a new product. Additionally, a lack of enthusiasm is likely to kill the spirit of the entire team. If you are a software developer, you would know that every code you create to run any software is a baby of your creation and to be unenthusiastic about it is next to impossible. Thus, an enthusiastic software developer is more often than not an excellent one.
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Competency
When it comes to crunching codes, competency is a natural need. Unless you possess the skills and knowledge to develop a software, other qualities will become useless. Being competent easily translates to being well equipped with the expertise one requires to become a software developer. Whether it is the technical knowledge or sets of codes, competency for a software developer ranges across various verticals. A competent developer is one who is not only tech savvy, but passionate about technology. He/ she must motivate themselves to explore new technological avenues to bring new solutions to the table every day.
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Technical acumen
Alongside technical expertise and skills, one must possess technical acumen to gain that competitive edge. While competency refers to the core technical skills and knowledge, technical acumen takes it a step further. It involves the presence of mind to understand what technology and skill are required for a particular task. A competent software developer will possess the skills to develop a code, but one with acumen will know is the best skill to increase the efficiency of work. Thus, technical acumen is the ability to judge the best way to employ one’s technical knowledge so that the most efficient technological innovation. So, technical acumen also enters the list of the top qualities for a software developer.
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Willingness to Learn
Continuing from the need to keep pace with technological advancements and adaptability is the next quality of willingness to always learn. This is an obvious one. As a software developer, you must always be keen on learning new things that come your way. For instance, a new way to write a code which greatly reduces the space used by it is something you can’t help but learn. Thus, software developers always need to be on a lookout to identify what is new in the technology sphere and be willing to try a hand at it and learn it with full dedication.
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Empathy
This quality forms the base of any good employee or professional and is not limited to a software developer. Empathy refers to understanding the situation of other by putting oneself in their shoes. It is not only sympathizing with the problems of others but giving a helping hand to the colleagues in distress. If you are a software developer with just technical skills, you will be treated as an employee, but if you add empathy to it, you become an asset. Thus, every organization will prefer an empathetic software developer over an apathetic one because the former will bring a human touch to the technical work.
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Team Spirit
Following from above, a good software developer must be a team player. You will instantly lose your value if you just have a technical skill set but can work with a team. It is a common myth that software developers can work alone and do not need team building skills. Well, the truth is that a solo software developer seldom succeeds. Any product no matter how technically proficient it is will fail in the market unless it has the support and backing of appropriate branding, marketing and business development. Thus, it takes a team to make a product successful. It takes the quality of team spirit to make a good software developer.
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Business Sense
Finally, one last quality that a software developer must possess is a strong business sense. It is important for any developer to coordinate the code and software with the business plan. Be it an entrepreneur, developing software for his/her own self or a salaried developer, building for an organization. Streamlining the code with the projected output is vital. If you develop a code that has no economic viability, all your hard work will be futile. Therefore, to end this list, business sense constitutes the final quality for a software developer.
Do you see yourself possessing all these qualities and aspire to be a software developer? Well, wait no longer, spread your wings and get ready to fly. With these 10 qualities of a good software developer, you will definitely make it big.
