A good developer is someone who has a deep understanding of the nuances of software development. He or she knows that a vast library of information already exists to help solve problems and doesn't feel the need to re-invent the wheel every time. Good developers know how to think about trade-offs and how to spend their time wisely. They also know that if the problem can't be solved with pen and paper, it may be better to give up.

Many traits define what makes a good developer — some are more innate than others, but if you're looking for an easy place to start? Try reading more about programming in the first place! We recommend starting with Code Complete by Steve McConnell.

The primary purpose of this article is not to define "good" or "bad" but rather to start addressing a question that many developers ask themselves: "What makes a good developer?" or "What are the traits of a good programmer?" This, in turn, helps developers understand their strengths and weaknesses. It also helps them discover new things they still haven't learned yet! For example, I have always loved Haskell (and made some minor contributions to it) but never understood why it was so slow until I looked into its computed lists.

Another purpose of this article is to place existing developer conventions in a new light. For example, many software developers out there have read Design Patterns (and maybe even the entire GoF library). Many of these developers would be hard-pressed to name a single design pattern without going back to the books and looking it up. However, all severe developers know how to apply the ways in practice. And all developers know that much of your job as a developer is not writing code but rather maintenance and debugging. One could argue that this is just as vital as writing good code in the first place because it's only when you've spent years debugging spaghetti code that you start developing good habits for building quality software.

For the record, I believe that most developers are "good" or "great." However, I always mean someone good at their craft when I say "good developer" throughout this article. And when I say "bad developer," it's my way of pointing out bad habits. So please don't get offended!

Most programmers have a sense that they're good at what they do. Many would label themselves as great or even excellent. But here's the thing: you can only be excellent at what you know how to do well (and yes, you may know how to do a lot of things if you're an intelligent developer). At the same time, learning new things takes time and effort.

It is essential to have a good understanding of the fundamentals of software development because you need to build on your existing knowledge. You also want to know about common pitfalls and approaches that help you deal with them. In this article, we'll explore what types of developers are out there and how they differ from each other.

"I can do it in one line of code, and I don't need a single test!"

There is no such thing as a "perfect" programmer. Some programmers are outstanding in their craft, and others are poor. This article will explain some of the reasons for the differences between "good" and "bad" developers. I'll then talk about what makes good developers excellent, or at least why they're so good: how they developed their craft.

We're not going to discuss bad practices because it's straightforward to find bad ones out there. Instead, we'll look at what makes good developers tremendous and then how we can learn from someone else's mistakes (and sometimes prosper from them!).

Some people think you have to be very talented to become a developer. As you can tell by the title of this article, I'm afraid I have to disagree. What makes good developers great is not their talent but rather their willingness to learn and improve.

Many developers try to justify using bad practices because they "know-how." That's the most significant point behind this article: If you don't want to know about how your code works and why it works that way, keep using the code! It will do precisely what it's doing without your knowledge of how it works!

The problem with following bad practices is that you end up building software that barely functions or doesn't work at all.

A good developer is a good learner. A lousy developer is anything but.

On the other hand, the #1 trait of a great developer is their ability to learn, adapt, and improve.

Everyone knows this person they cannot be reasoned with at all!

Becoming a great developer requires some effort — and that's where learning comes in. You can start out knowing everything there is to know about programming, but you will only stagnate as a developer (as any software engineer will tell you). It's essential to keep learning because it keeps your skills sharp and your code clean for years to come. It also helps you avoid common mistakes that even experts make from time to time.

Being better at something takes time, so does software development, learning every day, accepting your pitfalls, and working on it. You will eventually become the best.