Common Mistakes Novice Developers Make

Almost everyone commits mistakes when they first start learning something new. However, mistakes are not bad at all times. Sometimes, these mistakes are part of the overall process of learning for a beginner. Similarly in the programming world, every developer begins their programming journey somewhere as a novice. And every novice developer generally makes inevitable mistakes while taking the path of becoming a skilled developer. In fact, mistakes are a common part of coding; and novice developers struggling from their mistakes can learn and grow from these. However, it would be great to identify these common mistakes in order to rectify them and save unnecessary problems on projects. A dedicated software development team can greatly assist in avoiding such mistakes.

One of the common mistakes most beginners make when learning to code is trying to learn too many programming languages. Having a plethora of languages to showcase to someone or include in a resume is not a sign of intelligence. In fact, a lack of in-depth knowledge of the mentioned languages is a sign of folly. Rather, it is critical to begin learning to code in a single language. Though learning multiple languages is possible, it can be extremely frustrating. Trying to learn while keeping up with the difference in syntax can cause discombobulation that slows down the learning curve. Therefore, it is better to learn and master one language, work with it, and become familiar with its basic programming concepts. Moreover, it would be beneficial to learn low-level languages such as C, Java, or C++ to have a better understanding of the underlying architecture of the system. Consider the following typical mistakes that novice developers make.

Coding Without Planning

High quality content does not come easily; instead, it necessitates careful consideration and research. It is the same with high quality programs, although it is tempting for developers to jump right in after analyzing a problem and begin writing code. However, it would be a lot of work to rewrite code because of logic errors that could have been avoided if the program had been planned ahead of time.

Ignoring Code Quality

Essentially, the primary goal of writing code is to make it work and produce the desired result. However, aside from that, code quality should be put in mind. This includes correct code formatting, using proper variable names, and more to ensure that code makes perfect sense when you revisit it. Some of the mistakes novice developers make in formatting code include:

Putting all codes in a single line
Not including proper code indentation
Writing function that is too big
Using small and large case variable names randomly
Using bad variables and function names
Over commenting the code or not commenting at all

Not Backing Up Work

This is one of the most common mistakes that any programmer, especially a beginner, can make. Excuses are not valid for crashed disk in the system and lost files. As a matter of fact, nobody in the development is going to listen to the amount of work lost because the system crashed. Hence, every novice developer should develop the habit of regularly backing up their work.

Duplicating Other's Code

Due to frustration, beginners resort to duplicating another approach to rectify logic error. Actually, there is no harm in trying different approaches to get the desired result. But, unresolved logic errors can cause many similar blockages eventually. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what is wrong with a particular approach to know what to do when the same problem arises in the future.

Not Considering End Users

An experienced developer envisions the needs of users, but that is sometimes not the case of a beginner. Oftentimes, novice developers do not put themselves in the shoes of their users.