[contingencies]

The phrase 'rite-of-passage', to me, carries negative connotations - something you have to do, something tedious, something necessary. In truth, there are no such projects.

However, in terms of projects popularly considered to be commonly implemented by newer programmers that do hold benefit, in network programming, I would say a traceroute implementation. Server-side, I'd say any multi-node cluster system, preferably diskless. Any embedded system. An RDBMS system. A NoSQL system. An open source intelligence system. Any computational linguistic system. Any i18n/l10n heavy project.

[Aeolun]

I read it as something that every programmer encounters sooner or later, and after which he may, with pride, imagine himself a bit closer to the 'Senior' level.

[linuss]

Ah, the context/connotations of rite-of-passage might have been lost on me as English is not my first language. Thanks for your suggestions though!

[justin66]

I don't think it's a language thing. To many the notion of an ordeal endured or an adventure undertaken in order to pass into manhood or womanhood (or whatever) is still appealing. "Rite of passage" does not have a universally negative meaning in English, it's just that many of us today are... well, yeah.

[fao_]

I think you might be confusing a "Rite of Passage"[0] with a "Hazing Ritual"[1]

[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rite_of_passage [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazing_ritual

[justin66]

I cannot imagine why you think so. Or why you believe the links you shared support such a statement.

[fao_]

In retrospect, I think I misread your posts