| Suggestions differ between theory and practice. As a JavaScript developer here is my experience, not my preference or wishes: * Know a framework and many of its supporting tools. * Don’t spend any time learning the technology or how things work except where the framework dictates. * Spend lots of time on code reviews instead of writing code yourself. * When making changes do not refactor or improve the code. Keep the lightest footprint possible, as determined by your diff, to minimally complete the current business requirement. * Don’t ever write original code. Use multiple NPM packages, or other code from elsewhere, to produce a solution. Software written by you or your team should be considered less valuable than anything you can find externally. * Prepare lots of documentation for new hires. Defer all other documentation to project managers, information architects, and product owners. * Don’t spend any time on security or accessibility until the layers tell you to. Most senior engineers just assume they are experts here anyways. * The word innovation sounds important. Use that word as much as possible on anything that leaves the team. * if a problem is too hard or requires something original you can always hire a contractor and then value them less for not being an employee and because they are foolish enough to write original code. * Never be a contractor unless the employer is a sinking ship. * When it comes to design that which is shiny always wins. * Always remember less isn’t more. I personally disagree with all these points. I have been a senior developer for many years, only because I can provide solutions others cannot, but my career is basically peaked unless I want to do something else. |