[jlees]

Well, junior developers are just that: junior. That definition can range from 'just finished a coding bootcamp' to '4 years of CS with a bunch of practical internships'. Depending where a developer is on that spectrum, they may behave very differently when given a problem and a bunch of time to solve it.

For example, they might not realise that they should be looking into the framework. They may be scared to ask stupid questions because they don't think they deserve the job in the first place. They got a bit of harsh feedback from someone who didn't take their level into account, and mentioned a whole bunch of things they'd never heard of before, and now they're running around in circles panicking. But not saying anything about it.

Obviously a lot of this boils down to "it depends on the person" and none of this may be true. But here are a few thoughts:

Take a step back and think about what the expectations are and whether those are communicated at all. Assign a specific senior developer as an active mentor, and coach them on how to give constructive feedback if they aren't very good at it (it's a growth opportunity for them). Suggest reading lists, talks, and examples of best practices - including stuff that makes working on a team smoother, like source control, etc. Pair program for the first week or two. Code reviews (as small as possible), design reviews, and even giving them less freedom at first so they get confident rather than overwhelmed. Check in frequently so you don't get a steaming pile that could hopefully have been avoided :)