An Easter Egg Hunt for the Truth in Software Development
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
It’s only Easter! Hunting is at the heart of what we software developers do so they are uniquely positioned to enjoy Easter.
Let us seek out those hidden truths in our daily grind as software developers and see if we can get a little sugar rush in return.
The Myth of Testing Perfection
Testing is an illusion. You know the drill “We’ve tested everything”, but when the code gets into customers' hands that is proven to be simply untrue. It’s a myth that you can test everything just like the Easter Bunny. We all want a flawless vacation for Easter and just hoping that it will happen isn’t enough. If you want a great vacation or a great set of tests you need to work to make it happen. What about having a vision for great tested code and making it happen, eh?
The AI Easter Bunny
The AI situation. I recently encountered a team that insisted they’d never use AI. I mean, come on, sticking to short-term thinking in today’s evolving landscape is like waiting for the Easter Bunny to deliver your code — it’s not happening, folks.
We need to hop on the AI train, or we’ll end up as extinct as the Easter Bunny. If the bunny is real, I’m not sure.
The FAANG Fairy Tale
A long time ago working at a FAANG company was every software developer’s dream. That ended as people realized that the fairy tale was not a representation of reality. The dream has seen more cracks than a dropped Easter egg, and we should be wary of that.
The WFH Golden Handcuffs
Working from home sounded like a dream. The commute became the time to get from your bed to your laptop — which could be zero if you worked in bed. The myth is that it is good for you, as for some WFH is severely limiting. People are trading their aspirations for comfort and giving up their skills in the process, which is not a good trade.
The Code Review Carousel
Don’t get me started on code reviews. Sometimes they are so bad they put devs off the industry. Reviews have turned into less of a quality check and more of a nitpicking exercise. It’s like finding an Easter egg only to realize it’s made of plastic — looks good on the outside but empty on the inside.
We need substance and real collaboration in our software development world!
Conclusion
As you enjoy your Easter Sunday, take a moment to think about what we’re all searching for in this industry.
Life isn’t just about finding easter eggs and solving problems. It’s about learning lessons and uncovering the truth. If we can improve (iteratively) the prize of self-improvement is within reach for all of us.