Not Googling is a Developer’s Achilles’ Heel
You know what I hate at work? I hate interruptions.
It’s one thing to have a tester misunderstand what needs to be tested, and another thing to be interrupted with those questions. You know the ones that I mean.
Questions that come from developers and are like these:
“Hey, do you know how to do X?”
“What’s the best way to approach Y?”
Here’s the issue. The solution to this type of problem is a simple Google search. The learning from this might just surprise you.
The Sequence of Events
When I get one of the developers queries the following sequence of events happens.
1. The developer asks me the question.
2. I type their query into Google.
3. I find the answer (which is usually on Stack Overflow or some documentation).
4. They leave satisfied, thinking I’m some kind of wizard.
But (get this admission) I’m not.
I’m just curious and know how to use a search engine effectively.
That brings me to the important question.
Why Aren’t More Developers Googling?
It’s baffling how many people seem hesitant to look for answers themselves, whether it is a Google search or looking on Stack Overflow.
Is it a lack of confidence? A fear of finding incorrect information? Maybe they’re just not curious enough?
I’m not happy as the answer to this makes their problem my problem, and that’s actually not good for anybody.
A Missed Opportunity
The reluctance of developers makes their problem my problem — and I think we need to address this.
Curiosity is the superpower in software development, alongside dogged problem-solving and tenacity. The best coders I’ve worked with weren’t necessarily the smartest, fastest, or most experienced — they were the ones who could admit they didn’t know something and then doggedly hunt down the answer.
In a field as dynamic as software development, where frameworks and languages evolve faster than an npm package dependency list, it’s not about knowing everything (nobody can), it’s about knowing where to look.
The Myth of Expertise
A lot of developers equate asking questions with looking weak but think they can ping me on Slack and it doesn’t matter (weird, I know).
Here’s the harsh truth though. Every senior developer Google stuff. In fact, they probably Google more than juniors because they’ve learned they don’t need to cram useless trivia into their heads when Google is just a keystroke away. They’re powering through problems using AI, web searches and little experience to supercharge their coding.
Being a great software developer isn’t about having all the answers. True expertise is actually knowing how to find the answers, with one caveat. It’s not always about asking me for the solution.
Get Better at Googling
For the uninitiated, here’s a primer on effective Googling at work.
Specific
Vague queries (why doesn’t my code work) won’t get you far. Mention the language, framework, and exact problem.
Quotes
Searching for “React hooks useEffect error” will give you more targeted results than just typing “React hooks.”
Copy Pasta
Copy and paste those cryptic error messages into Google to get good results. Someone, somewhere, has likely faced the same issue and you’ll likely be able to derive the answer.
Don’t Stop at the First Link
The first result isn’t always the best. Check a few sources to cross-verify your findings, using some partial solutions to iteratively work towards a golden solution.
Learn Boolean Operators
AND, OR, and NOT can refine your search significantly.
Embrace Curiosity
Software development isn’t just about writing code — it’s about solving problems. And problem-solving requires curiosity. If you’re not willing to ask “why” or “how,” you’ll plateau.
Conclusion
The next time you’re stuck, resist the urge to run to your colleague for answers. Open a browser, type your question, and dive into the rabbit hole. Who knows — you might even learn something new along the way.
Or type into ChatGPT “How to Google”. The choice is yours, right?