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If I felt my code from a year ago was still good, I'd be worried I've stopped learning and growing.
by TameAntelope 5y ago
If I felt my code from a year ago was still good, I'd be worried I've stopped learning and growing.
- jraph 5y agoI still don't get this. Not knowing everything I've learned for the past year did not prevent me to write clear code back then. I hope I'm writing better code now because I actively reflect on how to write correctly, but that does not prevent my old code to be reasonable. If I found my code from a year ago bad despite all these years of programming, I'd be worried I'm not in fact any good. The whole point of taking care to write good code is that it will still be readable and maintainable (i.e., good) in a year and more, and I'm sure I can achieve this, and could back then. I'm also able to recognize good code from other people from years ago, if I systematically thought my code from one year ago was bad, that would mean I'm consistently bad too. It just does not compute.
- TameAntelope 5y agoI was "not any good" relative to how much better I am now. I'm happy and fortunate that trajectory is continuing. Thirteen years and counting, in fact. Who knows, maybe you're a better coder than I am and you just "got" it instantly! It's immensely important for me to keep growing, so I guess it's a good thing I may be so much worse than you?
- jraph 5y agoI'm not sure I'm above average and would not assume to be better than you, but you could be more self-critical than me. Few more years than you (it depends when to start counting), definitively in the same range.
- blub 5y agoThis only makes sense if one is junior or is learning a new programming language. If one can’t write good code after several years of experience, then they’re in the wrong profession.