The Challenges of a self-taught software developer
Caleb Adeleye
Impostor syndrome
This happens when you start worrying if you are coding it right or not, and since you are on your own you can’t be too sure if you are writing dirty code or something clean.
How to solve this is to read coding books that teach best coding practices, there are a lot of these books scattered on the internet, and also get a mentor if you can.
Overload of information or decisions
I suffered a lot in this section when I was starting out as a self-thought developer, it is difficult to actually choose your path, you can be standing between two languages like PHP and NODE or Angular and REACT and not know which one to learn. If care is not taken you get so confused and you don’t learn either of them. The solution to this is to commit to one language or framework and make sure you know it very well. It is when you have had a strong footing in a particular language or framework then you can explore others. Don’t get yourself in the cycle of endless tutorials and never commit to one language.
Finding a community to belong
I know the number of years it took me before I could be bold to talk on some tech forums, when other developers who have gone ahead are speaking, you are just there looking and totally bereft of what to say in the forum, this would have been different if you are working in a tech company where there are other senior developers to hold your hand, but because you are just learning on your own and because you don’t have the resources to quit your current job so as to focus full time then your journey is slow and you feel so lonely for a long time. A lot has changed now and there are communities that you can join as a beginner, just find one that you are comfortable with and free, and also join a coding boot camp if you can, you will definitely see people of your skill level and also make friends.
