Everyone wants to be a “Senior Developer,” but what does that even mean? Is it years of experience? A job title handed out like candy? Or just an excuse to act like you’re better than everyone else? Let’s break it down.
What Does “Senior Developer” Actually Mean?
Most job descriptions will tell you it’s about experience—five years, ten years, whatever number HR pulled from a hat. But we all know developers who have been writing code for a decade and still produce spaghetti that would make an Italian grandmother cry.
On the flip side, I’ve seen devs with three years under their belt who write cleaner, more maintainable code than so-called “veterans.” So, clearly, time served isn’t the defining factor.
The Real Signs of a Senior Developer
Forget the job description. If you want to know whether someone is truly “senior,” look for these signs:
- They Know When NOT to Code
- Junior devs want to write code for everything. Seniors know that the best solution is sometimes no code at all. Can we configure instead of build? Can we reuse something instead of reinventing? That’s the real magic.
- They Don’t Worship Any Tech Stack
- A real senior dev doesn’t sound like a salesperson for React, Rust, or whatever framework is trending this week. They pick the best tool for the job, not the one they read about on Hacker News.
- They Make the Team Better, Not Just the Code
- If you think being senior is about writing the best code, you’re missing the point. The best senior devs mentor others, improve processes, and leave the codebase in a better state than they found it.
- They Handle Feedback Without Melting Down
- Junior devs get defensive in code reviews. Seniors welcome feedback, fix their mistakes, and know that “perfect code” is a myth.
- They See the Big Picture
- Business needs > personal preferences. Seniors understand that code exists to serve a purpose, not to satisfy their desire for the latest design pattern.
The Ego Problem
Too many developers think “senior” means they don’t have to listen anymore. They dismiss ideas from juniors, refuse to touch “boring” parts of the system, and act like their way is the only way. That’s not senior—that’s just arrogant.
A true senior dev doesn’t flaunt their title. They lead by example, adapt, and know that learning never stops. If you need to tell people you’re a senior dev, you’re probably not one.
Final Thought: Do Titles Even Matter?
At the end of the day, titles don’t write code—people do. Whether you’re “junior,” “mid,” or “senior,” the real question is: Are you making your team and codebase better? If the answer is yes, congrats—you’re doing it right. If not, maybe it’s time to rethink what “senior” actually means.
Top comments (4)
A senior should be a leader, listen, understand and help others, the business needs and put ego apart. No one becomes a true leader, being senior or not, being arrogant. Totally agree, great post @hotfixhero
Good share @hotfixhero. I would like to add 3 more
1) senior dev's also consider design decisions more
2) senior dev's keep learning
3) Good to troubleshooting overall rather than just think it as a code issue.
:-)
I think most people want the title because it comes with a pay raise
Usually just age.