DEV Community

Cover image for How to become Great Software Developer
Yashraj
Yashraj

Posted on • Edited on

How to become Great Software Developer

Are you aspiring to become a top 1% programmer? I've created a comprehensive, high-level roadmap designed specifically for you. It's tailored for beginners, so no prior experience is required. Let this guide be your first step toward mastering programming.

How to Get Ahead of 99% of Programmers


To become a top 1% coder in the world, you'll need dedication, continuous learning, and a strategic approach. Here's a concise roadmap to help you get started:

1. Master the fundamentals:

  • Data structures and algorithms
  • Time and space complexity analysis
  • Object-oriented programming
  • Design patterns

This will help you to learn any programming language easily in future.

2. Choose and excel in a specialization:

  • Web development
  • Mobile app development
  • Machine learning/AI
  • Systems programming
  • Game development

Take one field and specialize it. Make good projects on it. Don't just watch tutorials make one by your self.

3. Learn multiple programming languages:

  • Start with widely-used languages like Python, JavaScript, and Java
  • Expand to languages that fit your specialization

Don't limit your self to one programming language. Choose language which suits your project and helps you to build and ship it faster.

4. Practice consistently:

  • Solve coding challenges on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or CodeWars
  • Participate in coding competitions

Solve this problems to improve your problem solving skills.

5. Build projects:

  • Create a diverse portfolio showcasing your skills
  • Contribute to open-source projects

6. Stay updated:

  • Follow tech blogs, podcasts, and conferences
  • Learn about new tools, frameworks, and best practices

7. Develop soft skills:

  • Communication
  • Problem-solving
  • Teamwork

As a coder, some may overlook the importance of this, but it's actually crucial: developing your soft skills. These skills are just as important as your technical abilities, so make sure to prioritize them in your growth.

8. Gain real-world experience:

  • Internships or entry-level positions at tech companies
  • Freelance projects

9. Network with other developers:

  • Attend meetups and conferences
  • Participate in online developer communities

10. Teach others:

  • Start a blog or YouTube channel
  • Mentor junior developers

By following this roadmap, you’ll be on your way to becoming a top 1% developer. Remember, coding is a process of continuous learning and improvement. Stay up to date with the latest tools and aim to improve by 1% each day. I also recommend dedicating at least 30 minutes a day to reading about your field to stay sharp and informed.

That's it—thanks for reading! The next step is to start taking action on this roadmap and make progress toward your goals.


Reading for 30 minutes a day can drastically improve your knowledge. One of the best books to get ahead as a programmer is Clean Code by Robert C. Martin. This book offers invaluable insights into writing cleaner, more efficient, and maintainable code, which is essential for becoming a top-tier developer. Whether you're just starting or looking to refine your skills, Clean Code will elevate your coding standards and help you stand out.

Top comments (12)

The discussion has been locked. New comments can't be added.
Collapse
 
webjose profile image
José Pablo Ramírez Vargas

I've created a comprehensive, high-level roadmap designed specifically for you.

  1. Do you know me?
  2. Are you ahead of 99% of programmers? Where are your résumé and accomplishments?

This roadmap is the result of extensive research on top programmers and tech founders.

References? Where is this result published?

Collapse
 
yoraco profile image
Yoraco Gonzales

No thanx.
It's just a Job.

Collapse
 
fenroe profile image
Fenroe

On a site that's full of terrible articles written by unqualified 'developers', this ranks as one of the worst

Collapse
 
yashrajxdev profile image
Yashraj

Thank you for your feedback. I’m sorry the article didn’t meet your expectations. If you have specific suggestions for improvement, I’d be happy to hear them.

Collapse
 
fenroe profile image
Fenroe

Sorry but the issues with this article should be self evident. It's poorly written, doesn't offer any new insights, it's chalk full of pointless buzzwords, and you're clearly not qualified to be writing an article like this in the first place. Asking for feedback is valid, but only when you've put effort into your work yourself - which you clearly haven't here. You're roleplaying as an "X dev" but nobody's buying it.

Collapse
 
webjose profile image
José Pablo Ramírez Vargas

Don't write your article as if it were an advertisement. Things like "specifically for you" are a blatant lie. Also don't say what you wrote is based studies that don't exist. Write verifiable information only because you can be called on your BS if you don't.

Collapse
 
nzube_uwakwe profile image
Nzube Uwakwe

Why would you say that?

Collapse
 
vedangit profile image
Vedangi Thokal

desire to learn and an open mind is all it takes dude

Collapse
 
omoptical profile image
Omri Suleiman

Yeah, don't do any of that.

Stay humble. Always realise how much you don't know. Try to enjoy filling in the ever expanding gaps. Do this and you'll be half way there.

Collapse
 
kaushik_chaudhary profile image
Kaushik Chaudhary • Edited

I am going to accomplish this roadmap.

jovial-unicorn-99a6ca.netlify.app/

Collapse
 
yashrajxdev profile image
Yashraj

Great for you!

Collapse
 
mohammadreza_beygifard profile image
Mohammadreza Beygifard

I guess you have asked ChatGPT and copied and pasted the results. Then added a bit of "salt" to it!
What about talking about realty? What do you do to become a good software engineer?
I suggest you write about the efforts you, yourself, are doing to become a good software engineer,instead of rewriting what others have written or talked about in cliché YouTube videos!