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How do people in computer science career field keep up with the changing preferences of programming languages?
#computer-science #computer #programming
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Allen’s Answer
Read. A LOT. Read as much as you can. Keep up with news about emerging technologies and read about how they got to where they are now. The more you read the more clued-in you will be. It is also true that your knowledge of one language will most likely help you pick up other ones faster so don't be too stressed on if you are learning the "right" language just yet. Another way you can keep up is by participating in the community through Hackathons, competitive coding, open source contribution, attending seminars, etc. because often the challenges and topics presented in these areas will attempt to reflect current issues and desired skills!
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Margit’s Answer
Yes, computer languages change and evolve but learn the fundamentals first. It's a great asset to know basic electronics and Boolean logic where you get down to the bit level. Digital programming ultimately is built upon 1s and 0s. That opens doors for you from designing the lowest level code on new processors to compilers to web design to AI to ...
I also suggest you find an industry that truly interests you. Programming is a tool to solve problems. Once you've established yourself in the field as a software developer, you'll be exposed to new languages as needs change within that industry.
If, down the road, you want to move into management, solid technical and domain expertise provide a great foundation. And don't forget your soft skills! The ability to communicate effectively, both written and verbal, are key attributes of successful people.
I also suggest you find an industry that truly interests you. Programming is a tool to solve problems. Once you've established yourself in the field as a software developer, you'll be exposed to new languages as needs change within that industry.
If, down the road, you want to move into management, solid technical and domain expertise provide a great foundation. And don't forget your soft skills! The ability to communicate effectively, both written and verbal, are key attributes of successful people.
Updated
Sarah’s Answer
Many programming languages have some general similarities, for example several languages might be described as being similar to C, Java, or VisualBasic. This is similar to spoken languages, in a way - for example, if you already know Italian, you will probably notice a lot of similarities if you try to learn Spanish or Latin.
It is a good idea to become familiar with the structure of a few different kinds of languages, as well as focusing on logic and critical thinking skills that could be applied to any language, such as learned to flowchart or create software architecture diagrams. Then you can apply these skills in any language you need to use.
It is a good idea to become familiar with the structure of a few different kinds of languages, as well as focusing on logic and critical thinking skills that could be applied to any language, such as learned to flowchart or create software architecture diagrams. Then you can apply these skills in any language you need to use.
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Zohra’s Answer
Hi Bryan,
Great question !
I am a subscriber of Medium.com, a website which has articles on almost every subject out there. In a day-to-day job, there might be some requirement that comes up that may not be fulfilled by your existing set of tools, so you’ll have to go off and find a solution.
Once you start working in a role, sometimes your knowledge might not be sufficient and you’ll have to go out and find what works. The problem is the mother of knowledge in this case. If I come across an obstacle, the first thing I do is ask around in my team. I’m lucky to work with brilliant people. If not, you can always use Google; we’re lucky enough to live in an era where knowledge is so abundant.
In this field, you’re always working on a deadline and you have to find the fastest solution — it might not be the best but it will be fast.
Good Luck!
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Raphael’s Answer
There are options to move into software program management, Scaled Agile lead, product owner or business analyst type roles should the never ending language changes become to overwhelming. From my history I believe programmers that make a move to product owner (with training) have a much better chance of being successful because they know how coders operate. With this knowledge they can help take business problem and break it down in terms the development team can quickly understand and build. There are many udemy courses available which could provide some insights to whether it's a potential option.