Learning how to code can be incredibly challenging. New developers often discover that even once they’re able to build something, they struggle to articulate how it works. The ability to communicate technical concepts is essential, especially when seeking job opportunities in the development world. Casual conversations about coding can be difficult, so here are some practical strategies to help new developers become more comfortable expressing their coding expertise:
- Create Issues/Tickets: Before starting a project, write out the steps to be accomplished. Be specific about what technology you’re going to use and how they will work together. Github allows you to write issues in Markdown format so you can include things like checkboxes to mark completed tasks, or links to related tickets and documentation. Creating and closing tickets has the added bonus of counting towards your contribution tracker on Github, which can be a noteworthy asset during the interview process!
- Commit Comments: When you push changes up to Github, make them detailed. You can also leave more detailed comments on your commits by clicking on the commit link and scrolling to the bottom. Writing out all the work you’ve done helps commit the process to your memory while preparing you for technical interviews. It can also help you think ahead to your next steps or issues you may face down the road in your project.
- Detailed README: A high quality README file is one of the most underrated tools when it comes to developing confidence in speaking about coding. For each project I make, I like to summarize what my project does, what the challenges were, and what I learned or found interesting. I will also provide screenshots and describe the user flow along with any code snippets worth noting. I like to include links to resources or tutorials to reference again, if needed. This can also be a great place to use formatting to highlight your organizational skills.
- Talk to Yourself: the process of working through problems aloud is a time-honored tradition in the coding community (ever heard of Rubber Duck Debugging?). Explaining your thought process can improve your ability to articulate your coding decisions. Take it a step further and practice presenting a project to an audience! Record yourself explaining coding concepts, project walkthroughs, or problem-solving approaches to build confidence.
Mastering these practices not only refines communication skills but also cultivates organizational abilities and enhances project documentation. Moreover, they contribute to a robust portfolio, spotlighting your coding prowess and your knack for conveying intricate technical details with clarity – a potent advantage in today’s competitive job market.
