… get your name out there as a programmer?

… share your solutions with the world?

… make extra income by writing about your passion online?

Start a programming blog and you can enjoy each of these & more.

Stick around for the exact step-by-step path to creating your fun, popular and profitable programmer blog.

I’ll take you by the hand and show you step-by-step how to create a blog that makes you income. And that income could come in different forms – one of which is a high-paying job. 

5 Good Reasons Why You Should Start a Programming Blog

Let’s look in depth at the 5 main reasons why writing your own coding blog is a good idea.

1. Personal Brand: Become a Thought Leader, Create Opportunities & Get a Great Job

As a software developer, you should be thinking of yourself as a business: The Brand of You. And starting a blog is great for showing off your portfolio as a programmer.

When your blog is helping other programmers and they start sharing it around, your personal brand will become more and more popular.

And the goodwill and trust you’ve built up leads to a slew of new opportunities for you:

• People want to be coached by you
• People want to work on (potentially profitable) projects with you
• People want to buy products as per your recommendation (and gladly have you earn an affiliate commission)
• People want to hire you for perky programming jobs

2. Learning: Adding New Languages, Working Through Problems, Discovering New Methods

When you tell others about what you’re working on, it forces you to be exact. Thanks to your new programming blog, you’ll be carefully exploring the object of any new learning challenge from all angles. 

Because afterwards, you want to be able to teach it to your audience! In any teacher-student situation, the teacher has to be more diligent than the student – and he gets the greatest learning benefit. 

Blogging about your coding experiences will make you more aware and stronger in your problem-solving process, push you to fully explore approaches you weren’t yet familiar with, and make what you’ve learned more ‘sticky’ than ever before.

3. Sharing Code With Others: Helping, Innovating, Creating Community

Coding can be lonely. 

Even if you get a win, you sometimes don’t have anyone to share it with, outside of a forum where you can’t be sure people are going to see it. Or maybe you do have a few friends who understand and care. 

But how cool would it be to make a write-up of what you did that’s super helpful for others, and have it live on a website you personally own, forever?

Starting your programming blog allows you to share solutions that improve the lives of others while adding your explanations to make them easily consumable. People can then add their comments on your blog article. 

Ét voila, you’ve just formed your own little programming community around the content on your website!

4. Improve Communication Skills

There’s no better way to improve your clarity than typing out your thoughts, as coherently as possible, for others to read. Writing a lot and trying to write well turns you into a much better communicator. 

Luckily, you don’t need to write essays for magazines or publish books to do that. You can do it online, and without investing too much money.

I’ve been booked for many speaking engagements and have made hundreds of YouTube videos. My ability to organize my thoughts and communicate clearly and concisely has been sharpened by writing endless articles for this programming blog. 

And it’s transformed my performance in those areas.

5. Make Money

Once your blog is popular, you’ll have many options to monetize it. 

Just a few of the money-making methods for your programming blog are display advertising, affiliate marketing and selling info products. 

In some cases this can become a full-time income, or even a massive business. 

The formula for financial success with your blog is simple: The more you’re writing to solve people’s problems, the more money you’re going to make. 

After you have a sizable audience who trusts you and is hungry for your help, it’s easy to slap on the monetization and start raking in a good amount.

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How to Start Your Programming Blog

The first step on creating a blog is choosing a web hosting company that you can trust and that is reliable. 

There are many Web Hosting Services nowadays and you should pay special attention into this step because it can definitely save you hours of stress and headaches on the future.

Should you start for free?

You can get free hosting at WordPress.com (which leaves you with an ugly domain address and limited functions) or Squarespace. 

Squarespace is free and looks good, but if you want more freedom and functions later, you’ll have to switch. There’s a reason half the internet runs on WordPress.

If you want to run the full WordPress CMS (content management system), you’ll need paid hosting to run it on.

The best Website Hosting for Beginners

I personally recommend Bluehost, which is the only service officially recommended by WordPress itself. 

The combination couldn’t be better. Bluehost is amongst one of the reliable and strongest web hosting companies, having thousands and thousands of clients. The server almost never goes down, it counts with a 24/7 technical support team, offers a free domain and, of course, it has a one-click WordPress install feature, which makes the process so much easier and faster.

To speed things up, think of a domain name for your blog and have your credit card ready.

Done that, follow the steps below.

Set Up Your Website Hosting

To get started, go to Bluehost’s homepage and click on “Get Started Now”.

Next step is choosing the right plan for you. If you’re just starting out, the best plan for you is definitely the “Starter Plan”. 

However, if you plan on getting a decent amount of traffic or even creating more than one blog, you should definitely consider acquiring more robust plans, such as the plus plan or the business pro plan.

After that, you’ll be asked to choose a domain name for your blog. If you don’t already have a domain name, you can purchase one right at this step. 

The best part is that is comes FREE with this new WordPress hosting account purchase. 

Choose a domain name and click on “Next”. 

(Note: If you already have a domain name, just enter the name of your current domain on the “transfer domain” field and follow the steps provided by Bluehost)

Once you’ve chosen your domain name, it’s time to enter your personal information.

Next step is to choose your package plan and enter your billing information. 

Normal, shared hosting is priced at 12, 24 and 36-month terms. Longer term plans will help you save more money and the lower your monthly rate will be. 

Study what will be the best option for you and choose a package. You’ll also see some offers from Bluehost partners, such as SEO jumpstart and domain privacy. 

Select the ones that fits your needs.

After filling your billing information and choosing your hosting package, click on “Next” to complete your purchase. You’ll be asked to create a password for your account. 

You can either use Bluehost’s password generator or come up with yours on your own.

Now that you’re all set up on the Web Hosting part of the process, it’s time to install WordPress.

Installing WordPress

This used to be one of the most complicated steps when it comes to starting a blog.

However, Bluehost recently made it so that you don’t even have to do anything. Check out this video where I show you exactly how easy it is:

You now have your WordPress install created for you automatically and you are automatically logged into your new WordPress blog!

 You’re done creating your blog and installing WordPress. 

Now, simply log into your WordPress website by going to the admin login URL. Enter your username and password, then click “Log In”. This will take you to your WordPress dashboard. 

From here, you can control everything about your WordPress website, such as writing blog posts, creating pages, changing the overall appearance, etc

Pick Your Favorite Theme

You now have the opportunity to put a nice theme on your blog. 

WordPress comes with thousands of free themes, of which you could just pick one and go.

If you go for a paid theme, you’ll have more customization options. The paid themes also often look a lot better right out of the box. 

I use Thrive Themes and I love how it has fully customizable themes, plus a complete drag & drop website builder, quiz builder, and Thrive Leads to create opt-ins for your email marketing.

Plugins

There are a number of additional plugins you should install on your new programming blog to make things easier for you and to make everything run more smoothly. 

The ones I recommend are:

Gutenberg Blocks

A block editor that lets you build pages on your website using special blocks, without having to use any code.

ShortPixel Image Optimizer

Having your blog load fast is essential in the 2020’s. Compressing your images (while still having them look good) is one of the main ways you’ll achieve this. 

The ShortPixel Image Optimizer Plugin is the best plugin to size down your images at the click of a button without sacrificing much in image quality.

WP Rocket

This plugin speeds up your site, so it always loads a fast as possible for the user. It’s $49/year, but well worth the investment.

YoastSEO

The YoastSEO plugin makes sure your site and posts are optimized for search engines. It’ll also help you by managing your sitemap, robots.txt, page title, and meta descriptions.

Code Inserter

When you’re blogging about programming, you want to have a way to nicely display code snippets on your website. 

The code inserter plugin does just that: You put in the raw code, and it outputs it in a pretty and well-formatted manner.

Your Programming Blog’s Content Strategy

Congrats! You’ve finished setting up your blog. 

Now, how do you figure out what to write about? And how do you structure those blog ideas?

To have endless ideas to write about on your coding blog, you should start creating a content strategy. It doesn’t have to be huge or complicated at first. 

In fact, I recommend you start with just one topic, and write a number of blog posts about all the details of it.

Pick One Topic to Start

When you’re first starting out, you have two main weapons to compete with bigger, more seasoned programming websites:

1. Making your content better and more engaging than theirs. This can give you a chance to outrank those more authoritative websites in case their articles are missing the mark
2. Creating ‘topical authority’ in the eyes of Google by thoroughly answering many questions around the same topic. Google then considers you an authority on this topic and ranks your site more highly for any term related to it

That’s why you should consider writing on a more narrow range of topics at first, instead of following every idea you get about everything you know.

Come Up With 10-30 Posts for Your First Topic

The goal is to create a ‘content cluster’ of 10-30 posts around the first topic you picked. 

So you’ll start mapping out your content strategy by coming up with enough blog ideas to make up that first cluster.

Start With The Long Tail

As a brand-new coding blog, you’re not going to rank for those big, juicy keywords. 

Instead, go after what’s called the ‘long tail’ of Google searches: Longer, more detailed phrases that are searched less, and are less competitive. This gives you the chance to rank in the top 10 even if you’re new. 

It lets you build up that topical authority over time. At some point you can then start going for those more competitive search terms.

Keyword Research & Planning

To make your keyword research process most comfortable, use a paid keyword tool – it’ll save you a lot of time and stress. You’ll get hundreds of keywords at a time, and you’ll be able to see their search volume and competition at a glance.

But, of course you can choose to do basic keyword research on your own, without paid tools, for free:

1. Enter your main topic keyword into KeywordSheeter (free). This tool will spit out all variations, questions and related searches to the keyword you entered. You can then pick queries to use as keywords to cover with an article.
2. Google the phrase and manually analyze the competition. Look out for other small niche blogs, quora, reddit, or forums in the top results. If those are able to rank, so should you, especially if you answer the search query better than they did. 

If a bigger site is ranking, but they’re completely missing the point, you also have a chance of outranking them if you create a more well-targeted article.

Types Of Topics To Pick & How They’ll Help You Reach Your Goals

You can pick between different types of articles on your programming blog that can be monetized differently:

• Answering specific coding questions. There’s thousands of these. And while people are just looking for answers – not to buy something – you can still monetize these posts by running ads on them.
• In-depth tutorials on how to code or how to be a more successful programmer. You can establish yourself as a subject matter expert and sell courses on the same topic. For most topics it’s likely good tutorials already exist – so you either have to make something that’s a lot better, or find topics that are underserved or emerging.
• Reviewing software & hardware. These have the potential to make you good money by way of affiliate commissions, but they’re also competitive topics.

In your first batch of 30 articles, it won’t hurt to include some of each type. 

But, you want to be careful not to go for a super competitive review-type keyword, for example – you’ll never rank for it with a new blog. 

Try to find the more niche topics that haven’t been covered by all the giant competitors.

How to Write Your Programming Blog Posts

Now that you’ve got your content strategy all planned out, it’s time to start writing the posts! Your goal is to create the best resource your readers can find on the internet. 

If you…

• Write satisfying answers to their questions
• Help them solve their pressing programming problems
• Give useful career advice
• Create genuinely helpful reviews

…your programming blog WILL be successful.

Here’s how to create the best blog posts that get found by Google and delight your readers:

Go For One Main Keyword

Make your articles focused on a specific search term, and cover that one term as well as you can. Google will be able to pick up what your post is about and start ranking you for that keyword. 

Include this main term in the title of your post, in the first subheading (these are called ‘H2’ subheadings), and multiple times throughout the text (in a natural way).

You can go for 2-3 secondary, related keywords as well – but first and foremost, focus on the main one. 

Also, make sure you’re not rambling, and that even ¾ of the way through, you’re still talking about the same topic. 

This stops readers from dropping off, and it shows Google your article is relevant from start to finish.

Match The Search Intent

Blogging today is not so much about writing interesting, “magazine-style” content – but it’s about providing focused solutions to the problems people are asking Google about:

• When people are searching for: “How to do something” in programming, they expect you to give them the exact answer in your blog article. 
• When they’re searching for a “Why?”-question, they want you to give them the reasons. 
• When they’re searching for “best” or “versus”, they want you to give an honest review of that thing.

You can tell how to structure your article by how the search query is phrased. If you match the search intent well, you’ll satisfy both your readers and Google’s algorithm.

Make The Title Interesting

In Google’s “Search Engine Results Page” (SERP), you’re competing with other articles targeting the same keywords.

Your chance to stand out from the crowd is choosing an interesting title. 

Here are a few elements you can include to make your title “pop” and entice people to click on your article over the others:

• Include a number, e.g.: 7 Secrets to Writing Better Code
• Add “power words”, such as easy, secrets, crush
• State the benefits: How to market yourself as a programmer and make lots of money

Mind Your Blog’s Style

You want to make your articles as easy to read as possible – especially considering a majority of your audience is consuming your content on their small phone screen.

Use Large Font Sizes

Nowadays, you want your font size to be between 18-22px. It’s easier on the eyes and keeps people on the page for longer.

Pay Attention To Line Spacing

In the 2020’s, nobody is putting up with having to read walls of text. They’d rather click away and move on to something else.

Make most of your paragraphs between 1-3 sentences long. If you use plenty of white space in your articles, you’ll do your readers a big favor. And they’ll reward you by consuming more of your content.

Don’t Make Your Content Area Too Wide

If your sentences stretch too far across the page, they’re too hard to read. Try to stick to a content area that’s 850px or less, so people have an easier time scanning your article.

Write Engaging Content

Don’t try to write scholarly articles on your website. 

Yes, people come to your programming blog to learn something. But that doesn’t mean you should sound like a college textbook. That’d be just another reason for them to tune out. Your readers want you to explain things as simply as possible. And if you can make it more personal, fun, or even tell a relevant story, that’s even better. 

Here are a few ways to make your writing more engaging:

• Talk to your audience like they’re a friend
• Keep your sentences short & sweet
• Avoid using “big words”. You won’t sound smart – but boring
• Sell them on the benefits of what you’re going to tell them
• Start your article off with something exciting or intriguing: A smart question, surprising statistic, or a hint at something interesting you’re going to reveal in the article

Create Your Home & About Pages

To make your programming blog look complete and professional, be sure to create these important pages:

Home

This is what people see if they just type your blog’s URL into their browser, or they follow a direct link from somewhere to your website. 

Think of your home page as the sales page for your personal brand. It should be a great introduction to your content and showcase your expertise as well as your best articles.

In the beginning, it’s fine to keep it simple: 

• A “hero shot” image of yourself up top
• A few lines about what the blog is about and what makes you unique
• Some social proof of what people are saying about you and places you’ve worked or your work has been featured
• A display of your best and / or most recent articles

About

Your about page is where you can get more personal – go into your story and how it relates to your reader. 

You can go into detail on your accomplishments. 

State your motivation for starting this blog, and what people can expect from you in the future.

Contact

You should have your business address on your website, as well as a way for people to contact you. 

Not only does this increase trust, but as your blog grows more popular, you’ll be contacted with valuable feedback, enlightening questions, and business opportunities.

Analyze Your Content

To see how your coding blog’s content performs over time, set up Google Analytics and start monitoring your website traffic. 

But – don’t obsess over these metrics, especially in the beginning. It’ll likely take six to eight months before your new content reaches its final ranking position. 

So it doesn’t make sense to check your Analytics all the time when you’ve just started.

Promote Your Blog

Besides writing great content on your programming blog, there’s another way you can get more readers and increase your site’s authority. 

The main way search engines judge the authority of your site is the number and quality of external links pointing for it. 

As you publish more and more content over time, you’ll naturally have more people linking to your blog – especially if your articles are of exceptional quality. 

But with the right promotional strategy, you can speed this up and gain more links in less time.

Guest Blogging

This is where you’ll reach out to other blogs in the coding or tech space and offer to write an article for them for free in exchange for a link back to your site. 

You can increase the chance they’ll say yes if you do some keyword research beforehand and pitch them a topic they could be ranking for, but don’t yet have an article on. 

Also, when reaching out, make sure to mention any of your credentials and accomplishments to make it more attractive for them to feature you on their blog.

Link Building

While guest blogging is a common and effective way to build links back to your site, there’s other ways to do it, too:

• One example is partnering up with other programming bloggers: Whenever they write a guest post on another site, they’ll link to your site, and you’ll do the same for them
• Another way to potentially gain new links is to use a tool to check for broken links on a site you’d like to get a link from. You then tell them about it and ask them to link to one of your articles instead
• Finally, you can check your competitor’s backlinks and ask those sites to link to you over them, in case you have a higher quality post on the same topic

How You’ll Monetize Your Programming Blog

Now, how are you going to get paid for all the hard work you’ve put in solving coding problems and publishing great content on your blog to help out other programmers?

Here are 5 ways you’ll earn money from your programming blog:

Display Advertising

Once you have thousands of visitors per month to your blog, it’s worth it to put display ads on it to monetize some of that general traffic. 

It’s especially useful for those short info-articles that answer a specific question. Your readers will just get the info they need and then bounce – they won’t buy any affiliate offer or join your email list to potentially buy your course later. Display ads are perfect to make at least some money from those people as well.

The most popular ad companies, sorted by how much they’re paying, are: Google AdSense, Ezoic, Adthrive and Mediavine. The higher-end ad networks have strict requirements for joining, such as 50,000 page views per month for Mediavine.

Affiliate Marketing

As you’re reviewing tools and hardware related to coding, you can link to those recommended products and earn a commission. 

Especially for software products, those can be highly attractive because they’re so-called ‘recurring’ commissions – you get a cut for every month the user stays subscribed to the service. 

Additionally, you can earn good money affiliating for high-priced coding hardware, online courses and bootcamps.

Selling Courses & Other Informational Products

With your programming blog, over time you’ll establish yourself as an authority on certain subjects. 

Your readers are loyal – they know, like and trust you. That’s when you can start offering your expertise in the form of ebooks, courses, or a coaching service. 

The best way to do this is to first get people on your email list, where you keep giving them even more valuable content. 

Once it’s time to pitch your new info product, you’ll have a warm audience willing to buy from you.

Sponsorships

If your blog has become popular and it’s bringing in some good traffic, you can also reach out to companies you like and sell them banner ad space or sponsored placements in your posts or emails.

The advantage of this tactic over standard display advertising is that you directly control which kind of ads your audience are seeing on your blog. 

Sponsored banner ads also pay better. 

Time to get started!

That’s a wrap! Now you’re armed with all the info you need to set up your site, create your content strategy, start writing, and publish your first post!

I wish you the best of luck with your new programming blog.

P.S.: If you’d like an even more in-depth course on how to start your blog as a software developer, make sure to enroll below for free:

The post How to Start a PROFITABLE Programming Blog From A-Z (2022) appeared first on Simple Programmer.

Indeed, the statistics are telling. In May 2021, Tinder saw 6.5 million downloads. It was followed by Badoo with 3.9 million and Bumble with more than 1.7 million.

Dating apps—particularly for casual dating and hookups—are a growing trend. The forecast for 2024 indicates a total number of 280 million users of dating apps, with 113 million users seeking a match and 70 million users looking for casual dating.

Nonetheless, the dating app development process is not as easy as it may sound. A lot of homework must be done before creating a dating app like Tinder.

Though it would be unlikely for your app to dethrone Tinder, people are still likely to use it if it’s been properly developed by considering factors like graphics, UX, and features. If you are thinking about how to create a dating app, I’ve got you covered. Keep reading and I’ll give a walk-through of everything you need to know to set up a dating app like Tinder.

Identify Your Competition

There are already so many dating apps active in the market—why would we need another one? Simple: Because there’s always room for something new if it fills a gap in the dating app world.

If a new dating app has a unique feature that can delight users, it can promise better results in terms of more downloads and increased conversions.

Hence, competitor analysis is mandatory, since it gives deeper insights into creating the right dating app. Competitor analysis identifies the weak and strong points of your rivals. Such details will help in determining an effective strategy for building a dating app.

Taking a closer look at the features of a competitor’s app never did any harm. It is vital to figure out what a competitor does that makes it stand out from the crowd. Similarly, noting their blunders can help prevent you from making potential mistakes in your own development process.

Matching Algorithms

Popular dating apps like Bumble, OkCupid, Tinder, Hinge, Grindr, etc., have a similar tech stack and a different set of algorithms. It is the algorithm magic that binds all dating app users together. Users tend to stick with an app as long as the app’s algorithms are displaying desired results.

Users are divided based on the search results shown in these apps. For instance,  some users prefer potential matches who have common tastes, whereas some prefer those who appear charming.

Consequently, there are not many mathematical calculations involved; it’s mainly preferences that matter. And here is where experimenting with artificial intelligence comes into the picture. Dating software development companies (and this section) focus on certain algorithms that cannot be ignored.

Location-Based Algorithms

The location-based algorithm specifies results for the user within a particular area. Individuals can find their potential partner as per their preferred location within a city or state.

Many dating app developers monetize the app by offering in-app purchases for expanding the search radius. Users need to render a certain fee for expanding their specified location.

Behavior-Based Algorithms

Nothing feels better when you and your potential partner have the same tastes and choices! A behavioral approach is another way of accumulating users’ data and bringing up profiles with similar interests.

Since people do not disclose everything related to their interests, the behavioral-based algorithm is the best solution. It gathers the data of the user based on their social media handles, preferred playlists, etc., which helps in determining the right match based on common interests.

Non-Overwhelming Structure and Design

The golden, unspoken rule for making a successful dating app like Tinder or OkCupid, is zero complexity for the user. An app that doesn’t overwhelm its users comes out ahead in the long run. Let’s dive in and understand more about the specifics of design for dating apps.

A Catchy Name

The name should complement the core functionality of the app, helping to make it relatable to users. OkCupid, undoubtedly, is the best example of a catchy name for a dating app.

Target Audience

An app cannot sustain itself in the competition unless it is being utilized by the target audience. This applies to every dating app on the Google Play Store and App Store. Young adults are the prime demographic for dating apps, and it is vital to integrate the right set of features for the target audience.

For example, Bumble has a set of advanced features in its premium version. It allows users to filter the preferences based on physical features like height, weight, smoking/drinking habits, education, etc.

Pleasing UI Design

Modern yet intuitive UI design keeps the user hooked on the dating app. Be it Tinder, Bumble, or OkCupid, the UI design is trendy yet simple. Look at the login designs of Tinder and Bumble compared below.

They neither overwhelm nor confuse the user. In fact, such designs are easily understood by new users because they’re directing the user to log in through different options. Simple as that!

Technology Stack Needed

It’s now time to… pop the question: How do you make a dating app?

Software developers must choose the correct software for each development. Dating app development is no different and has its own specific requirements.

• Programming: Java, Kotlin, Swift. These languages do not require hardcore coding skills. The code can be easily amended without starting from scratch.
• Database: MongoDB, SQL, Redis. All these are open-source platforms with features like ad-hoc queries, replication, file storage, load balancing, etc. These databases are considered perfect for storing user data in the cloud.
• Framework: React Router, Node.js, Express.js. These open-source frameworks help in building scalable network apps.
• Cloud Storage: AWS. For many dating applications, AWS is the king of storage, because it gives access to data anywhere, at any time. It eliminates the demand for buying your own storage space.
• Web Server: Nginx. A web server is a vital element for distributing content on the web/app. Nginx is one of the top choices for handling over 10K connections simultaneously.
• Payment Gateways: Stripe, PayPal. Users need to render a fee for utilizing paid features of the app. PayPal and Stripe are regarded as useful because of the international usage of these payment apps.
• General Utilities: Google Maps, Google Analytics, Optimizely. Tracking the number of users from every location helps developers to bring in custom features/services that are desired.

The MVP Requirements

Everyone wants to create a dating app that stands out from the competition and has unique features. However, a particular set of features must be present in every dating app development arsenal to ensure smooth operation. The following sections share which features must be included and what each entails.

• Easy Sign-in. The traditional sign-in process is history. Users appreciate the instant sign-in process that keeps the hassle of forgetting their password at bay. Hence, you should allow users to sign in using their Google or Facebook accounts.
• User Profile. The user profile is the identity of the dating app user. Here, all details and preferences of the user are shared. Since the information is extracted from social media handles, no user needs to put extra effort into filling in the information manually.
• Geolocation. This feature makes it easier for the user to identify the location of the potential match. They may change their location preferences for dating purposes.
• Chatting. The feature of chatting allows the user to initiate a conversation with potential matches. Such a feature makes it easier for both users to break the ice and strike up a friendly conversation.
• Matching. The matching feature is the heart and soul of dating apps. When there’s a match, users can then initiate a conversation and may choose to meet in person.
• Push Notifications. Dating app users will receive all notifications related to chats, profile visits, heart ratings, etc., under the push notification section.
• Swiping Feature. Swiping is common in dating apps. Such a feature simplifies selecting/rejecting profiles of potential matches. Swiping right indicates selection, whereas, swiping left means not interested.

How Do Dating Apps Generate Revenue?

Dating apps can generate revenue through widely accepted monetization strategies. Here’s a quick look at some of the ways to monetize a dating app.

• Ad-free Content. Users can pay a certain amount to subscribe to the ad-free content of the app. This is a biannual or annual subscription where users do not receive any ads.

• Gifts. Premium subscription app users can gain access to additional features, such as sending gifts to potential partners while chatting. This feature can be integrated with a fixed fee.

• Unlimited Right Swipes. Dating apps like Tinder and Bumble follow this evergreen strategy. They offer unlimited swipes through the premium upgrade where users get the benefit of more right swipes.

How To Build a Dating App Like Tinder

The concept of dating apps has proved to be a superb innovation. Building a dating app isn’t rocket science, but a streamlined development approach with the right set of strategies related to its marketing is required.

By integrating the right features, algorithms, and tech stack, building a successful dating app will be smooth sailing. It doesn’t demand out-of-the-box thinking, just addressing specific requirements and desires of users.

The ideas and points shared above will help you on your journey to creating a stellar dating app. And if you already have a unique idea for a dating app that will fill a gap in the market, you’re well on your way!

The post How To Create a Dating App Like Tinder appeared first on Simple Programmer.

While these myths are persistent and many people believe them to be true, there is no factual evidence to support their claims. As a programmer, it is important not to let yourself be bogged down by fictional statements which ultimately shape your professional career.

To support you on your coding journey, in this article, I’m going to debunk seven popular programming myths, helping you see the truth they obscure, and so help you become a better programmer.

You Need a College Degree to Learn Code

A couple of years ago, a college degree would have been the unquestioned path to getting a programming job. However, due to the changing dynamics of the tech world, employers place a greater value on self-taught skills and practical knowledge rather than four years of a degree. Many companies have waived the compulsion of a college degree as a requirement because they want to see how well equipped the developer is to work for a particular role.

While programmers can learn the basics of coding at school, an internship will get you the hands-on experience you need to apply for a job. Smart recruiters know that dedicated developers put in that extra effort to utilize freelance resources and build a portfolio that sets them apart from competition.

Alternate options to a degree are becoming increasingly popular due to high demand. Coding bootcamps offer intensive training for aspiring programmers and are considered a solid counterpart to bachelor’s degrees. The next best option is to learn by doing. Contributing to open-source projects helps developers a great deal. Developers can polish their existing skills, learn a new technique, and even end up finding excellent mentors for themselves.

Exemption of a college degree means you can learn programming even at a later age, even if you have a totally irrelevant bachelor’s degree. The takeaway here is: Not having a degree shouldn’t stop you from choosing the career you want in programming. Tech giants like Google, IBM, and Apple no longer restrict applicants by a computer degree, so why should you restrict yourself?

Coding Requires Exceptional Math Skills

The majority of people think that if they aren’t good at math, they won’t be able to code. But is that actually the case?

The truth is, good programmers must possess basic algebra skills that are already taught in high school. But rest assured, coding is like writing a language—not solving complex mathematical problems.

Mathematical problems usually have only one correct answer, while the same does not hold true for software development. Programmers have to think out of the box to come up with creative solutions to solve a coding problem. Moreover, programming languages are dependent on each other and share common principles. Once you master a language, it becomes easier to learn the new syntax.

So even if you had an average grade in mathematics in school, you still can be a great programmer. There are plenty of programs out there that do the math for you. It’s all about finding the right resources and making them work for you.

Specializing in One Area Is Key to Coding

There is a programming myth that developers should specialize in one key language. Yet while it’s smart to start off with a single language, it’s not a good idea to just stick to one.

According to experts, developers can take the T-shaped knowledge approach. What this means is that, as a programmer, your aim should be to have a broad knowledge base with at least one area of deep specialization. As a software developer, the key areas for focus are algorithms, data structures, various architectures, and back-end and front-end databases.

The advantage of establishing a strong general base is that it also gives you a fair idea of what specialization you can choose. In some cases, developers choose a specialization where they think they can excel, only to realize later it’s not their piece of work. A motivated programmer should continuously work towards expanding their knowledge where they also branch out their specialization areas.

Other than the T-shaped approach, programmers should develop a valuable trait: adaptability. Recruiters look for developers who have the knack to learn skills in a short amount of time and grow according to the needs of the company. Regardless of the skills you specialize in, keep a flexible mindset targeted towards learning.

Programming Doesn’t Let You Get Creative

Due to the extensive nature of the job, many people believe that programming is a boring profession. While it is true that coding does get technical at times, there is no reason for it to be boring. As a programmer, you design, test, analyze, and even play at your workplace. That being said, coding only gets boring if you stop learning and evolving.

As a programmer, you have the ability to create something out of an idea. One day you are writing code for a website, and the next, you are developing a game. Building something from the abstract requires a great deal of creativity and control—that’s exactly what programming is about.

Even if you feel like you lack that creative touch, worry not! There are some simple ways to get a kick out of the monotonous coding routine programmers might spiral into. Get out of your comfort zone by learning a new language. Master an interesting, new tool to expand your skill set. And most importantly, find fun projects outside of work deadlines to keep your skills and your interest sharp.

Coding Is Just the Act of Writing Code

It is often thought that programmers spend all their time following instructions and translating ideas into writing code. However, that is not the case. Writing good code requires a series of actions that involve non-technical skills as well.

Before a good coder even starts typing the first line of code, they have to learn to read code. The reason is that reading others’ code helps you think about how you might do it better and which techniques you can take away from it.

Writing code means working with other programmers, too. You might do pair programming, join a hackathon, or find a mentor. Taking part in team activities enables developers to polish their social skills as well.

Writing code is simply not just a one-step process. Programmers have to rewrite and revise the code to make it better and easier than before. Therefore, the coding process entails analytical thinking, decision making, and time managing skills—a whole lot more than just writing code.

X Is the Best Language to Learn

Perhaps the most debated topic in the programming industry is whether there is a single best language to learn. In simple words, the answer is no. The reason behind this logic is that each language has its own niche in the coding environment. As a result, recruiters even look for programmers who know a couple of languages.

Since it is not possible to strictly follow a single line of code, there is no one language entirely better than the others. You may use JavaScript for interactive cloud software, while R is considered best for data analytics. Depending on the latest trends, one language may be the rage right now and die out after some time. In order to cope with the dynamic programming market, recruiters want people who are proficient enough to learn more than just one language.

Coders Have to Memorize Syntax

There is a common notion that pro programmers have to learn code by heart. If that were true, there would only be a few star programmers out there. Lucky for you, it is not true at all. Learning syntax is a simple byproduct of learning programming. Given the number of languages out there, it’s not possible to learn the syntax for every one of them—and you shouldn’t try to, either.

Having a solid foundation of a language enables you to look up syntax when required. If you are well versed in a certain language, you will be able to put together the correct syntax. The best solution is to remember the useful bits of a syntax—like the basic functions and logical structures—and practice the rest.

The key here is to jot down best practices for the language you know. Even if you don’t know the syntax, you can play by the rules and have the correct code.

A good programmer doesn’t necessarily know the syntax by heart but knows how to develop one. Regular practice and attention to details helps a lot to get an understanding of the syntax. Like a spoken language, there are new things a programmer can learn every day and apply it to the code.

Don’t Let Myths Define Your Programming Career

Myths, in general, are based on mass opinions which don’t tend to hold factual value. Such opinions lose validity over time as industries evolve and people establish their own realities through practical experience.

Instead of baseless myths, look into some insightful ideas to help you become a better programmer. As a general rule, learn and read on a regular basis. Delving deep into the tech world will help you keep up with the latest trends and techniques to grow both on a personal and professional level.

The takeaway from this article is that you shouldn’t let myths hold you back from accomplishing your potential as a coder. If you want to learn coding at 35, do it—don’t stop just because of a myth that it’s too late to learn code. Don’t let any of these myths stop you from having a great coding career!

The post Debunking 7 Common Programming Industry Myths appeared first on Simple Programmer.

The reason should be self-evident: You have nothing to show!

The world is full of ideas, and not all of them are viable. This makes investors and audiences rightly suspicious when all there is to show is a ghostly concept without something tangible.

Despite this challenge, you still can sell your app idea as long as you make sure you have some fundamentals covered.

This is precisely what I’ll share with you in this post, showing you how to prepare so you can maximize your chances of success.

Selling Ideas for Apps: The 9-Step Strategy

Since ideas are not tangible, it is quite difficult to estimate their value. Depending on the specifics of your idea, its relevance in the market, its features, and the problem that your application solves, your idea can be worth $5,000 to $500,000.

But first things first. So you have an app idea … What’s next? If you are quite sure you don’t want to create a full-fledged solution, let’s try to sell an app idea in nine steps.

Make Sure Your Idea Is Viable

Before taking active steps on the way to selling an idea for an app, you need to make sure that it is viable—that is, that it will be interesting to potential investors. At this stage, you have to use idea validation techniques such as market research, competitor research, and focus group surveys.

The first step is market research. Get started with a market overview, identifying your target audience: Who is more likely to be interested in your app, and why?

Afterward, proceed with studying your competitors. Compare your ideas to those already realized by your competitors, and ascertain their strong and weak points.

Finally, get in touch with some representative members of your target audience, and ask them to share their opinion on the app you are going to create.

Look for Ways To Improve Your Idea Based on Research

Validating your idea, as I showed you above, isn’t just about making sure you have a good idea. It’s also about obtaining valuable insight on how to improve your app idea even further.

Take advantage of this opportunity, and reuse your research results to make your app idea even more competitive. It will help you to make it even more attractive to potential investors and tech companies who would potentially like to use your app for their business.

Also, consider mobile app development trends that will be relevant in the near future. On-demand, mobile commerce, AI, and AR-powered applications are on the rise.

Create a Prototype

After you have improved your app idea based on real-world research, you may proceed with creating the first prototype.

At first, you can draw your UI on paper. Then make a digital version with the help of UI design tools. This will help you to visualize your concept, prove it one more time with your target audience, and show it to potential investors along with your sales pitch and business plan.

Write Down a Sales Pitch

A sales pitch is a 30-second story about your app idea that should confirm its value and prompt the desire to buy it.

There are different approaches to drafting a sales pitch, but it should be addressed to your target investors (investors interested in a specific niche), focus on the problem you are going to solve and on the way you will do it, and list the main benefits and values.

Back It Up With a Business Plan

Writing a business plan is a challenging but still essential task. With its help, you will be able to explain to your investors what business opportunities your application opens up for them. For a business plan for an application that is still only an idea, you should pay attention to the following sections:

• Project development estimate – The investors should catch the economical feasibility of investing in the idea and in its development, so you should come up with as accurate a project development estimate as possible.
• Business model – Try to explain your business model in the clearest way, since this is how your future app will make money. The business model should be legal, industry-accepted, and revenue-promising.
• Marketing strategy – Moreover, you should suggest some proven ways to market your app, and back it up with marketing cost estimates. Pay attention to brand development strategy, social media promotion, SEO, and other tactics that may work for your niche.

Register a Trademark for Your App Name and Logo

Creating a trademark for your app name and logo is the next step toward protecting your intellectual property rights. Make sure to do it. Then your application idea will be ready to be presented to prospective investors. Also, don’t forget about software licensing for your application to protect it from hackers and pirating.

Get In Touch With the Investors

Now it’s time to reach out to potential investors and offer them to consider your app idea. There are several places to look for the necessary people:

• Startup platforms like Product Hunt
• Business angel networks like Funded.com and AngelList
• Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter
• Business incubators, accelerators, and professional business networks

Prepare your pitch and business plan. Also, consider creating a demo video for your project. Since the first impression should always be visual, a short explainer video is a great opportunity to explain how your app idea works and what kind of value it drives for the user.

Negotiate Terms and Conditions

How do you sell an idea for an app and get the most benefit out of it? The only answer is negotiating the price and other favorable conditions you may get.

For example, you aren’t obliged to sell an idea along with all the intellectual property rights. Instead, you may agree on some kind of partnership according to which you will be eligible for part of the profit.

If your idea is truly fresh and perfectly tailored to the business or users’ problem, you have more opportunities for terms and conditions negotiation.

Consider Finalizing Your App Before Selling It

As I have said, it is more difficult to sell an app idea to a company compared to selling a ready-made app. And after you are done with all these steps, you may feel that finalizing your app would be more beneficial than selling a bare idea. Compared to simple ideas, ready apps need more investment of time and money, but they are also more profitable.

So, at this stage, make sure to calmly compare all pros and cons of each of the strategies. If you have the technical expertise to finalize your app, it may make more sense to do it. However, if the costs you need to invest in technical development exceed the amount you may get for the ready-made solution, it could be better to sell the idea and move on to brainstorming the next one.

But perhaps the most profitable strategy is to sell your application at the minimum viable product (MVP) stage. At this stage, you already have a solution that works, you have real insights from the target audience and the audience itself, and you can show investors real business value.

Ideas Can Sell Too

Making money on application ideas is quite a promising way to drive profit. If you are well-versed in the tech industry and intuitively feel where the gaps are, developing ideas for apps may be a prospective business.

Get started with selling your app idea according to the strategy I’ve shared with you, and earn money by sharing your intellectual property rights with companies that will be able to utilize them in the best way.

The post How To Sell an App Idea in 9 Steps appeared first on Simple Programmer.

Inspiration that leads nowhere still has value. Peace of mind is hard to come by these days, and by following your inspirations, the wouldas, couldas, and shouldas that might cause you sleepless nights will be kept at bay.

The wonderful thing about being a software developer is you already have most of the tools you need to follow inspiration at your fingertips. You have been trained to design and plan large projects. You can write the code to bring these ideas to life. You have probably crossed paths with many talented people from all different disciplines in your career who can give advice or lend a helping hand.

I have been lucky enough to have been inspired a few times in my life. It always comes from doing simple tasks or having random thoughts while doing mundane things. People think it’s strange that I like washing the dishes or vacuuming, but those tasks allow my mind to wander to the most beautiful places. Words, melodies, and ideas appear during these times of relaxed mental state.

In this post I will show you how to open yourself up to inspiration and turn this inspiration into creation. One idea can change your life, so it’s important to recognize it and act when it comes.

Recognizing Your Inspiration

It’s important to give yourself time to be present in the moment. Otherwise, you may miss your own inspiration! Meditation may be the most well-known mindfulness technique, but I’ve found that when doing tasks that don’t require much mental engagement, simply not rushing through it just to get it over with will accomplish similar results.

Focus on the task at hand and not on what came before or what you have to do next. The mind needs space to work and create. Right before sleep and right after I wake up are also excellent times for ideas.

I have recently begun to follow an inspiration down the rabbit hole. My wife likes to collect DVDs, among other things. She even alphabetizes them. To me they are nothing but things that take up valuable space in our apartment and, in the age of on-demand streaming, redundant. But to her they represent a solution to a real problem.

What if the internet goes away? Or more realistically, what if the end of net neutrality means streaming services become unaffordable?

The thing is, neither she nor I have ever watched at least half of the movies she has. So we made up a little game. We go through them one by one, and if neither one of us has seen a movie, we must watch it. If only one of us has seen the movie, either one can insist we watch it. If both have seen the movie, then we can watch it again if we both want to, or we can skip it. And, most importantly, if we both decide we never need to see it again, we can get rid of it.

We started going through her extensive DVD collection one by one. Some were unexpectedly great, some were so bad they were good, and some definitely went on eBay or to the library donation bin.

Me being me, I started a spreadsheet of the movies we watched along with a sarcastic, deadpan sentence or two of what I thought about each movie, like the Amazon reviews of the infamous Three Wolf Moon Shirt. Turns out this was the most fun part of the process for me, and the couple of lines of random thoughts I wrote down made my wife laugh.

A thought formed in my head: Why don’t I make a little blog with these blurbs? Maybe others will enjoy them like my wife does, and I can make a few extra bucks. Even better, what if I built a platform where others can share their thoughts and gear it specifically to movies?

Boom, inspiration has struck again.

When your inspiration comes it is important to write it down! The idea is only fresh in your mind once, and you must capture it as soon as you can. Just grab a pen and paper or open up the Notes app on your phone and write. Don’t worry about spelling, and no one will be grading your grammar. A lot of it may not even make any sense. Just get it out so you don’t lose it. When you come back to it later, you can clean it up.

Validate Your Idea

This is the most exciting time of an inspired idea, but don’t get carried away yet. Tell a few trusted friends about your idea first, and do some research. Do others like the idea? Is there anything else like it out there? If so, can you do it better? What’s the time and cost of getting it off the ground?

These are all sobering thoughts, and they’re where most inspired ideas go to die. If your idea got you this far, you learned something, and that is always valuable, but you don’t want to move forward on something that just won’t work.

Think about what your goal is for the project you are about to start. Depending on the answer to this question, your process going forward will be different. Are you trying to make money? Do you want a few extra bucks, or do you want to quit your day job and try to get rich? Or is this a more personal project where money is beside the point?

These are all worthwhile reasons, but the amount of time and resources you are willing to commit to your project will be different.

My decision to move forward with my inspiration was guided by some unusual circumstances. Due to the global pandemic, I had a lot of extra time. No more time spent commuting. My most important social obligation was now to stay home and avoid other people. I also had a new baby, and my wife had lost her job. Nothing will light a fire under your ass like the realization you are now responsible for taking care of not one but two other people.

I started doing some cursory research. I Googled my idea and any other variation of it I could think of. I looked at the websites of businesses that used the same idea but for different industries. I looked at websites of businesses in the same industry but with different approaches.

Make sure the space you are looking to enter isn’t too crowded and the market isn’t too small. I knew I needed a database of movies to work with (that wasn’t too expensive) and I needed a domain. If you are looking to start a business, make sure the name you have in mind for your company is available. This can be done through companies like LegalZoom or the department of state in the state where your company will be headquartered.

If the goal of your project is to make money, then you need to figure out how you will be doing that as well, especially if this is going to be your only source of income.

Get to Work

After looking into all these things, I was confident in my ability to move forward, so I built a prototype. When deciding how you will go about building your prototype, you should stick with what you know. Use the technologies that you are most comfortable with.

Are you an expert in Angular? Don’t use React because you’ve been itching to learn it. Focus on getting your idea built. I guarantee my customers don’t care whether I used .NET or Java as long as the app works. Try not to spend a lot of time on the prototype; you just want to prove the concept.

After I built a working prototype, I showed it to a few friends. These are people I trust and I know will shoot me down if it’s a bad idea. I know this because they’ve done it before. They’ve also helped me with ideas that they thought were good. I was happy to hear that they liked my idea, so I continued to move forward with my inspiration.

Inspiration Is Just the First Step

Thomas Edison said success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration, and he was right. It is a long road to success, and you have just taken the first step. That’s further than most people get.

Still, keep your spirits up. Most developers are used to solving tough problems and working long hours, so you are particularly well-suited to meet the challenges ahead. And remember, don’t be afraid to ask for help!

I’m not sure if my new business will be successful, but the things I’ve learned and the fun I’ve had bringing an idea to life have made the effort well worth it. As software developers, we are used to taking other people’s specifications and building what they want. It feels great to come up with something yourself and build it the way you want.

You have the tools, so the next time inspiration strikes, take some time to dig a little deeper. It will always be worth it to find out if you have the next big idea on your hands, not to mention the possibility of financial and professional freedom.

The post How To Follow Your Inspiration and Create Great Things as a Software Developer appeared first on Simple Programmer.

As programmers, it’s become essential to understand what makes for a good corporate website, in order to be able to create one that truly speaks to the business’ audience. In this post I’ll show you all you need to know to build an attractive, competitive and a high domain reputation corporate website that can promote your career as a developer.

What Makes a Good Corporate Website?

Whether you’re an in-house programmer or one that works freelance, it’s crucial to understand that a corporate website exists for one major reason: to engage people who you deem important to what you do in a conversation about why your company matters. Corporate websites serve as a place where people can get the whole story about the business. Because when it comes to B2B marketing and communications, your whole story is critical.

As such, it’s key to always remember that it’s all about user experience. Nothing discourages engagement more than just talking to yourself. Be it in the actual messaging or the visual design, always keep your users’ experience in mind. Below are some of the ways you can communicate better through your corporate website.

Responsiveness

As people increasingly view and interact with the web across different devices, you need your website to look and act great on any device—from laptops and tablets, to phones and TVs. As B2B stakeholder communications move from the boardroom to wherever it is they need to be, your site should be as mobile as they are.

Furthermore, remember that your focus as a developer isn’t identical to your audience. In other words, if you’re only developing desktop applications, that doesn’t mean the people waiting to discover your business will necessarily do so using a desktop computer.

In 2020, half of the global web traffic came from mobile devices. So if your website is not yet mobile, you’re missing out on a huge chunk of people looking to hear your story and do business with you. This is a simple, yet crucial, growth hacking strategy you need to implement.

Content Structure

You can have the most inspiring story, but if the way you structure your content and facilitate the user experience is lacking, you won’t be able to communicate your message. Additionally, valuable content impacts other areas of the business like search engine rankings, conversions, and building trust.

One of the ways you can achieve this is by providing excellent on-site search. One of the easiest ways is to implement Google search on your site. You can even use this feature unbranded for a relatively small fee. If you want to go a step further, you can even integrate the UTC site search, which anticipates what users are looking for and offers suggestions as they type.

It would also be wise to make content findable by utilizing dropdowns and footers to enhance navigation. These multiple pathways encourage continued engagement and can also minimize the number of clicks a user has to make to find what they want.

Well Thought-out Visuals

While it may not be true that nobody reads anymore, most of the time, users would appreciate needing to read less and get to the crux of what it is you have to say. When skimming, users tend to look for images and graphics to serve as guides to point them in the right direction. As such, use your web developing skills to aid in that regard whenever you can.

A Few Stats to Convince You Further

• 88% of online consumers say they are less likely to go back to a website after they had a bad experience.
• 57% of internet users state that they won’t recommend businesses with poorly designed websites on their mobile.
• 75% of online consumers say they make judgments on a company’s credibility based on its website design.

Here are other business website statistics that you should know:

How To Build a Better Corporate Website

Here are a few more tips on how to build a corporate website that positively impacts the entire business.

Understand Your Audience

I have already alluded to this earlier, and for good reason. While the communications and marketing team may do much of the leg work in this regard, as a programmer, it would only help if you share a similar understanding. This would allow you to tailor elements of the website to fit your demographic, reflecting the language they speak, needs, and aspirations.

Respond to the Need for Speed

Some reports have found that 40% of internet users abandon a website that takes more than three seconds to load. This is a massive percentage that negatively trickles down to everything the business wants to achieve—from increasing awareness and getting their message across, to generating leads and increasing conversions.

There are a few simple steps you can take to ensure that your website runs smoothly. These include optimizing image and videos, keeping the software updated, and choosing a website host that can handle your bandwidth demands.

Entice Them to Act

Each page on the website should encourage the visitor to do something. whether it’s learning more about products and services, subscribing to emails, or downloading content. The design, placement, and messaging of call-to-action buttons significantly impact visitors’ urge to do something on your website.

As an additional note, look to keep your CTAs above the fold so that visitors don’t have to scroll before finding what it is you want them to do.

Add a Personal Touch

While corporate websites usually maintain a certain tone of seriousness, it doesn’t mean you can’t get personal with your audience. This is another area where understanding your audience helps, as it helps create a high-quality online experience that aids brand perception and overall communication.

Awesome Corporate Websites To Inspire You

Curious to see what amazing corporate websites today look like? Check out these websites:

Adyen

This SaaS provides businesses with a multi-channel platform for accepting payments online, on mobile devices, and in-store. While that may sound like a complicated proposition, the website’s navigation menu is presented in a way that helps visitors and potential customers understand what they have to offer and how they’re going to go about it.

Additionally, upon entering the site, Adyen’s main value proposition is instantly and easily communicated: how to easily collect payments from customers.

Alteryx

In a similar vein, Alteryx is quick to convey what it is they can do for you. The world of analytics may be intimidating to less seasoned business owners but you’re quickly dissuaded from feeling so as you visit their website.

The self-service platform allows you to prepare, blend, and analyze data – beyond what Microsoft Excel and other spreadsheets can. When it comes to services that can be quite complex, it’s always better to simplify it when communicating with potential customers. Alteryx does just that.

Slack

You’ll find straightforward communication to be a theme in this list of top-notch corporate websites, and Slack does that as well as anyone (and makes it cool to boot). The web design is clean and simple while the content (despite their wealth of features) is concise. All these result in great user experience.

Code42

This is a cloud-based data protection and security service that helps businesses minimize the risks of data loss and provides disaster recovery from unforeseen events. This is a subject that not many businesses may have at the top of their heads, and Code42 does a great job of offering visitors information about endpoint data protection and how important it is for most businesses.

This understanding of how their product isn’t as well-known as others is fundamental to the informative nature of their approach to web design.

Go Corporate

When all the industries and most likely all your competition have occupied space in the digital world, it’s imperative that you establish your brand online, too. Having an effective corporate website is only the first step but it does open up a lot of possibilities for your business.

If the business you’re working for doesn’t have a competent website yet, use the above as a guide to making one that achieves its goals.

Creating an attractive corporate website is a product of several factors. From good, responsive design to understanding your audience, and from technical excellence to adding personal touches, there are things you, as a developer, can have a say in. Make sure to exercise your knowledge and experience to provide added value to your company.c

The post How To Build a Corporate Website That Can Help Your Career as a Developer appeared first on Simple Programmer.

It can also occur at the moment you start your blog. It’s usually a result of picking a niche that’s too specific and hard to think of content for. But what happens if you aren’t as passionate about your niche as you thought?

Or what happens if you get burned out and can’t think of any new ideas for articles?

These are valid concerns, and if you want to become a popular software developer you need to be aware of them. There won’t be much wiggle room if your niche is too specific. For example, if your blog is about Python and you write all there is to know about it, what happens then?

To avoid getting stuck without any new ideas, you must have a content strategy. You have to find a way to branch out of a niche without confusing your audience. Luckily, this article is going to cover the “soft skill” of blogging for developers in detail.

What Is a Content Strategy and How Do I Use It?

A content strategy is the planning and development of written content for your blog. That is going to be your plan for coming up with new topics.

If you’ve been blogging for awhile, your content strategy will look something like this:

• Take the time to figure out other topics your audience likes.
• Post surveys on social media and directly ask your readers what they want.
• Use your email list to see what people like versus what they don’t.
• Do not stop writing about your niche completely.
• Slowly start branching out of your niche.
• Begin by creating content about something else related to programming.
• Then, alternate by writing about your niche again.
• Repeat the process.

Since you already have an audience, you can’t afford to lose them. The point here is to take your time.

Likewise, if you are new to blogging, your content strategy will be similar but more straightforward. The first few points do not apply since new blogs typically have no audience.

If you’re a new blogger, take this approach:

• Do not stop writing about your niche completely.
• Write about different topics once you start getting tired of your niche.
• Begin by creating content about something else related to programming.
• Then, alternate by writing about your niche again.
• Repeat the process.

For both new and mature blogs, the point of a content strategy is to rotate different articles while keeping and growing your readership. That way, you give the readers what they want while at the same time preventing yourself from getting burned out.

Just remember to be more cautious if your blog already has a large audience.

After you get the content strategy down, it’s time to find out exactly how to find topics when you get stuck.

Use Forums

The first thing you should do to keep fresh content flowing on your programming blog is to use forums. Forums are the number-one way to find blogging topics in 2021. They are even better to use if your blog is new. The best way for a new site to start ranking on Google today is to find less competitive topics with decent search volume. Forums will help you find those topics since it’s the first place people go to ask questions.

Google ranks Quora and Reddit threads on page 1 because many people are asking the same questions that aren’t getting answered. That’s where your job comes in.

To come up with questions to ask, just put yourself in the shoes of someone Googling about programming. We all Google random stuff from time to time. Whenever a question pops up in your head about programming, type it in the search.

If you see the forum on the first page, it means you can rank for the topic. For instance, if I Google “can I learn how to code in college,” the first thing that comes up is a thread with somebody asking other programmers if it’s better to learn code while in college or on your own.

If you scroll down a little further, you will see the same question asked on Reddit. That’s the perfect opportunity for you to write a big fat detailed article on learning code in college versus by yourself.

Just remember to bookmark the page if you want to go back to it another time.

It’s a great strategy if your website is new since it can’t rank for more competitive topics, or if you’re an established blogger who needs some fresh content.

Write About Your Experiences as a Developer

Writing about your experiences as a developer is another way to keep pumping out quality posts. Imagine starting a programming blog as an inexperienced developer and picking JavaScript as a niche. Obviously, most of your content should focus on teaching JavaScript, yet you could also focus on some of your personal experiences with it.

For example, imagine writing an article about a project you’re working on. It could be anything from a game to a website or even an app. Was it hard for you to develop that app? What did you have to go through as far as time management, stress, and the hours it took to make it happen? These are the things that people want to know.

Just look at David Walsh, one of the more well-known JavaScript bloggers on the web. If you go to his website, some of his posts share updates about his personal life. Like this one article about his experience being a “Dev Dad.”

His situation is relevant since he’s sharing with his readers what he learned being a developer while raising a kid. If his audience is mostly people his age, then they’ll want to know since they probably have kids too.

There will always be something going on in your life that you can share as a programmer.

Also, remember to give details about the failures and successes you had to go through.

Tell people about your attempt to develop and sell an indie game that flopped. Or how you tried learning Malbolge, one of the hardest languages out there, and succeeded! Writing these types of articles will build trust with your audience and provide endless topics to discuss.

Write About News and Trending Topics

One of the best ways to find consistent topics for your programming blog is to write about news. The tech industry is always changing. You can use that to your advantage.

It’s an opportunity to give your opinion on trending topics. Readers want to hear what you have to say. Look to sites like hub.packtpub.com that offer programming news. One of their most recent articles was about game development with .Net, a developer platform that uses different tools and programming languages for developing games. You can go check it out and write what you think about it.

Now, obviously, if something big happens in the programming world, you should talk about that too. Just say what you think, and don’t be afraid to be a little controversial.

Furthermore, you could type “what’s trending in programming 2020” into Google and see what pops up.

From that search, it seems people are concerned about a few things:

• Which programming languages should you learn?
• What is the latest programming language?
• Is C++ still relevant?
• Is Python better than Java?
• Is Python good for the future?

All of these are potential topics for your programming blog. It looks like people mostly want to know about the future of some languages. Since things change so fast in this industry, it makes sense why they’re asking that. You can update these posts every year and let others know which programming languages are still relevant.

Instead of making readers go to another blog for news, why not just have them stick around and get it from you?

Write About Blogging

This type of content is probably better for those who’ve already built a following but can’t think of more blog post ideas. But regardless, do you know what every blogger is qualified to write about? Blogging itself! That’s right, if you blog, you can write and advise others on how to blog. But as a developer, you have an edge.

How? Well, most programmers don’t like writing or marketing. It’s just not in their field of study, which is why so many of them hesitate to start blogging. However, you’ve done the work and became an expert on it. You can teach other developers how to write a blog and market themselves.

And why wouldn’t they want to get that advice from you? Not every blog niche works the same. Developers should get blogging advice from other developers.

Plus, it’s just a natural fit. Nobody is going to wonder why you are talking about your blog on your blog. Yet, just make sure you’ve written a good chunk of articles already.

Like I said, this works better for more established blogs that already have an audience built up.

Write About the Technical Aspects of Blogging

Writing about the developmental aspects of blogging is another great option. It works well for both established and new bloggers. After all, it’s not that odd for a programmer to write about code.

You can help other entrepreneurs who own websites that have technical problems. Write articles on common technical issues and how to fix them. Or better, share ways in which website owners can customize the look of their sites with code.

Hiring developers can get pricey. Most business owners don’t have that kind of cash, especially in the beginning. Show people how to use code and get really unique-looking designs.

Teaching inexperienced bloggers how to code is a great way to reach a broader audience. It will attract readers who aren’t just interested in tech.

That will help a new blog get the traction it needs in the beginning to grow. For older blogs, they can stay relevant with fresh articles and new people to read them.

Keep a Journal

A journal is a must-have tool for any writer. Likewise, many professional developers use journals for work. They’re useful for keeping notes when working on projects. But, you can also use the journal as a diary.

Consider writing in your journal every day. You can write whatever is on your mind, just make sure to keep at it. Doing this will not only improve your writing skills, but it’ll also help you come up with ideas for articles.

Try recording the daily work you do as a developer and use it as inspiration. You would be surprised by how many good ideas go to waste by not jotting them down.

Once the time comes when you’re all out of topics to write about, whip out that journal. Those old notes will provide a catalog of valuable topics for articles.

The most brilliant minds from Einstein to Leonardo da Vinci all kept a journal. They wrote so that they wouldn’t forget their thoughts.

You can use the same journal that has all your programming notes. Or you can get a new one and use it specifically as a diary.

Start a YouTube Channel

Now, I know what you’re thinking: I can’t think of blog topics, and you want me to start something new? Well, yes, and here’s why.

First, the time for developers to start their own YouTube channels is now. Look at the programming community on YouTube. It’s growing, and more programmers are beginning to realize it. There are even people doing coding live streams now. Tech With Tim did a 12-hour coding live stream where he created a game using Python. The stream broke 2 million views.

To put that into perspective, if you look at people streaming last year’s “Call of Duty” when it came out, Tim’s stream has more views than all of them. Other developers who are streaming themselves doing code are also rivaling gaming streams in views.

That’s pretty insane.

Second, YouTube gives older blogs a fresh start. By utilizing your channel as a separate platform, established blogs can experiment with new topics.

Start by making videos about stuff outside of your blog niche. If programmers enjoy your YouTube content, then consider incorporating some of it into your blog. It’s the perfect way for older bloggers to distance themselves from their original niche and grow their readership.

Lastly, you can grow a YouTube channel faster than a blog. That is a huge benefit for new bloggers since blogs can take years to build traction.

The SEO ranking on Google for YouTube videos is instant. It can even land you on the first page for competitive topics, something most new sites can’t do.

That means you can discuss competitive topics that would be too hard to rank for on your blog. The more topics available to you from the start, the easier it will be to branch out of your niche.

Accept Guest Posts

Probably the best way to keep consistent content flowing on your blog is to accept guest posts. After all, what’s better than somebody writing articles for you?

Guest articles are an excellent method for both new and experienced bloggers who are struggling to produce content. If you are a new blogger, accepting guest posts will help you build relationships, network, and get people linking to your site.

As an established blogger, guest posts are great for all of those reasons as well. And the audience you’ve already built up will get to experience the perspectives of different programmers.

To find people to post on your blog, you must do a little bit of networking. Here’s how you can get started:

• Comment on other blogs regularly.
• Write guest posts for other programming websites.
• Ask the owner of the blog to return the favor.

Or you can:

• Start a podcast, which can lead to interviews and collaborations with other programmers.
• Invite your podcast guests to publish guest articles on your blog.

However, if you’re not new to blogging, all you really have to do is make a “write for us” page on your blog. I am, of course, assuming that your website is already well-known.

If that’s the case, people will want to write for your site since they will get a quality backlink.

A Content Strategy Means Never Running Out of Topics

Coming up with great content ideas for your programming blog will take practice. Start by getting comfortable with writing about different topics outside of your niche.

Remember to keep most of the content relevant to programming. You can do this by blogging about your achievements, failures, the news, what’s trending, and much more.

Just because you started a blog within a specific niche doesn’t mean you’re confined by it. It’s fine to write about personal matters and other programming topics. However, the most important thing is that you enjoy blogging. Because if you don’t, then your blog will fail.

If you don’t like your niche anymore or can’t think of any more ideas, plan a content strategy now. Doing so will keep your blog relevant for years to come.

The post How To Never Run Out of Topics for Your Programming Blog appeared first on Simple Programmer.

But our goal as developers is not to become better coders but better thinkers. Developing good computational thinking is the basis of becoming a better developer. Before we solve a problem, the problem itself and the ways in which it could be tackled must be understood. A great way to do that is to introduce flowcharts into the early stages of the development process as a tool to visualize your code before you write a line.

Creating a fundamentally strong structural outline is key to the efficient planning and development of any program, just as you wouldn’t start constructing a building without a thorough blueprint. An architectural framework designed to efficiently execute your program allows you to think twice, code once.

While there has been a rise in the popularity of pseudocode in the last few years—which is the expression of an algorithm in plain English without any syntax or programming language—it doesn’t really allow you to “see” your code. Flowcharts serve the same purpose as pseudocode but have the added benefit of showcasing the overall flow of instruction and data from one process to another. They allow you to understand the main concept of the program in just one glance.

This article takes a look at how fundamental flowcharts are in code development and will take you through the basics of how to get started implementing flowcharts into your development process.

Flowcharts Let You Visualize Your Code

Flowcharts are used in every conceivable field. They are used in project management to lay out the sequence of processes and to better plan the workflow; in marketing to describe a sales process or to roadmap a strategy; and in education for data visualization and as a great way to study, plan, improve, and communicate complex processes and graphically translate them into easy-to-understand diagrams.

Though flowcharts were conceived long before software development, their utility in visualizing and representing algorithms cannot be ignored.

You can use flowcharts to visualize the steps in a system, including inputs, outputs, and loops, and they can be a great, low-tech way to think about high-tech processes. Flowcharts can be applied across any process, but are especially useful in larger teams, as they help non-programmers understand the program and allow you to easily identify errors in the logic.

What’s more, flowcharting has never been easier. There are a multitude of online flowcharting software programs that allow you to quickly and easily visualize your programs. Tools like Creately, Caligraflow and Diagramo have intuitive shapes and templates that are specifically created to help you plan your programs with ease.

Elements of a Flowchart

Flowcharts have come a long way since they were first conceived in 1921 by industrial engineers Frank and Lillian Gilbreth. Throughout the years they have evolved to depict more and more complicated processes. However, the basis of drawing a flowchart still remains the same.

Flowcharts are made up of universally accepted symbols that represent the various aspects within them. This facilitates easy understanding at a glance. Some of the most common elements in a flowchart are listed below.

• Terminal – Used at the beginning of the algorithm as a symbol to indicate the start or end of the program.
• Process – A rectangular box usually indicates a process within an algorithm, where mathematical operations take place.
• Input/output – These symbols denote the inputs and the resulting outputs of a program at various stages.
• Decision – The diamond-shaped symbol represents the decision points in the algorithm. These could be binary, this-or-that, or more complex choices.
• Connectors – These are depicted by arrows and express the relationship between elements in the flowcharts as well as guide you through the sequence of decisions.
• On-page connector – These are used to connect two or more parts of a flowchart on the same page.
• Off-page connectors – These connect two parts of a flowchart that are spread across different pages.
• Document – This object is a rectangle with a wave-like base that is used to represent a document or report in a process flow.
• Manual input – The manual input object signifies an action where the user is prompted for information that must be manually inputted into a system.

Advantages of Flowcharts

Let’s take a look at a few more reasons that flowcharts make an effective addition to the programming process.

• Better communication – Flowcharts are a great way to quickly communicate ideas and plans. They allow you to have a centralized document that serves as the cornerstone upon which the code is built.
• Analysis – Flowcharts ensure more effective analysis of the proposed process and make sure nothing is omitted and that all possible inputs, processes, and outputs are accounted for. By studying a flowchart, you can uncover illogical sequences that can create inefficiencies and bugs. You can identify problems before they occur and more accurately tackle them.
• Efficient coding – Flowcharts provide a roadmap for more efficient coding, as it’s clear to see where the data is going to end up. With larger system builds, different sections are broken up into smaller units for individual programmers. Having a centralized document to refer to reduces redundancies.
• Proper debugging – Flowcharts help developers identify problem areas early on and aid in debugging or fixing code that isn’t working.
• Proper documentation – Flowcharts can serve as the central location where plans and changes are made. As the program develops, so does the flowchart. It can be referred to in the future and is an easy way to fill anyone new to the project in on the process, resulting in an overall better understanding.
• Efficient program maintenance – The operation and maintenance of a program becomes easier when the core structure is easily understood. A flowchart allows for different people who come in contact with the program to understand it better and thus maintain it more efficiently.

Things to Keep in Mind While Designing a Flowchart

For well-organized, effective flowcharts, take the following aspects into account.

• Orientation – Making sure your readers go through your flowchart the way you intend them to is key. Lines and arrows guide people through the steps of your flowchart. Make sure each shape is connected to other shapes, and ensure lines and arrows move from top to bottom or left to right.
• Start and finish points – Make it clear where the flowchart starts and where it ends. Often, the terminator shape is used to designate the start and end of a flowchart. Use color and placement as indicators as well.
• Color – Use color in moderation, and try to limit your color choices to three or fewer in a single flowchart. Use complementary colors and color code similar processes in the diagram.
• Shapes – Sticking to the commonly accepted shapes in a flowchart better ensures universal understanding. Even if you don’t follow the exact rules for each shape, using different shapes in your diagram can add additional layers of information and make your flowchart easier to read. Just remember to create a shape key that shows what each shape or color means in your flowchart.
• Text – Be as concise as possible and limit the amount of text in each shape. If you need to add more context or details in certain shapes, put that information in a note or comment instead of cluttering the space inside the shape.

Remember, Flowcharts Are a Developer’s Best Friend

The practice of effectively planning and detailing out a process before development allows for more robust programs. Flowcharting is key to developing a broader way of thinking, and it allows you to account for more of the “big picture” stuff. The more practice we have in flowcharting, the better our computational thinking becomes.

The key benefit of using flowcharts is that they allow us to take a complex problem, truly understand it, and develop solutions. We can then present these solutions in a way that a computer, a human, or both, can understand.

So the next time you sit down to develop a new project or plan a process, remember to start at the drawing board and get back to the basics of software development.

The post Why Flowcharts Should be a Developer’s Best Friend appeared first on Simple Programmer.

In this remote/gig economy, retaining valuable talent is an even trickier job.

When Ping-Pong tables, chefs, and other fancy on-site perks cannot do the trick, we need to think about how to keep employees motivated and how to enhance their work quality.

In this article, I’ll show you the drivers that contribute to keeping your software developer team motivated.

Process Management Rather Than People Management

A software developer has to do a lot more than merely code, like go to meetings, document progress, and send emails. Some developers look at these things as distractions from the software problems at hand.

These activities, of course, are necessary to solve specific issues that arise throughout the day. However, management should devise procedures and shape the work environment so that developers can spend most of their time on their projects. Instead of supervising individual tasks and work habits, managers should trust their systems and allow developers to focus on productivity. Too much active management reduces personal responsibility.

The job of developers revolves around solving problems. They carefully analyze a particular scenario, look for all possible solutions, and work to implement the best solution, which requires autonomy.

Managers must train themselves in process management rather than people management. Instructing people what to do and what not to do can oftentimes strip them of their autonomy.

Instead, give developers a challenge and an appropriate amount of time to solve it. For example, suppose a project requires integrating a messaging application, but progress is hindered by an issue in the integration. Most managers in this situation would become output-oriented rather than being helpful. They may instruct their developers to adopt another technology to solve the issue.

But there are numerous other ways in which the problem can be solved. The manager should give the developer appropriate time to solve the issue on their own rather than providing instructions. This will spur a sense of freedom and responsibility in the developer.

It engages them further in higher levels of thinking, which is good for overall progress and keeping them motivated.

“Freedom and responsibility are at the heart of Netflix’s business strategy.”

Get Rid of Irrational Metrics

Many managers measure software developers’ performances through different metrics, like hours logged, number of bugs fixed, or lines of code written.

It might seem funny, but organizations that develop time-tracking applications also implement time tracking for their software developers.

The use of time tracking software for work is not always liked by software developers. They consider it as a premise of measuring performance based on time. However, time tracking mechanisms should be used as tools to allow developers to measure progress and improve themselves and not as a way to evaluate performance.

By setting arbitrary goals based on the measurements stated above, you are eventually creating a flawed way to measure creative professionals’ work. Developers require time to generate new ideas, test their work for efficiency, fail sometimes, and then start all over again.

A developer could generate a piece of code in one hour, but that one-hour code is an outcome of persistent efforts that would range from hours to days.

Rather than quantifying performance, the process should be made qualitative, precise, and segmented. For instance, at project level, the managers should make the developers aware of the organizational processes and standards, encouraging them to work in a modular manner. Hence, the developers will get a proper space to discuss their problems as well as their performance on a particular module with the managers. Together, the managers and developers can find ways for the developers’ continuous improvement as professionals.

To keep software developers motivated, companies should also provide a positive feedback mechanism to engage them and help them improve based on their natural drive for performance—for instance, in cases where the developer does not perform well. The manager should, instead of pointing out mistakes, show the way for improving the performance. Rather than criticizing the developers on petty things, managers should help them in solving problems and achieving their goals.

“GitLab only cares about output and results. It doesn’t care how much time you spend working or if you check Facebook and Twitter throughout the day.”

Provide Space To Grow

Companies often focus on day-to-day tasks so much that they don’t offer their developers any space to explore anything beyond their job profile, both professionally and personally.

A great motivating factor for an individual is esteem and self-actualization. It’s the natural desire for any professional to acquire more knowledge for their growth beyond just meeting their basic survival needs. With time, software developers need to enhance their skills and abilities.

To bring this into practice, companies should provide the proper environment for software developers to grow. For instance, companies like Google have designed their workplace in such a manner that it feels like more than just work. Rather than going out for lunch, fun, and relaxation, employees can find everything they need within the premises.

Google also encourages autonomy, allowing its employees to work in any environment they please. They can work in lounge areas, cafeteria, sitting on beanbag chairs, or wherever they want.

Employees at Google genuinely enjoy going to work, which helps them to grow both physically and mentally.

Proper and Healthy Communication

The language of communication has a significant impact on developers’ work. The dev team should be comfortable with their medium of communication.

Companies should take care not to implement any medium of communication in which the developers are not at ease. Furthermore, they should ensure that managers not use words that sound dominating, harsh, rude, or controlling, making the developers feel stressed and disheartened. Language like this is detrimental to the team’s motivation.

Companies should focus on creating an environment where the leaders seek developers’ opinions or advice rather than being dominant or controlling. They should encourage their teammates to communicate more effectively and make them feel comfortable.

For instance, conduct routine scrum meetings with the team to discuss the progress of the project. Allow the team members to speak their mind regarding any issue or any new idea that can be implemented in the project. It will encourage them to think critically about any problem and come up with new ideas. Accept their opinions on the project.

This will help to keep developers motivated and happy by making them feel heard and valued as part of the team and invested in its success.

“Good communication is a key focus at Zaarly.”

Appreciate and Give Credit

When developers are motivated, they come up with new and innovative ideas. Even if the project is on the right track, you still need creative ideas to implement new features and techniques.

If you’re accepting everyone’s feedback, you will soon find that you are working with the best tech talent. Welcoming new and innovative ideas will help you run your project seamlessly. But, most importantly, these small gestures will make your team of software developers feel appreciated and keep them motivated.

Praising someone can have a massive impact on their motivation. Show recognition to the developers whenever required. Use proper words to show your employees that you genuinely appreciate their efforts and value their talent. Show them how they have helped in driving the project further toward completion. This will give them a significant boost in their confidence, and raise their morale, and, consequently, keep them motivated and productive.

Give Direction and Set a Good Example

Sometimes, a team’s project leaders don’t give the developers a clear direction while working on a project. If the software developers are not given an end goal, they won’t be working at their best, resulting in low productivity.

Management should communicate with team members about the project and where it is heading and update them in a timely manner whenever there is any change—keeping everyone on the same page. Working with an enthusiastic and motivated leader will bring out the team’s best.

Sometimes, if a team finds out that their leaders are not pulling their weight, they might even turn against them. So set a good example for your team to keep them motivated.

Support Learning & Development

Even if you have assembled the right team of developers in your organization, you must ensure that you provide the right conditions for them to thrive.

You, as a leader, should try that your team of developers is not stressed out due to work or any other things. While doing so, you would need a lot of patience.

For instance, let’s say the project you are working on requires the developer to include the live chat feature.

Though the task is simple, the developer is not able to integrate it due to some other issues in the project, and the developer is not able to figure out the issue. In such a situation, the manager has to keep a lot of patience.

The manager should either provide help to the developer by reviewing the code and finding out the problem or should seek help from other sources—developers, online forums, etc. This will give the developer a sense of trust and would motivate them to work with full zeal. Keep your spirits high and make sure the developers in your team are comfortable in their work environment. This will enhance overall productivity.

The developers need to learn and update their skills to cope with the fast-pacing world. New languages, new tools, and new frameworks are introduced in the ecosystem as the technology is updated every day. To implement new tech into the project, developers need to upgrade their technological skills.

An organization should encourage developers to learn new technologies. They should provide proper space and time to the developers to upgrade their skills. They should also encourage the developers to undergo various certification programs, take up coding challenges, participate in various skill development events, etc.

This will help the developers build trust with the organization and interest in their work and keep them motivated to perform well.

Don’t Control, Give Control to Your Team

Over the years, it has been observed that creative professionals, including writers, designers, strategists, and developers, thrive when they are given a sense of autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

Any organization functioning in the old model of punishment and reward for controlling software professionals’ performance causes more harm than good. In other words, they are driving away from the best talent by following detrimental techniques and hurting their performance rather than improving it.

I hope these tips will help you boost your team morale. Lastly, motivation is not God-given. It should be replenished regularly to keep people happy and prosperous.

The post How To Motivate a Team of Software Developers appeared first on Simple Programmer.

Programmer’s block is a period where a coder is unable to write any code at all. During this period, ideas don’t materialize, and the objectives of the project appear out of reach. 

The good news is that this condition is normal—though it may be considered a medical condition if it keeps recurring. In most cases, it goes away naturally, even if you take no action to address the situation. 

Unfortunately, we programmers work against time, meaning that any minutes spent procrastinating can be costly. As such, whenever you find yourself going through a mental block, it becomes crucial that you find your way out as soon as possible. 

The following are five common manifestations of coders block and practical ways to resolve the problem;

Case #1: You’re Not 100% Clear on the Goal 

One of the major issues with mental block is that it causes you to forget about your goals. You become so lost and confused that you lose sight of what you’re doing. When this type of mental block occurs, there are several steps you can take to regain control. 

First, revisit your goals. Hopefully, you have the goals written down somewhere. When you have written goals, you can go back to find out where you went wrong if you get stuck. If you don’t have written goals, another possible solution is to go back to the beginning of the project. Revisiting where it all started is more than likely to jog your memory on where you ought to be headed. 

However, if going back to the beginning of the project doesn’t help, take a few more steps back: Ask yourself why you’re doing the project in the first place. Why is that code important? What is its purpose? If you can answer even just one of these questions, you should be able to find your way back into action. 

Case #2: You Keep Changing Your Mind on the Approach 

Strategy is a vital part of programming. You want to minimize resources while maximizing productivity. For instance, you may want to complete the section with a looming deadline faster. Unfortunately, thinking of a great strategy may be a problem when you have a mental block, a situation that often leads to a self-doubt loop where you begin poking holes into every solution that comes to mind.

Whenever you find yourself in a self-doubt loop, it’s time to break the cycle. Stop programming, and instead, take a short walk or go have a random conversation with someone—about something completely non work-related. Taking a break will give your brain the time it needs to get its thoughts in order. 

Don’t break for too long, though, as you could lose all motivation to keep working that day. Once you’ve rested for 15-20 minutes, get back to work—but with two things in mind. First, come back with a fresh perspective. Try to look at the problem (not the solution) from a different angle. Secondly, don’t let perfection be the enemy of good; you don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to finish the project. 

Case #3: The Work Seems Like It’s too Much. Where Do You Start?

Whenever you look at a project and feel overwhelmed, you may start to feel defeated before you even begin coding. There’s only one solution to this problem—break down your projects into manageable chunks. 

Studies show that when you feel a task is simple and easy to accomplish, you’ll be more motivated to work on it. This positive feeling can save you from procrastinating later on down the road. 

Ideally, you should break the project into smaller, easily-doable bits, though some people prefer to plan using time rather than the project. For instance, you can decide to work for an hour and then take a mental break or work until the short-task is complete. Both are valid approaches and can vary in their effectiveness depending on the size of the overall project. For larger projects, however, splitting the load into manageable chunks is certainly the better option.

For even greater motivation, break down goals into macro-goals and the macro-goals into microgoals until you have jobs that can be completed in minutes rather than hours. Make sure to celebrate the competition of each and every microgoal. Doing so will ensure your success. 

Case #4: You Don’t Feel Excited About the Work Ahead

Even when the work is minimal and both the goal and approach are clear, you may still feel uninterested in the purpose. Indeed, lack of interest is a big issue that has caused many programmers to abandon projects altogether.

The good news is, there are a couple of ways to boost your project excitement. First, consider the project as an opportunity to learn something new. For instance, consider using the project to try out a new library or framework. 

Secondly, find reasons that make the work important. Why do you need to work on the project? Why now? Talking to the project manager or the customer (for freelancers) can prove incredibly helpful here. 

Another possible solution is to use the opportunity to fix a technical deficit. For instance, if the work requires the use of a new programming language, this could be the time to polish your knowledge of the language if that’s something you’ve been postponing for a while. 

Case #5: Something in Your Life or the Work Environment Is Bothering You

It’s also possible for mental block to arise from personal issues or the work environment. Are you feeling sick? Do you have a problem with a personal relationship or marriage? Do you have an unwell child at home? All these are issues that can cause a serious mental block and hinder your ability to stay on task. 

The same applies if you’re working in an unfriendly environment. Some studies suggest that when it’s too hot or cold, the mind drifts and begins to focus on maintaining the body’s temperature. These types of distractions could be some of the reasons why you can’t concentrate on your project.

For personal issues, the best solution is to fix the situation first or at least talk about it with a friend or a professional. If you’re sick, seek medical treatment straight away, and resume coding when you feel better. If it’s something like the kid that’s feeling unwell, take them to the hospital. Taking care of your personal life first will clear your mind and allow you to stay focused when at work.

For your work environment, proper heating and air conditioning can help you and your colleagues to stay on task. Also, bring in an air purifier to boost air quality and humidifiers to add moisture to the room. These slight adjustments to your work environment can make all the difference when battling programmer’s block and should help you block out any distractions and get your work done.

You Can Overcome It

Programmer’s block isn’t a new problem. It affects every programmer, not just you. Thankfully, it’s not a situation you can’t deal with. The above points should help you identify and resolve the block so you can resume work with a clear mind. 

The post 5 Strategies for Overcoming Programmer’s Block appeared first on Simple Programmer.