10 Tips for Junior Developers from a Senior Programmer

Let me be honest - I don't think you need to spend the next 10 years becoming a senior programmer.

If you stay focused and work smart, you can get there in just 2 to 3 years.

And for that, I'm going to share some super-useful tips to help you in the process.

Note that I won't talk about the same generic tips you find everywhere on the internet, like:

• Learn by doing instead of just watching YouTube videos
• Continuously invest in your skills
• Don't copy/paste code you don't understand
• Focus on delivering value
• And more

You see, these are common tips that everyone already knows.

And so, I want to share some real tips - the kind of insights that can really speed up your growth and help you become a senior developer much faster than you expect.

With that said, let's get started.

Tip #1: Try not to skip the basics

Here, I mean learning the fundamentals first before jumping into frameworks or more advanced topics.

You know, I learned web development from a Udemy course, and it taught me the basics and what I needed to know.

After that, I went ahead and learned React and Next.js because I was hyped to learn everything and find clients.

I never really went deep into learning the basics or fundamentals, and when I applied for jobs, their questions scared me.

Even when I needed to build something, I had to search on Google and learn specific basic concepts, which wasted a lot of time.

So, if you are a programmer, be well-versed in a programming language first, then in data structures and algorithms.

And if you are a web developer, you should be well-versed in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

And note that frameworks come and go, but core concepts stay forever.

Tip #2: Get really good at one tech stack before jumping to the next

Now, the same tip applies when you are learning a tech stack.

I've made this mistake a lot in my initial days and realized it very late.

I started building websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and within weeks, I learned React, then Next.js, then JamStack, and more.

I was even learning Python, machine learning concepts, and deep learning.

I thought I was being productive, but in reality, I was stupid, and so I never became an expert in any tech stack.

It hit me hard when I realized that I was not able to get high-paying jobs or clients since they don't want someone who's just okay at 10 different things.

So, I simply focused on the MERN Stack, went deep, and made the most in the last 3 to 4 years through multiple client projects.

So, my advice to you is: always pick one stack, go deep, and then move forward.

Tip #3: Think first, code later

When I was starting out, I thought being a great developer meant writing a lot of code.

I believed the more I coded, the better I'd get.

But with experience, I realized that senior developers actually write less code - because they spend more time thinking and understanding the problem.

So before you write a single line of code, ask yourself:

• Does this problem already have a solution? If there's a library, API, or existing tool that solves this - use it.
• Can I solve this without writing new code? Sometimes the best solution is a configuration change, a better process, or deleting unnecessary features.
• Is this even a problem worth solving? Not every issue deserves your time. Make sure the thing you're building actually matters.

Here's the fix - spend 50% of your time understanding the problem.

Remember that, smart developers solve problems with the least amount of code possible. Sometimes the best code is no code at all.

Tip #4: Keep your code simple, not fancy or complicated

I've seen that as programmers gain experience, they realize there's more than one way to write the same logic.

For instance, you can use a for loop, forEach, map, or even some fancy one-liner with .reduce().

And yeah, they all work. But just because something works doesn't mean it's good.

I've seen plenty of developers (even experienced ones) overcomplicate the code - sometimes to look smart, other times just out of habit.

They cram entire functions into one-liners, use complex patterns when simple ones would do the job, and more.

Don't be that developer or programmer.

The best code is simple, readable, and easy to maintain.

So always try to write code in a way that other developers can quickly understand and review.

Tip #5: Stop writing repetitive code

I've seen that most junior programmers simply focus on writing code, making the process repetitive.

Well, to be honest - if you're still writing code manually even when we have AI tools, you're simply wasting your time and energy.

Here's how you can avoid boilerplate and speed up your workflow:

• First off, you can use LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, v0, and more to generate working apps based on your needs and then tweak them as you like.
• You can even use AI code editors like Cursor AI, GitHub Copilot, Codeium, and Tabnine to generate boilerplate code for every new project, suggest the next lines of code, and more.
• Lastly, you can use pre-built templates for starter files or even create your own reusable templates.

The point here is that writing repetitive code doesn't make you a better developer - solving problems does.

So try to create boilerplates using AI or manually build one to reuse the same code.

Tip #6: Ask for brutal code reviews from senior developers

Now, let's be honest - we all want to write better code.

But if you only check for mistakes yourself, you're slowing down your progress.

One of the fastest ways to level up is to ask senior developers to review your code.

And here's the key: Ask them to tear it apart.
Seriously.

Ask them for detailed, constructive criticism. The more problems they point out, the faster you'll learn.

This will help you:

• Write cleaner, smarter, and more efficient code.
• Learn better ways to structure your code and improve readability.
• Start thinking like an experienced developer.

And note that when someone suggests a change, don't just fix it - ask why it's better.

You need to understand the thought process behind the feedback so you can apply that knowledge next time.

That's how you actually improve.

Besides that, you can even use AI tools like CodeRabbit AI.

Tools like this can review your code directly within your pull requests and catch issues early, so your code doesn't break in production.

Tip #7: Learn how to write a better prompt

Not long ago, everyone would say that one of the most important skills you needed as a programmer was knowing how to Google properly.

If you could quickly find the solution or right Stack Overflow post, you'd solve problems faster than most developers.

But things have changed.

Now, it's all about how well you can write prompts in LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, and more.

Sure, you can write any random prompt, and any of the models will give you a response. But if you write clear, specific prompts, you'll get better, faster, and more accurate results.

Here's how:

• Be specific about what you want. Instead of saying, "Write a login function", you can say: "Write a secure login function in Node.js using JWT for authentication, with proper error handling and validation".
• Give context - mention the tech stack, the use case, and any constraints.
• If the response isn't quite right, improve your prompt. Ask follow-up questions like: "How can this be optimized?", "What I need to do to make it better", and more.

Tip #8: Start using AI or else programmers who use AI will replace you

In just a few years, around 95% of code will be generated by AI.

I'm not the one saying this - every expert in the AI space is talking about it. And I think it will be true.

So, start using AI to write code.

• You can use AI to learn something new - it can provide you with a roadmap and even the shortest path.
• You can also use LLMs or AI tools like Cursor AI to generate code and build apps within minutes.
• Even you can start using CodeRabbit AI and more that can provide summaries, code reviews, walkthroughs, and more - automatically inside your pull requests.
• And now, we are also seeing AI agents like Manus AI that can automatically complete insane tasks.

Just to let you know, I started using AI, and it has made me at least 10X more productive, helped me deliver more, and automated most of my tedious tasks.

Tip #9: Your job will change "to solving problems", so focus on that

So far, companies have hired based on your knowledge of writing code.

But we all know that programming is going to change thanks to AI, and so you need to focus on problem-solving.

I know, no one can truly predict the future.

However, based on current research and what AI experts are focusing on, it's clear that the next few years will see a rise in AI coding assistants and fully-fledged AI agents.

Even top companies like OpenAI, Nvidia, and Microsoft are heavily investing in building these AI agents.

I believe the programming field will be one of the first to fully adopt AI agents.

And so, traditional manual coding will likely disappear, with programmers shifting their focus to problem-solving and higher-level design tasks.

Tip #10: Burnout is real, so stay motivated and protect your energy

We all know that programming isn't easy.

And with AI getting better every day, a lot of average programmers will get replaced, and the others will just survive.

To be precise, these aren't the days when you could just learn a programming language, watch a YouTube tutorial, build a simple project, and easily get a job.

If you want to stay ahead, you need real skills, deep knowledge, and real-world projects - along with the ability to solve actual problems.

But if you push too hard without taking breaks, you will burn out. And when that happens, even the simplest tasks feel exhausting.

So stay motivated, but protect your energy too:

• Take breaks when you need them.
• Don't code 12 hours a day - you can use multiple AI tools to automate tedious tasks.
• Work on projects you actually enjoy - it keeps you excited and driven.

Hope you like it.

That's it - thanks.

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