For this blog post I will be discussing the Practice, Practice, Practice pattern. This pattern essentially says that you should practice, obviously. The goal is to get better and better and to build concrete skills in new areas. Looking back on all that I have learned I noticed that there was one thing that I nearly could have always done more of and that was practice. The initial blurb in this pattern says ” The people we know as masters don’t devote themselves to their particular skill just to get better at it. The truth is, they love to practice—and because of this they do get better. And then to complete the circle, the better they get the more they enjoy performing the basic moves over and over again.”(Apprenticeship Patterns) From this valuable quote I have learned that those that are truly skilled have put in a lot of time devoted to practicing. Within this year if I want to do anything, that is practice everything that I have learned at WSU. From basic java skills to git workflows. I see that with open-source software this may be a good opportunity to do such things. WSU has provided the resources and has made becoming a master in computers that much more of a reality and a valuable one at that. By practicing on my own I can learn from my mistakes and give myself the comfort to save space and observe my own mistakes. Then, by looking to the provided resources I can look where to emulate a more masterful understanding of computers in whatever specific area that I may wish to practice in. I can even look back on where I can specifically improve based on grades and the hindsight of completing a course. In the context of this specific course, it is working on a large scale project that are maintained by large groups of people. I understand that the traditional way of getting a position at some type software developer job is a good way to get in that practice but with where I am at now and where I want to be I don’t think that would be an optimal environment for me, at least not yet. If I have learned anything, its that I can get by on a set structure that school provides, but where I find the most growth and improvement is in the setting in which I put myself in.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Sovibol's Glass Case by Sovibol Keo and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

In this week’s blog post, I will be discussing the thought-provoking chapter titled “Draw Your Own Map” from the book “Apprenticeship Patterns.” This chapter delves into the notion that your envisioned career path may not align with your current employer’s trajectory and provides insights on how to forge ahead in pursuit of your own career aspirations. The author emphasizes a crucial point: it is solely your responsibility to identify what you want to achieve in your career and then take deliberate steps to initiate progress towards those goals. However, this does not discount the significance of seeking guidance from mentors or individuals who can offer valuable insights and steer you in the right direction.

One noteworthy aspect highlighted by the author is the tendency of successful apprentices to gravitate towards companies that share a “certain family resemblance.” This concept is rooted in the idea that apprentices make career choices based on their own values and principles. Put simply, the author suggests that as a programmer, it is unwise to join a company that lacks shared passion and values, as it will likely lead to a lackluster work experience. Another aspect that resonates with me personally is the emphasis on gracefully transitioning from one company to another while maintaining positive relationships with previous employers. This is particularly significant in the industry, as a tarnished reputation with former employers can potentially limit future opportunities.

On the whole, this chapter conveys a compelling message: change is a necessary catalyst for personal growth. While change can be daunting, it is an essential ingredient for becoming the person you aspire to be. The author offers a practical exercise to facilitate this process: write down a list of potential career paths that your current job can lead to, and critically evaluate if any of them align with your long-term vision. Overall, this chapter reinforces a valuable lesson that I have personally experienced: sometimes, in order to evolve as an individual, it is necessary to move on from your current employer, even if it means accepting a temporary reduction in income. The valuable experiences and personal growth gained in pursuing your new path far outweigh any financial considerations.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Mausam Mishra's Blog by mousammishra21 and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

The pattern I read for this week was “Use Your Title”. It was about how to not let your job title at work affect how you work, and continue working as hard as you would if your title was something lower. I really enjoyed this pattern as I have never had this problem, but actually the opposite. I don’t let it get to my head because I always feel undeserving of what I get. I always feel like I can do better, and that I am no different from everyone else. It was interesting to read about how titles can have the opposite effect on people as well though.

This pattern taught me that titles do not matter, and whatever your title is, you should strive to be the very best that you can be. It has not changed the way I think as I never let a title get to my head, but it has caused me to think about others that I know this affects, and how this could really be of help to them. I think I should change the way I think that I am not deserving of what I get though, as I constantly work for what I get, and deserve everything that I have worked for. It isn’t like I am just doing nothing, and putting no work in at all. 

There was nothing that I particularly disagreed with in the pattern. In fact, I agreed with everything that was stated in it. Titles should never get to people’s heads, and they should not make you work any less hard. It is fine to be happy about your new title as you have worked hard for it, but you must know that I can change and go at any moment. To continue rising, you must continue putting in the work, and strive for even more. You should not get lazy and complacent of where you are right now. I think this pattern does not just apply to software craftsmanship, but everything. Everyone should read this pattern, as the issue of titles can be seen in every work area, and there will always be someone that lets it get to their head.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anesti Blog's by Anesti Lara and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

The pattern I read for this week was “Nurture Your Passion”. It was about how to keep your passion for software craftsmanship, while also letting it grow at the same time. It lists many ways to grow your passion from working on what you like to seeking out kindred spirits. I really enjoyed reading this pattern because passion for your job is something we all seek our entire lives. I went through all the pain and struggles all the way through college for a chance to get a job I am passionate about. Once you get the job though, you need to be able to keep that passion for your entire life, and even grow it into something more.

This pattern taught me many different ways to grow my passion for software craftsmanship. My favorite was studying the classics as I hadn’t really thought about it. That allowed me to change the way I think, and I am thinking about reading some books made by software developers of the past to learn from their passions. The way to a brighter future is by studying the past, so I should use the words of past software developers to help myself and improve myself. I thought the tip about seeking out kindred spirits is great too. You should try to find different people with similar passions as you, so you both can help each other grow, and keep what you are doing from getting boring. The more people that can help you grow your passions and help you learn, the better off you will be.

There was nothing that I particularly disagreed with in this pattern. I thought it did a good job giving different ways to grow your passions, and great reasons why it is important to do. Without growing your passions, it will soon leave you unpassionate, and lead to a decrease in your work. Passion that is ever growing for what you are going to be spending the rest of your life doing is extremely important, and it is necessary to have. I think everyone should read this pattern because it can be applied to everything, not just software craftsmanship.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anesti Blog's by Anesti Lara and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

A software development approach is a methodology that is used to guide the processes involved in the development of a software system. Different software development approaches provide different ways of organizing and coordinating the activities and tasks involved in the development of software. Some of the most common software development approaches include Agile development, Extreme programming (XP), Lean development, Test-driven development (TDD), and Waterfall model among many much more. These are just a few of the many different approaches to software development. Each approach has its own unique set of principles and practices that help guide the development process and ensure the successful delivery of high-quality software.

Agile development is a software development approach that emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement. Extreme programming (XP) is a software development approach that emphasizes collaboration, simplicity, and feedback. Lean development is a software development approach that emphasizes the elimination of waste and the continuous improvement of processes. The Waterfall model is a software development approach in which the development process is organized into distinct phases, and each phase must be completed before the next phase can begin.

Test-driven development (TDD) is a software development approach in which tests are written for a new piece of code before the code itself is written. The goal of this approach is to ensure that the new code meets the required specifications and behaves as expected. In TDD, developers write a test that defines the desired behavior of the new code, and then they write the code itself. Once the code is written, it is run against the test to see if it passes the test. If it does, the code is correct and is ready for integration with the rest of the system. If it does not, the code is revised until it passes the test.

I selected thisblog post because I am interested in learning more about Test-driven development. After reading this blog post, I learned about the principles and practices of TDD and how it can be applied in the software development process. I also learned about the steps involved in TDD, including writing a test that defines the desired behavior of new code, writing the code itself, and running the code against the test to see if it passes. I found this process to be logical and straightforward, and I can see how it would be a useful approach for ensuring the quality of new code. I made use of this method (to a degree) while working on the homework assignments for this class. I believe that it significantly simplified the process as having a set goal in the form of tests, made it easier to update/ add code that will work with it. Overall, I found this blog post to be very informative and useful. I learned a lot about development approaches, and I plan to use them for my future projects.

Source:

Top 6 Software Development Methodologies

From the blog Zed's Blog by Lord Zed and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Backend development is an essential part of creating a dynamic, interactive website or application. The backend, also known as the server-side, is the part of the website or application that manages the data and logic behind the scenes. It works in conjunction with the frontend, or the client-side, which is what users see and interact with.

There are several components that make up a backend, including a server, an application, a database, and an API. The server is the physical location where the website or application is stored and accessed. The server is responsible for hosting the website or application and delivering it to users when they access it. The application is the actual software that runs on the server and provides the functionality of the website or application. It is typically built using a programming language, such as Java or Python. The database is where the data for the website or application is stored. The database is used by the application to store and retrieve data, such as user accounts, information about products or services, and other data needed by the website or application. The API, or application programming interface, is a set of protocols and tools that allow different software applications to communicate with each other. In the context of backend development, the API is what allows the frontend and the backend to communicate and exchange data. For example, when a user interacts with the frontend of a website or application, the API allows the frontend to send requests to the backend and receive responses with the relevant data.

I selected this post because I am interested in learning more about backend development and how it plays a role in creating interactive websites and applications. Furthermore, a lot of work for this class went into writing code for and experimenting with, the backend code for Thea’s Food Pantry. Working on something actively in use, even without making any changes, was a very interesting experience and will be immensely useful for the capstone class next semester. Understanding the importance of the backend and how it works with the frontend will allow me to better plan and implement the overall architecture of a website or application. Additionally, learning about the various backend components and their functions will allow me to make informed decisions when choosing technologies and frameworks to use in my projects.

Source:

https://www.codecademy.com/article/back-end-architecture

From the blog Zed's Blog by Lord Zed and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

For this week, I chose to read ‘Reading List’ from Chapter 6: Construct Your Curriculum. I thought this pattern would be a good last pattern to read about now that the semester is ending. This chapter consisted of mostly patterns that are useful for post undergraduate stuff and things to reinforce in your head moving into your software career. So, for the context of this pattern, after becoming proficient in your first language (another pattern), you begin to look around and see the vast sea of info. I found this relatable as there is so many different languages in software programming and so many different technologies that accompany it as well, there is a lot to learn. However, with that in mind, I think that just makes me wanna learn about a lot of the different languages and technologies since software development is so vast.

For the problem of the pattern, you are unable to keep up with the amount of books you need to read. I thought this was kind of a weird problem, if you reach this problem, you probably aren’t managing your time well and need to readjust your curriculum in my opinion. However, the solution tackles this problem similar to what I was thinking, managing your time better. The solution is to maintain a reading list, this isn’t to only manage the books you read but also to reflect on past reading habits and you can use this info to construct a path on what to read next and what to focus on. I thought this was pretty clever, I wouldn’t have a reading list for that purpose, I would just use it to manage my reading habits. The solution does come with caveats though, it’s difficult to implement this pattern without having a deep understanding of your topic in order to figure out which books to read and the order. Ultimately, I think this pattern relies on having a deep understanding of what you want to learn about and what rabbit holes to go down in order to become more proficient at those topics.

For the action, you obviously create your reading list, however you keep it under source control and up to date. Pretty simple action to do, it’s just finding out where to start and what to read that is the hardest part of this pattern.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Brendan Lai by Brendan Lai and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.