What I Wish I Knew as a Junior Developer

Lessons from Three Years in Tech

Salonisuman
Code Like A Girl
Published in
4 min read6 days ago

--

Three years ago, I wrote my first production API, and if I’m being honest, I had no idea what I was doing. I thought that once I landed my first job, everything would magically fall into place. Spoiler alert: it didn’t. But what did happen was growth — and a lot of lessons I wish someone had shared with me when I was just starting out.

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

This isn’t just another “tips for junior developers” article. It’s a retrospective from someone who’s been in the trenches, figured a few things out, and still has a lot to learn. So, if you’re a junior developer (or about to be one), I hope this helps you navigate your journey with a little more confidence.

1. The Early Days: What I Thought Mattered (But Didn’t)

When I started, I thought knowing every JavaScript library made me a great developer. I memorized syntax, watched countless tutorials, and felt like I was constantly playing catch-up. But as time went on, I realized that knowing how to solve problems was far more valuable than knowing every new framework. The constant anxiety of “falling behind” started to fade when I shifted my focus to understanding fundamental concepts — data structures, algorithms, and clean code principles. The tech stack will change; problem-solving skills won’t

2. Clean Code is Your Real MVP

Early on, my code worked, but it wasn’t pretty. And I thought that was enough. But as my responsibilities grew, I learned that writing maintainable code is just as important as writing functional code. What helped me level up was understanding SOLID principles, embracing DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself), and taking code reviews seriously — without taking feedback personally. Your code isn’t you. Striving for readability and maintainability over cleverness makes a world of difference.

3. Communication is a Superpower

I used to think that being a good developer meant writing good code — full stop. But I quickly learned that communicating with both technical and non-technical teams is just as critical. Explaining technical debt, setting realistic expectations, and writing clear documentation turned out to be game-changers for me. The best backend developers I know are also great communicators. If you can make a non-technical person understand why something matters, you’re doing it right.

4. Impostor Syndrome is Real (But Manageable)

I won’t lie — there were (and still are) days when I feel like I don’t belong in tech. That I’m not smart enough or experienced enough. Impostor syndrome hits hard, especially in a field that evolves at lightning speed. But tracking my progress helped. Looking back at the problems I solved, the systems I designed, and the projects I shipped reminded me that I do belong here. And so do you. It’s okay not to know everything. What truly matters is how you approach learning.

5. Taking Ownership and Thinking Beyond the Code

There was a turning point in my career when I stopped thinking of myself as just a coder and started thinking about the bigger picture. How does this feature impact the user experience? How does this architecture choice affect performance and scalability? When I started asking “why” — why this feature, why this design pattern, why this tech stack — I became a more valuable developer. Writing code is important, but understanding the business context and thinking like a problem solver sets you apart.

6. Mentorship and Community: You Don’t Have to Go It Alone

If I could give just one piece of advice to my junior self, it would be to find a mentor. I was hesitant to reach out to senior devs, thinking I’d be a bother. But what I found was that most people are more than willing to share their knowledge. Joining tech communities, contributing to open source, and simply asking questions accelerated my growth more than any tutorial ever did. You’re not alone. Find your tribe and learn from others.

If I could go back to my junior developer days, I’d tell myself this:

  • It’s okay to make mistakes — that’s how you learn.
  • You don’t have to know everything; you just need to know how to find the answer.
  • Three years goes by fast, and before you know it, you’ll be the one giving advice.

I’d love to hear what lessons you all have learned as a junior developer. Drop a comment and let’s share some wisdom — because we’re all in this together.

Membership

Read member-only stories

Support writers you read most

Earn money for your writing

Listen to audio narrations

Read offline with the Medium app

--

--

Published in Code Like A Girl

Welcome to Code Like A Girl, a space that celebrates redefining society's perceptions of women in technology. Share your story with us!

Written by Salonisuman

Software Engineer | Talks about Technology

Responses (7)

What are your thoughts?