Chapter 1: The Question of Mastery

Recently, my boss inquired about how many programming languages I could potentially master, which struck me as somewhat amusing.

That question sparked a chuckle, but I calmly clarified that mastering programming languages isn't that straightforward. You won't find yourself in everyday situations where you need to converse in languages like Golang or Fortran 77.

Achieving a comprehensive mastery of even a single programming language is often quite challenging. The intricacies of syntax can be tough to memorize in their entirety. When juggling multiple languages, the potential for confusion increases, especially when similar commands function “almost” identically. Nevertheless, some individuals, gifted with remarkable recall abilities, manage to learn several languages by heart.

Many inquiries I receive are rather trivial, and only a select few prompt deeper thinking. Writing a program in just one language every morning is a rarity these days.

The key skills to focus on are not just the specific details of various programming languages but rather:

• The fundamentals of imperative programming, encompassing variables, loops, conditions, and functions.
• An understanding of the significance of libraries. While a programming language may have a limited number of commands, libraries can offer thousands of additional functions.
• Familiarity with the C language, which serves as a foundational cultural element in programming education.
• A solid grasp of object-oriented programming concepts such as classes, members, instances, and inheritance.
• Knowledge of client-server architecture in programming.
• Awareness of the differences between compiled, interpreted, and “P-code” languages, as well as typed versus untyped languages. Understanding what a compiler and a dynamic link library (DLL) are is also essential.
• Comprehension of set programming with data, particularly through the SQL language.
• Exposure to event-driven and functional programming concepts, including event loops, callbacks, and closures.
• Proficiency in data description languages like XML, JSON, and HTML.
• Familiarity with various tools integral to the development environment, such as version control systems, code hosting platforms, package managers, integrated development environments, debuggers, virtualization, and deployment systems.
• Awareness of the main components of the project you are involved in and the surrounding elements.

If you have the luxury of choice in programming languages, it’s wise to opt for one that is well-established and suited to the problem you aim to address. Additionally, understanding the environment in which you'll be testing and debugging is crucial.

I’m uncertain if this explanation was enough to convey to my boss the impracticality of the question. However, during our discussion, it was evident that he was listening, albeit with a hint of indifference, haha.

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Chapter 2: Tools and Skills for Today’s Developers

In the realm of programming, the tools and skills you acquire are just as critical as the languages you learn.

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