Chuk Seven Habits V2

Seven Habits of * Highly Effective Developers * YMMV

Lee Chuk Munn Staff Engineer Sun Microsystems [email protected]

1 – Understand the Problem • “Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy about telescopes” - Dijkstra • Programming is about problem solving > Focus on the problem > Programs are expression of the solution

• “Think outside the box” > What if there is no box? > Define the boundaries of the problem

1 – Understand the Problem • Bounce problem off people > Do not isolate yourself > Talk with a person face to face, avoid

email if possible

> Never know where the discussion may lead

• Avoid “The first solution syndrome” > Resist the urge to pick the first solution

or use the first API especially if you are under pressure

• Research, research, research > Real data, real use cases

2 – Use Appropriate Tools • “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you will see every problem as a nail” Abraham Maslow • Programming concepts and data structures > Learn programming not programming

languages > Remember your basics

• Build a reservoir of design patterns > Solutions to design problems

2 – Use Appropriate Tools • Use a variety of tools > Tendency is to stick with what we are

comfortable with > One per project is a good time frame to pick up tools > Compare and contrast tools

• Do not be dogmatic > The problem should dictate the tool, not

the other way round

2 – Use Appropriate Tools • Use tools creatively > Javadoc and XDoclet (Rickard Öberg)

• Develop your own tools if nothing is appropriate > Project specific if need be > Time spend on tool allows you to be

efficient

> Might open new business opportunities

3 – Strive for Simplicity • “Simple things should be simple. Complex things should be possible” Alan Kay • Simplicity reflects your understanding of the problem > Really easy to develop complex and

convoluted systems > Test – simple rules → complex behaviour

• Simplicity does not mean “simplistic”, > Does not mean crippled or for beginners > Tic-tac-toe is a simplistic game, Tetris is a

simple game

3 – Strive for Simplicity • Easy to understand, easy to explain, easy to maintain, easy to document > “... debugging is twice as hard as writing

a program...”

• Steps I take to assume some degree of simplicity > Assume that your users is at least as

smart as you > Do not duplicate functionality > Try to use simple structures throughout > If you are stuck, walk away to think about it

4 – Keep Your Code Clear • Code for others to read > Chances are you will be reading it again

• Comment your code > Especially if you are doing clever things > You may forget the next week > Personally do not like to comment code > Extreme view – commenting code means that you code cannot be understood easily

• Keep methods short and simple > Good indication is the names you choose

for methods

4 – Keep Your Code Clear • Only incorporate code that you understand > Especially when you are copying it from

somewhere else > You cannot maintain what you do not understand

• Express your code in the idiom of that language > Do not try to write Ruby programs like

Java

4 – Keep Your Code Clear • Aesthetics and layout of the code > Nobodyisgoingtobeabletoreadevenifitisbr

illiant > Alt-Shift-F in most IDE reformat your code!!!!

• Fine line between abstraction and obfuscation > Do not erase that line

5 – Learn to Debug • “Each problem that I solved becomes rule which served afterwards to solve other problems” - Rene Descartes • Bug comes and goes, debugging skill accumulates > The debugging process is more important

than the bug

• General things that I do > Collecting information is essential > Observer the behaviour of the bug > Isolate the code by making a stand-alone

version

5 – Learn to Debug • Get a good tool to allow you to follow code > Like reading a novel – difficult if words

too small, or book falling apart > My favourite is vim and ctags / cscope

• Lay the foundation for debugging > Logging/debug statements > Asserts – supported since JDK 1.4 > MBeans for dynamically for stats, debug

level, etc.

5 – Learn to Debug • Write test cases to catch bug early

> “The Way of Testivus” > http://www.agitar.com/downloads/TheWayOfT

6 – Leverage What is Available • “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants” Isacc Netwon • Look for available solutions or algorithms > Google is your friend, open source

software

• Adopt a frameworks if possible > Standardize the way an application is

developed > Application becomes robust on mature frameworks

6 – Leverage What is Available • If you know someone who is a subject matter expert, even better! • Search appropriate forums and mailing list > Your problem is not unique > Be persistent - “I posted this problem 3

days ago and no one answered me”.

> If you want it bad enough, it can be solved

> Make it easy for others to help you > Research your problem > Phrase questions so that it can be answered easily

6 – Leverage What is Available • Start your own group > Lots of resources, Yahoo Groups,

Facebook are good starting place > Self help, self sustaining

• BragBlog about your predicament > Solicit feedbacks

7 – Plan Ahead • “It is better to know some of the questions that all the answers” James Thurber • Anticipate what you will need soon > Know where to get help, articles, books

• Off-the-job learning – no pressure to find a “solution” > Browse some good technical web sites

for info

> Save interesting articles for offline reading Zotero

7 – Plan Ahead > Maximize your learning > Type out the code rather than CTRL-C CTRL-V > Learn a lot more

• Know the trends – what are you opinion of them? > “There are two ways to slide easily

through life; to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both ways saves us from thinking” - Alfred Korzybski

7 – Plan Ahead • Be proficient in the tools that you are going to use > Side projects (1 – 4 weeks) that uses it > Side effect is keeping your programming /

debugging / typing skills sharp

• Learn from your past programs/codes, bad and good > All our projects have something to teach

us > “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” - Leo Tolstoy

Summary

1.Understand the problem 2.Use appropriate tools 3.Strive for simplicity 4.Keep your code clear 5.Learn to debug 6.Leverage what is available 7.Plan Ahead

Seven Habits of * Highly Effective Developers * YMMV

Lee Chuk Munn Staff Engineer Sun Microsystems [email protected]