<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Strong communication sets engineers apart, helping them convey ideas clearly and effectively.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Engineers should adapt their language to technical and non-technical audiences.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Written documentation and effective speaking skills are equally critical to success.</li></ul>

Communication is a Skill

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Documentation provides critical context for code, aiding future development.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Clear documentation makes onboarding easier and improves team knowledge sharing.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Well-documented code reduces dependencies on specific team members.</li></ul>

Importance of Documentation

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Testing assumptions is essential to avoid bugs and unexpected behavior.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Both unit and integration tests are needed to validate functionality under different conditions.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Testing builds confidence in code changes and minimizes the risk of failures.</li></ul>

Testing Thorougly

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Familiarity with essential tools like version control and build systems increases productivity.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Deeply understanding your tools reduces errors and speeds up development.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Tool mastery also helps engineers troubleshoot more effectively.</li></ul>

Mastering Tools

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The tech field evolves rapidly, requiring constant learning and adaptation.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Engineers should stay informed on new languages, frameworks, and best practices.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Being open to learning keeps skills relevant and contributes to career growth.</li></ul>

Continuous Learning

Avoid Tight CouplingTightly coupled dependencies create fragile systems. When one module changes, others are more likely to break. By loosely coupling components, each part can evolve independently, reducing risk.Versioning is CriticalUse version control for external libraries to ensure compatibility. Lock dependencies to specific, tested versions to prevent breaking changes.Keep Dependencies MinimalDependencies add complexity. Evaluate if adding a library is worth the long-term maintenance before using it.

Managing Dependencies is Key

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Failure is a natural part of the learning process in engineering.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Failing quickly and iterating helps build robust, resilient software.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Reflecting on failures helps engineers learn and improve their approach.</li></ul>

Embracing Failure

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Writing clean, maintainable code makes future updates easier for everyone.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Structuring code to be modular helps reduce technical debt.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Maintainability saves time and effort in the long run, making the codebase adaptable.</li></ul>

Prioritizing Maintainability

Good code reviews are about collaboration, not criticism. They build quality into the development process and ensure knowledge sharing across teams.

Code Reviews Matter

This book provides essential concepts and practical guidance to help new software engineers build a strong foundation and thrive in their careers

Key concepts and best practices for new software engineers — stuff critical to your workplace success that you weren’t taught in school. For new software engineers, knowing how to program is only half the battle. You’ll quickly find that many of the skills and processes key to your success are not taught in any school or bootcamp. The Missing README fills in that gap—a distillation of workplace lessons, best practices, and engineering fundamentals that the authors have taught rookie developers at top companies for more than a decade. Early chapters explain what to expect when you begin your career at a company. The book’s middle section expands your technical education, teaching you how to work with existing codebases, address and prevent technical debt, write production-grade software, manage dependencies, test effectively, do code reviews, safely deploy software, design evolvable architectures, and handle incidents when you’re on-call. Additional chapters cover planning and interpersonal skills such as Agile planning, working effectively with your manager, and growing to senior levels and beyond. You’ll learn: <li>How to use the legacy code change algorithm, and leave code cleaner than you found it</li><li>How to write operable code with logging, metrics, configuration, and defensive programming</li><li>How to write deterministic tests, submit code reviews, and give feedback on other people’s code</li><li>The technical design process, including experiments, problem definition, documentation, and collaboration</li><li>What to do when you are on-call, and how to navigate production incidents</li><li>Architectural techniques that make code change easier</li><li>Agile development practices like sprint planning, stand-ups, and retrospectives</li> This is the book your tech lead wishes every new engineer would read before they start. By the end, you’ll know what it takes to transition into the workplace–from CS classes or bootcamps to professional software engineering.