Comment by xupybd
5 years ago
Any tips on how to get faster?
I find I'm always trying to learn the new code base or tech it's built on. I hate the hours wasted trying to find out how to do something I already know how to do in another stack.
Then there is the time wasted trying to learn git after mercurial and then Docker.
As for typing after loads of intentional practice I seem to have plateaued at 60-70wpm. No idea how to get beyond that.
I’m looking for tips around this too, but a couple things that I have noticed helping me are:
- Extend your competence at least one layer below where you are working. So if you’re using Java, read through the code for the SDK data structures, understand the JVM, etc. If you’re using Rust, learn the Nomicon. If you’re using an asynchronous networking framework, read the Linux man pages for epoll.
- Separate speed runs and quality coding into different passes. Write it once as fast as you can with no concern for quality, error handling, maintainability, etc. Just get the functionality right. Then basically just delete that and write it again using what you’ve learned, and doing it “properly”. That is faster “batch mode” than trying to write it perfectly all at once.
quality
take the time to write quality code, design quality systems, debug things the right way, don't rush, take your time
before you know it, writing good code (and systems) becomes second nature and you will get faster as a result
in other words, fast people/teams know how to be fast because high quality is second nature and they don't waste their time fixing bugs and retesting again and again