Become a standout developer

A developer who shines amongst the crowd.

Standout developer

I’ve seen many developers where I thought:

• That guy is so cool.

• That guy knows his stuff very well.

• That person clearly is different from other types of developers.

I didn’t want to become an average developer when I was learning to code.

I wanted to become someone who stands out.

What does it take?

Here are traits combined that make you a standout developer:

• Blogging

• In-depth knowledge of a specific field

• Learning and documenting your journey in public

• Open Source Contributor

Blogging

Not everyone has a blog.

By having a blog and being consistent, you’ll instantly stand out.

Of course, the content of your blog matters to an extent.

But consistency matters most.

In-depth knowledge

By having in-depth knowledge of a field, you stand out with your expertise.

Not everyone will have that level of knowledge.

Public

Most developers are silent.

They aren’t sharing what they’re learning and building in public.

How do you expect more opportunities to come your way when people don’t know how hard you work?

Open Source

Contributing to Open Source makes you stand out after a while.

It’s a hard barrier to entry if it’s your first time.

Being an open-source contributor puts up an image:

• You can effectively collaborate with people

• You can make impactful changes in a codebase you’re not familiar with

• You have deep knowledge of the technology you contributed to

Roadmap

Don’t rush it.

Focus on consistency over intensity.

Take things step-by-step.

Here is what I’d recommend:

1. Consistently share what you’re learning in public (Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram)

2. Pick a field you’re passionate about and dive deep into it.

3. Start a blog on Hashnode. Write about your learnings. If you run out of ideas, write for your younger self.

4. Pick a set of technologies you’re excited about. Get involved in their communities and discussions. Try to find one issue in those technologies to which you can contribute.