How to Fit into the Industry
16 Dec 2022
In ICS 314, learning software engineering takes the concepts we learned in our other classes and applies them to real life situations so that we might learn more about how programming works at a professional level. This class is the first time I learned about web development but the more important takeaway wasn’t how to code HTML and Javascript but how to work as a team through organizations like github and how to sell myself to employers through the use of a professional portfolio.
Configuration Management
I think the most important thing I learned all semester was how to use configuration management solutions like github. Configuration management allows for collaboration on code while also allowing for code to be backed up on each computer locally. The most popular configuration management tool is github which is the program we used for all of our projects this semester. Learning how to effectively use github is vital in being able to work on large projects with a team. This was also an eye opening experience as it also taught me to not trust in GUI solutions and to improvise when problems arise. During one of our weekly tests, my github stopped working through the desktop app and I became unable to submit the assignment. From this experience, I learned how to use the command line to commit to github and became more proficient with how exactly the system works. Configuration management is vital in managing team projects where many people have to work on the same code base while making different changes.
Coding Standards
Throughout my past classes, a professor’s individual coding standard would often prove quite frustrating when completing assignments. In the context of a group project, coding standards play a much bigger role in effective coding. Through working with others and reading their code, only then did I understand how big a difference certain people can have when coding. What might take me ten minutes to read can take exponentially longer if someone codes in an unorthodox way. Thus, even if coding standards are restrictive and frustrating to follow, they lead to better readability and more efficiency when it comes to collaborative endeavors. Strict coding standards also help find bugs as having a set way of coding allows for certain bugs to be spotted well before they become problems. Overall, good coding practices help not only when debugging code but also when working in a team environment so everyone is on the same page.