13 Pieces of Advice from a 40‑Year Veteran Programmer

13 Pieces of Advice from a 40‑Year Veteran Programmer

This veteran, Noah Gibbs, has worked at Nvidia, AppFolio, DAQRI, and currently Shopify, and he offers thirteen suggestions aimed at helping aspiring programmers build sustainable, rewarding careers.

1. It’s Never Too Late to Start

Learning programming, like learning piano, can begin at any age; even starting at 50 can lead to proficiency that surpasses an 18‑year‑old’s level after a decade.

2. Try Different Types of Programming

Write many kinds of software, experiment with various paradigms, and avoid becoming overly specialized to keep your mind flexible.

3. Don’t Fear Slow Returns

Even seemingly useless projects (e.g., the DGD language) can teach valuable concepts that later become applicable in mainstream technologies.

4. Find What Attracts You About the Work

Identify the aspects of coding that give you satisfaction and motivation; without that attraction, long‑term commitment is difficult.

5. Treat It Like Keeping a Diary, Not a Sprint

Don’t over‑plan; embrace the organic, iterative nature of learning and accept that not everything can be predicted or measured.

6. Separate Work from Career

Recognize the difference between a job (tasks you perform) and a career (the broader professional identity) to evaluate advice appropriately.

7. Learning Order Doesn’t Matter

The specific sequence of languages or technologies is less important than continuous learning and eventual discovery of what truly matters.

8. Excellence Makes You Different

Experienced engineers develop unique strengths; focus on distinctive achievements rather than generic salary expectations.

9. Learn by Doing

Build usable software early, make mistakes, then refine your understanding through theory and practice cycles.

10. Choose Your Technologies Wisely

Study a variety of technical and non‑technical skills, including at least one functional language, to broaden insight.

11. Borrow Lessons from Other Fields

Apply problem‑solving approaches from disciplines like art, music, aviation, and medicine to software engineering.

12. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel Unnecessarily

Focus on automating repetitive tasks rather than recreating existing solutions, while occasionally experimenting with unconventional approaches.

13. Just Keep Doing It

Persistently write code, regardless of age or title, to maintain your identity as a programmer and continue growing.

For more details, see the original article and related video links.