This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Andrew Moody
When I landed my first developer role in 1991/1992, I spent months second-guessing myself. Every time I had to look something up (which back then meant digging through books and documentation instead of Googling), I worried it made me look unqualified. I felt like I had to solve problems on my own to prove I belonged.
I wasn’t constantly asking for help, but I also wasn’t confident in my abilities. I spent evenings and weekends learning, trying to fill in the gaps I thought I had. Even when I solved problems, I sometimes felt like I had just gotten lucky rather than truly knowing what I was doing.
But over time, something changed.
I started to recognize patterns, debug issues more efficiently, and understand problems without immediately reaching for a reference book. And even when I did need to look things up, I realized that was just part of the job—something every developer does, no matter how experienced.
The turning point wasn’t a single moment, but rather a gradual shift. The fear of being "caught" as someone who didn’t belong faded, replaced by the realization that solving problems—by any means necessary—is what being a developer is all about.
Looking Back
If I could go back and tell my past self one thing, it would be this: Needing to look things up doesn’t mean you don’t belong—it means you’re doing the job.
Now, I want to hear from you. How long did it take before you felt like you truly knew what you were doing as a developer?
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Andrew Moody
Andrew Moody | Sciencx (2025-02-25T17:08:32+00:00) When I Finally Felt Like a Real Developer. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/02/25/when-i-finally-felt-like-a-real-developer/
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