What do you do if your coding style receives critical feedback in a computer science job?
Receiving critical feedback on your coding style in a computer science job can initially feel disheartening, but it's a common part of the professional growth process. In the tech industry, where collaboration and readability of code are essential, adapting your style can be as important as the code itself. When your approach to writing code is critiqued, it's an opportunity to learn and integrate new practices that may enhance not only your work but also team dynamics.
When faced with critical feedback, keep an open mind. It's easy to take criticism personally, especially when it relates to a skill you've honed over time. However, computer science is a field that thrives on constant evolution and improvement. Feedback is not a reflection of your abilities as a programmer but rather an invitation to refine your craft. Listen attentively, ask for specific examples, and consider how this feedback can lead to better code quality and maintainability.
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It’s your right to request alternative solutions to your solutions if the feedback is negative. “Thanks for highlighting. What would you change?” Is always a good follow up. Once the alternative is provided, evaluate whether it’s subjective or objective. Subjective would be something that isn’t necessarily better, but stylistically different. When I ask people why they feel it’s better, typically good objective answers are“readability”, or “solving a larger problem including this one”. Those are worth changing for. If it’s instead “I prefer …” thank them for their take and move on. The key is to stay focused on a problem and its solution, not feelings and preferences.
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Receiving critical feedback is a present. Feedback is alwais valuable, even if you disagree. Stay open and think about criticism as an opportunity to improve, a free auction on your coding style. Even if the person providing feedback is less experienced than you, you still can learn since knowledge is not a power level. If you disagree with feedback be respectful, a good discussion can teach you more than following good advice blindly.
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Regardless of where the feedback originates, my approach is to actively listen and understand the specific areas that need improvement. This allows me to reflect on my coding practices and evaluate whether they align with industry standards and best practices. I view feedback as a valuable opportunity for self-reflection and growth, embracing it as a way to enhance my skills and performance. Remember, feedback is not a reflection of failure but rather an opportunity for improvement. It focuses on my coding style rather than my personal worth, fostering a constructive mindset conducive to growth. Even if the feedback is incorrect, it still serves a purpose by helping me identify areas to avoid when I take on the role of a reviewer.
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Listen carefully, try to understand the reasons for it, and adapt properly. All feedback is good, but not always at face value. Positive feedback to encourage or to improve is the est. Negative feedback, meant to hurt or criticize needlessly, can still provide insight on how you can improve but may take a bit more intestinal fortitude to digest.
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- It's important to listen without immediately defending your methods. Keeping an open mind helps you understand the perspective and reasoning behind the feedback. - Determine if it's a matter of personal preference or if it genuinely impacts the quality or functionality of the code. Consider how adapting your style could benefit the project or team dynamics. - The ability to adapt and improve based on feedback is a valuable skill in itself. Treating feedback as a helpful guide rather than a critique of your abilities, you can enhance your professional skills and contribute more effectively to your team.
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A Programmer can be experienced and still perform inaccuracies in coding style as this is something majority of the program tend to take lightly while learning how to code so one should always be open to take advice and be open to changes
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In my experience, receiving critical feedback on my coding style has been an opportunity to continuously grow and improve in my work. Although initially challenging, I have always maintained an open and receptive mindset towards critiques. I firmly believe that there is something new to learn every day, and constructive feedback is an invaluable tool for professional development. When I have received constructive criticism in the past, I have embraced it positively and gratefully. In a healthy work environment, critiques are given with the aim of enhancing the quality of the final product, and I have always appreciated the opportunity to refine my work.
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Approach the feedback with an open mind and a willingness to learn. Remember that constructive criticism is intended to help you improve and is not a reflection of your worth as a person. And seek clarification if needed to fully understand the specific aspects of your coding style that are being critiqued. Ask for examples or specific suggestions for improvement.
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Be open to receiving feedback and keep an open mind that feedback is not an attack on your craft, it's an opportunity to be better at what you do.
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There will be feedback after every work that can be positive or negative. Understand the feedback and evaluate your work to see what needs to be done to make it more accurate and perfect. Every feedback needs to be considered as something that helps to improve the accuracy of the work. More accurate Means more quality product you can deliver. Our work always needs to evaluated by ourselves to see the quality that we delivered. That quality will be marked in our name. Hence if any changes needs to be done on the coding style go for it.it enhances the quality of delivery which in turn improves the quality of the work.
After receiving feedback, take time to reflect on it honestly. Assess your coding style and identify if there are recurring issues that others have pointed out. This introspection can be challenging but it's crucial for professional growth. If the feedback is about your code being hard to understand, for example, consider whether you've prioritized brevity over clarity, or if you've neglected code commenting and documentation.
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Reflect honestly on the feedback. Is it valid? Are there areas where your coding style could benefit from improvement? Maintain a professional demeanor and approach the criticism with an open mind. Actively listen and ask clarifying questions to pinpoint specific areas for improvement. View this feedback as a chance to learn – research best practices for coding style and explore how your approach can be refined. Ultimately, be willing to adapt your style to align with team standards. This fosters collaboration, improves code maintainability for the entire team, and allows you to develop as a stronger programmer.
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Good code means less work in the future, less stress when something breaks. After receiving feedback, think about your future yourself, after a few projects, when you have forgotten averything about the code you are writing. If you have a convolulted and hard to read code, you are trying to make it work whatever it takes and after it works you stop, future you will be mad. Apply this metaphore to think about feedback. Think about future you or any other developer and apply feedback with honest desire of helping others.
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Embracing feedback is like wielding a powerful mirror, reflecting our coding journey with unyielding honesty. 🪞 It's not always easy, but pausing to reflect on the critiques we receive is a vital step towards growth in our craft. 🌱 As we peer into this reflective surface, we might uncover recurring patterns in our coding style, revealing areas ripe for improvement. Perhaps we've danced too close to the allure of brevity, sacrificing clarity in our quest for concise code. Or maybe we've neglected the guiding lights of comments and documentation, leaving fellow developers adrift in a sea of confusion. Whatever the revelation, it's through this honest introspection that we forge our path towards mastery in the ever-evolving world of coding.
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Post-feedback reflection is a pivotal step in the journey of professional growth, particularly in the realm of coding. As active participants in the LinkedIn community, let's delve into the importance of introspection and self-assessment following feedback sessions. Take time to honestly reflect on the feedback received, examining your coding style with a critical eye. Identify recurring issues highlighted by others, acknowledging areas where improvement is warranted. While introspection can be challenging, it serves as a cornerstone for personal and professional development.
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🤔 Reflect Honestly: Take time to assess feedback and look for recurring issues. 🔄 Identify Areas for Improvement: Consider if you’ve prioritized brevity over clarity or neglected documentation. 📈 Focus on Growth: Use feedback as an opportunity to improve your coding style and professional skills. 💪 Embrace the Challenge: While introspection can be tough, it’s crucial for your development as a coder.
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Reflecting honestly on feedback is crucial for personal and professional growth. Some tips for honest self-reflection are:- Set Aside Ego: Put aside your ego and any preconceived notions about your abilities. Approach the feedback with humility and a willingness to learn. Evaluate Intentions: Reflect on your intentions behind your coding style. Are you prioritizing readability, efficiency, maintainability, or other factors? Be honest about whether your intentions align with the feedback you've received. Identify Blind Spots: Consider whether there are any blind spots in your coding style that you may not have been aware of. Honest self-reflection involves acknowledging areas where you can improve, even if they're uncomfortable to confront.
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After receiving feedback, take time to reflect on it honestly. Assess your coding style and identify if there are recurring issues that others have pointed out. This introspection can be challenging but it's crucial for professional growth. If the feedback is about your code being hard to understand, for example, consider whether you've prioritized brevity over clarity, or if you've neglected code commenting and documentation.
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I'll discuss with them their point of view if it is correct, I'll make code maintenance. Search for the topic on the internet (articles, documentations..)
Don't hesitate to ask for clarification if the feedback isn't clear. Understanding the specifics is key to making meaningful improvements. For instance, if a reviewer suggests your code is "inefficient," ask them to point out exact instances. Maybe there's an algorithm that could be optimized or a data structure that could be better suited for the task. Clarification can turn vague criticism into actionable insights.
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Quality is not a bunch of rules put together. It is a filosophy. Don't accept feedback in the form of rules, ask always why those suggerstions work, what's the story behind the advice. It will allow to create some relations in your knowledge and hence improve your whole coding skills.
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Clarity is crucial when it comes to seeking clarification on critical feedback. If a correction or suggestion lacks specificity from the outset, it is essential to request additional details to fully understand the intended improvement. Ideally, feedback should be clear, explanatory, and may even include examples, references, or links for better comprehension. Understanding the specific details behind criticism is key to making significant improvements in the code. When the person providing feedback is clear and correct in their assessment, it not only benefits the individual programmer but also enhances the overall quality of the final product.
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Receiving critical feedback on your coding style can be an opportunity for growth and improvement. Here’s what you can do, Ask for Clarification: If the feedback is unclear, ask for specific examples or clarification to understand better.
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If specifics were not given, then you must seek clarification. It's important to remember that perhaps it's just a difference in philosophy; or perhaps there is something that you could actually learn from and improve. You should never think that you have all the answers, but then again, neither does the person providing the feedback.
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Critical feedback isn't bad itself. It sometimes means that you haven't yet got fully familiar with the codebase, or lack of experience, or the other person just hasn't understood your changes. Whatever the reason of the criticism is, it is better to cool down and go find it out, with politeness and self-respect. In the end it is a middle ground between advocating for your ideas and fitting the existing rules. And remember, your code does not define you. When others criticize it, they aren't trying to hurt you personally, they're rather trying to find the truth. Ok, in toxic environments they would try to hurt you personally. But even in that case the clarification would absolutely be helpful.
Use the feedback as a stepping stone for continuous learning. Computer science is vast, and no one knows everything from the start. If the feedback points to a gap in your knowledge, take it as a chance to learn something new. Whether it's mastering a new programming paradigm or getting better at writing unit tests, every piece of knowledge adds to your expertise.
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To maximize the benefits of collaboration in the Information Technology industry, I adopt a "cradle to grave" approach as a lifelong learner, which I believe is essential in the ever-evolving IT world. By continuously learning, teaching, and sharing knowledge, I enhance my understanding and expertise. I firmly believe that teaching is one of the most effective ways to learn, as it not only reinforces my own knowledge but also allows me to contribute to the development of others in the field. This cycle of learning and sharing fosters a collaborative environment where collective knowledge grows, leading to more robust security solutions and innovations
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Embrace the journey of continuous learning in your web development odyssey! 🚀 View feedback not as criticism, but as a treasure map leading to undiscovered realms of knowledge. 💡 The vast expanse of computer science ensures there's always more to explore. 🌌 If feedback highlights a gap in your expertise, see it as an exciting opportunity to embark on a new quest for mastery. 📚 Whether it's delving into a new programming paradigm or honing your skills in writing unit tests, each piece of knowledge acquired enriches your arsenal of expertise, propelling you closer to becoming a web development virtuoso. 🛡️
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Given the vast and ever-evolving nature of the software engineering, it's unrealistic to expect anyone to have complete knowledge from the outset. Constructive feedback can highlight specific areas where one might lack proficiency, offering a clear direction for where to focus learning efforts. Whether it's delving into a new programming paradigm, improving unit testing skills, or mastering a complex algorithm, each new skill acquired not only enhances an individual's expertise but also contributes to their overall capability to tackle more challenging projects and innovate within their domain. Embracing feedback as a guide for targeted learning ultimately leads to greater proficiency and confidence as a computer scientist.
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🚀 Continuous Learning: Feedback is a stepping stone for continuous learning in the vast field of computer science. 🧠 Fill Knowledge Gaps: View feedback pointing to knowledge gaps as opportunities to learn something new. 🌟 Broaden Expertise: Whether mastering new programming paradigms or improving unit testing skills, every new piece of knowledge enhances your expertise.
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Yes, getting feedback from an expert on the team can open your mind to new ways of doing things. If you can easily create the changes requested this is awesome. Sometimes it can be fun to receive feedback on your code because most of the time your code is ignored. Plus, instead of talking about more abstract things as in a morning scrum you are talking about specific lines of code in a GitHub pull request for example. Hopefully, they let you grow and do not fire you. Having someone give feedback can be interesting. You may be surprised how many ways there are to do something with a programming language! From what I gather this should not be taken personally. Being kind in a world where you can be anything is a reasonable idea.
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Feedback serves as constructive critique, fostering ongoing growth. Given the perpetual evolution of our industry, there exists a continuous opportunity for learning and adaptation to emerging technologies.
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If it is a positive, constructive feedback could be an opportunity to learn some new perspective. Even though my code is correct, perhaps some more efficient way exists or needs better readability for ongoing maintaince, improvements by the team.
Adapting your coding style doesn't mean overhauling everything you know; it means integrating new best practices into your existing knowledge. If the feedback suggests that your code isn't following industry standards, take the time to learn about those standards and understand their benefits. Gradually incorporate these changes into your work, and you'll likely find that they enhance your code's readability and functionality.
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Try incorporating the coding style as per the industry standards and research for optimization. It's best to seek feedback regularly to improve.
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Adapt by researching and sharing possible linters and/or formatters if not already part of the devops toolchain, or getting to know such tools if they’re already in the toolchain.
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Its a continuous process, and high rigidity with 2 much rules turns it dull and boring and the boss a perfectionist, nee tack!
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Adapting gracefully to feedback is essential for maintaining positive relationships and continuous improvement. Stay Calm and Composed: Approach feedback with a calm and composed demeanor. Avoid reacting impulsively or defensively, as this can escalate the situation. Express Appreciation: Thank the person providing feedback for taking the time to share their insights. Expressing gratitude sets a positive tone for the conversation and demonstrates your openness to their input. Seek Clarification: If the feedback isn't clear, politely ask for clarification. Seek specific examples or suggestions for improvement to ensure you fully understand the feedback.
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Remember that while modifying practices upon receiving critical feedback is important, it doesn't mean you can't have your own style or preferences. Listen to feedback carefully and interpret what makes sense to you, always seeking to align best practices and improvements with your skills. Learning is a long and continuous process, so we shouldn't have the illusion that we'll fix all our weaknesses at once from a single feedback. Try to understand and master what you'll put into your code and improve gradually.
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Adapting your coding style doesn't mean overhauling everything you know; it means integrating new best practices into your existing knowledge. If the feedback suggests that your code isn't following industry standards, take the time to learn about those standards and understand their benefits. Gradually incorporate these changes into your work, and you'll likely find that they enhance your code's readability and functionality.
Finally, remember that coding in a professional setting is a collaborative effort. Your style should facilitate teamwork and contribute to the project's overall success. If your colleagues find your code difficult to integrate or maintain, it's in everyone's best interest to adjust your approach. Pair programming, code reviews, and team discussions are excellent ways to align your coding style with team expectations and project requirements.
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The clarity and definition of standards and coding practices in the professional environment are fundamental. I believe that this clarity not only provides direction to the team but also promotes the quality of the final product and facilitates the integration of new members into the team. Team collaboration is essential in software development. My opinion is that it is advisable to establish clear standards and promote a coherent coding style as this significantly contributes to the success of the project. By documenting and following readable code practices, not only is comprehension and maintenance of the code ensured, but also a culture of collaboration and continuous learning is fostered.
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It’s work, not a personal project, so you should adapt to the coding styles and standards preferred in your company/industry/language (to the extent required to collaborate fruitfully with others), and take good-faith criticism in a constructive way. If you think your colleagues would benefit from adopting your style then you must persuade them with evidence from your own code.
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I usually say "Thank you!" - critical feedback is priceless! I will take it as an opportunity to learn - I would evaluate feedback, understand the issues, address them, and try to learn from them in the future.
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Staying and growing in the field of software does require the person to be soft, humble, self-exploring and critical thinker with an adaptive attitude. As the field itself is always evolving and growing at a great pace, it is no doubt the everyone needs a fresh pair of eyes from time to time to identify any unintended coding biases . Having said so, any feedback on the coding style, technique, language, libraries etc., should be taken with an open mind and need to be reflected upon. Collaborating effectively with the reviewer, this could be turned into a real opportunity to learn something new ,interesting and perhaps easier, faster and cleaner way of doing things.
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Receiving critical feedback on your coding style in a computer science job can initially feel daunting, but it's essential to approach it with an open mind and a willingness to learn and adapt. 💡 Firstly, stay open to feedback, recognizing it as an opportunity for growth rather than criticism. Reflect honestly on the feedback received, acknowledging areas for improvement and identifying specific actions to address them. Seek clarification if needed, ensuring a clear understanding of the expectations and areas requiring enhancement. 💬 Embrace a mindset of continuous learning, actively seeking out resources and opportunities to refine your coding skills.
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Many matters of coding style can be automatically fixed. In Python, programs like `black` and `autopep8` translate code into approved formats. Even if there are no automatic ways to fix code, matters of coding style can be automatically detected by programs like `checkstyle` for Java. Put those programs into the build lifecycle, so that style problems are automatically detected or fixed.
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I like to listen to all feedback, be it from someone with decades of experience, or who someone just started, good or bad. An individual has found something that does not make sense to them or knows an optimal solution, they have took the time to bring this to your attention to consider, correct, or change. Remember, the best way to learn is from making mistakes or learning from the best, and it those experiences that build you as a person, and your career.
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If you're not receiving feedback, whether positive or negative, seek it out by asking others to provide opinions on your practices. Not receiving feedback can give the impression that we're always doing everything right and without room for improvement, which is almost never true, so ask for it and express gratitude when you receive it.
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