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Amazed at how that Shopify tweet managed to take a relatively reasonable point and frame it literally just so damn badly that it caused a huge PR disaster.
Focusing on a discipline that already has to deal with a lot of "herp derp not real programming" bs is such a poor look.
Focusing on a discipline that already has to deal with a lot of "herp derp not real programming" bs is such a poor look.
There's an interesting set of thoughts about specialisation underneath it all - and if specialisation is a good thing or not.
I'm not sure back end, front end, mobile etc are really "specialisations" so much as entire categories of knowledge cut from the same bedrock.
I'm not sure back end, front end, mobile etc are really "specialisations" so much as entire categories of knowledge cut from the same bedrock.
I suspect that's what the tweet was trying to communicate when it instead just went with "lol front end is for noobs", which is, jees, read the room levels of silly.
Narrow focus helps people learn and grasp a category of expertise earlier than the whole of technology.
Narrow focus helps people learn and grasp a category of expertise earlier than the whole of technology.
There's a great utility in that, for the individual especially. Too tight a focus is a risk to your teams (the bus count of one problem) and too broad a focus risks overwhelming.
There's a tension between the desire to "know things exhaustively" (the specialist) and the..
There's a tension between the desire to "know things exhaustively" (the specialist) and the..
..trend towards adapting to things quickly (the generalist), and both have their place.
Over specialisation is a risk to the individual (the thing you specialised in can change), so combined with the pace of change in technology, can leave you in a sticky career position.
So..
Over specialisation is a risk to the individual (the thing you specialised in can change), so combined with the pace of change in technology, can leave you in a sticky career position.
So..
..people that have long careers in technology will trend towards becoming generalists by default or by accident as technology ebbs and flows.
The reason "backend" or "frontend" are not specialisations is they are broad categories of things, with enough room for that growth and..
The reason "backend" or "frontend" are not specialisations is they are broad categories of things, with enough room for that growth and..
.. generalisation inside of each of them.
It's foolhardy to denigrate peoples paths to feeling valuable, especially when they're growing, proving themselves, and hungry.
Now for my money? I know the term "fullstack" is being twisted out of its original intent and reclassified..
It's foolhardy to denigrate peoples paths to feeling valuable, especially when they're growing, proving themselves, and hungry.
Now for my money? I know the term "fullstack" is being twisted out of its original intent and reclassified..
..as somehow unobtainable, but it's original spin was "knowing enough to build and operate your software".
Systems that bloat into horrid Lovecraftian beasts make that feel utterly impossible to anyone without decades of experience, but it's really the result of horrific..
Systems that bloat into horrid Lovecraftian beasts make that feel utterly impossible to anyone without decades of experience, but it's really the result of horrific..
...overcomplicated software designs, and a trend towards building complexity in rather than excorcising it, across the industry.
When we all learn to normalise simplicity again, the notion of being "fullstack" will return with another name. All our jobs involve being mindful..
When we all learn to normalise simplicity again, the notion of being "fullstack" will return with another name. All our jobs involve being mindful..
..of many more things than they ever did, as software makes more impact than it ever did, and the tools and systems required to "re-simplify" while retaining the "extra stuff" is still in flux.
Back to specialisations though - I've always been very fond of the t-shaped people..
Back to specialisations though - I've always been very fond of the t-shaped people..
..thing.
Aspire to have a strong core and generalised competence (the "trunk" of the T) along with different interests and sub-disciplines you're comfortable and knowledgeable in.
This is entirely compatible with starting out focused on one thing, and growing outwards.
Aspire to have a strong core and generalised competence (the "trunk" of the T) along with different interests and sub-disciplines you're comfortable and knowledgeable in.
This is entirely compatible with starting out focused on one thing, and growing outwards.
T-shaped people make formidable adaptable teams, and it's a lovely path for career development.
You don't have to loose the things you love to do as you grow, and get to embrace learning anything.
The wider your T, the more interesting and diverse your work becomes.
You don't have to loose the things you love to do as you grow, and get to embrace learning anything.
The wider your T, the more interesting and diverse your work becomes.
(or maybe I'm just narration how my career grew? who knows.)
