- Don’t fear the code. It’s just code.
- Never write (or copy) a line of code that you don’t fully understand.
- Figure out how things really work and why they work they way they do.
- If you don’t understand something, go deeper. Read the source code for the library you’re using.
- Use tools to figure out how things work–debugger, unit tests, sample programs.
- Create a punchlist to guide your work–investigations, things to do, things to test
- Test the hell out of your code. Be as thorough as possible
- When you get stuck, go for a 5 minute walk.
- When you get stuck, describe your stuckness out loud to somebody else.
- Write down what you’ve learned. Create a FAQ document and answer all the questions.
- Try to teach someone else what you’ve learned. Create a blog.
- Leave breadcrumbs for yourself and others–personal notes or comments in the code.
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Sean's Stuff 
Reblogged this on computerGuyCJ's Blog and commented:
Good advice from a developer I’ve admired for a while. I don’t do that 2nd bullet nearly often enough, and I’ve been bitten by it many times! Maybe someday I’ll learn to make it a practice.
Thank you!