Reflections on My Journey into Software Development

In the following essay, I will reflect on my journey which led me to become a software developer.

I intend this essay to be more of a personal reflection than a technical advisement. But whether you are a seasoned programmer or a newcomer to the world of software development, I hope that my experiences and insights will provide valuable guidance and inspiration for your journey.

Before College

When I was around 6 or 7 years old, I used to hang out with my cousin a lot. Whenever I would see him on his computer, he would always be engaged in something interesting like developing recreational applications.

During those years, I had a strong interest in a game called Solo Test. When I introduced the game to my cousin, he immediately had the idea of writing code to create this game on his computer and even devloping a solution engine for it.

I witnessed the entire process of him writing lines of code and transforming them into something visible on the computer screen. It felt like pure magic to me. Since that moment, he has become one of my idols. Not only did he introduce me to the concept of programming, but he also helped me explore the world of creating games and animations with Macromedia Flash (which is no longer supported in most browsers nowadays).

Despite my early acquaintance and interest in programming, I didn’t seriously start learning it until high school. My attention was often consumed by other hobbies, such as playing games, reading books, and creating pivot animations.

In high school, I started to become more aware of my analytical nature and my inclination to approach things methodically. Even in my interest in philosophy, I found myself more drawn to the schools of analytical philosophy rather than continental philosophy. Given my frequent use of computers, I thought it would be beneficial to apply my analytical tendencies to understand the tools I already used daily, and with the guidance of my aforementioned cousin, I decided to embark on the journey of learning programming.

I started to learn Javascript as a programming language because it was the only programming language that could be easily executed directly in a web browser, my cousin saw it as a great investment for the future, and the learning resources for Javascript were readily available.

I don’t recall the exact courses I initially took to learn the syntax of JavaScript, but I vividly remember the learning process itself. After grasping a particular concept, I would seek guidance from my cousin on what to learn next. He would assign me simple tasks for practice but with specific constraints, such as not using library tools like sorting functions, string manipulation utilities, and so on. Instead, he would usually expect me to implement these functionalities from scratch. Despite being skeptical of this approach, I experienced the plus of having learned things this way when I took my first algorithm course in college. Everything was so easy on me and I could focus on more advanced subjects like interpreter design, data structures, programming language paradigms, and so on when my colleagues were trying to learn the syntax of the programming language we were using.

The tasks my cousin assigned to me included writing functions that returned strings with specific patterns and creating functions to draw lines using only pixel-drawing utilities. I was even challenged to implement sorting algorithms like selection sort and quick sort on my own. Some the programs I have made during my high school days are still available on my github repositories, if you are intereseted in them, you can check: My Canvas Javascript Experiments, Javascript Experiments, and some other projects that I have decided for the fun of it (such as Physics Simulator, Conway’s Game of Life, Running Game, Text Machine, Wolfram’s Elementary Cellular Automata).

In summary, all these exercises allowed me to delve deeper into programming concepts and sharpened my problem-solving skills. The combination of guidance from my cousin and hands-on practice proved to be an invaluable learning experience.

Studying Mathematics at College

In Turkey, the universities recruit their students through a score from a central placement exam. For this, like all other students, I was supposed to prepare for the entrance exam if I wanted to study a profession at one of the top universities.

When preparing for this exam, I had to interact extensively with mathematics due to its significant influence on the test results. This, combined with my existing interest in analytical philosophy, began to develop a greater interest in mathematics. My initial plan was to study computer science at one of the prestigious universities in Turkey (such as Boğaziçi, ITU, Bilkent, ODTU) and also pursue a minor in mathematics. This way, I could satisfy my interest in CS while maintaining my connection with mathematics, thus expanding my options. However, various unfortunate events that occurred in my life during my exam preparation period caused my focus to become scattered just 3-4 months before the exam, and I couldn’t dedicate myself fully to studying. In the end, I couldn’t achieve the desired score (I needed to be in the %0.1 but instead, I was in %1), and I had to make a choice: either study CS at a mediocre university or pursue mathematics at one of the prestigious universities mentioned earlier while continuing my independent exploration of CS.

Fortunately, with the recommendation of a friend, I discovered that Bilkent University, one of the top universities I mentioned above, had a highly flexible Bachelorship of Mathematics program. Realizing that I could take around 14 elective courses, including the compulsory electives of the CS department, I saw an opportunity to unofficially pursue a double major with CS. I decided to study mathematics at Bilkent University and utilize my elective courses to take the CS department’s curriculum. This turned out to be a wise decision that I am currently satisfied with and have no regrets about.

With the decision I made above, I started taking almost all of the compulsory CS courses except two (Operating Systems, and 4th year Algorithms course) right from the beginning of my first semester, despite being a Mathematics major. Even though I wouldn’t have a CS diploma, I saw no problem with this because I believed that as long as I had competence and knowledge in the subject matter, I would have no trouble finding jobs in the software industry.

Now, looking back, I realize that my thoughts were accurate. While I can’t speak for other fields, in the realm of software development, the chances of not finding a job despite being skilled in your area are very low. So, whether or not you have a formal diploma isn’t a significant issue as long as you excel in your work. Of course, having a formal background in CS can bring many advantages to your career, including as it can provide networking opportunities, access to internships, and a structured learning environment. However, not having one will not be the end of the world as long as you possess a strong command of your field.

Some of the problems I faced during College

Although I am satisfied with choosing mathematics department and progressing from CS, it doesn’t mean everything about majoring in Mathematics was perfect and without costs.

One problem I faced was that the mathematics education often felt too pedantic compared to other fields. This led to a loss of interest among some students, including myself, in their major. Additionally, taking CS courses alongside Math courses allowed me to see that the time and energy invested in the math classes had potential opportunity costs. I realized that I could have directed that energy toward the pursuits that are more relevant to me. The amount of energy and time I spent on other courses like CS and Philosophy often resulted in understanding the most important aspects, while in Mathematics, it felt more binary - either you understood the topic as a whole or struggled with some concepts.

Furthermore, I frequently encountered the misconception that my degree in mathematics limits me to math-related fields such as tutoring or academia. This highlights a lack of awareness among people about the diverse career opportunities available to mathematics graduates. It sometimes becomes burdensome to explain myself to others and break free from this narrow perception.

What values did studying Math provide to Me for Software Development

One of the important aspects of studying Mathematics is the need for caution in our proofs. Skipping a step can undermine the validity of the entire proof. I sometimes wonder whether this leads people who study math to not take things for granted and be skeptical about implementation details. However, I believe that it has certainly made me more mindful when implementing various concepts, emphasizing the significance of considering potential errors or pitfalls and I also believe that this skill is just as important in software development. Similar to the caution required in mathematical proofs, being skeptical about implementation details and not taking things for granted is vital in ensuring the reliability of our software systems.

In addition to this, like many other majors, studying mathematics has taught me the importance of rigorously expressing my thoughts and ideas. It has also enhanced my endurance when it comes to handling heavy workloads. Passing most of my math courses required substantial study efforts; it was nearly impossible to succeed without dedicated preparation. The time required to excel in math courses often exceeded the time needed to achieve the same grade in other subjects. While I’m unsure if there is a direct correlation between studying math and developing patience, I certainly believe that mathematics demands a significant amount of patience as most mathematical concepts necessitate prolonged concentration and attention to detail.

So is it reasonable for people who want to become programmers to study Math? Probably not. As I mentioned earlier, while studying math can enhance one’s understanding and approach to problem-solving in many ways, the decision ultimately depends on your willingness to invest the required effort. It’s crucial to consider the costs, especially for those who aren’t interested in learning abstract concepts. I chose to study math because I genuinely believed I had an interest in the subject. Moreover, the university I attended provided convenient opportunities to take computer science courses alongside it. However, over the past two years, my enthusiasm for academic mathematics waned as my interests shifted more toward different areas such as Computer Science. Nonetheless, I managed to successfully graduate.

While studying math can bring benefits, I believe it should not be pursued solely for pragmatic reasons. Otherwise, it is more likely to become a burdensome experience rather than an enjoyable one.

My first Works

In the last 3 years of my college (out of 5), I have started to lose my attention regarding my degree. I think this was triggered by the COVID 19 pandemic case, combined with my increasing interest in more pragmatic areas such as investment, financial technologies, and my existing interest in software development. As a result, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I shifted my focus away from mathematics and started exploring cryptocurrencies with a friend of mine. We learned about blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi) and pursued opportunities combining my programming knowledge with his research skills.

One of my first automations regarding DeFi was related to the concept of airdrop. In the realm of decentralized finance (DeFi), an airdrop is a common process of tokens being distributed as rewards for user engagement. What I have done was create a script that bought tokens and sent them to various accounts of ours in the chain to increase the amount of airdrop that we could potentially gain. Although the project detected and addressed the activity, despite not gaining any rewards, this experience introduced me to valuable blockchain & programming concepts (like the patterns often used in the web3.js library and async/await mechanisms).

We didn’t just stop there. We continued to explore opportunities that could be automated and created programs to benefit from it. Our projects included creating an automation tool for purchasing tokens in Initial Dex Offerings (IDOs), developing an automated reinvesting bot for the Yield Yak Auto Compounder, and crafting a market-making bot for DeversiFi, now known as Rhino Finance. While our work might not have been at a professional level, these projects proved sophisticated enough to enhance our skills and grant us the autonomy to research and explore new opportunities. This experience was truly rewarding, as it demonstrated how my programming knowledge could be put to practical use.

My first Job

As I mentioned in the previous section, I began building software projects in the pursuit of earning money even before working for someone else. This unconventional approach eventually made acquiring my first job in the field very easy. It all began when I was casually discussing my recent projects with a friend, who was a CTIS student. He was surprised that I hadn’t applied for a software development job given my knowledge and skills. He recommended me to one of his friends who was thinking about creating a startup to make the opportunities in DeFi more accessible to traditional investors. I underwent technical and non-technical interviews with the CEO and soon started working as a part-time remote software developer for them.

My primary responsibility was a project I had proposed myself. I was tasked with developing a data analytics panel and a data aggregation mechanism to support our researchers in managing funds effectively. The autonomy I had over this project was exciting, but it quickly became evident that the scope of the project exceeded my experience, and the value that it would provide once it was done didn’t seem like would be able to match the effort required. This project became my firsthand encounter with the challenges of project development; time estimation (see: Hofstadter’s Law), increasing complexity due to not knowing best practices (see: No Silver Bullet), etc.

I often found myself in a place where I would want to discuss the decisions I take while developing the project. As a result, all these experiences emphasized the importance of having a mentor (especially in your Junior Developer periods) in navigating such complexities.

A new Mentor

While working at my first Job, I got the opportunity to meet with a very interesting person, as he likes to call himself as well “not your usual hacker”.

In one of my previous essays Switching to Arch Linux I mention how we met in a short passage as follows:

About a year ago, I was invited to a pair coding session at the startup where I was working. The developers were receiving consultancy from a strange person. At one point, he took control of the screen sharing while reviewing some of the pull requests that had been made to our codebase. When he shared his screen, there was nothing but a black screen. Suddenly, a terminal screen appeared with his keystrokes and he quickly began examining the codebase, providing feedback on people’s code at a speed I had never seen before. He was able to jump between different files in an instant, examining the diffs that were made in different git commits.

After seeing what I saw, I thought to myself, ‘If I were able to develop and refactor code at that speed, I would save a lot of time, I could have spent more time thinking about the actual stuff with as little friction as possible. I want to have this power.’ So I have looked at his CV and realized that he was knowledgeable on topics that many developers, including myself, struggle with. Influenced by this, I started asking him (he was our consultant, after all) as many questions as I could and focused on the resources he suggested and the technologies he used.

From that point on, I began to frequently ask him questions about software development and seek his guidance. Luckily, he was usually more than willing to answer my questions. At some point, we admired each other’s thinking style and approach to software development so much that we even started working together on several projects, which have continued for a year now.

Whether it’s related to software development or not, I consider having a mentor to be a significant advantage for improvement. When it comes to learning basic concepts like programming languages and certain frameworks, which are well-documented, having a mentor may not matter much. However, when dealing with complex problems that require interpretation, experience, and a nuanced approach, having a mentor, or at least an advisor, becomes crucial.

I view mentors as a means of gaining refined knowledge, especially in areas where I could potentially stumble into common pitfalls, which could otherwise cost me a significant amount of time.

Mentors, like all things, can be good or bad. A mentor is good if they:

• Want to teach you how to fish instead of merely handing you a fish. This teaching approach may involve providing you with essential keywords to search for solutions to your problems or, at times, demonstrating their methods and approaches through concepts like pair programming, acquainting you with effective problem-solving techniques.
• Give constructive criticism, and they do so by explaining the reasoning behind their assessments of your achievements. This not only helps you understand your areas of improvement but also encourages a deeper comprehension of your work.
• Maintain an open attitude toward new questions. They create an environment where you feel comfortable seeking guidance, knowing that they are genuinely interested in assisting your growth and development.

In my journey as a software developer, From yuempek to gwn. Whenever I’ve come across a new concept or a challenging problem that needs a unique solution, seeking the advice of more experienced individuals has been incredibly helpful.

The bottom line is if you want to improve your skills as a software developer and do it quickly, having a mentor is essential. They offer insights, perspectives, and expertise that can speed up your progress and help you navigate the complexities of the field more effectively.

In Summary

Here are some of the claims I would make based on my computer science journey so far:

• When it comes to learning stuff, don’t ever shy away from getting your hands dirty. You cannot just improve just by watching people doing stuff, after learning new concepts regarding any programming language or so always try to think about what things you can achieve with the limited tools you have at your hand. You will be surprised how many things can be accomplished even with very fundamental stuff. My initial learning process regarding programming was just like this, I would usually just try to execute one of the random ideas that would come which can be accomplished just with the tool I have learned.

• Whether it’s a small or large project, vault them in a place where you can access them later. If possible, you can even make them public on platforms like GitHub or similar platforms. This will not only motivate you to expand your collection of your programs but also enable you to track your progress. It’s a highly satisfying experience to be able to see and showcase the first programs you have written.

• If you are pursuing a degree other than computer science, it’s important not to overestimate the value of a formal computer science education. While such an education certainly has its advantages, like providing a strong foundation in theoretical concepts and algorithms, as well as granting you a legitimate certificate of graduation that signals your proficiency in these subjects, not having a CS degree will not hinder your entry into the software industry. As long as you can demonstrate your ability to complete tasks effectively, people will be interested in hiring you. Whether you hold a degree or not, if you possess the determination and passion required, doors will likely open for you in the software industry.

• Seek mentorship. Learn from those with refined experience. It will significantly speed up your learning pace, especially when trying to understand non-trivial stuff. However, keep in mind that the qualities of your mentor also matter a lot. What I often see is that smart people, just like in other areas as well, are usually better at picking the mentor of their interests as well. It is not just important to have a mentor but also to have a mentor that suits your taste, otherwise, a bad mentor with whom you spent time might come at the cost of a better one.