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Salaries Tips

How well-paid do developers feel?

well paid developers feel thumbnail

Studying wages and compensation can offer insights into the supply and demand of various skill sets in an employment market. Despite recent layoffs across many technology companies, our data indicate that the number of professional developers across the globe continues to rise. A driving factor in the persistent growth of developers worldwide is that modern enterprises recognise the fact that, as technology becomes increasingly intertwined with society, all companies are or will ultimately become technology companies. 

This means that grocery store chains, online commerce platforms, and car manufacturers alike must all compete against one another to attract developers. Compensation is one of the principal means used to vie for said talent. Understanding the compensation landscape for developers can help companies make informed decisions about salary, bonuses, equity, and other benefits they offer to attract and retain skilled developers. Likewise, studying compensation can aid developers in making decisions about their own careers, including negotiating salaries and benefits. 

In this chapter, we present findings from SlashData’s latest Developer Nation survey – the 24th edition – exploring developers’ compensation patterns. We look at differences across regions and note how developers and companies alike, when negotiating compensation, need to take into account differences in costs of living and expenses. Further, we will examine developers’ self-perceptions regarding their salaries and what factors are associated with believing that they are under or overpaid. 

The compensation landscape for professional developers varies greatly across the globe. In our latest survey, we collected information from developers living in more than 160 countries across the globe. As expected, the distribution of reported annual compensation reflects the diversity of respondents and the myriad of personal situations. 

According to our data, 9% of professional developers earn less than $1,000 per year in total compensation – including base salary, bonuses, stock options, and other perks. This group encapsulates many of the developers working part-time, starting off their careers in internships, or working on commission. As expected, reported annual compensation is significantly correlated with overall experience in software development. Hence, as developers gain experience, they are able to command higher compensation. When we control for the differences across the globe, we find that, on average, for every year of experience a developer gains in software development, they earn nearly $4,000 more each year. 

On the upper end of the spectrum, we find that roughly 6% of professional developers earn more than $200,000 per year. According to the World Inequality Database, in almost every country in the world, workers earning above $200K a year belong to the top 1% of earners in that country. This is one indicator that developers’ average compensation is higher than in other sectors of the economy. Below, we break down the average compensation by region to offer a bit more context to the earnings of developers.

Regional differences

North American professional developers report the highest average annual compensation – more than $100,000. The median compensation in the region, however, is closer to $75,000. Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the spectrum, developers working in South Asia report the lowest average compensation of just under $27,000 and the median compensation is around $5,500 per year. As is frequently the case with compensation, those with higher earnings greatly inflate the average, as is evident when we compare the median vs the average annual compensation. 

Anyone who has travelled outside their hometown recognises that the costs of goods and services can vary depending on where you are in the world. Compensation very often reflects these differences in the cost of living. Should developers and companies wish to compare compensation between two locales, considering these differences is crucial. 

As an example, we examine two countries with large developer populations: the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China. The median compensation of developers in the USA is around $75,000 per year. This is five times greater than the median developer compensation in China of $15,000 per year. However, when we account for differences in costs of living using the purchasing power parity index, we see that the average developer in China earning $15,000 per year can afford similar goods and services as a developer in the USA earning $25,000 a year. In practical terms, this means that developers in the USA still generally enjoy a higher wage compared to Chinese developers, but by a lesser margin (3 times more vs 5 times more) than is apparent when we directly compare compensation. 

Perceptions surrounding compensation

On top of asking developers about their current annual compensation, we also asked them about the compensation they think would be fair for their role. Just over half (51%) believe that the compensation they currently receive is fair for their role. Meanwhile, 39% believe they are underpaid, whereas 11% of developers report that their current compensation was more than what they believe is fair for their role. 

To better understand what factors are associated with developers believing they are over or underpaid, we modelled developers’ sentiments about the compensation in their current role. We find that men are significantly more likely to report feeling underpaid in their current role. More specifically, 16% of men report feeling underpaid compared to 11% of women and 14% of developers who identified as non-binary. Conversely, 7% of women feel overpaid compared to 4% of men and 1% of non-binary individuals.

We additionally see that developers with more experience and those working for larger companies are more likely to report feeling underpaid. For each additional year that a developer gains in experience, we estimate that there is approximately a 7% increase in the odds that the developer will report feeling underpaid compared to fairly compensated. This suggests that companies do not financially value experience to the same degree as developers do amongst themselves. 

However, more experience and working for a larger company are both correlated with being compensated higher. This could indicate that more experienced developers working at larger companies have responsibilities that they feel are not commensurate with their compensation. On the other hand, sentiments of being underpaid could also stem from a perception based on a lack of information, being influenced by larger companies’ generally greater profit margins, or unrealistic thinking from the developer. 

Finally, if a developer has an undergraduate degree in software engineering, they are more likely to report feeling underpaid. The odds of a developer with an undergraduate degree in software engineering feeling underpaid vs paid fairly, are 9% greater when compared to all other developers. This effect disappears, however, once developers have a postgraduate degree; as having a postgraduate degree increases the odds of feeling overpaid by 50% compared to not having a postgraduate degree.

This could indicate that companies place a lesser value on undergraduate education than developers perceive they will; possibly leading to the sentiment of feeling underpaid by those who do not yet hold advanced degrees. Other external factors, such as geographical location, also affect how a developer perceives their compensation, likely due to cost of living differences, as discussed in the previous section. 

Compensation is often considered a difficult topic to discuss and research due to the taboo nature of discussing money in many companies and cultures. Our aim with this chapter is to open up the conversation surrounding developer compensation with our analysis.

Do you like data such as the above?

If you’re a professional or hobbyist developer into Web, Mobile, Desktop, Cloud, Industrial IoT, Consumer Electronics, Embedded Software, AR & VR, Apps/extensions for 3rd-party ecosystems, Games, Machine Learning & AI, and Data science, we would like to hear your voice.

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Tips Tools

Artificial Intelligence Developer Toolkit: Essential Tools and Frameworks for AI Development

artificial inteligence thumbnail

Artificial Intelligence has been around for a long time. People have studied it and have made progress but it’s only in recent years that people have started to recognize how AI is being used. Research on AI shows how much it can affect different industries in the years to come.

AI can be used correctly to enhance the human experience as a whole. AI is used for automation so that processes that are tedious and repetitive can be done easily. Automation is needed by different industries. Whether it is businesses that are focused on healthcare or those who are running their Ecommerce website, automation is going to play a huge role in how consumers will use apps and purchase other needed items.

Importance of Essential Tools and Frameworks for AI Development

An AI engineer can work better with the right tools and frameworks to develop the right apps that people will love. People from various industries who would like to start an AI project should understand that there are always different requirements that are needed. Some tools and frameworks can work well together depending on the project being created.

A wide variety of tools and frameworks are thoroughly discussed by other professionals on the internet. They are available in forums, on some websites, and even through videos. An artificial intelligence developer will have no issues in trying to find the right information for a project.

Data Preparation and Preprocessing

If there is one thing that is crucial in data preparation and processing, it is data quality. Machines are created by people and they will not work unless people have set them up very well. It has always been said that people are only as good as their mentors. If they want to become better, they need experience, they need more than one mentor, and they need different inputs and outputs. 

This is the same with the machines for AI. The data quality can highly impact the reliability of the machines. The accuracy and performance of the machine will only be as good as the people who are making the machines work. Artificial intelligence programmers are aware of this fact. This is why they always make an effort to provide a diverse and quality dataset to the machines.

Tools and Techniques for Data Cleaning, Transformation, and Feature Engineering

Good data and bad data can help businesses. Recognizing the bad data can eliminate the extra work that will be done to create the right dataset for any industry. Data cleaning is not people’s favorite activity but it is required to create the right type of data for the project.

It is through data cleaning that bad data can be weeded out from the dataset. Once this is figured out, the issues will be properly corrected. Some data can be considered unfixable which means that they need to be removed.

The usual reasons for unclean or bad data are the following:

  • Human error
  • Getting scrap data
  • Combining data from different sources

The use of bad data can make businesses spend more money than they should which is why it should be eradicated.

To do effective data cleaning, transformation, and engineering, these are the techniques to do:

  • Get rid of duplicates – You can get duplicated entries when you get information from different sources. Get rid of duplicates so that you will not skew the results.
  • Get rid of irrelevant data – Data that is not important to the project will only slow down the results. Remove things that will add nothing to the data that you have.
  • Make sure that text is consistent – One way that you can do this is by standardizing capitalization. Those who can also do NLP labeling can help with this.
  • Clear formatting – Most machines are unable to read data accurately if the data is heavily formatted. You may be dealing with different formats especially if you have gotten your data from various sources. Clear formatting and the data will be read smoothly.
  • Carefully remove errors from the data – This should be done to get a reliable dataset. Key findings might become hard to see if you do not clean the errors immediately.

Machine Learning and Deep Learning Frameworks

Machine learning is continuously growing and it can provide the smart solutions that businesses from different industries need. The frameworks can be understood better because of the libraries, interfaces, and tools that are available for people to view and study.

TensorFlow

This is created by Google’s Brain Team and it can be used for Python. It uses dataflow graphs to create and process data. This is preferred by those who do AI development because the learning models are easy to build. It can also be used for powerful research and experimentation.

PyTorch

This is a framework created by Facebook’s AI Research Lab also known as FAIR. This can be used for different libraries such as Python and C++. The framework is designed to be scaled and improved so that it can become more flexible depending on the project that you are making. This is best for people who are already familiar with C and C++ as there are some similarities.

Scikit-Learn

This is an open-source data analysis library which is usually one of the first choices when people want to do machine learning for Python. This can be helpful for data that needs to be segmented depending on the algorithm. It will also have the ability to recognize data based on the patterns that it shows. 

Natural Language Processing Tools

NLP tools and techniques are very helpful for AI as they can make AI more accurate. The process can also be done in a faster time as compared to not using the right NLP tools. NLP allows applications to do more every day. People can also gain more every day because of this. The more that technology improves, the more sophisticated the algorithms that become available.

Essential NLP Libraries and Tools

People who are searching for IT jobs in Germany usually try to increase the number of skills that they have. Still, they cannot just rely on their skills. They need to make an effort to learn more about the libraries and tools that they can use.

  • Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK) – This is a library that supports various tasks from text segmentation to semantic reasoning in Python. This is the main tool that professionals use for NLP and machine learning.
  • TextBlob – This is the tool that most beginners use when they want to make better experiences while still exploring Python and NLTK. This can help design people’s prototypes.
  • Core NLP – This is one of the tools that can be used when you are using Java. It is required that you have Java installed on your device before you can use this for different processes like sentiment analysis and part-of-speech tagger.

Model Evaluation and Deployment

How sure are you that your machine is providing the type of data that you are looking for? You need AI development services from a trusted company or professionals. They should know the different techniques to check the accuracy of the AI model that has been created.

Accuracy

This is the most widely used metric for model evaluation. This will show you the ratio between the corrected values and the data that you have placed on the machine. This will also show you if the classes that you are trying to analyze are imbalanced.

Precision

This will provide the percentage of the predicted positive instances. This will let you know if the model is giving you information about how right the machine is when it says that it can accurately read the data.

Specificity

The percentage of the negative instances are being measured against the actual total of the negative instances. This can be the most effective if you want to measure the actual number of people who have indicated negatives in the data set vs what the machine says is the percentage of negative instances.

Machine learning is not something new. An artificial intelligence development company can offer professionals who can use the right tools to deploy AI and machine learning easily. People have already learned a lot of details about it and it is expected to become more accurate in the years to come. 

Different machine learning tools might become steeper for beginners especially if they do not know anything about the processes. The sheer determination of people can weed out those who can become good at it.

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Community Tips

8 Java Programming Tricks Every Java Developer Should Know

8 Java Programming Tricks

Java is one of the most popular programming languages in the programming world, used by millions of developers to build complex software systems and applications. As a Java developer, it’s essential to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques to remain competitive and produce high-quality code. In this article, we’ll explore eight Java programming tricks every Java developer should know, including how java developers for hire can help you implement them in your projects.

  • Use Lambda Expressions

Lambda expressions are a powerful feature introduced in Java 8 that allow you to write functional-style code with less boilerplate. With lambda expressions, you can define a method as a parameter to another method, reducing the amount of code you need to write. For example, instead of writing:

List<String> names = new ArrayList<>();
for (Person person : people) {
    names.add(person.getName());
}

You can use a lambda expression like this:

List<String> names = people.stream()
.map(Person::getName)
.collect(Collectors.toList());

This code is more concise and easier to read, making your code more maintainable.

  • Use Optional Instead of Nulls

Nulls can cause many problems in Java code, including NullPointerExceptions, which can be difficult to debug. Instead of using nulls, use the Optional class, which allows you to represent an object that may or may not be present. Optional provides a safer and more elegant way to handle nulls in your code.

  • Use Streams for Collection Operations
    Streams provide a concise and powerful way to perform operations on collections in Java. With streams, you can perform operations like filtering, mapping, and reducing without the need for complex loops or temporary collections. Streams can significantly simplify your code and make it easier to read and maintain.
  • Use String.format for String Concatenation
    String concatenation can be a performance bottleneck in Java code, especially when concatenating large strings. Instead of using the + operator, use the String.format method to concatenate strings. String.format creates a formatted string that you can customize with placeholders and arguments, making your code more readable and efficient. 
public class StrFormat  
{  
    /* Driver Code */  
    public static void main(String args[])  
    {  
        String s1 = new String("Hello");    //String 1  
        String s2 = new String(" World");    //String 2  
        String s = String.format("%s%s",s1,s2);   //String 3 to store the result  
            System.out.println(s.toString());  //Displays result  
    }  
}
  • Use Immutable Objects

Immutable objects are objects whose state cannot be changed after creation. Immutable objects are thread-safe and can simplify your code by eliminating the need for locks or synchronization. Use immutable objects whenever possible to improve the performance and reliability of your code.

String name = "baeldung";
String newName = name.replace("dung", "----");
assertEquals("baeldung", name);
assertEquals("bael----", newName);
  • Use Interface Default Methods

Default methods were introduced in Java 8 and allow you to add methods to an interface without breaking existing implementations. Default methods provide a powerful way to extend existing interfaces and create more flexible and maintainable code.

import java.time.*; 
public interface TimeClient {
    void setTime(int hour, int minute, int second);
    void setDate(int day, int month, int year);
    void setDateAndTime(int day, int month, int year,
                               int hour, int minute, int second);
    LocalDateTime getLocalDateTime();
}
  • Use Reflection Sparingly

Reflection is a powerful but dangerous feature in Java that allows you to inspect and modify the behaviour of a program at runtime. Reflection can be slow and error-prone, and should only be used when necessary. If possible, use other features of Java, such as interfaces, to achieve your goals.

import java.lang.reflect.*;

 
   public class DumpMethods {
      public static void main(String args[])
      {
         try {
            Class c = Class.forName(args[0]);
            Method m[] = c.getDeclaredMethods();
            for (int i = 0; i < m.length; i++)
            System.out.println(m[i].toString());
         }
         catch (Throwable e) {
            System.err.println(e);
         }
      }
   }
  • Use Enumerations Instead of Constants

Enumerations are a more powerful and flexible way to represent constants in Java. Enumerations allow you to group related constants and define their behaviour, making your code more expressive and maintainable. Use enumerations whenever possible to avoid the problems associated with traditional constants.

public class Main {
  enum Level {
    LOW,
    MEDIUM,
    HIGH
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    Level myVar = Level.MEDIUM; 
    System.out.println(myVar);
  }
}
  • Use Try-With-Resources for Resource Management
    Try-With-Resources is a feature introduced in Java 7 that allows you to automatically close resources such as files, sockets, and database connections after they are no longer needed. Try-With-Resources can simplify your code and ensure that resources are always properly closed, reducing the risk of resource leaks and other problems.
  • Use Javadoc to Document Your Code
    Javadoc is a powerful tool for documenting your Java code. With Javadoc, you can create professional-looking documentation for your code that can be easily shared with other developers. Javadoc can also help you understand your own code better and identify potential problems and bugs.
  • Use Dependency Injection for Loose Coupling
    Dependency Injection is a design pattern that promotes loose coupling between components of a system. With Dependency Injection, you can inject dependencies into a class instead of creating them inside the class, reducing the complexity and dependencies of your code. Dependency Injection can also make your code more flexible and easier to test, making it a valuable technique for Java developers to learn.

Use Unit Testing for Quality Assurance

Unit Testing is a crucial technique for ensuring the quality and correctness of your Java code. With Unit Testing, you can test individual units of code in isolation, identifying and fixing problems before they become larger issues. Unit Testing can also improve the maintainability of your code by ensuring that changes and updates don’t introduce unexpected side effects or bugs. As a Java developer, it’s essential to understand and practise Unit Testing to produce high-quality, reliable code.

Conclusion

Java developers for hire can help you implement these programming tricks in your projects. The tricks we mentioned can improve the quality and efficiency of your code, and help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques in Java programming. But if you need to do it asap, Java developers for hire can help you implement these programming tricks in your projects.

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Community Tips

Why Custodial Wallets Remain Popular Among Some Crypto Users

Custodial Wallets

For storing, transmitting, and receiving digital assets, cryptocurrency wallets are crucial tools. Custodial and non-custodial wallets are the two major varieties that are available. A third party, like an exchange, manages custodial wallets, whereas non-custodial wallets allow users complete control over their assets. Although non-custodial wallets have become more common, some bitcoin users still choose custody-based wallets. We examine the benefits of custodial wallets for some cryptocurrency investors in this article.

Convenience and simplicity of use
Custodial wallets are still widely used for a number of reasons, including their practicality and simplicity. Cryptocurrency exchanges frequently provide custody wallets, making it simple for customers to maintain their digital assets in addition to their trading. When contrasting custodial wallets vs non-custodial wallets the former frequently offers an easier user experience since users are relieved of the responsibility of storing their backup phrases and private keys, which can be burdensome and confusing for certain users. Instead, individuals may easily access their assets by logging into their account anytime they need to.

Giving up control of one’s digital assets to a third-party provider is the price one pays for this convenience. On the other hand, non-custodial wallets provide users more privacy and control over their assets, but they also require them to take responsibility for managing their own private keys and security protocols. In the end, whether a user chooses a custodial or non-custodial wallet will depend on their desire for convenience against control.

Insurance and security
Users with non-custodial wallets have greater control over their digital assets, but there is also more danger and responsibility involved. A user could never again be able to access their assets, for example, if they lose their private key. Furthermore, if malware infects a user’s computer or gadget, their digital assets could be taken. Custody wallets, on the other hand, provide extra security measures like two-factor verification and advanced encryption techniques. Customers can feel more secure knowing that the vast majority of reliable custodial wallet suppliers also offer insurance against asset loss or theft.

Assistance and client services
Custodial wallets also have the advantage of the support and customer service provided by the wallet provider. If a user encounters any issues with their wallet, the provider’s support team is frequently able to assist them. This might be quite beneficial for inexperienced bitcoin users who may have questions or concerns about their wallet. Additionally, custodial wallet providers usually hire a larger team of engineers and security experts that are dedicated to ensuring the dependability and security of their platform. Updates and solutions for any possible issues could be provided more quickly as a consequence.

Integration with trading platforms and exchanges
Custody wallets also offer easy communication with bitcoin exchanges and trading systems. Due to the fact that custodial wallets are frequently supplied by exchanges, users may easily move money between their wallet and their trading account. This may prove to be of great assistance to active traders who need to move their assets quickly and successfully. Users may get a more complete view of their trading habits with the use of advanced trading capabilities and statistics that can be included in custody wallets.

Adherence to regulations
Last but not least, businesses and institutional investors typically choose custodial wallets since they adhere to standards. Since they are typically registered with regulatory entities, suppliers of custody wallets must adhere to strict security and reporting standards. This may be of particular significance to businesses that may be the target of regulatory audits or compliance inspections. Additionally, custodial wallets can offer more accountability and transparency, which makes them a more desirable option for institutional investors.

Opportunities to earn interest

Another reason for the ongoing popularity of custody wallets is the chance to make money that they provide. By creating an interest-bearing account with some providers of custody-based wallets, users may earn a return on their digital assets. Custodial wallets can provide interest rates that are far higher than those of traditional savings accounts, making them an attractive option for anybody looking to enhance their bitcoin holdings. In addition, some providers of custodial wallets provide staking services, which let users be compensated for participating in the network’s consensus mechanism. This might prove to be quite advantageous for those who hold certain cryptocurrencies that offer stacking bonuses.

Reduced fees

Custodial wallets may also be less expensive than non-custodial ones. Customers usually benefit from lower transaction fees when transferring assets between their wallet and their exchange account since custodial wallets are commonly provided by cryptocurrency exchanges. Additionally, suppliers of custodial wallets could charge less for certain services like trading or cash withdrawals. This can be especially useful for users who wish to lower their transaction costs and boost their earnings.

Conclusion
In conclusion, some cryptocurrency users continue to choose custodial wallets because of how convenient and simple they are to use. By handling the protection and storage of digital files, they provide a more user-friendly experience, but at the expense of ceding control to a third-party supplier. Non-custodial wallets provide users more freedom and privacy, but they also force them to take care of their own security precautions. Ultimately, the user’s interests and preferences will determine whether they choose a custodial or non-custodial wallet.

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Tips

The State of Blockchain Development

The distributed transaction ledgers and smart contracts that comprise blockchain technologies have applications in a wide range of industries, particularly in finance, logistics, and government. Today, we present an overview of who is involved in blockchain development and which blockchain platforms they use. Earlier on, we discussed the state of blockchain development in detail in our webinar and you can find a link to watch it below.

Engagement with blockchain technologies

Of the three blockchain technologies we track in our survey, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) garner the least attention from developers – 58% of them show no interest, likely due to its perception as a novelty technology. On the other hand, cryptocurrencies are most salient to developers – 27% are either learning about or currently working on such projects, and non-cryptocurrency blockchain technologies are very close behind, with 25% of developers similarly involved. We discussed this topic in detail in our webinar on the state of Blockchain Development. 

We will focus solely on blockchain applications other than cryptocurrencies, as these technologies have the widest range of use cases and thus the most potential to shape our world. We’ll begin by looking at developers’ engagement with blockchain technologies from a regional standpoint and then through the lens of experience in software development. Finally, we’ll give an overview of which blockchain platforms are being used.

blockchain platforms being used

A regional view of Engagement with blockchain applications

Engagement with blockchain applications other than cryptocurrencies, referred to as blockchain applications from here on, varies greatly depending on where developers are located. North America and East Asia excluding Greater China are hotbeds of blockchain development – 15% and 12% of developers in these regions, respectively, are currently working on blockchain applications, with another 17% learning about the technology in both regions. 

“North America and East Asia are hotbeds of blockchain development”

Further down the list, we see that while the Middle East & Africa has a smaller proportion of developers actively working on blockchain projects; it has the highest incidence of those learning about them (20%). This suggests that the Middle East & Africa could well become important for blockchain development in the future. Indeed, given the region’s history of rapid adoption of new foundational technologies – exemplified by Africa’s mobile banking revolution – blockchain applications in finance and banking are particularly exciting here – though the data suggests that there may still be some way to go. 

“Finance and banking professionals in the Middle East and Africa are more interested in blockchain technologies than finance and banking professionals in other regions”

About a quarter of professional developers in the Middle East & Africa who are interested in blockchain technologies are also working in the finance and banking sector. It seems these developers have seen the potential for this technology to shape and disrupt the sector and are getting a head start. Looking at this from the other side, we see that the proportion of finance and banking professionals who are currently working on or learning about blockchain applications is broadly in line with the average for the region (31% vs 33%). However, the proportion who are interested in blockchain applications is 29% higher (37% vs 29%). This is the highest incidence of interest in blockchain applications amongst finance and banking professionals across any region and indicates that blockchain applications could play a pivotal role in this industry in the future.

blockchain projects per region

How does experience affect engagement with blockchain applications?

Developers with 6-10 years of experience are the most likely to work on blockchain projects. It’s likely that these developers have reached the point in their career where their technical skills are sufficiently advanced to enable them to work on such demanding projects. On the other hand, we see that the least and most experienced developers are the most likely to be disinterested in such projects. Those with less than a year under their belts have yet to build their knowledge, while the most experienced developers may be looking to maintain some stability in their career and are reluctant to change tack.

“Many of the least experienced developers are actively learning about blockchain technologies. They constitute a strong pipeline of future contributors”

Developers with 11-15 years under their belts show the most passive interest in blockchain applications – whilst they aren’t learning about or working on such projects, 32% are interested in some way. These developers are at the zenith of their careers and whilst they are some of the least likely to be learning about the technology, they are also some of the most likely to be currently working on it. These developers are likely keeping a close eye on developments in the space – should they spot an opportunity, they will be able to pivot their considerable experience to become effective contributors to the space.

How does experience affect engagement with blockchain applications

Interestingly, although we see that the least experienced developers are less likely than their counterparts with 1-15 years of experience to be currently working on blockchain applications, they are only slightly less likely to be learning about these projects. This demonstrates that although they lack the skills to be active contributors, the myriad applications and potential of blockchain applications are a powerful draw. We can expect that, as learning materials improve and the barriers to entry reduce – as is the case with many technologies – over the next few years, developers will be able to get involved in blockchain projects much earlier in their careers.

Which blockchain platforms are most popular?

Looking at the specific blockchain platforms that developers report using, we see that Ethereum is clearly dominant amongst learners and those actively developing alike. It’s also unique amongst the blockchain technologies that we ask about, in that it is the only one which is more popular amongst those learning about the technology than those who are currently working on it. This indicates that Ethereum’s ecosystem is in good shape – not only is it large, but it also has a healthy pipeline of new contributors. 

Although new contributors are certainly good news – the utility of a blockchain rises with the number of applications that use it – a large influx can also create problems. For example, too many transactions on a network can slow things down severely and greatly increase the price of a transaction. For example, when CryptoKitties surged in popularity, the cost of a transaction on the Ethereum network increased ninefold, from ~$50 to over $450. Such is the price of success. This said, Ethereum’s recent transition to a proof-of-stake model is expected to reduce energy consumption by 99.95% and makes the platform more scalable, secure, and sustainable, potentially mitigating this pitfall.

“The Binance blockchain platform benefits from its association with the Binance crypto exchange and its interoperability with the Ethereum blockchain”

Further down the list, Binance Smart Chain is the second most widely used blockchain platform and is used significantly more by active developers than learners. Here, the Binance Smart Chain not only benefits from its association with the Binance cryptocurrency trading platform, but also its interoperability with the Ethereum blockchain. We also see a similar story with the IBM Blockchain platform – this platform is based on open-source blockchain technology managed by the Linux foundation and clearly benefits from the backing of these two large organisations and their developer and business communities.

most popular blockchain platforms

Despite the hype, blockchain technologies are still somewhat in their infancy. Blockchain, much like cloud computing fifteen or so years ago, has the potential to underpin and enable many other technologies and experiences, but as we saw earlier, only 9% of developers are currently working on such projects. Rather than affecting an instant technological transformation, blockchain technologies have the opportunity to become a foundational technology on which our digital experience sits, much like TCP-IP – the building blocks of the internet – and developers will be key players in shaping this particular view of the future.

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Why Learning to Code Is the Ultimate Skill for Future-Proofing Your Career

Future-Proofing Your Career

As technology continues to shape the world we live in, it’s becoming increasingly clear that learning to code is one of the ultimate skills for future-proofing your career. With the demand for technology skills rapidly growing across all industries, the ability to code is no longer just a valuable asset but an essential one. 

Coding is a great skill on its own, but it can even enhance your existing skills such as writing or marketing. In this article, we’ll explore why learning to code is so important and how it can help you future-proof your career with practical advice that will further your learning.

Why You Should Learn Coding

Firstly, let’s consider the job market. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and information technology jobs are projected to grow by 11% between 2019 and 2029, much faster than the average for all other occupations. 

This growth is expected to create tens of thousands of new jobs in the field, making it one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. By learning to code, you position yourself to take advantage of this growth, opening up a world of exciting career opportunities in technology.

Tech Takeover

Moreover, technology is rapidly transforming the way we work across all industries, from healthcare to finance to retail. As businesses become more reliant on technology to stay competitive, the demand for tech-savvy professionals who can develop, implement and maintain technology solutions is skyrocketing. 

By learning to code, you develop a growth mindset that allows you to stay current with the latest trends and technologies. This not only helps you stay relevant in the job market but also allows you to continually improve your coding skills and take on new challenges throughout your career.

Professional Growth

In addition to the job market benefits, learning to code can also enhance your problem-solving skills, creativity, and critical thinking abilities. Coding requires you to think logically, break down complex problems into manageable parts, and find creative solutions to technical challenges. 

These skills are transferable to many other areas of life and can be applied to problem-solving outside of coding. For example, problem-solving skills in coding are easily applicable to the logistical aspects of sales work. Finding the fastest and most cost-effective way to tackle a problem is something that coding instills in its pupils.

Fulfilling Career Path

Furthermore, coding is a skill that can be used to build and create, making it an incredibly fulfilling pursuit. The ability to build and bring ideas to life through coding is a powerful tool, allowing you to create software, websites, and apps that can further your financial future. By learning to code, you gain the ability to create things that matter and make a difference in people’s lives.

Not to mention, coders aren’t going to be hurting for opportunities for a long while. Even with the rise of AI,  there’s always going to be value in a human developer who is willing to work with a team. 

Your career path can help you build wealth, it can help you in the future in case you need to work on your credit score and take out a loan as employment history is one of the things lenders will review.

The Basics Of Learning How To Code

So, how can you start learning to code? There are many resources available online, including coding boot camps, online courses, and coding communities where you can connect with other developers and learn from their experiences. 

Pick And Stick To One Programming Language

There are many programming languages to choose from, such as Python, JavaScript, and Ruby on Rails that could be the foundations of your first project.

There are too many languages out there to list down, but what’s more important than your first language is sticking to that language for at least a year.

 Programming at its core involves using instructions to tell a computer what to do. You can’t learn the basics if you keep changing languages while learning. Most computer languages aren’t all that different, so it’s best to stick with a language you find relevant to your goals.

Practice Consistently

Practice, as always, makes perfect, and the same goes for programming. Start with simpler projects and gradually work your way to more meaty projects. There are many online resources available to help you learn to code, such as Codecademy, FreeCodeCamp, and Udemy.

As far as scheduling goes, make sure to set aside a set amount of hours each week where you’re learning new things. Coding doesn’t have to be rushed, but you do need to be learning something every week. Stagnancy is the enemy of progress, and to avoid that, make sure you always have time to practice coding.

Connect With The Community

Programming is often a collaborative effort, and working with others can help you learn faster and get feedback on your code. Join online communities, attend meetups, and contribute to open-source projects to expand your knowledge.

The community is also a great avenue to vent your frustrations and worries. All these developers have had their own wellness issues. They can help you work your way through the tougher parts of coding in ways that are relatable to you. 

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Tips

Working in corporate to founding a developer first company

Working in corporate

Last month I got a chance to sit and talk with Darshan Shivashankar, founder and CEO of APIWiz on our brand new podcast. We two have collaborated in the past on API lifecycle management workshop and Darshan being a technical founder, whenever we talk our conversations tend to go in all places technical. So catch up on everything we discussed in this 50 minutes episode but here’s a quick summary or gist if you will for someone who needs more buy in before lending the episode their ears.

Darshan has 15+ years of experience in industry building technical solutions especially when it comes to designing API programs for companies looking for Digital transformation. In the past Darshan has worked with various industries from telecom to healthcare, FinTech to Neo banks. Though now a founder of developer first company, Darshan shared he never envisioned or planned his career to follow a fixed trajectory. Opportunities started coming in as he worked on more advanced projects and with right problem solving mindset and experience, he was acing the digital transformation process of the industries he worked in, sometimes leading and even starting their API first journey. 

Darshan figured out the technical debt associated with APIs journey of organisations wherein teams work in Silos, leading to a lack in collaboration, reliability and consistency in governance. If you’ve worked in APIs development for a big project or digital transformation mission, then you could easily relate to it. This is where Darshan felt a need for a solution that could help in API lifecycle management. After validating this idea within his network he realised that indeed there is a requirement for such a solution but not an immediate urgency to have that in place. This gave Darshan and team the opportunity to bootstrap their journey building APIWiz, focusing on addressing Developer centric problems.

I asked Darshan if he’s still involved in the development of the product and he mentioned he was actually writing code till very recently but now he’s more involved in hiring, planning and giving direction to the product, though he still knows the codebase in and out and is always ready to pull up his sleeve and get down to programming and tracking bugs whenever required, which for me was really inspiring to listen. The team at APIWiz is now scaled up after they raised funds from their investors and that’s where Darshan focused on hiring the candidate with right vision and mindset, as he believes tools and skills can be learned at job but problem solving attitude can’t be taught. Darshan also mentioned motivating team members to fill the job roles needed within the organisation enabling them to explore more arenas to work and fit in. 

I also asked Darshan where he sees industry heading and things he’s most excited about but I’m gonna tease, as he really has a deep and interesting perspective on this one which I feel you should listen straight from the Podcast to better understand it. 

P.S : eBPF and Raspberry Pis were mentioned 😛

Darshan also shared the struggles associated with starting a company from scratch, the role of support from family members, friends and people within your network and great tips for anyone just starting out fresh in tech and wanna make big, making this one of my favourite episodes.

If you listen to it don’t forget to share it with your friends who might learn a thing or two from this podcast. As always I’m always looking forward to your feedback to make this podcast better and if you have any guest suggestions feel free to share it via the comment section below.

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Community Tips

Protecting APIs by Merging Tools and Security Best Practices

protecting APIs

Rapid uptake in adoption by industries ranging from banking to retail to autonomous vehicles of customer- and partner-facing and internal application programming interfaces (APIs) to drive internet traffic has resulted in an equally rapid growth in endpoint attacks – more than 11 billion over just 18 months according to a report from edge computing security leader Akamai. It makes sense that they are more vulnerable to threats from malicious actors, given API endpoints’ similarity to internet-facing web servers, and their role as pipelines between divergent platforms.

For DevSecOps teams, protecting APIs is a top priority; they are vital to mobile, SaaS, and web applications and paramount to a healthy software development lifecycle. API security is also a natural extension of DevSecOps’ push to break down silos between development, security, and operations and move toward automation and design that integrates security as a shared responsibility. 

Thus, it is time to view API security not as an external bottleneck, but as a part of a stable long-term strategy. This can be achieved by altering company attitudes and investing in API tools that facilitate testing, enforce governance standards, and automate recurring security tasks.

Adopt an API-as-a-Product Strategy

A primary reason digital transformation efforts have failed for many brands is because they do not see APIs adding value. As such, they’ve lost track of the potential return on investment (ROI) APIs can deliver. When APIs are not viewed as assets or value-generating, they aren’t subject to the appropriate level of protection or security performance oversight. In fact, Akamai’s report highlighted the fact that many enterprises relegate API security checks to the end of the lifecycle and rely on traditional network security solutions which aren’t designed to protect against the attacks to which APIs are subject.

This is starting to change, however, as API-as-a-Product strategies gain traction within the developer community. There is a notable shift away from delivering project features based on budgets and deadlines to holistically examining APIs as products and assessing their capabilities. Further, as the concept of monetizing APIs gains prominence, their protection becomes a higher priority at the outset, with organizations more inclined to adopt a human-centered design approach. 

What this means is moving API regression tests to the forefront rather than treating them as an afterthought. It means adopting a design-first approach – wherein everyone on the team speaks the same language and every tool is able to leverage the same design – from the outset with the help of an API management platform. This will also help ensure that APIs are built on established authentication and authorization mechanisms such OAuth 2.0, which is the industry-standard protocol for authorization, and OpenID Connect.

API testing tools are critical for protecting something upon which most services in use daily rely. These tools let developers see if an API is reacting adequately to unexpected inputs or possible security attacks. They show immediately if an application is running with optimized functionality, reliability, and security.

Whether it is running user authentication, parameter tampering, unhandled HTTP, or fuzz testing, it is imperative to test an API contract to ensure that services can communicate and that the data they share is consistent with a specified set of rules or standards. Further, there are many solutions in the API testing market, including cross-cloud API testing software, software that supports asynchronous testing and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) integrations, and end-to-end testing – as well as solutions that support various formats eliminating the need for developers to learn new languages. 

Continuous testing is essential across the DevSecOps pipeline, as is robust test coverage based on API contracts that have been designed and approved. Plus, by chaining together complex API transactions and workflows, cases can be tested on-demand using continuous delivery or CI/CD to reduce downtime. 

Security in 360-degree Lifecycle Management

While API security considerations have typically been an afterthought to ever-increasing business demands, the reality is that no enterprise can afford for software security checks to be the last stage of an API lifecycle. Rather, security must be part of a 360-degree API lifecycle management strategy. It should be incorporated into every level, from planning and design to developing, testing, and release management – all the way out to deprecation.

Developers must also have oversight throughout the entire API lifecycle – which is where an API management platform comes into play. A dedicated platform can provide workflow visualizers that show an API’s complete lifecycle in a single view with issue alerts, which helps accelerate production using CI/CD in the DevSecOps pipeline to build trusted artifacts and more rapid iterations, thereby guaranteeing a security-first mindset. 

API tools also allow perimeter scans, which enable the discovery and inventory of APIs and allow for easy breakdowns for DevSecOps teams to work with. The best platforms will leverage a command line interface (CLI) – a unified tool for managing and controlling multiple services from the command line or with automation through scripts – to make APIs more easily discoverable. The team can easily determine where and how many APIs are deployed; a level of visibility that is mandatory for enterprises. 

Tools for Success

In short, an API team is only as successful as the set of tools at its disposal.

API security best practices are no mystery to seasoned security professionals – and they start with establishing solid API security policies through an API management platform. 

Finally, a collaborative approach to API governance – in line with the DevSecOps mission to eliminate siloes – is imperative for any organization’s security. 

About APIWizAPIwiz is a low-code, API automation platform allowing developers to build and release reliable APIs quickly. With APIwiz, API teams have complete control, visibility, and predictability over their entire API program, allowing organizations to stay open and connected.

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Community Tips

Ruby on Rails vs .Net Core: Detailed Comparison

Many web development frameworks out there in the market are claimed to be the best and most reliable for your project. But what is the reality? Are they even as qualified as hyped? 

Today in this article, we are going to discuss two such best frameworks Ruby on Rails and .NET Core. Because of these frameworks’ unique capabilities and the wide range of benefits they offer, RoR developers and top .NET development companies are always in demand among modern businesses. 

What makes these frameworks so powerful and reliable? Which one of them is more suitable for your web development project? Well, let’s find the answers by discussing what these frameworks are and what are their pros and cons. 

Ruby on Rails 

Ruby on Rails follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern, which separates an application into three main components: the model, which represents the data and business logic; the view, which handles the presentation of the data; and the controller, which serves as an intermediary between the model and view, processing user requests and handling the flow of data.

Ruby on Rails emphasizes convention over configuration, which means that it provides a set of standard conventions and best practices for building web applications, allowing developers to quickly build applications without writing a lot of code from scratch. Rails also follow the Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY) principle, which encourages developers to avoid duplicating code and to keep their codebase as concise as possible.

Ruby on Rails provides a wide range of built-in tools and libraries for tasks such as database management, testing, and security, making it a popular choice for building web applications. It is also known for its strong community support, with many open-source libraries and resources available for developers to use.

Advantages of Ruby on Rails 

Here are some of the key advantages of using Ruby on Rails for web development:

  1. Rapid development: RoR follows the “convention over configuration” principle, which means that it provides a set of standard conventions and best practices that allow developers to quickly build web applications without writing a lot of code from scratch. 
  1. Productivity: RoR provides a rich set of built-in tools and libraries that allow developers to focus on building their applications, rather than worrying about low-level implementation details. 
  1. Scalability: RoR is designed to be scalable, allowing developers to build applications that can handle a large number of users and traffic. RoR also provides built-in support for caching, which can help improve application performance and scalability.
  1. Flexibility: Ruby on Rails also supports a wide range of databases and platforms, allowing developers to choose the technologies that best suit their needs. This makes it one of the most flexible development frameworks available in the market. 
  1. Community support: RoR web development framework is supported by a large community of developers who continuously keep contributing to the framework by building new open-source tools and libraries. This community support can be invaluable for developers who need help or guidance on specific aspects of their development projects.

Limitations of Ruby on Rails 

While Ruby on Rails offers many advantages for web development, there are also some limitations to consider. Here are some of the key limitations of using Rails for web development:

  1. Learning curve: Although Ruby on Rails is designed to be developer-friendly, it can still have a steep learning curve for beginners. RoR has its own set of conventions and patterns that can take some time to understand and master.
  1. Performance: While RoR is designed to be scalable, its performance can be slower compared to some other web frameworks. This can be a concern for applications that require high performance, such as those with large numbers of concurrent users or high volumes of data.
  1. Resource-intensive: RoR can be resource-intensive, especially in terms of memory usage. This means that web applications built with Ruby on Rails may require more server resources than those built with other web frameworks.
  1. Updates and compatibility issues: Since RoR is an open-source framework, updates, and compatibility issues can arise. Developers need to stay up-to-date with the latest version of RoR and its dependencies to avoid compatibility issues and potential security vulnerabilities.
  1. Not suitable for all projects: While RoR is a flexible framework, it may not be suitable for all types of projects. For example, projects that require low-level control over hardware or operating systems may require a more specialized framework.

.NET Core 

.NET Core is a free, open-source, cross-platform, modular, and high-performance framework for building modern, cloud-based applications. It is developed by Microsoft and is designed to be a modern and flexible successor to the .NET Framework.

.NET Core supports multiple programming languages, including C#, F#, and Visual Basic, and can be used to build a range of applications, including web applications, microservices, desktop applications, and gaming applications.

.NET Core is designed to be modular, flexible, and lightweight, allowing developers to build applications that can run on a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS. It provides a set of standard libraries and tools that developers can use to build web applications, desktop applications, mobile applications, and more.

.NET Core also includes ASP.NET Core, a web framework that allows developers to build web applications using .NET Core. ASP.NET Core provides a range of features for building web applications, including support for Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture, Razor Pages, middleware, and more.

Advantages of .NET Core 

There are several advantages to using .NET Core for developing web and cloud-based applications. Here are some of the key advantages of .NET Core:

  1. Cross-platform compatibility: .NET Core is designed to be cross-platform, which means that it can run on Windows, Linux, and macOS. This makes it easy to build and deploy applications on a range of platforms.
  1. High performance: .NET Core is designed to be fast and efficient, with a focus on optimizing performance for web and cloud-based applications. This makes it a popular choice for applications that require high performance, such as those with large numbers of concurrent users or high volumes of data.
  1. Open-source: .NET Core is an open-source framework, which means that its source code is available to developers. This makes it easy to customize and extend the framework to meet specific application requirements.
  1. Modular design: .NET Core is designed to be modular, which means that it includes a range of lightweight and extensible components that can be used independently or together. This makes it easy to build and deploy applications that only require specific components.
  1. Cloud-ready: .NET Core is designed to be cloud-ready, with built-in support for cloud-based development and deployment, including support for Docker containers and Kubernetes.
  1. Developer-friendly: .NET Core provides a range of developer-friendly features and tools, including Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, and the .NET Core CLI, making it easy for developers to build and debug applications.
  1. Strong community support: .NET Core has a strong and active community of developers who contribute to the framework by creating open-source libraries, tools, and extensions. This can be helpful for developers who need guidance or help on specific aspects of their development projects.

Limitations of .NET Core

  1. Limited support for some Windows-specific features: While .NET Core is designed to be cross-platform, it does not support all of the features of the .NET framework like WF and WCF. 
  1. Limited backward compatibility: Applications developed using the previous versions of .NET may require significant changes to work with .NET Core.
  1. Smaller ecosystem: While .NET Core has a growing ecosystem of libraries, tools, and extensions, it is still smaller than the ecosystem around the full .NET Framework. This can make it harder to find specific tools or libraries for specific tasks.
  1. Learning curve: If you don’t know anything about the .NET framework then it will take some time and effort to get started with .NET Core. 
  1. Lack of stability: As .NET Core is still a relatively new technology, there may be some stability issues or bugs that have not yet been identified or addressed by the development team. This can make it harder to ensure that your applications are stable and reliable.

Final words 

Both Ruby on Rails and .NET Core are powerful frameworks for developing web applications, but they have different strengths and weaknesses depending on the specific needs of your project. 

If you are looking for a framework that is designed to be highly performant, scalable, and cross-platform, .NET Core may be the better choice. If you are looking for a framework that is easy to learn and has a strong community, Ruby on Rails may be the better choice.

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Community Tips

DevOps 101 for a Dev Who Doesn’t Like Ops

(To the tune of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) 

— 

Now this is a story all about how 

DevOps improves software development, here and now 

And I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there 

I’ll tell you why DevOps should make developers care 

— 

In the world of software, development and ops 

Often work apart, and it’s easy to flop 

But DevOps brings them together, for a common goal 

To make software faster, better, with more control 

— 

Now that the sick rhyming has captured your attention, let me tell you why even as a developer with little knowledge of ops knowledge, I’m a big fan of DevOps. It’s so time-saving that I cover the basics, even when I’m the sole developer on a project. Who doesn’t like saving time?  

The basics of DevOps 

So, what is DevOps? At its core, DevOps is a culture and set of practices that aim to break down the barriers between development and operations teams to improve collaboration and efficiency. It involves automating and streamlining the software development process, from code creation to deployment and beyond.  DevOps is not just a set of tools or processes, but a way of thinking about software development. It’s about creating a culture of collaboration, communication, and continuous improvement. With DevOps, developers and operations teams work together to build, test, and deploy software faster and more reliably. 

Additionally, DevOps promotes collaboration and communication between different teams, which leads to a more efficient and streamlined development process. By breaking down the silos between development and operations teams, everyone is on the same page, working towards the same goal. This results in faster and more reliable releases, as well as overall better quality of the product. In short, DevOps is a time-saving and collaborative approach to software development that ultimately leads to better outcomes for everyone involved. 

Why should developers care about DevOps? 

You might be wondering why, as a developer, you should care about DevOps. After all, isn’t that more of an operations thing?  Well, the truth is that DevOps is highly relevant to developers as well. According to the Developer Nation Survey 23 results, DevOps adoption keeps increasing (from 47% to 56% in 1½ years), while most of the implementation work is done by software developers themselves, with an earlier Developer Nation report mentioning only 5% of the DevOps practitioners being DevOps specialists.

In my mind, this makes sense. DevOps is, at its core, a culture of breaking down the walls between devs and ops people. While a specialist can be invaluable in complex implementations, or to help kickstart a culture, the culture itself should be the responsibility of generalists. By adopting DevOps practices, you can save time and streamline your development process. You can avoid manual steps in building and deploying your code, get test results without running tests, and have your changes live in production far faster than you would without DevOps.  Sure, setting up version control, pipelines, testing, and deployments takes some effort. But more often than not – even sometimes when you’re the only one working on the project – the investment is worth it! 

DevOps exists to make your life easier 

This is the bottom line – DevOps is not there to create a new profession of DevOps consultants (just like Agile Software Development isn’t there to ensure Agile Coaches make their bread). It’s there to make the lives of devs and ops people easier.  By adopting DevOps practices, whenever I am actually working with Ops, DevOps makes the collaboration easier as everything is traceable, often reversible,  and even easier to document. This means that if there are any issues or bugs, we can quickly identify where the problem occurred and take steps to fix it. 

According to the Q3,2022 Pulse report DevOps implementation witnesses more instrumental action from the programmers and software developer community with a 45.6% involvement, while the supervisory roles reflect the participation of less than 12% with Tech/engineering team leads at 11.2%, architects involvement at 10.7% and the C-level CIO/CTO and IT management roles at the lowest 10%. Computer and data science students show some practical learning involvement with 13.3%.

DevOps also encourages frequent communication between developers and operations, which helps to avoid misunderstandings and ensures everyone is working towards the same goals. The result is a more efficient and effective development process, with better quality software releases and happier customers. And even when I’m working by myself, DevOps makes it easier to deploy, maintain, and scale my apps. This collaboration can help to identify and fix issues earlier in the development process, reducing the risk of costly delays and downtime caused by issues discovered during deployment or after release. 

Just recently, I was building a .NET MAUI project – my first one – and realised I only had a rough idea of how to build, test and publish an app, and not even that on how to distribute it. The obvious solution was to let someone else figure the details out for me. Luckily, I have someone who knows more about this stuff – namely, GitHub.  Getting the basics to function using GitHub and Visual Studio App Center took me about an hour. GitHub Actions would take about 15 minutes to ship my code – from checking in to having a download available on App Center – and I don’t have to do anything!  I should probably add some tests to the build process, but hey, I’ll add those right after I’m done with the documentation. If you want to read more, the whole article is here.

How to get started? 

Here are some simplified steps to get started with your journey as a DevOps-savvy developer: 

  1. Automate everything you can: Automate your build, testing, and deployment processes using tools like GitHub, Azure DevOps, Jenkins, TeamCity, and GitLab.
  2. Collaborate with Operations: Work closely with your Operations team to understand their needs and to ensure your code runs smoothly in production. 
  3. Embrace Continuous Improvement: DevOps is all about continuously improving your development processes, so always look for ways to streamline and improve your workflows. 
  4. Learn by Doing: DevOps is a hands-on approach, so start by experimenting with new tools and practices on small projects. 
  5. Prioritise Communication: Effective communication is essential to DevOps, so ensure you regularly communicate with your team to ensure everyone is on the same page. 

And remember, DevOps is a journey, not a destination.  By taking small steps towards automation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, you can gradually incorporate DevOps practices into your development workflows and reap the benefits of faster, more efficient software development. Don’t get too attached to any one tool – plenty of tools exist, and you can get tremendous value from many. 

Bio: Antti Koskela is a Microsoft MVP trying to stay current on what’s what in the Azure and .NET world, and a Developer Nation Dev Committee member.