The software industry is a multi-trillion-dollar industry, and it is growing exponentially year by year. There are opportunities for all kinds of software products and services. The lifespan of a piece of software stretches from days to years and even decades which makes it the best candidate for investment and making a profit in this business.
Also, in this era of information technology, no business can afford to be away from software in any case. The software industry is the most competitive because it directly competes with other companies to provide better services and products at a lower cost. And competition means work opportunities for developers. Companies also embrace software and build innovation centers, investing in startups, or outsourcing app development.
Therefore, if you want to join the industry, you need to be smarter, faster, and more productive than others in the league.
So, to help you out, here are the top productivity tips like typing speed, shortcuts, etc., that can enhance your programming to the next level.
Top 5 productivity tips
Software development is not an easy-to-handle task; it gets intense at times and makes you feel exhausted. But if your productivity is up to the mark, you can save yourself from such low points.
So, without wasting any time, let’s dig into these top 10 tips that will increase your productivity.
Outline before you start coding
Before writing a piece of code, you must plan how exactly you will build your software. It will help you not only in writing the code but also helps in understanding the project better.
So, make it a habit to pick up your pencil and draw an outline of what you will do and how. Stick to the design and complete the work in time with perfection.
Make use of keyboard shortcuts
Using keyboard shortcuts can save a lot of time for you during programming because it reduces the mouse movement and clicking, which often takes time when coding. Practicing these shortcuts regularly is recommended if you want to master them.
These are some generic shortcuts that most people use:
- Windows Key + R: Run Command Prompt.
- Ctrl+S: Save your work.
- Ctrl+T: Open a new tab in the browser.
- Ctrl + Z: Undo any mistake you made earlier.
- Esc Key: Cancel the current process and close the window.
- Home key: Go to the beginning of a line.
- End Key: Go to the end of a line.
- Ctrl + A: Select all contents in the current screen or window.
Many more keyboard shortcuts like these can save you time, increase productivity, and make life easy for you during software development work.
Increase typing speed using touch typing technique
Touch typing is a way of typing on a keyboard without looking at the keyboard. This method helps avoid looking at the keyboard during those irritating moments when something important comes up, and you must rush out for a meeting but accidentally hit “caps lock” instead of “shift,” etc.
It takes time for beginners to master this technique, so make sure that you practice regularly before going live with it.
Use automation
As a developer, you should use automation tools to automate repetitive tasks to do your work promptly without any problem.
Automate the activities you frequently do, such as command lines, text manipulation, log mining, refactoring, construction, deployment, and integration. You can save a lot of time if, in the beginning, you automate tasks that are repetitive and require many hours to complete.
Learn how to create automated scripts in any popular programming language, such as Ruby, Python, or JavaScript. It might be intimidating at first, but mastering this talent will benefit you later in your career.
Use batch processing right away
Batch processing is one way of doing multi-tasks simultaneously using computer power for software development under tight deadlines. It’s always good to plan what you want to do before you start coding because this method can increase your productivity immensely if planned well. It will help you save time which can be utilized somewhere else towards finishing the project early.
Next time you are trying to analyze the results of many data sources, use a script to automate this process.
Change your environment
Sometimes, even the best developers struggle to develop a solution for a problem in their code. One of the options is to change your surrounding by engaging in other activities. For instance, if you are at the office, play some table tennis or try different activities, like catching up with your colleagues.
If you work from home, you might have limited options for taking the mind off your code. However, you can relocate to a coffee shop to change your surroundings and chat with some people. Simply take your laptop and see whether the change of scenery will give you a new perspective. Nevertheless, you should never connect to free Wi-Fi in locations like a coffee shop. The network may lack protection, leading to your data leaking to snoopy individuals nearby.
Luckily, there is an option to connect to any network without fear. A VPN for computer is an effective solution for keeping your data safe. It encrypts internet traffic, ensuring that your requests remain secure even if you connect to a questionable network. Thus, keep your options open for working from anywhere and changing the scenery as much as you like.
Conclusion
These were the best productivity tips for software developers, which you can use whether you are fresh out of college ready to start your career or seasoned veterans. Applying these work habits can enrich the quality of your work and help increase profit.