Programmers, whether novice or professional, encounter roadblocks and issues every day while working with code. This can lead to unnecessary frustration, hamper productivity, and pose a threat to reaching the product deadline.
The following are a few measures that I, as a front-end developer, have developed to overcome roadblocks while working in fast-paced environments with stringent deadlines:
1. I am setting up my developer workspace. It is working for him but not for me.
Setting up a workspace can be one of the most tedious or scary tasks a developer encounters when he or she starts working on a new project. Set aside ample time for this, and do not be scared by the heavy stack of technical documentation. Follow each step meticulously, and make sure you have all the pre-requisites setup. Do not hesitate to take the help of a peer or your team lead if you come across a issue – be it simple or complex. Ultimately, having a proper workspace is the foundation for all the great work you are about to do on the new project.
2. My code is not working or it’s throwing up an error.
We encounter this issue almost every day. We would have gone through the requirement, analyzed the dependencies, made sure the functionality is there, and still the code does not work. Rather than simply blaming the code for throwing up an error, it is best to investigate why it is doing so. Check the browser console, error logs, stack trace. Often it could just be a spelling mistake or a syntax error causing the issue. Have a peer or your lead look over the codebase. A second eye helps in most instances. Do not lose hope, get frustrated, and start cursing your job or the client.
3. My jQuery on click function is not working.
As a front-end developer, you would be dealing with a lot of jQuery, and this issue is something we come across quite often. The blame is blandly put on jQuery or the browser itself. Rather, make use of breakpoints in the JavaScript console of your browser. Check if the code has been rendered on the page and if there are any errors in the console. Put appropriate the breakpoint and examine each step. A div id might be missing, could be a syntax error or even a missing semicolon. Breakpoints are your friend when it comes to javascript errors. Make use of them.
4. Clear browser cache.
We know this, but don’t do this. You have made change to a CSS file, and it is not reflecting on the browser. Always remember to clear your browser cache (It’s easy: Just press cmd+shift+del on your browser, check cached images and files and click Clear browsing data) for any new changes to be seen on the browser.
5. Know how to Google for error.
So you have checked the console logs, made sure there is no syntax error, cleared browser cache and still something doesn’t work – end of the world! Not really, as long as there is the Internet to help us out. Someone would have encountered this already and might have put a solution or the issue could be a well-known one. One important thing is to make sure how to make the best use of Google to help us fix errors. Search for the errors with meaningful phrases, such as ‘jQuery works in console, but not in code’, ‘bootstrap modal dialog function’ rather than simply searching for ‘jQuery is not working’ or ‘modal dialog issue.’ Another helpful measure is to search with the exact error message thrown in the console or error logs and often this might help us find a solution quickly.
6. Take breaks, and do not multitask.
Take adequate short breaks at regular intervals to regain your focus and keep up the concentration. If you have been looking at your computer screen for too long and you encounter an issue, chances are that you would end up stressed out or frustrated and lose focus. Hence, taking breaks is important. Secondly, we all think we can multitask, switch between different windows while drafting an email or checking one. We are actually not multi-tasking here. Rather, we are shifting the focus of our brain to different jobs in short intervals of time. This is bound to make you stressed out after a while and leave you feeling tired. It is best to focus on one job at a time, complete it, and then move on to the next to increase your productivity.
I hope these measures help you mitigate a roadblock when you are working with code every day. What are some of the measures you have been following? Share them below.
6 Ways to Overcome Programming Roadblocks
by Harish Bhavanichikar on April 16th, 2015 | ~ minute read
