The myth of the “Real JavaScript Developer” – Brenna O'Brien / Front-Trends 2016

Making the jump from HTML & CSS to JavaScript can be intimidating. For many JS beginners, this will be the first programming language they encounter. And if that wasn't challenging enough, there's also immense cultural pressure to live up to unrealistic standards of what it means to be a successful JS developer today.

In this talk, we'll debunk the myth of the “real JavaScript developer” - a magical creature who knows it all, writing perfect code in the hottest new framework without ever needed to stop and take a break. We'll look at simple strategies to help beginners on their journey learning JavaScript and also come up with a more realistic definition of what it means to be a successful JavaScript developer today.

[mrjosephDJ]

Really good talk. Too many egos in front end dev.

[youreale]

Being a developer in the past used to be only a technical challenge. Today it's a social challenge.

[shfunky]

"How is somebody ever going to feel like they're succeeding if we're just pointing out their failures?" Beautiful quote that Brenna! Amazing talk

[roanbester]

In my small team we're expected to do front-end (javascript ecosystem), back-end (Java EE ecosystem) as well as support and write for IBM products, which includes Portal, WAS/Liberty, Digital analytics (like google analytics) and more.

What you're talking about here is absolutely critical when you need to spread the tech like we do; there's no way you can memorize everything or keep up. So we learn to adapt really quickly, learn and read really fast and google really well :)

[NicoleOliver]

Wow this was such a validating talk. I constantly feel pressure to code more and work harder, and feel guilt about pursuing my other interests like painting and drawing. Thank you so much Brenna.

[xrZt]

Now make it a compulsory to watch for HR and Management staff, please!!!

[mercantilistic]

It may be true but I was just in an interview and all of the questions were memorization questions. So while it might not be useful in terms of your actual programming skills, it might be quite helpful for getting a job.

[bennettwaisbren]

Touched on a lot of things that really hit home for me as a front end dev. Great talk.

[BrianGreigRWD]

The measure of a real programmer is their ability to rationalize a problem and come up with a viable solution.

[russellabraham]

I agree with her opinions, at the same time I wouldn't "buy" an item that I thought was built too quickly or poorly.

[JessHines]

As a self-taught (& teaching) developer, this was incredibly helpful to hear! Love this: "That's not the measure of a real programmer... someone who can remember things unnecessarily."

[tasteink]

I've been studying full time for 9 months now and I use a plethora of tools like React, Webpack, Gulp, Sass, Stylus, Pug, Node, Express, Mongo, and many more. But I still find that recruiters and potential employers treat me like I don't know enough. Recruiters shut me out and employers just never call.

There's a slight change that they may be repulsed by my uni-brow, but I am not sure if that is the source of the problem.

[amypellegrini]

Share the sentiment. Still nothing can prevent us from a shitty technical interview in which somebody discards you because you didn't knew some obscure method from a {{ veryPopularFramework }}

[PieroSavastano]

As developers we should learn this kind of emotional intelligence before learning IF-THEN-ELSE and FOR

[kariuki]

this is a very inspiring talk...thank you!

[wearingart]

This was a good talk for me. I've been looking for front-end jobs lately and the requirements lists seem to include every front-end technology imaginable. I wish HR and hiring managers would watch this TED talk.

[TroelsSiggaard]

So true. This was a great talk. Even though I love new shiny stuff.
Being a "real" developer is much more than just technical knowledge, it also being able to understand, communicate and collaborate in the (tech) world.

[Alexandru-OM]

This really inspired me, i'm just starting out on this jurney of web development. Thank you!

[jte]

This is great. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Coming from the ego riddled music industry, I was devastated when I found the same egos in the developer world. The music industry almost sucked my soul dry. I see developers on the same wavelength as artists, and we as artist have to pick each other up. We need each other and we cant let our selves become the very people who have held us back from doing the work we love. This is a chance to redeem our arts worth and respect. Im so glad I stumbled on to this video. It hit home in so many ways.

[MannyH]

I am almost done with a 30 week bootcamp and this really speaks to me. thank you.