There are a lot of definitions and meanings of what a Senior Developer is and should be; different people, and different perspectives. In this article, I would be giving you a general definition of what a Senior Developer is and should be.
To most newbies in Software Development the title 'Senior Developer' seems elusive. But is it? You'll soon find that out in this article.
Some people define a Senior Developer based on skills, some others define theirs based on experience and some other people define theirs based on impact. We would be looking at 'what a Senior Developer is ' using the three different perspectives listed above.
Senior Developer Based On Skills
This is one of the most popular perspectives used in identifying a Senior Developer because a lot of people have this mentality that a Senior Developer 'knows it all' and has many skills. Most people believe that if a software developer doesn't know more than three languages he is not Senior. This viewpoint is pretty common among newbies and it is wrong. You can know 10 frameworks and 5 languages and not still be a Senior Developer; yes, a Senior Developer is skilled but there is more to it than skills. Let us find out more.
Senior Developer Based On Experience
Many people believe that the more you are experienced the more Senior you become, this is true to an extent but there is a 'but'. I have seen Developers with experience of 5 years that are Junior to a Developer with 3-4 years of experience. How could that happen? Understanding varies in different humans. It can Mr A 3 years to understand a particular concept and take Mr B 1 year to do the same. Defining Senior Developers by their years of experience is the most common way to identify senior developers but it is not always correct.
Senior Developer Based On Impact
A Senior Developer based on impact is getting more popular these days. I believe it is one of the best ways to identify a Senior Developer by what impact they have made in their industry. You too can make an impact by creating solutions, writing helpful articles like this one and giving helpful tips to people but not every Senior developer creates an impact. The next section would give the true definition of a Senior Developer.
The True Senior Developer
The true Senior Developer is one who can break complex problems into smaller bits of solvable problems. Shocking definition right? That's why the other perspectives are somehow correct because without experience in solving problems you can't be able to break down complex problems, without skills you can't do the same and without the ability to create impact you can't break down complex problems.
How do you become a Senior Developer?
To be able to break down complex problems into smaller solvable bits, you have to be familiar with many concepts. That's why I over-emphasize the importance of understanding Data structures, Algorithms, System Architectural Design and Design Patterns. A Senior developer doesn't just solve problems and break them down, he also makes his solution efficient and fast.
The journey to becoming a Senior Developer isn't an easy one, but it is advisable to know where you are going and what you should expect. When you are learning a new language or framework always try to understand the base concept by which the language operates, the same method goes for when you are either using a technology or system; always get the base concept of any tool you find yourself using and remember you don't become a Senior Developer from the number of languages you have learnt or can use or by the number of frameworks you know or by the number of years of experience you have. You become it by the impact you have made and by the ability to break complex problems into solvable bits.