There are a lot of mistakes that new developers make, and they often don’t realize it. These mistakes can lead to problems later on. Fortunately, there are some things that you can do to avoid them. Here are a few of them:
Copying code from the internet
When developing a web application, one of the most common mistakes new developers make is copying code from the internet. Although copying code is easier, it also has disadvantages. When you copy code from a website, you may not know how to use it in your project, and your error rate will increase if you make a mistake. Also, copying and pasting code in the middle of development is not a good idea.
Using shortcuts
One of the most common mistakes new web developers make is not using the proper keyboard shortcuts. Modern browsers have the device toolbar mode, which is useful for previewing your website on narrow screens. You can also use it to debug your media queries. Other useful keyboard shortcuts include pausing script execution or going to a matching bracket in your source editor. In Firefox, the DevTools page provides a comprehensive list of keyboard shortcuts.
Using multiple functions in a single line
Make sure to use function headers instead of single lines when writing your code. This will allow you to use fewer comments and make your program easier to read. Here are a few examples of this error:
Using too many comments
One of the most common coding mistakes new web developers make is using too many comments. They can be useful when highlighting a particular element or describing a process. However, using too many words can be confusing and violate DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself). Commenting on your code can make searching easier, and summary comments can help you explain the bigger picture. Intent comments are also valuable for explaining choices, broken conventions, compatibility issues, and even legal notices.
Commenting unrelated code
Commenting code is a topic of heated debate. While there are many resources available to help you write better code, there are few resources that help you write better comments. While the quantity of words is easy to measure, it’s not always proportional to quality. A bad comment can confuse others and be difficult to read.
When it comes to coding, a developer’s first instinct is to go with the easiest option. This often leads to a messy code base and unsatisfactory project architecture. The easier option does not always mean that the decision is right. One common mistake is mixing CSS and JavaScript, resulting in ineffective project architecture and security issues.
Feature detection techniques
Feature detection techniques can help you discover bugs in your website. These techniques are based on computer vision and neurological processes. They can be used in various situations. This article provides a brief explanation of feature detection. Please add citations to the source for validation. It’s important to test features across browsers.
Adding meaningful comments in the code
One of the most important things to remember when writing comments in code is that they should explain why the code is doing what it does. An extreme example is when a developer writes, “This function subtracts one from the number.” This might include information like converting the number from base 1 to base zero. A good comment would explain why that one is necessary in the first place.
Adding cases to comments
Coding comments can be helpful in different cases, but the trick is knowing whether or not they will distract readers. When writing code comments, it is also important to remember that context is king. It is much easier to capture context while writing code when the developer is actively working on it. Many developers add comments after the code has been completed, which means they cannot capture the context during the writing process.
While some developers advocate against adding code comments, doing so has many benefits. A developer’s productivity is greatly reduced when they cannot easily read and understand the code. Adding meaningful comments to your code improves the quality of the code and helps developers stay focused on their work.
When adding comments to code, programmers try to minimize the number of lines of code. The problem with this approach is that it can lead to a large maintenance burden and a high cognitive maintenance burden. This means that comments should be brief and to the point.
A TA can benefit from in-line comments, but they should only be used when the code is not transparent or not clear from variable names. When using in-line comments, use only a single “block” statement at the top of a function and explain what the process does and how it achieves the goal. In-line comments should be used sparingly and are generally short.
Scaling a web server and database
Scaling a web server and database can increase a website’s capacity but cause various other problems. For example, a single user’s interaction with a website could send five or more requests to the server at once, and a server that can’t keep up with that volume can experience performance issues. There are many different ways to scale a web server and database, but there is no one approach that works for every situation.
Innovations and technologies are constantly being developed to increase the possibilities of scaling web applications. Fortunately, cloud computing, efficient database management, and caching techniques can achieve scalable web applications. Compared to on-premises solutions, cloud-based approaches are cost-efficient and more reliable. In addition, cloud-based solutions offer multiple servers, secure databases, and scaling automation.
The first step is identifying how to scale your infrastructure. There are two main ways to scale a web server: horizontal scaling and vertical scaling. In horizontal scaling, you increase the number of servers within the same data center. This method allows you to increase the number of servers in your data center without additional costs. If you use on-premise infrastructure, you’ll have to plan for additional servers in advance.
One of the easiest ways to scale a web server and database is to add more hardware resources. Adding more hardware can increase the number of users on your website. This is called vertical scaling, and it provides performance improvement up to a certain number of additional users. However, vertical scaling is not future-proof and requires drastic architectural changes.
Choosing a suitable method for your application will determine the process’s easy or difficult. Many potential issues could arise, and it’s always best to be prepared for them. Remember that there is no “one size fits all” solution and that you should take a balanced approach to scale a web server and database.
While scalability is not easy, ensuring that your web server and database run properly is essential. The key to scaling is to plan for growth so that your tech stack is flexible enough to handle the growth.
Choosing a developer with a particular skill set
When choosing a developer, you should choose one with specific skill sets. It would be best if you chose a developer with experience in your desired domain, whether it’s security, databases, or web development. Not only does this help them with their overall understanding of technology, but it also helps them relate to coworkers and clients across departments.