Why You Shouldn’t Google Code Solutions

Figure out your own way instead

Photo by Nathana Rebouças on Unsplash.

Let's start by admitting that every developer Googles or searches for something in some other way. What sets developers apart is what they Google — not whether they Google or not.

Why Developers Google Solutions

The quickest and simplest answer is that it is a great way to grab quick solutions and move on to the next problem.

In a fast-paced work environment, developers are focused on delivering features and squashing bugs. Almost no one has time to sit down on a problem. Sitting on a problem may be costly for the team and the project — not to mention your job.

If you are new to coding or new to a language, framework, or library, your best friends are Google and forums where you can post questions for quick solutions.

If you are freelancing, getting answers quickly may mean less time spent on something and a better chance to move on to the next project. Some developers are driven by making money, and there is nothing wrong with that.

All these reasons can be valid and understanding reasons to google things. No problem there.

How This Practice Can Hurt in the Long Run

I have seen a lot of developers get stuck at this level and never actually advance their careers because they are the “find quick solutions” kind of developers startups love to hire.

Advancing your career gets you more money. Period!

Learning how to think like a programmer and having a problem-solving mentality go a long way. As a developer, you must know when you need a quick solution and when you need to get to the bottom of a problem to create a custom solution if necessary.

The market is saturated with “Google and Stack Overflow developers,” and there is no problem hiring those. Companies are struggling to fill higher positions and are willing to pay top dollar for developers who fit the bill.

Building a problem-solving mentality and becoming a strategist gets you a lot of money and higher titles. You become the person people turn to at the office when they are stuck or want to create…