For 10 years now I do software development, mostly frontend related work but lately more and more backend. In my day to day job I recognized a pattern of how developers feel about writing code.

This is about if they have a specific style of writing code, what is the opinion on specific styles, as for example using tabs vs. spaces and the ability to understand.

This behaviour can be broken down into three levels that I have experienced so far.

1. Follow no rule, get it out

In the beginning of a programmer’s career one does not think about test driven development, coding guidelines, coding style. Just get that damn thing out of the door. Finish the project.

2. Follow one specific rule

With more experience you develop your own subset of given rules that you like to stick to. You want your co-works to adept them, to stick to given patterns and guidelines. You have a distinct opinion about whether to use tabs or spaces in your code.

3. Follow any rule

The more projects you see, the more you don't care about specific rules. You know it's important to follow rules you set up for yourself, you stick to them. It's not important if you use spaces or tabs. At least you should have a common sense about it throughout your team.

4. … I don't know what will come

I do not know the next state to advance to. I think I am at stage three at the moment. Are you more experienced? What will be next for me?

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