8 Qualities of a Good Developer for Your Software Engineering Project

Who are they - the outstanding developers? How do you identify them? What qualities do they demonstrate in their work and relationships with colleagues? We have compiled a list that outlines the traits of an excellent specialist. In many ways, we build on our company values and select people who think like us.

Qualities of a Good Software Developer 

So, here is a list of those core qualities of a software engineer that we believe are the keys to excellent work. Of course, this is not final; it can and should be extended. We are not going to laminate the list like Ross from Friends, in case we suddenly meet our Isabella Rossellini of the IT world.

Thoughtful

Good developers take product quality seriously.  What makes a good programmer the best is that he or she cares about the overall result, not just their piece of code. If necessary, they are ready to discuss the requirements with the business analyst and the whole team, defend their position, and accept constructive criticism. In general, these professionals have a positive attitude and a desire to show outstanding results, even when the process is not entirely smooth.

Reliable and Self-organized

What makes a good software engineer great is their reliability. They show high organization, and they value their time and the time of others. They rarely have difficulties meeting deadlines, they accurately calculate their resources, and they do not require external control. At the same time, many demonstrate confident management skills in a team and are able to manage processes on their own.

Communicable

Good communication skills are an important part of a developer's strengths. Great programmers usually have no problem communicating with colleagues and clients, and they have good productivity, including when working remotely. They know how to properly build a dialogue, ask the right questions, and listen to and resolve controversial issues. They have no language barriers and understand English-language documentation well.

Highly Expert

Great software developers need a lot of hands-on experience with several technologies to be considered experts. They have deep basic knowledge and strong technical skills and therefore can quickly master new technologies and adapt to industry trends. Successful specialists follow accepted coding standards and write working and understandable code that can be easily transferred to other specialists. Thanks to their experience, they are able to find optimal technical solutions in challenging situations, use additional technologies, and come up with interesting solutions for the best result. Of course, such experts are versed in agile development practices and use task-management tools and other systems to streamline the development process. 

High Learning Ability

As we noted, good programmers can quickly learn new technologies because of their strong basic knowledge. At the same time, it is important that they really want to study. Since development is their passion, in their spare time they read documentation or develop pet projects. They enjoy sharing new ideas with colleagues, discussing books and articles they have read, and advising courses or hackathons.

Team Player

Top developers think about team success. They are responsive and ready to help their teammates and community become better, as they understand that this affects the overall result. They are ready to write documentation and share experiences. They maintain a healthy climate and are able to forge positive interpersonal relationships with a wide variety of people.

Focused on the Big Picture

It's about understanding the overall value of a product, not focusing on specific tasks. In general, they are interested in the features they create and what they will ultimately bring to users. Therefore, they analyze any changes that might affect the original concept of the product.

System Thinker

The key strengths of a software engineer include a systematic approach to work. They deny chaos and are able to subordinate their work in clearly structured processes. They are based primarily on data and not on their preferences. Their documentation is structured, and there are no random entries or incomprehensible comments on their task boards.

How Gearheart’s Values Match with Software Developer Characteristics

It is no coincidence that we have described just such a list of software developer qualities. The specialists of our team really have all these characteristics. We have managed to gather such people because we formulated a number of values for ourselves. They are close to us and to those who join our team.

• We strive for teamwork and feel confident in our circle of reliable colleagues. At the same time, each of us is an individual and, if necessary, is ready to independently solve complex issues.
• We know that we have freedom of choice, and the scope and limitations can be flexible. At the same time, we are responsible for our choices and decisions.
• We do not like to complicate the solutions in the project, but we know that our solutions must carry high-quality, stable, and long-term work.
• We value time and know how to manage it, and our processes are clearly structured. We do not stand still; we are constantly developing and learning. At the same time, we do everything with pleasure and meaning.
• We respect our colleagues and are always ready to help. At the same time, we are fair and suppress our opinions, but we do not offend the feelings of others.

Final Thoughts

What makes a good software developer really outstanding, in your opinion? We believe that our small list will help you find suitable candidates. By these qualities, you can determine the best specialists, whether you are acting as a customer of an outsourcing project or as an HR professional who needs to expand the team in your company. These qualities of a good software engineer are universal. And if you want to get to know us better, you can study our projects, the team, or just write to us.