New software engineers should familiarize themselves with key slang terms to thrive in the tech industry and fit into company culture
They highlighted some key phrases like “rubber ducking” and “zero-day,” which are super important for clear communication in the field.
Burak Özdemir, one of the engineers, explained that in software engineering, there’s a ton of unique slang that can be a bit overwhelming for newcomers. He’s been in the game for seven years and knows how crucial it is to get familiar with these terms.
He mentioned that using these phrases not only helps you understand conversations better but also shows you’re part of the team. It’s like a secret handshake!
For example, “rubber ducking” is a quirky method where you explain your code to a rubber duck (or any object) to find mistakes. It sounds silly, but it really works!
Then there’s “bikeshedding,” which is when people focus way too much on minor issues while ignoring the big stuff. It’s like arguing over the color of a bike shed while the actual building is falling apart.
Özdemir also talked about “boilerplate,” which refers to code that’s reused a lot with little change. It’s kind of a necessary evil in coding.
And let’s not forget “spaghetti code,” which is a term for messy, tangled code that’s a nightmare to deal with.
Komal Fatima, another engineer, added her own terms like “code smell,” which means poorly written code that might have bugs. She also mentioned “yak shaving,” which is when you get sidetracked by unrelated tasks instead of tackling the main issue.
Abhinav Upadhyay, with a decade of experience, chimed in with more terms. He explained “duck typing,” which is about programming languages that don’t enforce strict typing. It makes coding easier but can lead to bugs.
He also talked about “bare metal,” which means running code directly on hardware without any layers in between.
And then there’s “RTFM,” which stands for “Read the F***ing Manual.” It’s a classic phrase to remind newbies to check the documentation first.
Another one is “KISS,” which stands for “Keep it Simple, Stupid.” It’s all about keeping designs straightforward.
Upadhyay also mentioned “magic numbers,” which are hard-coded values in code that seem to work like magic but often lack explanation.
Lastly, he brought up “zero-day,” a term for security vulnerabilities that are being exploited before developers even know about them.
So, if you’re diving into software engineering, getting a grip on these terms will definitely help you feel more at home in the tech world!
