this post was submitted on 16 May 2024
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Programming
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Most of what comes to mind has already been said by others, but I want to add one thing...
One of the most important things to understand about software development is that (outside of small hobby projects) the vast majority of the work is not writing code. Most of the hours will be spent on a combination of other tasks, including:
The time and effort required for all of this multiplies when modifying an existing codebase, and multiplies again when most of that code was written by other people. Shepherding a contribution from idea to final merge often requires not only technical skill, but also study, diplomacy, empathy, and immense patience.
It varies quite a lot. I have had dozen-line changes take months, and thousand-line changes take a day or two. Just know that if it's taking much longer than you expected, that is completely normal. :)
Hear, hear! I would add that it multiplies again, again when other people are actually using the product. Engineers famously build tools for engineers which can leave something to be desired for the layman.