A developer should1 be able to improve legacy, plan an architecture, write a ticket, run a release, understand users, give feedback, receive feedback, optimise, hack it, build infrastructure, abstract away detail, pair, act alone, challenge requirements, chair a meeting, pitch the product value, document, hire, refactor, release, rollback. Specialisation is for insects.

Inspired by Robert Heinlein’s competent man

Notes

  1. Should is a strong word. I see this list as aspirational, not gate-keeping. ↩