The Problem with Little Programs from Pluralsight

Join Dylan Beattie for an enlightening discussion about the problem of managing legacy code, the role of education in the world of modern software development – and the very nature of what it means to be a software engineer.

The world runs on code. Here in 2020, you can't watch a movie, book a train ticket, or see a doctor without your details passing through all sorts of programs and services. From websites, to email, to cloud databases and mobile apps, code has become a vital part of the infrastructure that runs our society. Maintaining and managing these vast, complex codebases is a huge challenge for our industry - but whenever we talk about innovation in the field of software development, we talk about writing new code, new platforms, new frameworks. Courses, exams, and interviews are all about writing code - about writing small, standalone programs to demonstrate a particular algorithm or pattern - and then developers land their first professional role and suddenly they're expected to maintain a few hundred thousand lines of code they've never seen before. Join Dylan Beattie for an enlightening discussion about the problem of managing legacy code, the role of education in the world of modern software development – and the very nature of what it means to be a software engineer.

What's inside

Syllabus

The Problem with Little Programs

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Suitable for software developers at any career stage who want to deepen their understanding of legacy code management

Focuses on the unique challenges and responsibilities of modern software engineers

Led by Dylan Beattie, an experienced software engineer and educator

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in The Problem with Little Programs with these activities:

Review basic programming concepts

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Recall basic programming concepts like data types, variables, and control flow to enhance understanding of legacy code.

Browse courses on Programming Fundamentals

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Revisit textbooks or online resources on programming fundamentals
Solve coding challenges related to basic syntax and data structures

Read 'Working Effectively with Legacy Code' by Michael Feathers

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Gain insights from an industry expert on practical techniques for managing and evolving legacy code.

View Brutal Refactoring on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of the book
Read and understand the key concepts and strategies
Apply the learnings to personal or professional projects

Explore best practices for managing legacy code

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Gain practical insights into techniques for refactoring and maintaining legacy code effectively.

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Identify relevant tutorials on legacy code management
Follow step-by-step instructions and apply best practices to legacy code examples
Document key takeaways and lessons learned

Three other activities

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Write a blog post or article on the challenges of legacy code management

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Solidify understanding of legacy code management by sharing knowledge and insights through written content.

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Research and gather information on legacy code management
Identify key challenges and best practices
Develop an outline and write the blog post or article
Publish and share the content with the community

Attend a workshop on legacy code modernization

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Gain exposure to industry best practices and learn from experts in legacy code modernization through interactive workshops.

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Research and identify relevant workshops
Attend the workshop and actively engage with instructors and peers
Apply workshop learnings to personal or professional projects

Participate in a legacy code refactoring challenge

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Enhance problem-solving skills and gain recognition for legacy code refactoring abilities by participating in challenges.

Browse courses on Coding Challenges

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Identify and register for relevant challenges
Analyze legacy code examples and develop refactoring solutions
Submit solutions and receive feedback from peers or judges

Career center

Learners who complete The Problem with Little Programs will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Software Development Manager

As a Software Development Manager, you will lead and manage teams of software developers throughout the software development lifecycle, including planning, design, coding, testing, and deployment. As a manager, you will ensure that the software development process is efficient and effective, and that the software products meet the requirements of the business. This course would be particularly helpful to you because its content on the problems associated with legacy code and the nature of software engineering will help you better understand the technical aspects of software development. This will enable you to make more informed decisions about the software development process and the management of your team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Development Manager

Software Architect

Software Architects design, develop, and maintain the architecture of software systems. They work closely with software developers to ensure that the software system is scalable, reliable, and secure. This course may be helpful to you by informing you of some of the problems inherent to software engineering that you may wish to avoid.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Architect

Principal Software Engineer

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will provide technical leadership and guidance to software development teams. You will also work on complex software design and development projects. This course will be particularly helpful to you because its discussions on legacy code and modern software development are not typically covered in undergraduate programs. This will give you an advantage in the field, enabling you to lead your teams more effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Principal Software Engineer

Software Development Engineer

Software Development Engineers design, develop, and maintain software systems. They work on all aspects of the software development lifecycle, from planning and design to coding, testing, and deployment. This course may be of interest to you because it can introduce you to modern software development thinking and help you to avoid some of the pitfalls of managing legacy code, which will bring value to your team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Development Engineer

Information Technology Director

Information Technology Directors plan, implement, and manage IT systems and services for organizations. They also oversee the IT staff and budget. This course will likely be of interest to you by providing you with an understanding of the problems inherent to managing legacy code, including its impact on staff and budget, as well as some modern software development thinking.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Technology Director

Software Quality Assurance Analyst

Software Quality Assurance Analysts test software to identify and fix bugs. They also work with software developers to improve the quality of the software. This course would be particularly helpful to you by providing you with an understanding of the problems inherent to legacy code, which will improve the quality of your testing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Quality Assurance Analyst

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use data to solve business problems. They work with data to identify trends, patterns, and insights. This course may be of interest to you because its content on the role of education in modern software development can help you stay current with modern trends in data science.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Computer and Information Systems Manager

Computer and Information Systems Managers plan, implement, and manage computer and information systems for organizations. They also oversee the IT staff and budget. This course may be of interest to you by providing you with an understanding of the problems inherent to managing legacy code, including its impact on staff and budget, as well as some modern software development thinking.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer and Information Systems Manager

Computer Programmer

Computer Programmers write and maintain computer programs. They work on all aspects of the software development lifecycle, from planning and design to coding, testing, and deployment. This course may be of interest to you because it can introduce you to modern software development thinking and help you to avoid some of the pitfalls of managing legacy code, which will bring value to your team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Programmer

Information Security Analyst

Information Security Analysts plan and implement security measures to protect an organization's computer systems and networks. They also investigate security breaches and make recommendations for improvement. This course may be of interest to you because its content on the nature of software engineering can help you stay current with security concerns in modern software development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Computer Hardware Engineer

Computer Hardware Engineers design, develop, and maintain computer hardware. They work on all aspects of the computer hardware lifecycle, from planning and design to manufacturing and testing. This course may be of interest to you because its content on the nature of software engineering can help you stay current with the interaction of hardware and software.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Hardware Engineer

Computer Network Architect

Computer Network Architects design, implement, and maintain computer networks. They work on all aspects of the computer network lifecycle, from planning and design to implementation and maintenance. This course may be of interest to you because its content on the nature of software engineering can help you stay current with modern network software development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Network Architect

Database Administrator

Database Administrators plan, implement, and maintain databases. They work on all aspects of the database lifecycle, from planning and design to implementation and maintenance. This course may be of interest to you because its content on the nature of software engineering can help you stay current with modern database software development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Web Developer

Web Developers design, develop, and maintain websites. They work on all aspects of the website lifecycle, from planning and design to implementation and maintenance. This course may be of interest to you because its content on the role of education in modern software development can help you stay current with modern trends in web development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer

Software Tester

Software Testers test software to identify and fix bugs. They also work with software developers to improve the quality of the software. This course may be of interest to you because its content on the nature of software engineering can help you stay current with modern software development testing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Tester