These are 8 tips and pieces of wisdom that I have picked up on or been passed down that help me be an effective programmer. I started programming in my sophomore year of high school. Since then I have worked in a multitude of languages and taught/helped many people in their journey. I hope this series helps to act as a roadmap for those who want to learn or go down different paths.

What is your goal?

Starting out with the end in mind is the most important aspect of programming. There will be nights when you spend 7 hours on a bug and…