First impressions

I have a job as a software developer. That’s pretty amazing news all things considered. The plan worked, the (first) objective was achieved, let’s bask in the glow for twenty seconds before we crack on.

Done?

So I’m learning lots of new things from the incredibly talented and experienced team I’m working with at [Mergermarket]. Which is good as it’s once again the case that I know next to nothing. I’m not panicking, but it’s inevitably humbling to go from relative knowledge to relative ignorance.

For instance, I’d been warned that real world projects tend to be bigger than the programs I’ve worked with so far. But nothing really prepared me for just how much bigger. I’d say it’s at least a factor of ten. Keeping the grand structure in my head is one thing, but playing that out over the actual code and directories is a whole other thing.

We’re working mainly in [Groovy], with [Node] as well. I knew no Groovy at all until my first day, and I’m hoping to be able to write something more about my experience with it in the next few weeks. It’s a language that’s close enough to [Ruby] to be familiar, but it’s based on [Java] and the [JVM]. This brings a lot of handy resources in to play with, and a lot of speed, but there’s a lot of Java-like overhead to boot.

I wish I could say more, but it’s still relatively early days. I’m working hard, I’m paying attention. I’m pairing everyday and I think I’m picking up at least as much through osmosis as I am consciously.

Dropped into the middle of an unfamiliar codebase in an unfamiliar language, a part of me wishes for an easier start. But I’m put in mind of Heidegger and Neitzsche, of always starting out ‘thrown’ into a situation, of beginning ‘in media res’, and making your way from there.

I’m pleased with where I am - I chose a good place to start off from - but there’s no such thing as the perfect start, the perfect job, the ideal situation. We start somewhere and work things out from there.

The important thing is to start.