Posted by Kosal
I've been a frontend developer at Palantir for over 11 years. Along the way, I’ve developed a handful of simple habits that helped me go from feeling lost as a junior to being confident and effective as a senior.
If you're aiming to level up, these habits can help you too.
Let’s dive in! 🚀
If you're not learning outside of work, you're falling behind.
Even if your company offers great training, it’s ultimately up to you to keep your skills sharp.
Every few weeks, I make time to:
Creator of Redux, React core team member — brilliant deep dives into frontend topics.
ShopTalk Show podcast about frontend, CSS, and dev life.
Great tutorials on React, GraphQL, Firebase, and more.
JavaScript educator, known for clear, practical teaching (especially React/Node).
One of the best blogs for frontend development—CSS, JS, accessibility, and more.
Practical frontend tutorials and articles on modern development workflows.
The more you invest in your learning, the faster you'll grow and the more valuable you'll become.
Doing the same thing over and over is a fast track to burnout—and becoming outdated.
Every month, I try to work on something different. If I can’t at work, I do it through side projects.
Try things like:
The goal isn’t to be an expert at everything—it’s to stay adaptable and expand your toolkit.
This one’s simple: less rest = more bugs.
When I’m tired, I miss details, make poor decisions, and write messy code. Sleep isn’t optional—your brain needs downtime to perform.
Figure out what “rest” means for you and protect it. Whether it’s a full 8 hours of sleep, a walk outside, or a tech-free weekend, your code (and your sanity) will thank you.
Ignoring trends won’t make them go away.
You don’t have to jump on every new framework, but you do need to stay aware of where the industry is heading—especially with fast-moving tools like AI.
Here’s what I do:
Staying informed helps you make smarter choices—and keeps you relevant.
Code reviews aren’t just for the person who wrote the code—they’re goldmines for learning.
By reviewing code regularly, I’ve picked up patterns, techniques, and better ways of solving problems.
If you don’t do code reviews at work, check out pull requests on open-source projects. You’ll learn a lot just by reading how others code and structure their projects.
The best way to test your understanding? Try explaining it.
Teaching forces you to slow down and fill in the gaps. I’ve often thought I knew something—until I tried writing a blog post or answering a teammate’s question.
Try this:
You don’t need an audience—just the act of explaining will level up your skills.
Tutorials are great for beginners. But after a while, they become a crutch.
If you’re constantly watching tutorials but never building things on your own, you’re not really learning.
Instead:
The more you struggle through problems, the more you’ll actually learn.
Being a great developer isn’t just about code. Communication, teamwork, and empathy matter too.
Make an effort to:
These “soft” skills are often what separate good devs from great ones—especially in senior roles.
Your tools and workspace affect your performance more than you think.
Take time to:
A clean setup = less friction = more time focused on solving problems.
You don’t need to overhaul your life to become a better developer. Just start with one habit. Practice it for a week. Then add another.
Consistency wins.
Which habit will you try this week? 💪