The Qualities That Make a Great Software Engineer

The demand for software engineers has never been higher. In our increasingly digital world, software is at the heart of every industry from finance to healthcare, education to entertainment. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of software developers is projected to grow 22% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.

But as the saying goes, if you think it‘s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur. The cost of subpar engineering is not just monetary – it can lead to missed deadlines, poor performance, maintainability nightmares, and even complete project failures. In a 2020 study by the Consortium for Information & Software Quality (CISQ), it was estimated that the cost of poor software quality in the US in 2020 was $2.08 trillion.

So in a highly competitive market, what distinguishes the truly great engineers? Having worked across Silicon Valley startups and large tech companies alike, I‘ve noticed some common traits that set the best apart from the rest. These qualities span technical skills, soft skills, and the more intangible elements of mindset and character. Let‘s dive in.

Technical Excellence

At the foundation, great software engineers have a rock-solid grasp on computer science fundamentals. They understand core concepts like data structures, algorithms, memory management, and concurrency. The depth of this knowledge allows them to make judicious choices when it comes to designing and implementing complex systems.

Take something as seemingly simple as choosing the right data structure. Should you use an array, a linked list, a tree, or a hash table? The optimal choice depends on the specific operations you need to support and the time/space complexity tradeoffs. Great engineers have an intuitive understanding of these tradeoffs and can make the appropriate decision for the task at hand.

This technical depth extends to being proficient in their chosen programming languages and frameworks. But more importantly, great engineers are polyglots who can quickly adapt to new technologies. In Stack Overflow‘s 2020 Developer Survey, the top 3 most loved languages were Rust, TypeScript, and Python while the most dreaded included Objective-C, Perl, and Assembly. The programming language landscape is constantly evolving, and great engineers are always learning and expanding their toolkit.

Equally important is an understanding of the full software development lifecycle and the ability to use modern engineering practices and tools. This includes being adept at using version control (87.2% of developers use Git according to a 2018 Stack Overflow survey), writing clear and effective tests, leveraging continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD), and monitoring production systems. Great engineers automate wherever possible to eliminate manual toil and reduce the risk of human error.

Beyond the code itself, great engineers also have a keen eye for code quality. They write clean, readable, and maintainable code that follows established best practices and design patterns. In a 2019 Stripe survey of C-level executives, maintenance work like debugging, modifying existing code, and bad code was found to consume 41% of developers‘ time. Great engineers pay down tech debt proactively, refactoring and improving codebases with each commit.

Problem Solving and Creativity

At its core, software engineering is about problem-solving. Whether it‘s architecting a new system, debugging a thorny issue, or optimizing performance, great engineers relish a challenge. They have the ability to break down complex problems into manageable subproblems, and they‘re not afraid to dive deep into a codebase or infrastructure to get to the root cause.

Analytical thinking and a methodical approach are key. When troubleshooting, great engineers form hypotheses, isolate variables, and systematically test assumptions. They are comfortable with ambiguity and can make progress even when specs are unclear or requirements are changing. In a 2019 Hackerrank survey, hiring managers identified problem-solving skills as the top skill they look for in developers, with 94.9% of respondents ranking it as very important or important.

But logical thinking alone is not enough. Great engineers are also creative, coming up with innovative solutions that push boundaries. They‘re able to think outside the box, question assumptions, and take calculated risks. This creativity manifests not just in the code, but also in the products they build. They have a keen sense for user empathy and are always looking for ways to improve the user experience.

To fuel this constant problem solving, great engineers have a endless curiosity and a love for learning. They read voraciously, attend conferences, contribute to open source projects, and engage with the broader engineering community. This passion for learning allows them to stay on the cutting edge of new technologies and bring fresh ideas back to their teams.

Communication and Collaboration

No engineer is an island. Software engineering is fundamentally a collaborative endeavor, and the ability to clearly communicate and work well with others is just as important as raw technical chops. In fact, in a 2019 CodinGame survey of tech recruiters and hiring managers, 21% said that communication was the most important skill for a developer to have.

Great engineers are able to articulate their thoughts and ideas clearly, whether it‘s in writing via documentation and code comments or verbally in meetings and presentations. They‘re able to tailor their communication style to their audience, breaking down complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders while also diving into the nitty-gritty details with their fellow engineers.

Active listening is equally important. Great engineers seek to truly understand the needs and concerns of their users, teammates, and stakeholders. They ask clarifying questions, solicit feedback, and are receptive to differing viewpoints. This empathy allows them to collaborate more effectively and drive alignment across teams and functions.

In the realm of code, collaboration manifests in the form of code reviews, pair programming, and mentorship. Great engineers provide constructive feedback to help their teammates learn and grow. They also know when to ask for help and leverage the expertise of others. In a 2021 GitHub survey, Pull Requests emerged as the #1 way developers preferred to share knowledge with their team.

Beyond their immediate teams, great engineers also contribute to the broader engineering community. They write blog posts, speak at conferences, and open source their work for others to learn from and build upon. This sharing of knowledge not only helps uplevel the industry as a whole, but also hones their own skills through the process of teaching others.

Ownership and Impact

Great engineers take pride in their work and feel a deep sense of ownership for the systems they build and maintain. They don‘t just churn out code to meet specs, but rather proactively identify areas for improvement and advocate for best practices. If they see something broken, they‘ll dive in and fix it rather than waiting for someone else to take care of it.

This ownership mindset extends to all aspects of the software lifecycle, from design to deployment to operation. Great engineers write thorough tests to prevent bugs, implement monitoring and logging to detect issues, and are on call to swiftly resolve incidents. They understand that their job isn‘t done when the code is shipped – it‘s a continual process of iteration and refinement.

Ultimately, great engineers measure their success not just by the elegance of their code or the scale of their systems, but by the impact they have on users and the business. They are outcome-oriented, always looking for ways to deliver value faster and more efficiently. In a world of constrained resources and competing priorities, they are able to ruthlessly prioritize and make smart tradeoffs.

To enable this impact, great engineers cultivate strong relationships with cross-functional partners in product, design, data, and beyond. They understand the broader context of the business and are able to align their work to strategic objectives. By proactively partnering with other functions, they are able to anticipate needs, influence direction, and drive outsized results.

Craftsmanship and Attention to Detail

Software engineering is as much a craft as it is a science. Like artisans honing their handiwork, great engineers take deep pride in their code. They are meticulous and pay attention to even the smallest of details, understanding that the quality of the whole depends on the quality of the parts.

This craftsmanship manifests in many ways, from the layout and naming of variables to the design of APIs and abstractions. Great engineers write code that is clear, concise, and self-explanatory. They take the time to refactor and polish, transforming rough prototypes into elegant, production-ready code. As the renowned computer scientist Donald Knuth famously said, "Programming is the art of telling another human being what one wants the computer to do."

Attention to detail also means being disciplined about following established engineering practices. Great engineers don‘t cut corners or sacrifice quality in the name of expediency. They write comprehensive unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end tests to verify the correctness of their code. They handle errors gracefully, implement appropriate security controls, and optimize for performance. They invest in good tooling, automate manual processes, and are always looking for ways to improve their development workflow.

This commitment to craftsmanship extends to non-code artifacts as well. Great engineers write clear and thorough documentation, making it easy for others to understand and work with their code. They take the time to write meaningful commit messages and maintainable changelogs. In a 2018 Stripe survey, developers estimated that more than 17% of their time is spent on writing documentation – making it a key lever for engineering productivity.

Resilience and Adaptability

The path of software engineering is not always smooth. Bugs happen, deadlines slip, priorities change. Technologies evolve at a breakneck pace, and what was cutting-edge yesterday may be obsolete tomorrow. Amidst this constant change and uncertainty, great engineers are resilient and adaptable.

They are calm under pressure and able to navigate complex, high-stakes situations with poise. When things break, they focus on solutions rather than pointing fingers. They are not discouraged by failure, but rather see it as an opportunity to learn and improve. Post-mortems are conducted not to assign blame, but to identify root causes and put preventive measures in place.

Great engineers also understand that change is the only constant in technology. They are not overly attached to any particular language, framework, or methodology. Instead, they are able to quickly learn and adapt to new paradigms. This flexibility allows them to choose the best tool for the job at hand, and also future-proofs their skills in a rapidly evolving industry landscape.

Part of being adaptable is also knowing when to make tradeoffs. Great engineers understand that perfect is often the enemy of good. They are pragmatic and are able to balance competing concerns like speed, quality, and scope. Shipping a 80% solution on time is often better than shipping a 100% solution late. As LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman famously said, "If you‘re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you‘ve launched too late."

Adapting to the needs of the team and the organization is also key. Great engineers are team players who are willing to wear many hats as needed. They are not above any task, whether it‘s tackling a tedious bug fix or doing unglamorous grunt work. At the same time, they are also able to zoom out and think strategically about the long-term direction of the product and the platform.

Empathy and Emotional Intelligence

At the end of the day, software engineering is fundamentally about people. The code we write, the products we build, the architectures we design – these are all means to an end, which is to serve the needs of our users and our business. Great engineers never lose sight of this human element.

They have a deep empathy for their users and are always looking to put themselves in their shoes. They seek to understand their pain points, their workflows, their mental models. This empathy informs every aspect of their work, from the user interfaces they design to the algorithms they implement. They are not content to simply ship features, but rather strive to solve real user needs in the most intuitive and frictionless way possible.

Empathy for one‘s teammates and colleagues is equally important. Great engineers understand that everyone has different strengths, weaknesses, and working styles. They tailor their communication and collaboration approach accordingly. They are sensitive to the needs and feelings of others, and work to create an inclusive team culture where everyone can do their best work.

Beyond interpersonal interactions, empathy is also about being able to see the bigger picture and understanding the broader context in which one operates. Great engineers are able to step outside of their immediate role and consider the needs of other functions, from sales to customer support to operations. They proactively reach out to these functions to gather requirements, provide updates, and solicit feedback. This cross-functional collaboration enables them to build more holistic and impactful solutions.

Ultimately, emotional intelligence is about being attuned to both oneself and others. Self-awareness of one‘s own strengths, limitations, and biases is the foundation for continuous growth and improvement. Awareness of others‘ motivations and dynamics is key to effective communication and leadership. In an increasingly complex and interdependent world, these soft skills are no longer nice-to-haves – they are essential differentiators for success.

The Never-Ending Pursuit of Greatness

In many ways, great engineering is a lot like great art or great athleticism. There is no single formula for success, no one-size-fits-all template to follow. It‘s a combination of innate talent, deliberate practice, and constant striving for improvement. It‘s a journey, not a destination.

The field of software engineering is still relatively young, and our understanding of what it takes to excel is still evolving. What we do know is that it takes more than just raw technical prowess. The qualities that distinguish great engineers are multidimensional and encompass skills, knowledge, behaviors, and mindsets.

Some of these qualities, like problem-solving ability and attention to detail, may come naturally. Others, like communication skills and domain knowledge, can be developed and honed over time. All of them require continuous learning and growth. In an industry where the half-life of knowledge is rapidly shrinking, the ability to learn and adapt is perhaps the most important skill of all.

For aspiring software engineers, the path to greatness can seem daunting. But it‘s important to remember that every great engineer started somewhere. They were once beginners too, struggling with syntax errors and segmentation faults. The key is to stay curious, stay humble, and stay hungry. Seek out challenging projects, learn from your mistakes, and never stop pushing yourself outside your comfort zone.

For those of us already in the trenches of software engineering, the pursuit of greatness is an ongoing journey. We may never reach perfection, but we can strive for continuous improvement. We can uplevel our skills, sharpen our tools, and deepen our empathy. We can be the mentors and role models for the next generation of engineers. Most importantly, we can stay true to the passion and the craft that brought us to this field in the first place.

In the end, great software engineering is about creating something meaningful and enduring. It‘s about using technology to solve real problems and make people‘s lives better. It‘s about leaving the codebase, the product, the team, the company, the industry, and the world a little bit better than we found it. That is the essence and the aspiration of greatness. May we never lose sight of it as we code on into the future.