The IoT industry is booming in 2021. The number of connected devices is also rapidly growing. Connected homes, offices, and vehicles become mainstream! Therefore, more programmers are needed to build software for such devices. If you are going to invest in an IoT based project, you have to make sure you are dealing with a trusted IoT development team that has decent experience in this area, understands the fundamentals of IoT programming, and knows the latest trends.
But if you want to be a successful IoT developer, you should surely have basic development skills but that’s not enough. The term IoT programmer is too broad, and in this post, we’ll delve into the details of this profession and review the main steps needed to become a professional IoT programmer.
Deep Understanding of Sensors
IoT development differs from a traditional development process. The thing is that IoT coders have to work in the IoT space. Therefore, they need to learn inside out wireless communication and sensors. It would be great if a programmer has a background in electrical engineering and computer science. In addition, you should like what you do and understand what you do. If you feel like you lack some skills or knowledge, it is time to undergo additional IoT learning courses. You should also visit educational, online webinars, and keep track of the latest trends in this niche.
Know Python and JavaScript
Before you start building your career as an IoT programmer, you have to know JavaScript and Python. The majority of IoT programmers are using these languages in their everyday work. Sometimes, they write code in C# or .NET. Learning both languages is a must for any beginning IoT developer.
Join a Community of IoT Programmers
Join as many communities as possible. A strong community is a superb source of information. It allows you to learn more about the specifics of works, the best tools that are needed, features, etc. On top of that, professional IoT programmers usually share their experience in such communities. Therefore, it’s a good opportunity to find out more about the experience of professional IoT developers.
Focus on User Experience
When working on a commercial IoT project, it is of prime importance to pay attention to user experience and follow quality standards. The thing is that millions of IoT users depend on such devices. They perform millions of critical tasks per day and failure is not allowed. That’s why developers need to be focused on user experience and make sure that this particular product is very easy to use and even a non-tech-savvy user shouldn’t face any difficulties while using it.
Read Code Written By Others
And read as much as you can! It goes without saying that you need to pay more attention to education and read the code written by other professionals. When you do this, you can see how other developers are solving this problem, what challenges they tackle, and what techniques they use. Gradually, you’ll see the difference.
When reading the code of other programmers, you have to ask yourself the following questions:
- How would I write this code?
- What would I do to improve this code?
- What did I learn?
- Write the same code (at least try).
If you feel that you lack experience in this area, you should surely follow the examples of other, more experienced programmers.
Learn More Programming Techniques
Don’t be focused on learning many programming tools, focus on learning techniques instead. Concentrate on learning as many languages as you can and focus on the fundamentals of programming. As the time is extended, tools may change, the basics don’t.
Follow the Latest IoT Development Trends
To be a professional IoT developer, you should undoubtedly understand the fundamentals of programming. However, you shouldn’t forget about the latest trends in this niche. The world doesn’t stand still and new IoT trends and requirements for the software appear on an ongoing basis.
Following all these recommendations, the result won’t be long in coming. You only need to have a desire to evolve in this field!
