There are several ways WordPress developers can transition into effective software engineers. Engineers write, design, create, test, and deploy software programs. This is totally unlike WordPress programmers, who are more involved in front-end development operations and basic security tips.
Transitioning to these exciting careers, current WP developers like yourself can earn high six-figure salaries, accessible employment opportunities, and exciting workplace cultures. This way, you can future-proof your skillset and help companies in diverse industries improve their operations.
Read on to learn how WordPress developers can transition into effective software engineers.
5 Tips To Move Your Career From WordPress Developer To Software Engineer
1. Find A Professional Mentor
Current WordPress developers should find professional mentors to turn them into software engineers. A qualified mentor will give you advice and practical knowledge on various development topics. This includes everything from software architecture to user interface designs.
In addition, they will provide you with multiple techniques to improve your career path and employability. If you are searching for a mentor, there are plenty of great places to look. In most cases, searching at an outside company or location is the best route.
To get in touch, call them or send an email online. Just because the mentor works outside of your organization doesn’t mean they are not experts. With this approach, you’ll get advice from a trusted advisor who understands the software development life cycle with a history of success.
Locating an excellent mentor is one of the best ways to transform into a successful software engineer.
2. Learn About Software Distribution
You’ll need to get familiar with software distribution to excel in software engineering roles. As a WordPress developer, you may not have prior experience with deployment, releases, and distribution. This is because WP sites are usually hosted on simple clouds, then distributed through a CDN.
As a prospective developer, you’ll need to get familiar with more advanced programming technologies. For example, many teams use resources by JFrog to optimize the distribution of software. These tools accelerate deployments and release cycles with concurrent, scalable download capabilities.
Plus, they overcome limited network bandwidth or lag to deliver a secure programming experience. Surely, education on software distribution is vital to becoming an effective software engineer.
3. Read As Much As Possible
Reading as much as possible on your journey to become an effective software engineer is also crucial. Since the IT industry is a dynamic, rapidly-moving environment, you must also keep moving with the evolution, change, and innovation. Set aside time to research technical development topics online.
You can make a “to-do” checklist with design principles, clean coding tactics, or security management. Instead of reading everything all at once, take some time and learn at your own pace.
This will give you much-needed time to soak up all the technical information. To stay connected and updated, try to integrate regular learning into your daily schedule. Certainly, frequent reading will help you transition from a WordPress developer to a software engineer.
4. Refrain From Copying And Pasting
While it may be acceptable for WordPress developers, you must avoid copying and pasting as a software engineer. Unlike actually writing, copying and pasting do not teach you much. It involves taking a little code from one spot and duplicating it somewhere else.
This means you’ll miss all the essential details within the chunks of the source code. To fortify your knowledge, make it a habit to write code from scratch. As you progress, you’ll become fluent in many software languages, frameworks, and architectures. For sure, refrain from copy/paste techniques to turn yourself into a productive software engineer.
5. Attend A Coding Bootcamp
Many former WordPress developers have also attended coding boot camps when training for software engineering positions. Boot camps involve intensive programming courses that last approximately six months. Of course, the exact duration depends on choosing a part or full-time schedule.
These courses focus on a full-stack teaching approach, allowing you to get instruction on front- and back-end programming skills. This is especially helpful for prospective developers looking to design, deploy, and distribute systems from scratch.
Wrapping Up
There are multiple ways for WordPress developers to become effective software engineers. First, they should find a professional mentor with professional advice, guidance, and expertise. In addition, it is crucial to learn about custom software distribution protocols and techniques.
It is also crucial to read IT-related documents and files whenever possible. According to many former WP engineers, you must avoid copying and pasting source code. Also, you can consider attending a coding boot camp. Read the highlighted points above to learn how WordPress developers can transition into effective software engineers.
Hi Sakthi,
It was a great read! I have several friends who are WordPress developers and hope to make it as a software engineer. I am sure this will be a great read for them. This article will help them understand the requirements and follow the right path. It was a very insightful read, and it will help a lot of people. Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing resource, I will definitely share this article with my friends and I hope it helps them.