Software Engineering—More than Meets the Eye
16 Dec 2022Finally Done with My Software Engineering Class. Now What?
I have finally completed my software engineering class, and I have learned so many valuable things from this class that I absolutely plan to use basically immediately. I went into this class knowing only a little bit of HTML, CSS, and JS. I came out having learned about React, Bootstrap, and finally some backend with Meteor/Mongo DB. Three of the main things I learned in this class that could be applicable anywhere are user interface frameworks, coding standards, and ethics in software engineering.
User Interface Frameworks
User interface frameworks are incredibly helpful because they provide classes and functions that allow for the development to be easier and more simple. They can aid in making an application look much more professional and that the user experience is consistent regardless of the browser used. The framework I learned to use was Bootstrap, which was easy to use and figure out. I did some practicing in this class replicating actual professional websites for practice, and I was amazed at how easily I could make my project websites look professional and close to the original look. I plan to continue to use Bootstrap in the near future the next time I plan on working on a website project.
Coding Standards
As I’ve discussed in a prior essay, “Coding Doesn’t Have to Be Foreboding (not With Standards, Anyways)”, I have recently been frequently practicing with ESLint, a plugin that helps check to make sure one adheres to coding standards. Doing this has helped me keep a better lookout for making sure my code looks neat and readable. I also realized just how helpful plugins like ESLint can be. In some other classes and even on my own time, I wasn’t particularly aware of plugins and how useful they can be. I used to just format my code however I felt like it. Now I realize that even if it looked decent to me, it might be confusing to other people due to my code not adhering to standards. I remember my earlier code would often be missing appropriate indents so one might have a hard time telling which scope a variable or function was in. I am more keen on noticing these types of details thanks to practicing adhering to coding standards.
Ethics in Software Engineering
This is one of the rare times in which a non-ethics course I have taken even mentioned ethics at all, but I am grateful that we discussed ethics in software engineering in my software engineering class. Technology is fascinating and ever-changing, and while we might become caught up in chasing a high-paying job or helping to build the latest technology, it is of utmost importance to never forget to consider the safety and well-being of the consumers (and the workers too) no matter the cost. It is easily arguable that it is not ethical to work for a company that secretly accesses people’s personal data with no way for those people to know about it, and yet there are those who are greedy enough to pursue it regardless. This class has reminded me to always be aware of this and to think twice before deciding to work for a company with questionable ethics, regardless of the pay.
To a New Journey
This class itself has been a journey. I came out of it knowing so much more about both the front end, back end, all the things I’ve listed above, and then some. While this class may be over, my journey into learning software engineering is only just getting started. I am on a new journey now to make absolutely sure that I apply what I learned in this class to future projects and eventually, future jobs that I hope to obtain.