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10 of the Best Software Developers in the UK to Follow Online

Looking for career inspiration and development tips? Here are 10 of the best software developers in the UK you should be following online.
Looking for career inspiration and development tips? Here are 10 of the best software developers in the UK you should be following online.

Looking for career inspiration and software development tips? If you are into software development and happen to be based somewhere in the UK, here are 10 of the best developers in the UK you should be following online (they are, of course, also worth a follow if you are based elsewhere).

Discover our article: What Makes a Successful Web Dev

10 of the Best Software Developers in the UK to Follow Online

As the IT environment is constantly evolving, it is crucial, if not necessary, to connect with the brightest minds to keep up with innovation. In other words, the more contacts you get, the more likely you are to solve IT challenges. Therefore, we at Mindquest are pleased to provide you with a list of the software developers in the uk to follow.

Marco Gomez

Website | Twitter 

Let’s start with Marco, a Leeds-based senior software developer specialising in front-end development. He has also received the 2020 Awwwards Honors and the 2020 CSSDA UI Design Award, among others. 

Peter Fisher 

Website | Twitter 

Secondly, Peter is a Gloucestershire-based MBCS freelance web developer and consultant at Websomatic. He also teaches programming and is the host of How to Code Well.  

Lorna Mitchell 

Website | Twitter 

Lorna then, is a Huddersfield-based developer advocate for Aiven. She is has authored several books and is a regular conference speaker and also a writer for a number of specialised outlets. 

Maxime De Greve

Website | Twitter 

Maxime is a London-based Belgian designer and developer with 12 years of experience, currently working at Marvel App, a collaborative design platform. 

Dan Spratling

Website | Twitter

Dan is a Bath-based UX Engineer and a freelance Digital Consultant. He is an expert in UX Design, accessibility, strategy and testing. 

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Jennifer Openshaw

GitHub | Twitter 

Jennifer is a North West-based software engineer at BAE systems. She is a history graduate who turned to coding after a career with the National Trust. 

Rob Allen

Website | Twitter 

Rob is a Worcester-based software consultant and developer concentrating on APIs. He runs Nineteen Feet and contributes to several open-source projects.

Emma Britnor

Twitter

To go on there is Emma, a London-based software engineer at Twitter working with Javascript, React and Gatsby. She is also an instructor at Code First Girls.

Catalin Pit

LinkedIn | Twitter 

Catalin is a London-based technical writer and a developer advocate at Hashnode. He has a YouTube channel, where he discusses tech-related hot topics and offers programming tutorials.

Jack Domleo

Website | Twitter

Last but not least, Jack is a Nottingham-based front-end developer at Mitrefinch. He works with Vue.js and TypeScript primarily, has authored a book about career advancement and writes a blog about tech.

Do you know of any other software developers in the UK who should also be featured? Shoot us an email.

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Weekly News: What Devs Hate Most

Weekly News: What Devs Hate Most
A look at the week in tech news with Mission Control Center. Coding, debugging, .NET skills, database, DevOps and what devs hate most.

A look at the week in tech news with Mission Control Center. Coding, debugging, .NET skills, database, DevOps and what devs hate most.

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Check out more of our interviews from our podcast episodes.

Also discover our article: How To Code Well: Taking Breaks and Other Pieces of Timeless Career Advice

I’d rather go to the dentist, tbh – what devs hate most

What do you enjoy doing the most on a daily basis? How about spending a whole afternoon paying your bills? 

Well, not entirely surprisingly. Over a quarter of developers (26%) would prefer doing exactly that; instead of devoting the same amount of time to identifying and fixing code bugs. And that’s not all. Over a fifth of coders (21%) would rather pay a visit to the dentist than debug a section of code. All according to a new survey by software firm Rollbar.

Existing error monitoring methods are far from perfect and often fail to detect vital errors. That results in a third of all software developers having to spend up to 10 hours a week manually fixing bugs; instead of producing new code. And that’s only so that some Internet crusader can kindly let you know you’ve missed a critical flaw just after releasing the product. 

As with many things tech, automation has a vital role in helping developers address this issue. Next-generation, AI-powered debugging tools are bound to become the programmer’s best friend.

Tech Republic / Harvard Business Review

The top-paying .NET skills

A new badge of reports by various tech industry actors has prompted Visual Studio Magazine to comb through the data to reveal the top-paying .NET and Microsoft-centric skills of the moment. 

Visual Basic occupies the fifth position in the list of top 10 programming languages of 2021, with C# being number 8.

Microsoft’s take on the SQL standard, Transact-SQL, is the top Microsoft-focused programming skill, with TypeScript, the company’s open-source take on JavaScript following next. 

When it comes to certifications, the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) badge is the second-most popular certification, right behind CompTIA’s A+. 

Visual Studio Magazine

The state of database DevOps

In today’s rapidly moving software development space, implementing a solid DevOps strategy has become a must for any team aspiring to be at the industry’s forefront. 

Automating and streamlining processes throughout the software life cycle permits greater agility in developing the product and ensures higher levels of quality. But that’s not the only area in which Agile and CI/CD philosophies can help. 

With 70% of companies using more than one database in their stack thanks to cloud hybridisation, automating database changes and deployments is attracting growing attention.

51% of businesses are already using some level of automation in their database deployments. These are lower adoption numbers compared to DevOps in software development, but a majority of companies plan on stepping up their continuous delivery efforts in the coming months.

DevOps.com

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Weekly News: One Algorithm to Save the World

Weekly News: One Algorithm to Save the World
Software development has been accelarated by the pandemic, and that's great news for technologists. Weekly news about one algorithm to save the world.

Software development has been accelarated by the pandemic, and that’s great news for technologists. Weekly news and one algorithm to save the world.

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Check out more of our interviews from our podcast episodes.

Also discover our article: IT Pros: How to Work On Remote in the Post-Pandemic World

Preparing for the next time around with an algorithm

So, was it a pangolin or not? 

At this point, the scientific community can more or less confidently say that the coronavirus that is wrecking havoc across the globe came originally from bats. But they are not so sure about which animal acted as the intermediary host.  

Identifying animal species that might become the source of the next pandemic is one of the main pillars of our strategy to future-proof our public health. It is, however, not an easy task, as the potential lines of investigation are just too many and new virus strains can be quite unpredictable. Well, it turns out AI can help with that too. 

A group of British researchers have built a computer algorithm that allows them to predict which animals are most susceptible to new coronavirus infections. The results of the algorithm were somewhat alarming, as many more mammals were identified as potential hosts when compared to previous studies based on screenings.

But hey — information is power. Better to know where to look for the next time around. 

BBC

How to develop software remotely

Software development has been accelarated by the pandemic, and that’s great news for technologists. But IT leaders have to juggle the rise in demand with other, more uncomfortable consequences of Covid-19. 

Not considered essential employees for the most part, software developers are largely working from home these days. As it is happening with other locked-down professional; coders and integrators are dealing with challenging situations, having to coordinate family duties with work assignments and falling victim to the isolation and the lack of direct contact. 

This of course, impacts overall team performance. Which is why development team leaders are coming up with new ways to work and support their teams. While there is no single best approach to the problem; a few common patterns emerge when interviewing some of these managers. 

These include greater, more frequent communication between team members. But also visibility over the current status of projects via collaboration tools like Slack and a profound revision of existing workflows. Fostering socialising among peers is also key.

Computer Weekly

The low-code explosion

According to a new forecast by Gartner, the need for more agile and decentralised software development brought about by the pandemic will continue to boost low-code adoption in the coming months.

Low-code platforms let non-IT experts develop solutions without requiring hardcore coding and technical skills. Something which, of course, is very advantageous in a time of rapid digital transformation and overclocked IT departments. 

Gartner estimates that 41% of all employees outside IT; the so-called business technologists; are customising or building digital solutions to accelerate their projects and integrate workflows. 

The firm predicts that half of all the demand for low-code applications will come from business users by the end of 2025. 

Information Age

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Job Descriptions Web Developer

Back-End Developer : Job Description

Back-End Developer
Back-End Developer works mainly on the server side (the back-store) while the Front-End Developer operates on the client side (the store).

Use our template to create a compelling and comprehensive Back-End Developer job description to attract top talent.

Let´s start with a little refresher on the difference between front end from the back end, before explore the role of Back-End Developer.

For example, imagine that you are planning to open a store. Its proper functioning is based on two things: the store itself as a sales space, and the back store, whose activity is essential to run the store. Now imagine that this store is your website. Roughly speaking, the front end is the equivalent of the visible part of your store, while the back end would be the invisible part that fuels the store with stock.

Although the rise of the Full Stack Developer (front + back) is shaking up the traditional role segmentation; the Back-End Developer works mainly on the server side (the back-store); while the Front-End Developer operates on the client side (the store).

Interested in exploring more roles within tech? Take a look at the role of the C/C++ Developer

What is the role of the Back-End Developer?

Usually working together with a Technical Project Manager or Tech Lead, the Back-End Developer is in charge of the “invisible” part of an organisation’s web applications. That is everything that enables the communication between database and browser.

Develop and improve technical functionalities

Firstly, the Back-End Developer’s job is to develop and improve the technical functionalities of a web application, working on the architecture of the server, the administration of the database and the communication of the latter with the application.

For example, the Back-End Developer will set up the structure and write the code that will update your information on a site when you submit a registration form. Depending on the context, this work can be done from an already existing framework or CMS/type solution, or from scratch.

Supporting business growth

The Back-End Developer needs to work in conjunction with businesses experts to respond as effectively as possible to business-related issues. But also to ensure the scalability and security of applications so that the business remains operational and can grow.

Required skills to be Back-End Developer

Mastery of programming languages

An adept coder, the Back-End Developer focuses on programming and scripting languages. They must have a good knowledge of how both servers and web browsers work. They must know well the different back-end frameworks (Laravel, Ruby on Rail, J2E, etc.) and, of course, know how to use common programming languages ​​such as PHP, Ruby, Python, .Net, Node.JS, C # or SQL.

With the rise of cloud computing, it is also recommended to know how to set up services such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure or the Google Cloud Platform.

Passion and a decent level of English

This job requires you to be passionate about the work you do, and you must keep an eye out for new technology developments to stay up-to-date with current language standards and their applications. For that, it is advantageous to have a decent level of English, as most of the resources and the performance of tasks are usually in English.

Demonstrate autonomy and rigour

This position demands rigour and autonomy. The Back-End Developer must respect the deadlines and be able to operate independently and with a proactive spirit.

Within the industry

The Back-End Developer is an expert who can be found in digital agencies, medium-sized businesses and large companies. More and more developers are choosing to exercise this function as freelancers for all the advantages offered by this status.

Back-End Developer’s Salary

The average daily rate for a Back-End Developer ranges between €200 and €600.

Training of the Back-End Developer

There are several paths to becoming a Back-End Developer. One option is to start from the bottom with a university degree in computer science or similar. But one can also access the position through a master’s in web development or from an engineering school. Many developers are also self-taught.

Discover all the web development programming skills and professions

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IT Decision-makers Tips & errors to avoid

The Case for Automation in Software Development

The Case for Automation in Software Development
The rapid growth of automation in software development is not only prompting significant media buzz around its promising capabilities...

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has made great strides in the enterprise world over the past few years. According to Gartner’s most recent study on the topic,  90% of robotic process automation (RPA) vendors will offer generative-AI-assisted automation by 2025. The rapid growth of automation (and here the case of automation in software development) is not only prompting significant media buzz around its promising capabilities, but also raising concerns about its long-term impact on overall employment.

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AI in the workplace: productivity gains and fears of trust

Surely, companies are increasingly relying on virtual employees — from chatbots to AI-powered personal assistants — to increase productivity and lessen the burden imposed on staff by time-consuming and repetitive tasks better left to machine learning algorithms. However, as it tends to be the case with artificial intelligence, there exists a generalised mistrust of synthetic agents and their overblown potential to replace humans.

As we have mentioned in the past, we should look at new technological developments from a more practical perspective rather than from a position of worry. Automation and artificial intelligence are tools that we can leverage to enhance the quality and speed of our work.

Embedded in the DevOps DNA

This is particularly true in a discipline like software engineering, which requires the full power of human ingenuity while also encompassing a series of tasks that burn through a lot of time and resources. Not surprisingly, automation is deeply ingrained within agile development methodologies and represents a big part of the day-to-day in DevOps.

In their effort to optimise software production pipelines, DevOps engineers take advantage of various automation tools that allow for faster, more robust development – although how much automation should exactly be involved in the process remains a cause of debate.

In any case, benefits of automation in software development are too great to ignore: speed, more resources and increased quality and security.   

Increased resource availability

Firstly, the continuous improvement and delivery (CI/CD) paradigm is an intensive process that involves many steps and requires increased collaboration between teams. Accordingly, automation has a great role to play to help with code testing, the updating of repositories and the integration of various software components.

Moreover, automation offers a possible solution for understaffed teams of developers. Skill and personnel shortages are a prevailing issue for the industry. Development teams can greatly benefit from eager bots and other automation tools tackling all those lower-level, time-consuming tasks.                                

Maintaining quality and app security together with speed

Given today’s accelerated and competitive product lifecycle and the need for companies to adapt to ever-changing markets, speed is key in the delivery of software solutions. However, it is hard to achieve optimum levels of speeds while preserving code integrity and ensuring security across your universe of solutions.  

Automation not only helps ensure the production of robust and quality code with fewer resources — it also leads to greater security standards by allowing developers to continuously monitor for vulnerabilities while maintaining the focus on higher-level aspects of software creation.

In fact, a recent report by Ponemon Institute and IBM revealed that organizations without security automation experienced in 2019 breach costs that were 95% higher than those companies with fully-deployed automation ($5.16 million average total cost of a breach without automation vs. $2.65 million for fully-deployed automation).

AI fuels innovation in business, but a shortage of qualified talent hampers its widespread adoption. To overcome the AI talent gap and gain a competitive edge, companies need effective strategies. Explore our infographic for the top 5 strategies to build a strong AI team.

Conclusion

This data underscores the ongoing significance of security automation in the contemporary cybersecurity landscape. As organizations grapple with evolving cyber threats and vulnerabilities, the adoption of automated security measures emerges as a key strategy for not only enhancing overall cybersecurity posture but also for minimizing the financial impact associated with data breaches. Therefore, as we progress into 2023, these insights serve as a compelling reminder for businesses to prioritize and invest in advanced security automation solutions to safeguard their digital assets and maintain resilience in the face of evolving cyber risks.

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