HACKER Q&A
📣 pedrodelfino

Who do I improve my build skills?


I started my journey with programming as a hobbyist almost 10 years ago. After 3 years as a hobbyist, I started my Applied Math undergraduate studies. Until this point, I did not have build problems or struggles in general, since the projects/scripts were "simple" in terms of dependencies and I was basically working on them alone.

On the last 2.5 years, I have professionally worked on Desktop projects (Common Lisp ecosystem) and now I am working on a dynamic web application (Clojure/ClojureScript ecosystem).

On this professional phase, I have struggled with build errors. They feel a bit random and different from debugging errors while developing. I miss Common Lisp ecosystem... In ClojureScript I interact with NPM and multiple hassles have emerged.

The skills to solve build problems feel like "a skill they do not teach in college" (this can be even worse considering I did something close to CS, but not CS itself).

I would like to improve on the skill/skills related to build. I am also aware that practice teaches a lot and I have already learnt a few things while struggling with the current projects and "trying to survive".

But, I would like to improve in a structured manner.

Would you recommend some material? A book? A course? A side-project that would teach the low level of build processes?


  👤 ffhhj Accepted Answer ✓
Turn on verbose logging of build tools, remove all dependencies and add one by one, automate your builds and detect/report failures. Use virtual machines or containers to isolate dependencies and build in a clean environment. Take some DevOps courses.

👤 pestatije
I think you mean How not Who.

The way i go in these circumstances is to check documentation directly from the tool developer. Most of the times that works out successfully.