Two Key Skills Mid-Level Software Engineers Need to Become a 10X Developer *

Yes, most developers do not know.

I classify (feel free to disagree) mid-level software developers based on their skills, not their job titles. In fact, nearly all the principal software engineers and solution architects I've met over the past 20 years were, in my view, mid-level. To me, the level above mid-level is what I consider a 10X developer.

“Probably in 2025, we are Meta as well as the other companies that are basically working on this, are going to have an AI that can effectively be a sort of mid-level engineer that you have in your company that can write code. “ — Mark Zuckerberg.

I became a 10X developer in 2006 after learning two essential skills through pair programming with a world-renowned 100+X software engineer (yes, such people really do exist) in 2005.

I dedicated nearly every night for about nine months to practicing those skills. Of course, becoming a 10X productive individual isn't instantaneous; it's a gradual process. Over time, my teams observed a noticeable increase in productivity, reflected in my completed user story points compared to my peers, as well as the quality of my work.

A Story

During my daughter's first year studying Computer Science at the University of Queensland, someone organized a talk by an alumnus, now a senior engineer at Google USA. On that day, I heard Courtney casually mention, “I'll be home late because of this event”.

After hearing the event, I said half-jokingly, 'He’ll probably focus on these two skills/practices: … and …'

When she got home that night, the first thing she said to me was, 'You were right!’

The two skills/practices are: