Cutting Edge vs. Bleeding Edge

The 21st Century has brought with it some amazing tools for programmers. However as many developers have gathered decades of experience a divide is forming between generations that can be challenging to navigate.

Once a technologist, plumber, carpenter, or mechanic has their preferred “tool-set” it can become difficult for them to introduce new tools because of the learning curve those new tools bring with them. Steep learning curves means mental gymnastics, and let’s face it, sometimes that can be tough for those seasoned vets who can already think of many ways to make their existing tools work.

In technology many of these “new” tools bring with them significant conceptual changes that may be much easier for a relatively fresh developer to learn than for our seasoned vets. However, if we can’t make those conceptual leaps we may well end up deprecating ourselves in the process.

At VeraciTek we offer “old faithful” skills such as Java, and C/C++. Last century norms such as PHP, relational databases & .NET. As well as cutting edge tools such as ReactJS, Node.js, MongoDB, and the like.

When it comes to bleeding edge, like Go (10 y/o), Swift (5 y/o), or even using some more mature languages in new ways, like Lambda functions on AWS, we have “been there, done that” with the transitions. Does our team know all of the technologies? Nope, but we’ve summited enough of them to know how to navigate new territory.