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The Things I Wish I Knew Before Writing My First 10,000 Lines of Code


This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Zain Ul Abdeen

The Things I Wish I Knew Before Writing My First 10,000 Lines of Code

Every developer remembers their early days — messy projects, endless debugging, and that magical feeling when things finally work.

Looking back, I realize that my first 10,000 lines of code were filled with mistakes, shortcuts, and “aha” moments. If I could travel back in time, these are the lessons I would tell my beginner self (and maybe save a few all-nighters).

1. Writing Code ≠ Writing Good Code

At first, I thought being a “real developer” meant writing lots of code.

But good code isn’t about quantity. It’s about clarity, maintainability, and simplicity.

  • Fewer lines that are easy to read > Many lines that nobody understands
  • Code is read 10x more often than it’s written
  • “Future you” is your most frequent collaborator — write for them

✨ Rule of thumb: If I can’t explain my code to a beginner, it’s too complex.

2. Don’t Fear Deleting Code

In my early days, I treated every line like a precious gem. Deleting code felt like throwing away progress.

Reality check: bad code is debt.

  • Refactoring is growth, not failure
  • Deleting 100 lines often feels more productive than adding 1,000
  • Cleaner code makes debugging faster

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is hit that delete key.

3. Debugging Is a Skill, Not a Punishment

I used to panic when my code didn’t work. Hours wasted, frustration building.

Then I realized debugging is a core skill, not a side quest.

  • Always read error messages (they are your friends)
  • Use print statements or breakpoints strategically
  • Narrow down problems step by step — don’t guess

Once I embraced debugging, it stopped being a nightmare and started being a superpower.

4. Comments Don’t Fix Bad Code

I thought writing a ton of comments made my code “professional.”

Wrong.

  • Good code explains itself
  • Comments are for why, not what
  • Outdated comments are worse than none

Instead of writing 

// Looping through the array
for (let i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) {
  // do something with arr[i]
}

Write self-explanatory code 

for (const user of users) {
  // do something with user
}

5. Learn Git Early (Seriously)

One of my biggest regrets: waiting too long to learn Git.
Copying files like project-final-v3-FINAL-final2.js is not version control.

  • Git saves you from disasters
  • You’ll need it in every job
  • It teaches you how to collaborate like a pro

Even if you’re working solo, Git is worth it.

6. Don’t Chase Every New Framework

Shiny new tools pop up daily. Early me tried to learn everything — and ended up mastering nothing.

It’s better to know one stack deeply than 10 frameworks poorly.

Focus on the fundamentals:

  • Problem-solving
  • Data structures & algorithms
  • Clean code principles

Frameworks change. Fundamentals last.

7. Asking for Help Isn’t Weakness

For the longest time, I struggled in silence. I thought asking questions made me “less of a developer.”
Turns out, the best developers ask a lot of questions.

  • Google is a skill
  • Stack Overflow is a tool, not a crutch
  • Seniors respect curiosity, not silence

The real weakness? Staying stuck for days on something you could solve in 10 minutes with help.

8. Done Is Better Than Perfect

I wasted months trying to build the perfect project. Spoiler: I never finished it.

A working imperfect project is 100x more valuable than a “perfect” project sitting in your drafts.

  • Ship fast, iterate later
  • Progress beats perfection
  • Your future self will always cringe at old code anyway — and that’s a good sign

9. Programming Is More About People Than Computers

This one hit me late: writing code is the easy part.
The real challenge? Communicating with humans.

  • Code is for humans first, computers second
  • Writing documentation matters
  • Teamwork is the real skill behind successful projects

Good code gets you hired. Good collaboration keeps you hired.

10. The Journey Never Ends

After my first 10,000 lines, I thought I would “arrive” as a developer.
Spoiler: there is no finish line.

  • Tech evolves constantly
  • You’ll always be learning
  • That’s what makes it exciting 🚀

Instead of chasing an end goal, I now focus on enjoying the process.

Final Thoughts

If you’re early in your coding journey:

  • Make mistakes
  • Break things
  • Keep learning

Your first 10,000 lines will probably be messy — and that’s exactly how it should be.

The real growth comes not from writing code, but from rewriting yourself as a developer.

💬 What about you?
What’s the biggest lesson you learned from your first 10,000 lines of code?
Let’s share and help the next generation of developers.


This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Zain Ul Abdeen