Why You Should Keep a Code Journal (Part One)

Journaling isn't just for writers!

Why should you keep a code journal?

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Journaling is often thought of as an arty or holistic pastime, an activity for
those with a creative streak or too much time on their hands. Why would a technical
person be interested in journaling?

Journaling is a tool, and a Code Journal is a tool for anyone who uses technology
(not just specifically code), be it in their job or as a hobby (developers,
software architects, QA/testers, etc).

The stereotypical type of journaling is usually considered to be a tool for

improving mental and spiritual health, the Code Journal is a tool to improve your
coding and work/hobby life.

In this post I will visit a few reasons for why you should keep a Code Journal
then, in the next post in this series, I will give you some ideas for starting a
Code Journal. There are no hard and fast rules, your Code Journal will be tailored
to you and what you need from it.

The Benefits of Keeping a Code Journal

Get Everything Out of Your Head
If you want to remember to do something and you want to free up your mind to do
what it should be doing (thinking!) then you need to get everything out of your
head. Using a Code journal for this means that you won�t lose that vitally
important Post-It note with your world-changing idea scribbled on it. Your brain
will thank you for letting it think, instead of remembering.

"Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them."

� David Allen
Track Your Growth
You can track your growth and see how you have improved. Without a record, it is
very hard to see how far you have come. Most of us will feel we are stuck in a rut,
or falling behind, at some point. Your Code Journal can either show you that you
are actually improving, or it can help you identify what you are missing and to
then set goals.

Track Your Goals and Progress

You can track your goals and any progress made against them. Keeping your goals at
the forefront of your mind, and keeping track of progress will move you toward your
goals much faster. A Code Journal gives you somewhere to record and review your
goals, to keep you on track for any deadlines set.

"Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win."

� Jonathan Kozol
Save Time
Because of the records, you make in your Code Journal, it will be easier to carry
on where you left off. You won�t waste time trying to remember where you got to in
your project or what you planned to do next, even if there has been a long space of
time since you worked on it.
Manage Multiple Projects More Easily
It will be easier to switch between projects. Most people have more that one
project on the go at a time, and looking at your last notes on a project will get
you going again much quicker, reminding you what you need to look at next.

Develop a Coding or Working Philosophy

A Code Journal will help you to develop a coding philosophy. Thinking about and
analyzing how you code and your own (or team/company) processes will mean you can
identify what works, what needs improvement and how new ideas can fit into your
coding. A more streamlined and simplified process and codebase should be the
result.

Document What Works and What Doesn�t Work

You can record things that work well or don�t work well. Having a reference for
things to keep doing, things to stop doing and things to start doing will keep you
on the path to improvement. Keeping a record and reviewing regularly is the key to
improvement.

Keep Track of Decisions

You can keep track of the decisions you make about your projects, learning, etc.
Can you remember why you made a particular decision, or what the decision actually
was? If you now have more information, to inform that decision, you can work out if
the decision needs to be revisited. You also have a reference so that you don�t
have to make the same decisions again, so you�re not wasting your time.

Reduce Time to Market

Keep track of features and refactoring ideas to reduce feature creep. This is an
easy trap to fall into, especially in personal projects. If you keep adding new
features to your current development cycle you will never deploy that app! Keeping
a record of new feature and refactoring ideas will mean you won�t be worrying about
forgetting your ideas and they can be considered for a future release.

"Delivering good software today is often better than perfect software tomorrow."

� The Pragmatic Programmer

Identify and Eliminate Bottlenecks
You will more easily identify bottlenecks or anything that is holding you back.
Identifying things that need tweaking or skills that need to be learned will
increase the speed at which you grow as a coder. Improving bottlenecks, over other
areas, is likely to give you the most return on your effort.

"Any improvements made anywhere besides the bottleneck are an illusion."

� Gene Kim

Discover Your "Happy"

Why do you like doing what you are doing? What is it that you enjoy? Work this out
and you can focus on what makes you feel good about coding to improve your everyday
happiness and help you set goals to move you further towards what makes you happy.
Reviewing your Code Journal will help you work these things out much faster.

"I�ve always thought people would find a lot more pleasure in their routines if
they burst into song at significant moments."

� John Barrowman
Gather Evidence to Gain a Promotion or Pay Rise
Most organizations will require a good reason if you want a pay rise and/or a
promotion. Your Code Journal is the ideal place to record exactly what you have
been working on, and particularly your successes and praise from others. Don�t
forget to include things from outside of your job role, such as open-source
projects you may be working on. You can also make notes on your research on current
market rates for your role, or role you aspire to.

Update Your CV and Prep for Interviews With Ease

Your Code Journal will be your best friend when it comes to updating your CV and
practicing answers for job interviews. You have a record of the technologies you
have used, the projects you have worked on, problems you have solved, how you
approached a difficult situation...If this list sounds a little like a question
prep list for a job interview then you probably get the idea that prepping for
these general interview questions by referring to your Code Journal is going to be
so much easier than trying to remember everything you have done for the last months
or years.

What Next?
In my next post on this series of Code Journaling, I will cover how to get started
with your own Code Journal!