Becoming a better software engineer requires more than mastering algorithms or learning new programming languages. It’s about evolving into a more well-rounded professional who can tackle different aspects of the engineering craft. But there are many ways to get there, and that can make the journey confusing. Should you become an expert in one language, or achieve basic fluency in many? What about all this AI hype—should you focus on learning that? How can you balance your career development with your day job? Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your skills, these are challenging questions. This guide helps you answer them by providing straightforward, practical advice for software engineers at all levels seeking to elevate their craft. Drawing on CodeSignal’s extensive experience helping candidates prepare for technical interviews—and helping employers hire top technical talent—we share strategies that will empower you to gain the skills you need to advance in your engineering career. Let’s get started.
Jump to a section: What makes a great software engineer? The difference between a good and great software engineer is much more than technical proficiency. A good software engineer can deliver high-quality code, write effective tests, review contributions from peers, and design solutions for specific problems. In comparison, a great engineer does all of that—but also has a broader vision and takes a more proactive stance to their work.
Albina Ezus, Senior Engineering Manager at CodeSignal, explains: “A great software engineer advocates for continuous improvement of the codebase, always pushing the team to create robust, maintainable, and elegant software—and leading by example. Without being told, they identify and resolve unaddressed issues. They remove roadblocks for others on the team.”
A great software engineer is a force multiplier for the whole team. For them, it’s not enough to deliver well-scoped features that work well. That’s the minimum requirement. They see beyond the code and up-level their teammates by removing obstacles. They understand the business and product implications of their work, and use that perspective to guide their decisions.
In essence, the transition from good to great in software engineering is marked by a shift from executing tasks to effecting change. It’s about leading by example and fostering an environment of excellence. Leadership is often confused with seniority—it’s possible to lead from any position within a team. Leveling up from a “good” to a “great” engineer requires initiative, seeing beyond your own tasks, and committing to continuous improvement and collaborative success.
Benefits of strengthening your software developer skills Elevating your skills as a software engineer opens the door to a wealth of benefits. This progression enhances your capacity to contribute meaningfully to projects; it can also bring higher-earning opportunities that reflect the increased value you bring to a team or project. In addition, it paves the way for greater personal fulfillment as you tackle new challenges with confidence and solidify your role as an indispensable asset to the team. As you grow in your capabilities, you become the go-to person for certain questions and a catalyst for the team as a whole to improve. Your ability to navigate challenging problems will accelerate your team’s progress while inspiring your colleagues to improve their own skills. This collective upskilling could make your team more capable, more agile, more fun to work with, and less susceptible to a single source of failure.
How to improve your software engineer skills The following strategies to advance in your software engineering career can be used at any stage. However, for those who are specifically aiming to advance from junior or mid-level to senior level, we recommend our specialized guide for that transition.
Develop a mindset for growth and improvement To grow as a software engineer, it’s crucial first to see challenges as chances to learn. When you hit an obstacle, consider each one a puzzle to solve and an opportunity to learn something new. This way, every new challenge becomes a golden chance to improve your mastery. Instead of shying away from technical challenges, you should approach them with a curious and open-minded spirit. This is how you will discover new solutions and expand your technical know-how.
Cultivate your curiosity by exploring beyond your familiar boundaries (technologies, languages, frameworks). Question why your team makes certain design decisions and consider how alternatives might work instead. Look beyond your team and notice the dependencies in your organization. This kind of thinking will help you see the broader picture beyond the scope of your own tasks.
Being open to feedback is another big step toward improvement. Listen when others offer advice or suggest something you could do differently. Everyone has blind spots and they might see things you have missed, so embrace their insight with gratitude. It’s an invaluable opportunity to refine your skills from a fresh perspective.
Remember, it is okay to admit you don’t know everything. In fact, it is a strength to admit when there are gaps in your knowledge. If paired with an open-minded attitude, it is a big green flag: it shows that you’re ready to learn and grow. This attitude—being open, curious, receptive to feedback, and willing to tackle challenges head-on—sets the best software engineers apart.
Master one programming language in depth You don’t need to write code in multiple languages to become a great software engineer. This is a common misconception. Instead of being superficially competent at different languages, it’s much better to master one in depth. This approach allows you to appreciate the nuances and subtleties of that language. What makes it powerful? In which scenarios is this language strong and which ones does it struggle? How well does this language integrate with other platforms? Mastering one language will allow you to evaluate the language ecosystem as a whole. You’ll get an appreciation for the standard libraries and frameworks—how they interact with each other and the language’s core features. You’ll start to see patterns in how solutions can be architected in the ecosystem. You’ll learn the unique strengths of that language, which will come in handy when faced with future problems to tackle. As you learn more about the language, you might even become the go-to resource on your team or in your community.
Become a better programmer by writing code every day Writing code daily sharpens your programming skills by providing consistent practice or “reps,” which enhance your technical abilities and problem-solving strategies. With each day, you encounter a variety of problems and build an inventory of solutions to draw from in the future.
This routine also builds resilience and discipline: essential traits for great software engineers. By taking on new challenges regularly, you see more solution patterns and approaches—and you become more adaptable as a result.
Learn the complete software lifecycle process A great software engineer understands that the job involves much more than coding. It involves gathering requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. It also requires working with different stakeholders and navigating team dynamics. By learning the entire software lifecycle process, you gain a holistic view. You’ll see how each phase is interconnected. You’ll learn the typical risks associated with each part of the process. This perspective will help you identify and mitigate potential problems.
With this broadened view, you can drive improvements beyond coding. You’ll be able to look at team processes—such as code reviews or the way your team does on-call support rotations—and propose ideas to streamline these workflows. Improvements like this can save many engineering hours. You’ll notice which kinds of projects tend to take longer than others, and the common bottlenecks responsible for these setbacks. Knowing the ins and outs of the software lifecycle boosts your skills, and it turns you into a more productive and effective software engineer.
Build strong engineering habits It’s important to foster good engineering habits if you want to be a strong engineer. Here a few great ones to start with: Design the software architecture of your programs before you code them. This approach ensures you have a clear blueprint of what needs to be built and how different elements of your application will interact with each other. This way, you handle the majority of the heavy lifting upfront and then code the implementation of your design. It’s more difficult to write code while trying to figure out how each component contributes to the greater objective.
Write test cases for your applications that cover known…
