The Five Hats of a Programmer: Context-Driven Coding Styles
2025-02-07
A seasoned programmer reflects on years of experience, outlining five distinct "coding hats": Captain's Hat (careful, deliberate, for critical systems), Scrappy Hat (quick prototypes, minimal ceremony), MacGyver Hat (rapid experimentation, messy code acceptable), Chef's Hat (focus on code aesthetics), and Teacher's Hat (prioritizing code clarity and understanding). The author argues that choosing the right coding style based on context is crucial, avoiding dogmatic adherence to a single "correct" way for optimal efficiency.