5 MOST IMPORTANT PLATFORMS TO BE IN AS A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

When I was much younger, I didn’t know how much impact social network platforms can make on people’s lives. Even in our current dispensation, we can’t really tell how much we can go, do and become with these social network platforms we connect ourselves to. It is just so amazing and the possibilities are endless. As a Software Developer, getting on the right platforms will not just enhance your connections, it will go a step further in deepening the sense of your industry, expanding your experience about life and people, while also raking GOOD MONEY into your bank account. Good friends make good money, good contacts make good contracts. I have seen it happen and I have been part of it myself.
So the five most important platforms I feel every Software Developer should join are:

1. LinkedIn:
   LinkedIn is not just a social media platform, but a platform for PROFESSIONALS. All serious professionals are present on LinkedIn, only quacks are absent. As I stated in my previous article: if someone searches for you on Google, the very first search results that comes up is your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is one of the most amazing place for developers to get connects, job opportunities and of course, collaborations.

2. Github:
   I didn’t know the importance of Github until 8th February, 2020. I was on a journey from Lagos (South western, Nigeria) to Port Harcourt (South South, Nigeria) when I got robbed. I lost everything, practically EVERYTHING. If I had known about Github then, I would have been able to “push” (As we use it in Git commands) every of my files or applications to the cloud using Github.
   GitHub is where over 65 million developers shape the future of software, together. The beautiful thing about Github is that it doesn’t just help you save your applications online. Github helps you contribute to the open source community, manage your Git repositories, meet and collaborate with millions of other developers for present and future projects.

3. Stack Overflow:
   Stack Overflow is a web-based platform to increase productivity, decrease cycle times, and accelerate their time and skills. It is used by programmers to learn, share and further develop their programming careers. It features a wide range of questions and answers for professional and enthusiast programmers on computer programming. As I clearly stated in my previous article: Nobody knows it all. Even the best professional programmers all need help when they face challenging situations they are not familiar with.

4. DEV.to:
   DEV.to is a Social network for software developers. It is global community of software developers getting together to help one another out. The truth is that, the software industry relies largely on teamwork, collaboration and even networked learning – learning together.
   Furthermore, if you love writing or reading tech-related articles like me, DEV.to is a great platform to get started. Now, that is one smart way to actually get your writings out and have them indexed by Google in the process.

5. Twitter:
   Twitter??? Are you serious? Yes, of course I am. Yeah, I know you have been experiencing difficulties with the #NigeriaTwitterban. The truth remains that Twitter is one of the best platforms through which you can meet and interact with other professional developers from across the globe. According to Sproutsocial.com, Twitter sees 6,000 tweets every second. This puts into perspective how actively people are using it as a conversation platform.
   In fact, I don’t think I knew the power of Twitter Hashtags until the #EndSARS protest of 2020 in Nigeria. The Twitter Explore page gives you an updated list of topics and hashtags trending in your industry and region which are relevant to your interest.

PS: Justice Orogun is a Web & Mobile App Developer. He is also the Digital Marketing Lead at Gygital. He was a Nominee of the Nigeria’s 25 Under 25 Awards in 2020. In his spare time, he writes for DEV Community, gives answers at Stack Overflow and contributes to the Open Source Community on Github.
For questions, observations and contributions, you can send a mail: justice@gygital.com