Git Good: Why you should do programming challenges and competitions.

The most common question is how to get into a project to gain experience. The classic phrase "You need experience to get experience" is repeated commonly over the forums. Have no worry all hope is not lost! I did a little bit of competitive programming and side projects outside of the classroom during college. The key is to stop waiting and start doing . Participating in programming competitions and challenges offers numerous benefits, whether you're a student, professional developer, or just someone passionate about coding. Here's why you should consider diving in!

Sharpen Problem-Solving Skills

Programming competitions push you to think critically and creatively under pressure. Game jams may require you to work on a variety of skills withing your team or solo when creating a video game. You'll learn to break complex problems into smaller, manageable pieces. I seen all code stuffed in one whole file, which is a bad practice in itself. Working and configuring files are still that are used in the job. College projects and coursework aren't really a reflection and portfolio worthy. I encourage others to think of more interesting projects to develop skills.

Improve Coding Efficiency

The challenges often come with time and space constraints, encouraging you to write optimized, efficient code. Hackathons are usually 24 to 72 hours, game jams can vary in length, and competitive programming competitions are a few hours. In, my experience the time constraints are for the deadline and submission. For challenges with a longer duration you'll develop habits for clean and structured programming (mostly). For shorter lengths, getting the submission working before the deadline is typically more focused on.

Learn New Concepts and Techniques

Competitions expose you to advanced algorithms, data structures, and problem-solving patterns. They often require solutions that go beyond basic programming knowledge, broadening your expertise. I tend to look for topics and themes that interest me, maybe this is a first time or I don't have much experience in this programming language.

Boost Your Resume

In this era, you need a way to stand out from the competition. Success in recognized competitions can make your resume stand out. Employers value candidates with proven problem-solving abilities and have a portfolio. The competition is global now and I'm constantly learning to stay ahead of the game.

Prepare for Technical Interviews

As I'm writing this, I feel that technical interviews are getting much harder. Coding test and assessment are more prevalent. If you can't solve it within the time allotted you are not going to get the job unless you are really lucky. Many technical interviews focus on algorithmic thinking and problem-solving, similar to competition problems. Regular participation keeps your skills sharp and interview-ready. Hence, the eternal leetcode grind will never go away.

Build Confidence

Competing helps you grow comfortable tackling new and challenging problems. Each solved a problem or contest builds your confidence as a programmer.Since you are gaining experience with practice and learning something new. Having confidence makes me feel prepared for interviews as I know what to showcase and talk about.

Network with Like-Minded Peers

Competitions and challenges provide opportunities to meet and collaborate with talented programmers worldwide. I have met others in events, meetups and online with my work. You can learn from others' solutions and approaches to problems. Having a network can lead into any other jobs.

Enhance Time Management and Focus

Working under timed conditions improves your ability to prioritize and focus on what's essential.You'll become more efficient in real-world scenario and having a deadline help. I managed to complete my first game within 5 months before the deadline I set for myself. Having time management holds you accountable until the submission.

Personal Growth and Fulfillment

Overcoming challenging problems is immensely satisfying.The process develops discipline, perseverance, and a growth mindset. I do a reflection afterwards by assessing what well and didn't. After I released my first game I made a post mortem on what I learned when making the short game. I'm continuing to particpate in events to add to my portfolio.

Bonus: Win Prizes and Opportunities

Many contests offer prizes like cash, internships, or job opportunities at top tech companies. Recognition in these events can open doors to exciting career paths. I don't care about winning since that is not the main point of participating. It's a nice bonus, but I'm not getting too obesseive over winning or losing. At the end of the day, it should be for improving yourself. In the past, I got some cool swag from hackathon, events, and programing competitions.

Whether you're looking to land your dream job, improve your coding skills, or simply enjoy the thrill of solving problems, programming competitions are an excellent avenue to grow and succeed. I think it's best to attempt these challenges if you have time. It's not the end of the world if you don't do a hackathon or any other challenge. I see challenges as a positive that can open more doors in the future.