The reality is, there is an ever-evolving technological landscape in the industry and the role of the developer is constantly being redefined. Let’s face it, when GitHub Copilot was first released in 2022 I was extremely dubious and nervous about the introduction of AI. My first thought was that I’d be quickly replaced by AI (I couldn’t stop thinking about the movie The Terminator).

With the advent of AI tools, like GitHub Copilot, as developers we are faced with some new opportunities and also, some challenges. Staying relevant in this era of AI requires not only adapting to new technologies, but also honing in on your skills. As I demo the use cases of GitHub Copilot, I also think it is extremely relevant to address the elephant in the room, how AI is not going to replace us, but make us much better developers.

Let’s explore five key strategies to help you stay relevant and thrive in this new era of AI-driven development.

1. Embrace AI as a Collaborative Tool

Did you know that GitHub Copilot wasn’t named “Copilot” by accident? It is designed to assist developers, not replace them. Think of GitHub Copilot as your digital rubber duck (you know, that person you would traditionally bounce ideas off of). It is there to help you enhance your productivity and innovation, helping you to get over those mental brain hurdles that we often encounter with content switching or really tough coding problems.

GitHub Copilot is great at helping you generate code snippets, suggest improvements on your existing code, help write tests (personally, my favorite), and even debug issues. AI can help you remove the mundane, repetitive tasks that often take up too much time during our working day. This allows you, the developer, to focus on more complex and creative aspects of development. This is why we became developers, right?!

How AI Can Help You:

• Code Generation: Speed up development by using real-time suggestions as you code, allowing your team members to quickly adopt and integrate new code patterns.
• Code Improvement: Receive suggestions for more efficient, cleaner code.
• Test Writing: Automatically generate test cases, a game-changer for quality assurance, also helping your teams better code coverage
• Debugging: Identify and address potential issues in your code more efficiently, as well as address security issues before you merge your code.
• Documentation: Use AI to generate documentation, increasing access to well-documented code which is crucial for collaboration

Resources:

• GitHub Copilot Overview
• GitHub Copilot Labs

2. Commit to Continuous Learning and Upskilling

This is not just true with AI, but a constant in tech. In order to stay relevant, prioritize continuously, expand your knowledge base, and upskill. Working in tech means having the opportunity to continuously learn and play with new technologies.

The rate of change in tech is increasing at an even faster rate than before, with that, the best way to be an awesome developer, is to be on the cutting edge. However, this does not mean knowing everything under the sun. Commit to lifelong learning, being open to new skills, ideas, and ways of doing things. Stay up to date on industry trends by subscribing to blogs, podcasts, and industry news sources. Try out new technologies and learnings in personal projects to keep you informed and adaptable.

How to Stay Sharp:

• Online Courses and Certifications: Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and free GitHub Copilot tutorials are great resources.
• GitHub Copilot Cookbook: A valuable guide to get the most out of Copilot (View Cookbook).
• Personal Projects: Experimenting with side projects is a hands-on way to learn new technologies.
• Industry Content: Follow blogs, podcasts, and newsletters to stay informed.
• Free Learning Paths: Check out the GitHub Copilot self-guided learning path

3. Engage with the Developer Community

Whether you’re trying to sharpen your technical skills or get experience in software development to land that perfect new job, getting involved and making your work visible is a perfect way to display your skills and build up your resume. As a developer, you have some great skills, finding ways to showcase them and contribute is an ideal way to be an awesome developer.

Learning from others is one of the best ways to learn. Engaging with fellow developers in a group setting is a great way to see what other issues people have had, or even how they may have had a different perspective or approach to a resolution. Also, it helps you realize that oftentimes the problems we encounter have also been experienced by other developers. These are just a few benefits to working with others around and in the community. Shared knowledge has such great power!

There are various ways in which you can engage with the community:

· Contribute to Open-Source projects: Start small, find a project that interests you and start contributing. Finding something that needs remediation, maybe documentation or fixing a small coding problem is the best way to get your foot in the door. Open-source projects allow you to work on real-world problems, learning from others and showcase your skills. GitHub has a vast array of repositories that provides projects for you to contribute to. Pick one that interests you and get started!

· Online forums and discussions: Participating in online communities (like this one!) helps you connect with others to see what they are learning and it gives you a great opportunity to comment and connect with others, sharing invaluable experiences. Online forums can include places like Reddit, YouTube Comments, Podcasts, or other social media platforms. In a vast world, there is a guarantee that you will find somewhere with other like-minded individuals.

· Conferences and meetups: Find a local meetup (online or in-person) and join in. Listen to others, contribute ideas and network in your local area. Online webinars and conferences are fantastic places to meet others, hear about how others are using AI and explore new ideas for ways to apply technology.

Finding like minded individuals and contributing to community events is yet another way that you as an awesome developer can showcase your skills, learn from others and even network to potentially find your next step in your career.

Ways to Get Involved:

• Open Source Contributions: Start small by fixing bugs or improving documentation. GitHub offers a vast selection of projects to explore (Explore GitHub).
• Online Forums and Communities: Participate in discussions on platforms like Reddit, Stack Overflow, and Dev.to.
• Conferences and Meetups: Attend webinars, conferences, and local meetups to network and learn from peers. Look for events on Meetup and Eventbrite.

4. Focus on Architecture and Problem-Solving Skills

Working as a developer does require technical skills, but to really stand out at your next job interview, or to enable yourself to have a long career in technology, consider more soft skills. With the introduction of AI this provides an opportunity for you to use other tools in your toolbox, and this is a great time to focus on other skills that go beyond just writing code.

Being able to make architectural design decisions and solve problems is something that AI cannot do. You, the awesome developer, oversee this. Take some time to develop other skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration and problem-solving. It’s also a great opportunity to consider cross-industry knowledge.

For many of us in tech, our career paths have not been a straight line into our current roles. Having personally worked in other industries; I have been able to take those learnings into my long standing career in tech.

Develop These Skills:

• Critical Thinking: Analyze problems deeply to identify optimal solutions.
• Communication: Clearly articulate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Work seamlessly with cross-functional teams.
• Cross-Industry Knowledge: Leverage experiences from other domains to approach problems creatively.

Resources:

• MIT OpenCourseWare Critical Thinking
• Soft Skills for Developers

5. Stay Up to Date with Industry Trends

Trying to stay up to date in tech is often like trying to drink from a fire hose. The industry is rapidly evolving and staying informed can often feel overwhelming and challenging. When working on new projects (especially open-source projects), we are challenged with new technologies and new concepts, which can often lead us to learning new skills. To dive deeper into those existing skills and technologies, it’s beneficial to stay up to date:

Stay Informed By:

• Tech Blogs and News Sites: Follow trusted sources like TechCrunch, Hacker News, and the GitHub Blog.
• Podcasts: Listen during commutes or downtime for in-depth insights. Check out podcasts like Software Engineering Daily and AI Alignment Podcast.
• Release Notes: Familiarize yourself with updates and new features in the tools you use. GitHub Release Notes is a good place to start.
• Documentation: Dive into official docs—you might even find opportunities to contribute! For instance, explore the GitHub Docs.

Proactively learning about industry advancements ensures you stay ahead of the curve.

Conclusion

AI is here to help you become an even more awesome developer. Tools like GitHub Copilot empower you to automate repetitive tasks, write cleaner code, and focus on innovation. By embracing AI, committing to continuous learning, engaging with the community, honing problem-solving skills, and staying informed, you position yourself for a thriving career in tech.

Remember—AI is just another tool in your toolbox. Mastering it will make you an even more valuable developer. Now’s the time to dive in, experiment, and unlock your full potential.

This is a great time to embrace AI tooling, like GitHub Copilot (P.S. It’s now FREE!), hone in on your skills and help yourself stand out as a developer.