In today's rapidly evolving tech landscape, a formal Computer Science (CS) degree provides a solid foundation but often misses critical practical skills needed in the real world. Resources like The Missing Semester from MIT aim to fill these gaps, offering invaluable knowledge for budding full stack developers.
The traditional CS curriculum often focuses on theoretical aspects while neglecting practical tools and techniques essential for everyday development. As a young full stack developer, I realized the significance of these overlooked skills and how they can elevate one's proficiency and productivity. Let's dive into some of the crucial topics covered by The Missing Semester that every CS graduate should master.
Shell Tools, Scripting, Permissions, and the Shell
Mastering the shell is fundamental for any developer. The command line provides powerful capabilities to automate tasks, manage files, and streamline workflows. Understanding permissions is essential for maintaining system security and integrity.
# expansion
convert image.{png,jpg}
# Delete all files with .tmp extension
find . -name '*.tmp' -exec rm {} \;
# see/manage permissions
ls -alht --color=auto --time-style=long-iso --group-directories-first
# drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4.0K 2024-05-11 22:21 .local
# -rw------- 1 root root 42K 2024-07-21 05:05 .bash_history
# -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 3.2K 2024-07-15 16:05 .bashrc
Data Wrangling
Data wrangling involves cleaning and transforming data into a more usable and readable format. This skill is crucial for tasks ranging from machine learning to basic everyday usage.
# look at this abomination
ssh myserver journalctl
| grep sshd
| grep "Disconnected from"
| sed -E 's/.*Disconnected from (invalid |authenticating )?user (.*) [^ ]+ port [0-9]+( \[preauth\])?$/\2/"
| sort | uniq -c
| sort -nk1,1 | tail -n10
| awk '{print $2}' | paste -sd,
Version Control with Git and GitHub
Version control systems like Git are indispensable for managing code changes, collaborating with other developers, and maintaining project history. Despite its importance, many CS programs provide only a cursory introduction to Git.
# Initialize a new Git repository
git init
# Add files to the staging area
git add .
# Commit changes
git commit -m "Initial commit"
# Push to a remote repository
git push -u origin master
Cryptography and Security
Understanding the principles of cryptography and security is crucial in an era where data breaches and cyber threats are rampant. This knowledge helps in designing systems that protect sensitive information and maintain user trust. In addition, learning these concepts will help in understanding how security systems work which will ultimately improve your workflows!
# Generate a new SSH key pair
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"
# Add the SSH key to the ssh-agent
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa
Docker
Docker is a tool that allows developers to create, deploy, and run applications in isolated environments called containers.
# Pull the latest Ubuntu image
docker pull adguard/adguardhome
# Run a container with configurations from docker-compose.yml
docker-compose up -d
tmux
tmux is a terminal multiplexer that allows multiple terminal sessions to be accessed and controlled from a single window.
# Start a new tmux session
tmux
# Detach from the session
Ctrl+b, then d
# List tmux sessions
tmux ls
# Attach to a session
tmux attach-session -t <session_name>
Markdown
Markdown is a lightweight markup language for creating formatted text using a plain-text editor. It is widely used for documentation and README files. (P.S. This blog is made with MD ;D)
# Heading 1
## Heading 2
**Bold Text**
*Italic Text*
- List Item 1
- List Item 2
[Link](https://example.com)
More?
Yes, there is so much more! Not in a million blog posts can I mention everything. As a developer you must have the urge to explore, learn something new every day, strive to know how things work. And from my experience - college/bootcamp/courses/etc are just guides/starting points. For true success you must get your hands dirty, real real dirty!
Leave an impact
Make sure to explore The Missing Semester of Your CS Education and contribute to it on github.com/missing-semester/
Conclusion
Bridging the gap between academic learning and practical application is crucial for upcoming IT professionals. The Missing Semester is an invaluable resource that fills in the gaps left by traditional CS curriculums, offering essential tools and skills that are critical for success in the tech industry. By integrating these lessons into your learning journey, you can become a more competent, efficient, and well-rounded developer. Cheers!