Struggling with Perfectionism in Coding: How to Overcome It?

It sounds like you're dealing with a classic case of perfectionism, which many developers face, myself included. It's great that you're aware of it, but it can definitely be frustrating. The truth is, no code is perfect, and even top developers feel that way sometimes. The key is to shift your focus from perfection to progress. It's easy to get locked in the cycle of thinking, "this could be better", but you need to recognize when to call it done and move on. The first version of your code is just that—a starting point. If it works, that's already a win! Keep improving, but also know when you’ve done enough for now. Programming is a process, not a one-time perfect product.

Consider asking someone to review your code if possible. If that's not an option, you might try using an AI tool like Claude to analyze it for you. Just keep in mind that sometimes AI feedback can be overly flattering or point out non-issues that aren't real problems, but it might boost your confidence a bit!

You're constantly learning and that's normal and good! Just get used to the fact that code at work doesn’t have to be perfect—what really matters is delivering working features. If you’re too attached to your code, it’ll stress you out. Remember, you might find yourself in a new job before you know it, so try not to fall too in love with any single piece of code.

You might just need some perspective. Do you work in a team or know anyone else in the industry? Being part of a group that shares the same interest in software development can help a lot.