Best Tips for Mentoring a Junior Developer Without Burning Out

Having a fun side project is my go-to for avoiding burnout. No deadlines, just something to spark my passion again. It lets me remember why I love coding in the first place and gives me small wins along the way.

Honestly, I initially thought the question was about how to keep the mentor from burning out. It’s tough work! My number one advice? RTFM—Read the freaking documentation. It’s a game changer and makes you feel like you’re ahead of the game.

Avoid getting caught up with tech influencers. Forget about needing to learn a million frameworks or buying overpriced courses to make it in the industry.

Here are some solid tips:
1. Steer clear of "tutorial hell" and focus on learning by building.
2. Make sure you have strong foundations—those fundamentals are key.
3. Understand the "why" behind the concepts you learn.
4. Remember: think twice, code once—it’s all about understanding.
5. Learning Linux isn’t mandatory, but it’s a great bonus!
6. Create meaningful projects, not just random code snippets to share.
7. And seriously, take breaks! Sometimes getting outside is all you need to refocus.

1. Always nail the basics! Frameworks can be tempting, but what if they go away? Knowing how to code in the root language is crucial.
2. If you’re a junior, focus on either frontend or backend, not both at once.
3. Don’t complicate things unnecessarily. Use existing packages where you can.
4. Never hesitate to ask questions; everyone starts somewhere!
5. And about AI—be careful. Some developers have bad habits, and you don’t want to pick those up too! Try doing things yourself first to really grasp the concepts.