Being a software developer is truly a gift in life. You have the power to create something that never existed before, and you have an unlimited and free source of the raw materials required for the job — your thoughts and ideas.
I like to take this even further. I like to think of that creative power as a responsibility. You are one of a relative few on this planet who can create in this way, and so I truly believe that people should invest significant time and energy into it.
In order to do that, you need to maintain a decent computer setup. And these days, a full-fledged office isn't a bad idea either. I want to help you understand why these investments will pay off for you and your career in the long run.
You Are Responsible for Your Own Career
I know some people who seem to think that the company that employs them is responsible for their growth. Some of them will even flat out admit that they'll only take on training opportunities during work hours when the company provides it.
These people do not make it to the top of their field. They fail to understand that we are all accountable for our position in life and in our standing in our career. They will do what is required to get by, and may even be decent at their jobs, but they will do no extra and will absolutely never invest their own personal money into their career development.
As a Developer, a Decent Laptop is the Minimum
I know that computers are a big expense. And perhaps this advice doesn't apply in the early stages, but if you want to achieve success in your career as a developer you should be able to write and run code on your own personal computer.
Many of the best minds have agreed over time that, to truly master something, you must spend time practicing it. It is also fairly common knowledge that most people don't generally try to go above and beyond in their career by investing time outside of work.
Coupling those two concepts together, if you want to get anywhere near the top of the field as a software developer you will have to put in some extra time.
An External Monitor is Highly Recommended
If you want to go the extra mile and be able to work efficiently during your own time, then having an external monitor will really set you ahead. This also just puts you into a more professional category right off the bat. Most people who spend all day working on their computer have multiple displays, and so if you get in the habit of doing it at home as well it'll become second nature.
As a side note, I personally can't stand a lot of standard linting rules that exist these days - line length limits that make it clear they are set up for a person using a single screen and trying to run multiple apps at once.
A Home Office is Best
If you have the space and the resources for items like a desk, then having a home office setup can really be a nice touch. I have been lucky enough to have a home office for just about my entire adult life, and I can tell you it has made a difference for me.
It allows me to have a space to focus, and reminds me that I am in control of my own career. Having a portfolio of digital assets that provide a living for me has been a dream for a long time, and I try to use mt office as a reminder that if I work hard enough I can make that dream come true. I think you can find similar motivation in your home office as well.
Use Whatever You Currently Can
The most important advice I can give in all of this is to start from wherever you are using whatever you can. Don't have space for a full home office? Start by setting up a desk in a dedicated area. Don't have room for a desk? Start with a cheap table.
If you don't have money for a nice laptop, buy a budget model. There are plenty of simple web frameworks these days that don't require a lot of horsepower to run. And using an IDE like Visual Studio Code can give you a highly-refined editing experience without requiring a ton of resources.
In Summary
If you want to rise to the top in your software development career, then the ultimate truth is that it must be more than your career. It must be something that you invest your own personal time into maintaining and growing.
And if you want to do that, you need to invest in the equipment required for the job. If you do it right, spending your own time and money to give yourself a professional development setup at home can earn you potentially tens of thousands of dollars more per year.
Whether it's looking more professional during an interview, opening up the door for side income opportunities or just pivoting to home-based work without missing a beat, keeping a professional setup at home is something everybody should do.