It's Time To Talk About Being A Jack Of All Trades in Software Development

“Jack of all trades, master of none” is an idiom becoming pervasive in software development, especially in the early years of a developer’s career. The idea goes that a developer who dabbles in everything cannot be amazing at anything.

In other words, it’s the generalist vs. the specialist debate. Should software programmers generalize or specialize their skills? Should they aim for competency in a variety of languages/frameworks? Or should they focus their attention on mastering one thing?

Unfortunately, such questions are wasted on a fallacy. The jack of all trades, master of none debate is specious. It draws a line between generalizing and specializing in development that doesn’t need to exist. In fact, being a jack-of-all-trades developer comes with its own advantages.

Generalist developers (those considered a “jack of all trades”) are the developers who have their fingers in a wide array of proverbial programming pies. They’re comfortable using a wide range of applications and languages. And they’re competent in a variety of software development tasks and areas.

The goal of a generalist developer is to be competent in all phases of the software development lifecycle. That means having the skills to adapt to any needed task or language to take a project all the way, from the drawing board through to deployment.

The idiom “jack of all trades, master of none” suggests a problem with being a generalist developer. It supposes that those capable in many areas of software development cannot be masterful in any of them.

On the other hand, you will have diverse insights and an understanding of how the whole system works. You will understand the ins and outs and not be scared to go out of your comfort zone or try new stacks or new roles.

However, without proper mastery, you sacrifice depth for breadth. You will run into problems, and as the complexity of things increases, you will have difficulties fixing the problem. The fact is, as much as you want to know everything, you can’t be proficient in all. It is almost impossible to be a master of all.

The master of one

Specialist developers (those considered a “master of one”) focus on one language/framework/stack. This means that they become experts in that specific field and language. So, they’re more adept at their focused field than a generalist might be.

A specialist developer has a slightly different career path than a generalist developer. They often slot into one company and rise through the ranks there. (Rather than fitting well enough in many companies). This is because it’s common for the code and product they specialize in to be company-specific.

As such, it’s sometimes harder for specialist developers to find new positions. As a pay-off, they may find it easier to climb to a high position (and high salary, of course) within a given company.

Time to break the fallacy

The “jack of all trades, master of none” fallacy in software development suggests that it’s better to be a specialist. After all, the idiom is predominantly used as an insult.

But the truth is that a jack-of-all-trades developer has plenty of benefits that a specialized developer doesn’t. For instance, they’re more adaptable than their specialized counterparts. As an example, a specialized developer might prefer to use their chosen language and methods for any (and every) task. But a generalized developer can be more fluid. They can choose the language and style that best suits the task at hand.

There are also more job opportunities for the jack-of-all-trades developer. They can fit into most software houses, after all.

Here’s the real idiom-breaker: being a jack of all trades doesn’t mean you can’t also specialize. In fact, the second half of the idiom, “master of none,” wasn’t even part of the original phrase.

The generalist vs. specialist debate is a false dichotomy. The space between the jack and the master is a spectrum, not a chasm.

In other words, you can still delve deeper into a favored area of software development. So, you can be a jack of all trades with specialization in one, if that suits you. Being well-versed in languages and skills, as well as having specialized expertise, will never be a disadvantage.

So, why not strike a balance between the two? Having a generalized foundation gives you the flexibility and adaptability of the jack of all trades. Meanwhile, branching into the intricacies of development that you find most interesting can help you stand out from the crowd.

“change is the only constant in life.”

The idea that being a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ developer is a bad thing is a fallacy. There’s nothing wrong with being a jack of all trades, just as there’s nothing wrong with being a master of one.

The most benefits are gained by those who embrace both ways of thinking. So, don’t worry about choosing one or the other. Find the balance between a generalized and specialized practice that best suits your career goals and your interests.

Conclusion

The best software engineers are curious, flexible, and always seeking new skills. There’s no rule that says you can’t reach a professional level at several loosely related technical areas.

An experienced full-stack developer might simultaneously have the skillset of a backend and frontend developer, cloud architect, data engineer, and many other things. This jack of all trades might master all of these skills at a higher level than a mediocre specialist.

Of course, generalists are in demand. Who wouldn’t want them on their team? It’s like having a team of five specialists, except it's just one person, and you’re only paying one salary.

“It’s more fulfilling and productive doing what you love and in return you will love what you do” — Michael Eze

Sources

• The fallacy of being a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ developer
• Jack of All Trades: Master of One vs. Master of None
• It’s OK to be a Jack of all Trades

Also published here.