Some programmers are way more skillful than others at the craft of programming per se. Beginning with more natural talent, they tend to acquire more knowledge and skill than most of their peers. This has good and bad consequences for them and others. But first let's talk about what this really looks like.

Facility with specific languages and other software technologies is not the same thing at all as programming skill. In fact, power programmers tend to be technology-agnostic. They may have strong preferences, but they developed those preferences by experimenting insatiably with many technologies. They tend to be comfortable working in several languages, and in several technologies. They tend to be objective in their choices, and rational about strengths and weaknesses. Given the latitude, they tend to use whatever works best for the problem at hand. They look for the individual strengths, and the best applications, of specific languages, platforms, and technologies.

Power programmers study programming per se -- its patterns, its optimal techniques and processes. They know about object oriented programming, refactoring, design patterns, testing approaches, and language design and evolution. They wonder and theorize about the evolution of programming and software. These days they are thinking about things like Aspect-oriented Programming and the open-source movement.

I don't need everyone on my teams to be like this, but when problems get tough, it's hard to get by without at least one of them. Instead of being overwhelmed by the really tough problems, such programmers are typically excited and delighted by them.

Many corporate environments often seem allergic to power programmers, for all manner of political and psychological and cultural reasons.

Many power programmers don't conform or play political games especially well. They don't have time for it. And certainly it takes very special managers to manage power programmers well. The best home for power programmers is the same best home for us all: the kind of Whole Team that XP asks us to create and nurture.

If you would like to read more, check out this recent article on power programmers.

-- Patrick Wilson-Welsh, Adaption Software     revised 8/23/06

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