Development Fundamentals
Overview
This skill covers the foundational knowledge every software developer should command — drawn from canonical published works and industry-proven practices. It spans from low-level algorithms through code craftsmanship to system-level architecture.
Knowledge Map
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Architecture │
│ Microservices, Monoliths, DDD, Event-Driven, │
│ Hexagonal, Well-Architected Frameworks │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Frontend │ Backend │
│ SPA, PWA, Micro-frontends, │ Data Modeling, API │
│ SSR, Islands Architecture │ Design, Caching, Auth │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Integration Patterns │ Design Patterns │
│ EIP: Messaging, Routing, │ GoF: Creational, │
│ Transformation, Endpoints │ Structural, Behavioral │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Algorithms & Data Structures │
│ Sorting, Searching, Graphs, DP, Combinatorial │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Craftsmanship │
│ Clean Code, Clean Architecture, SOLID, 12-Factor, │
│ Refactoring, Boy Scout Rule │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Canonical Works
| Book | Author | Covers |
|---|
| *Design Patterns* | Gamma, Helm, Johnson, Vlissides (GoF) | 23 object-oriented patterns |
| *Enterprise Integration Patterns* | Hohpe & Woolf | Messaging, routing, transformation |
| *The Art of Computer Programming* | Donald Knuth | Algorithms, data structures, combinatorics |
| *Clean Code* | Robert C. Martin | Naming, functions, formatting, comments |
| *Clean Architecture* | Robert C. Martin | Dependency rule, boundaries, layers |
| *Refactoring* | Martin Fowler | Code smells, refactoring catalog |
| *Domain-Driven Design* | Eric Evans | Bounded contexts, aggregates, ubiquitous language |
| *Building Microservices* | Sam Newman | Service decomposition, communication, deployment |
| *The Pragmatic Programmer* | Hunt & Thomas | Career, approach, tools, pragmatic philosophy |
| *The Twelve-Factor App* | Adam Wiggins (Heroku) | Cloud-native application methodology |
| *Release It!* | Michael Nygard | Stability patterns, capacity, deployment |
| *Fundamentals of Software Architecture* | Richards & Ford | Architecture styles, characteristics, decisions |
Choosing the Right Pattern Category
| Problem | Look In |
|---|
| Object creation complexity | Design Patterns → Creational |
| Composing objects / adapting interfaces | Design Patterns → Structural |
| Object communication / state management | Design Patterns → Behavioral |
| Service-to-service messaging | Integration Patterns |
| Algorithm selection / optimization | Algorithms |
| Code readability and maintainability | Craftsmanship |
| System decomposition and boundaries | Architecture |
| Client-side application structure | Frontend |
| Server-side data and API structure | Backend |
Best Practices
- Learn patterns as a vocabulary, not a checklist — apply them when the problem calls for it, not preemptively.
- Start with the simplest architecture that works (monolith), evolve toward complexity (microservices) only when you have evidence you need it.
- Apply the Boy Scout Rule: leave code better than you found it, every time you touch it.
- Use SOLID principles as guardrails for daily decisions, not just for greenfield design.
- Prefer composition over inheritance — most GoF patterns are variations of this principle.
- Study algorithms for problem-solving intuition, not memorization — know when to reach for a graph algorithm vs. dynamic programming.
- Keep integration patterns in mind whenever systems need to communicate — messaging solves problems that synchronous calls create.
