Logo

What percent of "being a good programmer" is due to expertise in the syntax of a language(s)? Could you have mastered syntax and still be a bad programmer; or, conversely, be a great programmer with only a fundamental handle on syntax?

Last Updated: 27.06.2025 09:55

What percent of "being a good programmer" is due to expertise in the syntax of a language(s)? Could you have mastered syntax and still be a bad programmer; or, conversely, be a great programmer with only a fundamental handle on syntax?

So virtually all the thinking is about algorithms and object structures.

Modern IDEs like Cursor can actually transpire MUPL to code in a lot of cases.

MUPL allows you to mix actual statements in the programming language you’re going to write in, sequel statements, and vaguely English sentences explaining what the algorithm is going to be when when you get around to writing it.

My wife has a bunch of really attractive friends, and she expects me to never say anything to her about how beautiful they are. Does this seem fair? I love my wife, and just commenting shouldn’t hurt anything, right?

Many years ago, my wife designed a language called MUPL - “Mary’s Universal Programming Language.”

Over the last five years, knowledge of the syntax has actually become a lot less important, firstly because the tools used by programmers have got better at sorting that sort of thing out, But also because writing a lot of the boiler plate code is now done by AI assistants rather than by hand.

This question appears to be about five years old.

What are the most important skills a fine artist should develop in today's art world?