How Much Knowledge is Enough Knowledge

In my time so far a software engineer I have heard a lot of beginners wonder and ask me how much they need to learn before they can comfortably call themselves an engineer and start applying for jobs especially considering the fact that job postings have a long list of requirements in terms of technologies and also coupled with some required years of experience and familiarity. I can personally relate to the question because I always wondered how much I needed to learn before I could even build an application from start to finish as a beginner. This usually causes a lack of confidence in beginners and also impostor syndrome. The simple answer to that question is the same as any other aspect of life.

Learning never ends

The above statement is especially true in the world of software development and every developer needs to accept it fully to actually excel in the field. The mistake most people make is that they want to fully learn every single thing before they start out a new project or start applying for jobs but the absolute truth is that learning never ends and what is going to set you apart as a developer is your ability to learn on the job. 
 
Learning on the job involves learning the things a particular project/product needs while working on it and while it is mostly about the technical aspect of the project for a developer, and unless you’re creating something entirely new in the market, sometimes you also need to learn what your potential users need, want, like or expect in a particular product via surveys, beta testing, etc.
Most times beginners feel like those with more experience already know everything and that is why they can build complex applications from start to finish but the truth is even the most experienced developers or engineers still learn, unlearn and relearn on a daily basis as that is the only way to stay at the top of your game especially considering the breakneck pace at which things change and evolve in the industry. 

Major Takeaway

The major takeaway from this article can be divided into the below-listed points;

1. Learning in this field (and in life generally) never ends as things change pretty quickly.
2. Nobody, no matter how experienced, knows it all. The only difference is that experienced engineers know that all problems have a solution out there.
3. You have to be totally willing to learn, unlearn and relearn to excel in the tech or any field.
4. Lastly, you have to overcome your fear and be willing to take up projects that seem out of reach for you.

Conclusion

While your willingness to learn is a compulsory aspect of your career, I am also an advocate for specialization and what I always tell aspiring engineers that want to build a career is that they should first identify what they want to do and what aspect of the field they are most passionate about before they choose the tech stack that they are most comfortable with before they go deeper and learn that. This way, they can avoid distractions and grow quickly because the number of different technologies together with the steep learning curve on a lot of them could derail and even discourage even the most enthusiastic beginners as well as experienced professionals.