The Importance of Typing Speed in Programming

Probably you have been close to some of the experienced developers. Have you ever been keen to take note of their typing speed? Chances are they are always fast typist. On the other hand, newbies tend to be slower when it comes to typing. Is it just a coincidence or is there a correlation between typing speed and programming? In this post, I am going to analyze the role of typing speed in programming.

There is no doubt that typing is part and parcel of a programmer’s daily routine. Writing codes requires programmers to type manually. Sometimes the code may be too long and as a developer, you may end up spending a significant amount of time typing.

The role of typing speed in Programming

In most cases, fast typing speed doesn’t necessarily mean that you are a better software developer. However, it can be a sign that the developer has spent more time learning and perfecting of a particular programming language. For instance, if you have mastered everything about SQL, You will easily type the commands at a high speed. You won’t t take many breaks looking for references.

1. Fast typing gives you time to do other things

Fast typing also means that you will spend less time typing characters that make up the code. This will give you adequate time to do other tasks such as testing and running the code. You will have more time to address other routine coding tasks.

2. Fast typing speed keeps your brain on the move

Slow typing speed is characterized by several pit stops. You will pause to think about the code or even something that is completely unrelated to programming. In other words, you are likely to be affected by distractions.

On the other hand, fast typing speed will keep your mind glued to the screen. You will spend very little time thinking about things that don’t matter. Instead, you will be expressing your thoughts through codes.

3. Typing vs Writing

Here is where we draw a line. As a developer, you should never confuse typing and writing. These two terms have different meanings, especially in the programming world. As a developer, your typing can be compared to that of an author. You must insert your own creativity instead of simply reproducing what is already written.

In other words, it is meaningless to have a high typing speed if you are simply writing the codes that have already been written. Given that each program has its special features, your creativity should be able to come out clearly through what you have typed.

4. Confidence

Typing fast does not mean that you just type characters for the sake of proving a point to others. You should be sure of what you are typing. Don’t type some random gibberish and later on spend more time correcting numerous errors that you made. This will end up cancelling the speed that you used.

In conclusion, there is a close relationship between the productivity of a programmer and typing speed. A fast typist will have more time to scrutinize the codes. If you are a slow typist, try to work on your speed until you attain average speed.