30 Reactions Programmers Have When Things Go Wrong

Being a programmer can be stressful. Nobody is perfect, and encountering buggy code is a common occurrence in this profession. Some programmers get angry, frustrated, upset, or discouraged, while others remain calm. How we handle the process of fixing bugs deserves attention.

Let me share a collection of phrases and ideas you may hear from programmers when they struggle to fix their code. It’s all lighthearted humor, a release when things get tense. Generally, the application will (eventually) work, and you’ll move on to the next task.

I’m sure many web developers and software engineers can relate to these programming challenges and still laugh about them later.

1. “Should I delete or rewrite this? I’m not sure.”

When I come across old source code from my past, I often find myself torn between two options. On one hand, there’s the temptation to completely overhaul larger sections of code that have ugly logic statements and verbose syntax, making them hard to read. But then again, there’s the saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This struggle is familiar to many software developers, including myself.

2. “I think I’ll check Github for a starting framework.”

As a developer, I’m well aware of Github and the incredible open source projects that are continuously being shared. Programmers from all languages come together on this platform to collaborate on existing projects, engage in wiki discussions, and even create their own code repositories. It’s an invaluable resource for finding cool plugins and templates that can be used in various projects.

3. “Why does this script need so many libraries?”

I don’t understand why this script needs so many libraries. It seems like when we use bigger languages like Java and Objective-C, we end up with a ton of libraries to deal with. This becomes especially noticeable when we’re working with a framework that requires a lot of groundwork. Even with some JavaScript plugins, we have to deal with a whole bunch of additional files. It can get really frustrating dealing with all this clutter, but hey, at least it works!

4. “There must be a solution somewhere on the Internet.”

When I get stuck with something, I always think to myself, “There must be a solution somewhere on the Internet.” I mean, with the vast amount of information available online, there’s got to be an answer to my problem out there. It’s just a matter of finding the right resources and doing some research. I may not find the solution right away, but I know that with a little persistence, I’ll eventually come across the help I need. The Internet can be a real lifesaver sometimes!

5. “Is there a plugin for this functionality?”

Why go through all the trouble of creating something from scratch? Plugins are like magic tools that can add extra features to any program or website. They give developers more options to work with, allowing them to customize and personalize their creations. And hey, if there isn’t a plugin available yet, why not take matters into your own hands and build one?

6. “The site works, but I’m dreading Internet Explorer.”

We all know the pain and frustration that comes with dealing with Internet Explorer. From version 5.5 to around IE9-IE10, it’s been a never-ending battle to make webpages look good on this browser. Web developers would shudder at the thought of debugging a webpage and opening it in IE6, knowing that it would be a disaster. But thankfully, those dark days are slowly fading away, and we can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

7. “This logic statement doesn’t seem very logical to me.”

There are many types of logic statements, like if/else loops, for loops, while loops, and do loops. The list goes on and on. When I look at sample code, I sometimes struggle to understand how the logic is supposed to work. There are so many NOT operators and comparison signs that it can make your head spin. I often find myself going back to update my own logic, just to practice and improve for the future.

8. “I spent 30 minutes writing a function and then I had to spend 2 hours trying to make it work.”

9. “Wow, I can’t believe I’ve been doing this completely wrong all along!”

I’m the type of person who loves to jump right into things with my own ideas and strategies, but I’ve learned the hard way that this can cause major problems down the line. There have been countless occasions where I’ve started a project, only to hit a wall and have to scramble to find solutions online. And you know what? More often than not, I discover that my approach was completely off-base and it would’ve been easier to start from scratch! So now, I’ve learned the importance of doing a little research upfront. It might take a bit of time at the beginning, but trust me, it’ll save you loads of time and frustration in the long run.

10. “I bet the friendly folks on Stack Overflow can help me out.”

11. “All that trouble for a missing closing parenthesis.”

Debugging is all about the steps you take. You move forward, then backward, then forward again, and so on. It’s like a dance, but with code. You spend hours staring at the screen, searching for a mistake. Maybe it’s a function name that’s spelled wrong, or maybe it’s a missing parenthesis. It’s frustrating, to say the least. You feel like a genius when you finally find the error, but also like a fool for spending so much time on something so small.

12. “Welp, coffee break!”

Sometimes you just need a break. After sitting at the computer for hours, your brain starts to feel fried. It’s time to give it a rest. You get up, stretch your legs, and maybe even grab a cup of coffee. It’s a chance to recharge and clear your mind. Sure, some people say you should take a break every 30-60 minutes, but it really depends on what works for you. If you’d rather keep pushing through, that’s okay too. Just listen to your body and do what feels right.

13. “I need to take a break from this project and come back to it later.”

Instead of just taking a work break, it’s a good idea to step away from the project entirely, not just your computer. Maybe there are other tasks that need your attention, so go ahead and focus on those for a while. This way, you can use your time and resources more effectively instead of getting stuck on a problem you’ve been trying to solve for hours.

14. “I wonder if listening to classical music will help me with my programming skills.”

15. “I wonder if now might be a good time to put the theory of Ballmer’s Peak to the test.”

So, there’s this thing called Ballmer’s Peak that I’m sure a lot of you have heard about. It’s from this comic called xkcd. Essentially, the theory suggests that programmers reach their highest level of coding ability after drinking a certain amount of alcohol. It’s named after Steve Ballmer, who was known for his wild behavior. Funny thing is, Ballmer wasn’t even a real programmer at Microsoft. It’s kind of ironic, right? I guess we’ll have to wait for someone else to actually try out this theory and see what happens.

16. “Did someone mess with my source code?”

17. “I’m completely lost here.”

Have you ever found yourself staring at a bunch of code, feeling completely clueless? It’s a frustrating situation, whether it’s your own project or someone else’s. You’re left wondering what to do next, and it’s tempting to just give up. But don’t worry, there are ways to tackle this challenge.

18. “I’ll just search that error message on Google.”

19. “I should just stop and call it a day… but I really wanna figure this out!”

I know that feeling when you’re so frustrated that you want to give up, but something inside you is telling you not to. You want to keep going, try new things, and find a solution to the problem. But what if it’s just a waste of more time? I’ve been in this situation before, and it can be really discouraging.

20. “Oh no, why didn’t I add any comments?”

21. “It was working just 20 minutes ago…”

One of the most frustrating parts of building a program is when it suddenly stops working, even though you haven’t made any changes to the code. It’s hard to understand why this happens. Maybe the program you were using before was running an old version? Other times, just a small change in the code can cause the entire program to crash and stop working completely. The best thing to do in these situations is to go back to the most recent version that was working and move forward from there.

22. “If you forget one little semicolon, everything falls apart.”

23. “I can’t help but wonder how much it would cost to hire someone to fix all the mistakes I keep making?”

The idea of bringing in another developer is definitely alluring, but let’s be realistic – it’s just not financially feasible. Besides, how would I ever learn from my mistakes if I don’t get my hands dirty? There’s something rewarding about finally grasping a programming concept after struggling through failures. Nevertheless, the thought does cross my mind every now and then.

24. “I’ll just take a quick detour to Hacker News to boost my productivity.”

I love using the Hacker News frontpage as my go-to source for social news on software and startups. It’s packed with valuable insights on freelancing, time management, software development, and all the latest startup launches and funding updates. It’s like a treasure trove of knowledge that keeps me informed and inspired.

But, I have to admit, it can be a bit of a time sink. I mean, I find myself taking quick breaks to check for updates every few hours. It’s not all bad though, because I feel like I’m actually learning something and staying productive.

One thing that gets me though is when I come across an API with no documentation. It’s like, seriously, how am I supposed to figure this thing out? It can be frustrating, but hey, that’s all part of the learning process, right?

26. “I really hope I remember to save a backup of that database…”

When I’m writing and fixing code, I don’t always think about backing up my data. But having backups can be like a time machine that takes me back before I made certain changes. This is especially important when I’m working on a live server, where changes happen right away. So, make sure to keep local copies of your website files and databases, just in case something goes wrong! It might seem like a hassle, but it’s definitely less of a hassle than having to rebuild a corrupted SQL database.

27. “What’s the quickest way to get this working correctly?”

28. “I’m sure that updating my software will solve the problem.”

I often find that the teams responsible for managing dependencies and plugins for programming languages don’t release updates very frequently. However, there are times when updating your PHP, Ruby, Python, or SQL version can help troubleshoot issues that arise when transferring files from your computer to a live server. Usually, updating your local software won’t fix bugs in your source code unless your version is severely outdated. But hey, it’s worth giving it a try!

29. “I know I should get more organized and learn about Git… Maybe I’ll make time for it next week.”

30. “Forget it, I’m going back to square one.”

There are times when I’ve tried countless solutions and nothing seems to work. It can be frustrating and discouraging, but sometimes the best option is to start over completely. That means moving all my working files to a different folder (or deleting them) and starting from scratch. It’s a difficult decision to make, especially when I’ve already spent so many hours on the project with little progress to show for it. But when I find myself stuck in a rut, starting fresh is often the key to finally completing the project.

There are times when I’ve tried countless solutions and nothing seems to work. It can be frustrating and discouraging, but sometimes the best option is to start over completely. That means moving all my working files to a different folder (or deleting them) and starting from scratch. It’s a difficult decision to make, especially when I’ve already spent so many hours on the project with little progress to show for it. But when I find myself stuck in a rut, starting fresh is often the key to finally completing the project.