10x Programmer Debate

This cluster centers on debates about the existence and characteristics of 10x programmers or engineers, including personal experiences, productivity comparisons to average or poor performers, and their impact on teams and businesses.

📉 Falling 0.3x Career & Jobs
4,187
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#8377
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
1
2008
17
2009
34
2010
26
2011
87
2012
67
2013
220
2014
97
2015
224
2016
212
2017
283
2018
172
2019
378
2020
334
2021
519
2022
545
2023
429
2024
222
2025
292
2026
32

Keywords

MMM OP CI NetFlix brucefwebster.com CMS 10x programmers developer developers 1x programmer productive 100x faster code

Sample Comments

symstym Mar 11, 2022 View on HN

But remember, there's no such thing as a 10x engineer! /s

kache_ Jul 15, 2019 View on HN

Maybe it's not that there are 10x engineers, it's just that there are so many 0.1x engineers

nsfyn55 Feb 28, 2017 View on HN

OP says 10X programmer is a myth. Then describes the exact characteristics that make some programmers 10 times more productive than others. Maybe not so much a myth.

faissaloo Jul 15, 2019 View on HN

That means you're not a 10x programmer.

strken Aug 17, 2017 View on HN

"There are no 10x developers, only developers who have so much experience with a task that they do it 10x quicker".

smcl Aug 1, 2023 View on HN

This puts an interesting perspective on the concept of the "10x developer"

throwaway756 Jun 28, 2018 View on HN

Is a "10x programmer" still a "10x" if she, in turn, unintentionally makes her co-workers all x0.6s or x0.8s in the process?

pc86 Mar 31, 2015 View on HN

Ten times zero is still zero.It's a given that some people are more productive than others. They are faster typists, or they can architect a system of similar quality faster, or they can just write good code faster. But remember the idea of 10x came from studies of similarly experienced programmers. And supposedly, the order of magnitude comes from actual data, although I've never been able to see it.For most trivial problems, or for a given domain, I think it's easier to sa

mbrodersen Jun 1, 2022 View on HN

Nope. Not at all. It sounds as if you have never worked with a 10x developer. I have. More than once. They simply are better than all the rest. If that makes you angry then ask yourself why that is? There are 10x performers in any field. Think sports, business, politics etc. So why not software?

tim_h Jan 29, 2012 View on HN

Which companies recognize 10x or 100x developers?