Programming contexts
Marcelino Veloso III,A dev scheduling, preparing, and attending a meeting is by now established canon to mean a break in focus and momentum. The need to shift contexts from moving digital sand to moving oneself in the real world exacts a toll.
I feel the same way even when programming, i.e. various coding subcultures:
I'm not sure there's a proper word to describe what I mean. Maybe someone smarter can supply it but I'm sure context is as good as any. Although I have a degree in computer science, I'm largely self-taught, re-learning how to code these last few years. I likely missed out on evolved nomenclature of these new shiny things of the web.
| Context | Focus |
|---|---|
| local | Setting up virtual environment |
| ide | Making the your editor work with your desired workflow |
| repl | Using shells for purpose of testing partial code fragments |
| repo | Transferring local setup to a repository |
| container | Transferring the local setup to a container or orchestrating several containers |
| remote | Transferring the local setup off-premise, e.g. cloud |
Within the local context, there are of course the traditional subdivisions:
- Scripting business logic
- Switching languages: python, sql, css, js
- Switching from frontend to backend
- Adding tests and their nuances
Both language, context switching can become distracting after awhile. It causes a heaviness that, to me, is relieved only by leaving the computer and enabling a mental, maybe emotional, switch to occur. Much like the feeling of scheduling, preparing, and attending a meeting.