Required skills for a senior level ActionScript/Flex developer

0
votes

I'm looking to take my Actionscript knowledge to the next level and I've been having trouble finding what it takes to become a senior level AS developer. From my searching this has what I've come up with so far:

  • Component Creation
  • Memory Usage Debugging/Profiling
  • AS specific usage of OOP
  • Correct Use of Code-behind
  • Accessing remote data
  • Flex architecture frameworks
  • Component lifecycle

Those are just the topics I've been able to find(**now updated from answers*). Resources on mastering those topics have been very hard to come by(i.e. what are common AS design patterns, etc). I may just not be searching correctly, but any help here would be greatly appreciated. My focus is on Flex specific AS development.

Currently I've found here and here are the most similar SO questions I've been able to find. Any help would be appreciated, though I'm looking for specific examples of how to learn these techniques.

3
apache-flexactionscript-3actionscript
I'll do that. I don't think I've been on that site yet... – wajiw

3 Answers

6
votes

In my opinion that list is a mid or high level developer. A senior developer should be able to do all of that plus:

  • Knowledge of various frameworks and things like Dependency Injection
  • Ability to mentor and/or train lower level developers
  • Very strong OOP knowledge with the ability to architect applications from the ground up
  • Ability to communicate with non-technical "customers" (mangers, marketing, sales, SMEs, clients, etc.)

Of course every job will have a different definition of what a senior developer should know.

With that said, a few ideas on where to find the info you are looking for:

Twitter - Start with following the evangelists, then branch off from there. Lots of great knowledge passes by.

Blogs - Again you can start with evangelists, but I find that you can learn almost anything from blogs. Search Google for a topic, then dig from the links.

For Component Creation, just know the component life cycle in and out, and learn about performance pitfalls with things like Item Renderers and the Display List.

For design patterns (OOP) there is plenty of info, but you can do two things. 1. http://www.as3dp.com/ is a good start. 2. Read about design patterns in Java (Java Head First is a good book). Java and ActionScript are similar from a structural standpoint.

There really isn't a ton of info on Profiling, so just searching Google and reading everything you can is the best you can do before diving in head first.

Probably the most important thing I can say is practice, ask questions, listen and learn. You will alway improve that way.

0
votes
  • Build scripting for modules, bundles, runtime shared libraries and build system integration
  • Unit testing/TDD
  • Knowledge of development methodologies (XP, Agile, Lean, Waterfall)
  • Remoting, as in AMF
  • Good judgment