Article by Ayman Alheraki on January 11 2026 10:35 AM
In the journey of life and learning, the true value of a person is not determined by the sheer amount of knowledge they acquire but rather by how much of that knowledge they share and the positive impact it has on others. This concept is especially true in fields like programming, where collaboration and shared knowledge drive innovation. A programmer’s significance is not only in the code they write but in how they contribute to the growth and learning of the community.
Knowledge in programming, when kept to oneself, has limited value. It benefits only the programmer and their immediate work. However, when shared—be it through open-source contributions, tutorials, or mentoring—it can have a profound impact on the community, inspiring new solutions and empowering others.
The Importance of Sharing Knowledge in Programming: Every programmer accumulates unique insights from their projects, debugging processes, and problem-solving approaches. Sharing these insights allows others to avoid common pitfalls, learn new techniques, and push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Example: A C++ programmer who creates a library to optimize data structures can share it on platforms like GitHub, enabling other developers to use it in their own projects, saving them valuable time and effort.
Measuring Impact by Usefulness: In programming, the value of what you share is measured by its utility. A well-documented C++ library or an insightful blog post about handling concurrency in C++ will naturally gain traction and appreciation if it addresses real-world challenges.
Teaching programming, whether it’s through writing tutorials, giving talks, or mentoring others, is one of the best ways to solidify your own understanding. The process of explaining code, concepts, or best practices to others helps uncover gaps in your knowledge and refine your skills.
Why Teaching Programming Enhances Learning:
Explaining concepts like C++'s RAII (Resource Acquisition Is Initialization) or smart pointers forces you to break them down into simpler, digestible parts.
Teaching advanced topics like template metaprogramming or concurrency deepens your grasp of these complex subjects.
Answering questions from others sharpens your problem-solving and communication skills.
Teaching Creates a Legacy in Programming: By sharing your programming knowledge, you contribute to a legacy that extends far beyond your individual work. Your contributions to open-source projects, technical blogs, or forums can inspire and guide countless programmers.
In programming, hoarding knowledge can limit innovation and collaboration. Keeping valuable techniques, algorithms, or solutions to yourself deprives the community of potential advancements.
The Consequences of Hoarding Knowledge:
Missed opportunities for collaboration, especially in open-source initiatives.
Slower personal growth due to a lack of feedback and new perspectives from peers.
The Rewards of Generosity in Programming:
Sharing knowledge builds your reputation as a thought leader in the programming community.
It fosters goodwill and creates strong professional networks that can lead to career opportunities.
Example: Linus Torvalds shared Linux as an open-source operating system, inspiring generations of developers and creating a global ecosystem.
To live by the principle of giving and impacting, consider the following steps:
Contribute to Open Source: Share your C++ libraries, tools, or frameworks on platforms like GitHub. Provide clear documentation and examples to make them accessible to others.
Write Technical Articles or Tutorials: Use platforms like Medium, LinkedIn, or your own blog to explain complex topics, such as C++20's coroutines or concepts, in a way that others can understand and apply.
Participate in Community Discussions: Engage in forums like Stack Overflow or Reddit. Answering questions about C++ features like move semantics or constexpr helps both you and the asker.
Mentor Aspiring Programmers: Offer guidance to beginners, whether through structured mentorship programs or informal interactions. Helping someone understand fundamental topics like memory management or object-oriented programming can be incredibly rewarding.
Deliver Talks or Workshops: Share your expertise at conferences or local meetups. Topics like "Best Practices for Writing High-Performance C++ Code" can inspire and educate attendees.
Create and Share Educational Resources: Build interactive tools or videos that explain challenging topics like parallel programming in C++ or building cross-platform applications with frameworks like Qt.
Boost Libraries: A collection of C++ libraries created by experts to address common programming needs. Boost has become a foundation for many features later adopted by the C++ Standard Library.
Open-Source Projects: Sharing tools like CMake, which simplifies project building, has enabled countless developers to work more efficiently.
Educational Content: Authors like Bjarne Stroustrup (creator of C++) and Rainer Grimm (known for his C++ books) have greatly influenced how programmers understand and use the language.
In the world of programming, you are measured not by the lines of code you write but by the knowledge and impact you share. A programmer who mentors, teaches, or contributes to the community amplifies their influence far beyond their individual work.
By giving generously, whether through tutorials, libraries, or mentorship, you not only help others grow but also deepen your own understanding and build a lasting legacy. Strive to be a programmer who not only solves problems but also empowers others to do the same. This is how you leave an enduring mark in the programming world.