Software development is a very complex and rapidly evolving industry. Even the strongest development teams can struggle to keep up with the latest technologies, skills and trends.
So it’s no surprise that software developers find it particularly difficult to be alone. You’ll need to take on a variety of roles, including idea generation, concept development, programming, visual design, testing, documentation, and hosting.
Developing a complete project yourself is not an easy task. So it’s good to know your options if you ever need to outsource something. It helps to effectively deal with solo developer issues.
This article explains how to outsource the hosting portion of your software development and all the benefits that come with it.
Introducing the Solo Web Developer Problem
If you’re a developer, you’ve probably heard about the solo or lone developer problem. If not, here’s the short version.
Once individual programmers build a complete project by themselves, it is difficult for others to maintain or build on it later.
There are many reasons for solo developer problems, including social isolation, increased stress levels, and psychological bias. We will discuss them in detail in the next segment.
Challenges as an individual developer
Here are some common challenges that solo developers struggle with.
- No feedback from others on your idea.
- Lack of code reviews by others.
- No brainstorming sessions or ideas suggested by others.
- Confirmation bias or the tendency to seek information and make decisions based on existing knowledge and beliefs.
- It is inefficient because no one is equally skilled in all aspects of creating a software product.
- Social isolation reduces our ability to create things that are relevant to others.
- Being overwhelmed can make you make more important and often irrational decisions.
- Choose the tools you are familiar with, not the best ones for the job.
Let’s take a closer look at these challenges.
Limited resources and support
Limited resources and support make it difficult to move forward as a single developer. They can’t afford to spend a lot of time learning new technologies, so they are limited to using familiar tools. Additionally, there is a lack of support for diverse teams with varying skills and proficiency.
isolation
Social isolation can cause many problems. First, it is difficult to create effective and relevant solutions without good feedback from others. And if one person has to cover a dozen skills alone, they cannot produce the same level of quality as a team. Finally, learning a new development technology without a mentor can be very time consuming.
stress level
A lack of human interaction during a project can increase stress levels for a variety of reasons. This is because there is no one to turn to when problems arise in areas where they are inexperienced. In addition, fixing bugs without input from others is very difficult and causes great frustration for many developers.
solution
Thankfully, there are some things you can do to address the solo developer issue. Get more developers or outsource part of your project to a freelancer or agency.
increase the number of developers
If you are a small business owner, you may consider hiring other experienced developers to help with your project. This allows you to focus on what matters most and what you are good at.
Depending on the complexity of your project and what you need help with, you might consider hiring a junior developer to do the job. A cost-benefit analysis will help you make the best decisions about the level of expertise you can afford.
outsourcing
Another option is to outsource some or more of your work to a freelancer or agency. For example, you may enjoy designing interfaces or testing software, or may not be very proficient. If so, why not hire a company or individual to take over that aspect of the project?
Leverage managed hosting for your web apps
Managed hosting is especially beneficial for web developers. Here’s why:
Hosting company support teams are trained to operate server stacks built for websites and web apps. They know how to configure, optimize, and recommend the best software and solutions for your web development needs.
Additionally, our hosting support engineers are very effective at recognizing and troubleshooting server-side issues. No more headaches trying to figure out what’s causing the problem, whether it’s the application, the server, or the server software stack.
It provides relevant log messages and points you in the right direction, even if your application causes an error.
![Solo developer issue](https://res.cloudinary.com/lwgatsby/f_auto/www/uploads/2023/05/solo-developer-problem.jpg)
Benefits of managed hosting for single developers
As a developer, choosing a web host can be difficult. However, managed hosting has a number of advantages that make this decision much easier. One of the main advantages is the level of technical support provided. This allows you to focus on developing your project without worrying about server maintenance or downtime. Other benefits include:
- Let our support engineers take care of server-side issues so you can focus on what matters most.
- Automated monitoring eliminates the need to perform manual tests and frequent checks to ensure services are performing as intended.
- Support engineers can help reduce the time required to investigate whether the problem is on the server side or the application side.
- Avoid configuring a server software stack or keeping up with the latest trends in the industry and rely on support instead.
- Our support engineers are experts in these two areas, so you no longer have to worry about network and DNS issues and configurations.
- Get notified of recommended software updates and get the update assistance you need.
Cost factors when choosing managed hosting
Depending on your budget, managed support services add significantly to the initial server price. But consider all its benefits and the potential for significant time savings down the road.
Being a lone developer is a very time consuming profession. Now imagine the value you can get by outsourcing the hosting portion of your software development to a managed support team.
It can also be very frustrating if you are not an expert in server administration, networking, and server software stacks. But you don’t need to when you have professional support available 24/7.
Find the right managed hosting provider for your needs
Many hosting providers today offer managed hosting services. But with so many providers to choose from, finding the best one for your needs can be difficult and time consuming.
There are several factors to consider when choosing a managed hosting provider, including pricing, support levels, support channels, and availability.
price
Pricing for managed support plans varies by provider. Managed support services may be included in the hosting plan price, or sold as an add-on with its own pricing or multiple plans.
support level
Some hosting providers or plans only support maintaining and configuring the basic software stack of your server. Some offer additional services such as cybersecurity, migration, or even application-level support.
Support channel
Managed hosting support can be provided through several different channels including phone, chat and email (ticket) support. Get all three because you may prefer different channels in different situations. For example, a phone call may be the fastest way to report a problem, but chat is useful in business settings or when you can’t afford to speak loudly in an online meeting.
final thoughts
Becoming a software developer alone can be difficult because developing a project alone comes with many responsibilities and tasks. Solo developer problems are characterized by social isolation, elevated stress levels, and lack of feedback.
However, there are some solutions you can consider to address this issue. For example, adding more developers or outsourcing part of the project to a freelancer or agency. Another effective solution is to take advantage of managed hosting. Our hosting support team can provide expertise, troubleshooting, and optimization for the hosting portion of your development.
Managed hosting helps single developers focus on other important aspects of their project and keeps the development process running smoothly.
Choose Liquid Web for the best managed hosting support
If you’re looking for the industry’s most managed hosting support provider, look no further. With over 25 years of managed hosting experience, LiquidWeb is your trusted hosting partner.