Developer Shape Archetypes: Beyond the T-Shaped Developer

Recently I heard about different types of shapes a developer can be. Let's talk about them and understand the basic idea behind each archetype.

The I-Shaped Developer

An I-shaped developer is someone who has deep expertise in one specific area. They are specialists who know everything about a particular technology or domain.

Pros:

• Deep expertise makes them invaluable for complex problems
• Often become the go-to person for specific issues
• Can solve problems others can't

Cons:

• Limited flexibility in different projects
• Risk of skills becoming obsolete

The T-Shaped Developer

The T-shaped developer has broad knowledge across many areas (the horizontal bar) but deep expertise in one area (the vertical bar).

This is often considered the ideal shape for most developers as it provides:

• Flexibility to work on different parts of a project
• Deep skills to solve complex problems in their specialty
• Ability to communicate with specialists in other areas

The Pi-Shaped Developer

The Pi-shaped developer takes the T-shape further by having deep expertise in TWO areas instead of one.

For example:

• Deep frontend AND deep backend skills
• Or deep in both mobile and web development

The Comb-Shaped Developer

The comb-shaped developer has multiple areas of deep expertise, like several "teeth" of a comb.

These developers are rare and extremely valuable as they can:

• Lead cross-functional teams effectively
• Make architectural decisions that span multiple domains
• Bridge gaps between different specialties

Which Shape Should You Be?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Consider:

1. Early career: Focus on building depth (I or T shape)
2. Mid career: Expand breadth while maintaining depth (T or Pi shape)
3. Senior roles: Continue expanding both depth and breadth (Pi or Comb shape)

The key is continuous learning and adapting to the needs of your projects and career goals.