A question that often comes up for those looking to break into tech roles that don't involve coding is: "Do I have to know how to code?" The short answer is no, you don't have to be a coder to thrive in the tech industry. However, while you may not need to write code, you do need a foundational understanding of technical concepts. The depth of technical knowledge you'll require can vary based on the team's structure, the project complexity, and the specific expectations of your role.
Why Technical Knowledge Matters
No matter what non-coding role you find yourself in, you'll inevitably work alongside developers and other technical team members. Having a basic grasp of key tech terms and concepts not only helps to facilitate communication between technical and non-technical stakeholders but also bolsters your credibility within the team. Every developer has tales of working with non-technical colleagues who lacked even a rudimentary understanding of development work, which can be frustrating and counterproductive. By being able to engage competently, even if only at a basic level, with your technical colleagues, you gain their respect and make collaborative efforts more effective.
10 Basic Tech Terms You Should Know
If you're wondering where to begin, here are ten basic technical terms that everyone in a non-coding tech role should understand:
Not sure where to get started? Here's a list of 11 basic tech terms that you should know.
1. Front-End: The client-side part of a web application, usually dealing with the user interface and user experience. This is what you can see and touch. Think of it like the face of a mobile app or website.
2. Backend: The server-side part of a web application responsible for business logic, database operations, and API endpoints. This is like the "behind-the-scenes" crew for a website or app. They make sure everything runs smoothly and securely but you never see their work directly.
3. Full Stack: Covers both front-end and back-end development.
4. API: Application Programming Interface, a set of rules that allows different software applications to communicate with each other. You can imagine an API as a translator between two people who speak different languages.
5. Database: A structured set of data stored electronically. Common types are SQL (Relational) and NoSQL (Non-Relational). Think of this as the "filing cabinet" where information is stored, organized, and retrieved.
6. Scrum: An Agile framework for managing projects. This framework allows teams to make small changes quickly and respond to new challenges easily.
7. Kanban: A visual framework for managing workflow, often compared to Scrum. Kanban uses a digital bulletin board to move tasks from from one stage of the task to the next. For example, the kanban board may have a "To Do" to "Doing" to "Done" column.
8. DevOps: A set of practices that combines software development and IT operations to shorten the systems development life cycle.
9. Git: A tool that helps programmers keep track of different versions of their code, similiar to "version history" or "track changes" in Word or Google Doc.
10. Repository: Where code is stored. Sometimes also referred to as "repo".
11. Commit: A commit is the act of saving changes to the repository.
Understanding these terms will equip you with the basic knowledge needed to communicate effectively with development teams, thereby allowing you to perform your role more effectively. But, it's crucial not to not stop at just the definitions. Don't just memorize these terms—dig deeper. Watch videos, read articles, and utilize tools like ChatGPT to comprehend how these elements work together. Remember, the tech landscape is ever-evolving. So, while you don't need to know how to code yourself, the most successful professionals in this field are those who adopt a mindset of continuous learning and continously challenge themselves to learn the basics and beyond.
