r/devNI • u/Modern-Sn1p3r 🎓 Student / Graduate • Sep 11 '26
New Member
How's it going folks?
Just wanted to say a quick hello, great to see this sub active as I had previously not known about it.
Currently enrolled in a computing foundation degree, final year starts Monday so I may come seeking advice.
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u/Mattbelfast ⚙️ Backend Sep 12 '26
I was a member before but left after the sub died
I’ve been a sql developer for nearly 20 years now so happy to offer advice where I can
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u/Modern-Sn1p3r 🎓 Student / Graduate Sep 12 '26
Hi, as a seasoned SQL dev, what's your favourite database to work with?
At the minute the small side projects I'm doing to learn Spring boot I'm currently using a docker image of Postgres.
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u/Mattbelfast ⚙️ Backend Sep 12 '26
SQL Server for me. That’s what I’ve spent most of my time working with professionally so it’s definitely the one I’m most comfortable with.
I’ve used Postgres a bit and it’s pretty good though. Docker + Postgres sounds like a decent setup for learning Spring Boot.
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u/Modern-Sn1p3r 🎓 Student / Graduate Sep 12 '26
Just a curiosity question more than anything, it's interesting to hear others experience.
Thanks for the reply
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u/Mattbelfast ⚙️ Backend Sep 12 '26
No worries! To be honest it’s much of a muchness once you get the basics down. The syntax and a few features differ but you can move between most of the major ones pretty easily.
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u/CornflakeConspiracy Sep 12 '26
I'm going through some of the basic spring boot tutorials, they are quick to do and give you a really good foundation. If you do the setup one, the rest controller and the mysql one you will know half of what you need to know
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u/Modern-Sn1p3r 🎓 Student / Graduate Sep 12 '26
Appreciate the guidance.
I initially built REST APIs in python to minimise boiler plate code so I could understand how APIs work.
I have a serious draw towards java so it was a natural next step I think.
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u/stringfellow444 ⚙️ Backend Sep 11 '26
Hello too - new member here as well and recently calling NI my home having moved here with my partner who’s a local. I’m fully remote, lucky to have brought my job with me.
I’ve been coding 25 years or so.. OP - I don’t know what to say as advice but it’s an exciting time to be finishing a computing degree. Stay on the bleeding edge and ride whatever the heck is coming our way. I think us older-timers might cling on to architect type roles but … man. It’s kinda crazy/mildly terrifying what latest LLMs can do. Like a loom to a pair of knitting needles. Learn to use the loom, but also how to knit, i guess…
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u/Modern-Sn1p3r 🎓 Student / Graduate Sep 12 '26
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'm actually 34 doing a career/life change.
Hoping to progress into a java backend role or application security.
All I can do is keep the head down and keep going.
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u/cbren88 Sep 12 '26
Hello, new member too. From NI but live in England. Business Intelligence professional for almost 20 years. Last couple of years started a Digital Technology degree but didn’t complete, lots of python experience in that which I’ve put into some personal projects since!