Broken Developer Onboarding

You’ve just joined as a developer at a new company. The excitement is real…new challenges, new teammates and a shiny new laptop (Is it Macbook? Fancy 😎). Then soon reality kicks in: after countless training sessions, you’re spending weeks chasing down people for access, struggling to install VS Code and Dev tools, figuring out the right Python version and deciphering a README that hasn’t been updated since ages.

And don’t forget the chase for access: 100 different systems to log into, 5 people to ask for permissions, and endless emails to get the right tools and access to the codebase.

Sound familiar?

The onboarding process, especially for developers, often feels more like a scavenger hunt than a guided journey. Companies invest heavily in hiring top talent but leave them adrift when it comes to actually getting started.

Let’s explore why onboarding goes off the rails and how we can fix it - especially for developers.

Cost of Bad Developer Onboarding

When onboarding is poorly handled, the ripple effects go far beyond a frustrated new hire.

1. Time Wasted: Developers can spend days - even weeks - setting up environment ready to start actual development.

2. Lost Confidence: Struggling through unclear processes and chasing after access leaves new hires feeling like impostors.

3. Burnout from Day 1: An overwhelming or chaotic start drains energy and enthusiasm.

4. Team Bottlenecks: Constantly asking senior developers for help or waiting for access disrupts the flow.

Why Onboarding Fails for Developers

In my honest opinion, onboarding isn’t a rocket science, yet it often fails because of these common issues.

1. No established DevEx Process

• There’s no clear, documented process for setting up the local development environment. New hires are left to Google errors, dig through outdated Slack threads, and pray that npm install doesn’t throw 200 warnings.

2. Dependency Hell

• ‘Should I be using Python 3.7 or 3.9? And what config do I need to add in pip.conf file?’ These are questions no new hire should have to answer.

3. Knowledge Gaps

• Internal workflows, APIs, and deployment processes are often undocumented.

• That knowledge is stuck in the heads of senior developers who are either too busy or burned out to share.

4. Chasing for Access

• A significant chunk of time is often lost just trying to get the right access. Waiting for permissions, access to repositories, and logging into various systems takes days, slowing down the entire process and leaving new hires feeling stuck.

• I’m telling you, this is most common bottleneck across all organizations.

DevEx Done Right: What Developers Really Need

Onboarding doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be thoughtfully structured. Developers need a seamless experience from Day 1 - automated setup, easy access to information and the right tools, all should be presented in a way that builds confidence and accelerates productivity.

Think of it as an investment for your team and include it in your culture on the path to the success.

Best Practices for Developer Onboarding

Want to make onboarding smooth? Start here:

Pre-Onboarding Checklist

• Ensure developers have access to tools, repos and all groups they need to be part of in very first week.

• Provide laptops with pre-installed dev tools to save time and frustration.

Automated Environment Setup

• Use scripts or tools to handle repetitive setup tasks, like configuring dependencies or spinning up environments.

• Example: A single setup.sh script handles everything from installing packages to running the app locally.

One-Stop Documentation

• Create a centralized hub for key guides: how to set up the environment, common commands, deployment processes and troubleshooting tips.

• Should I explicitly mention to keep it up-to-date? I know devs are lazy by nature and documentation is the first thing they hate, but it has to be there and has to be kept it latest, it really solves most of these problems.

Buddy System

• Pair new hires with a mentor or peer who can help them navigate blockers without feeling like a burden.

Bonus Tip: Stop the Proxy Madness

• Nothing kills the excitement of a new job faster than asking developes (honestly any developers, not just new hires) to wrestle with proxy settings, certification configurations or network patching.

• Here’s the thing: These are organizational-level tasks that should be automated and applied universally.

• Save your developers from googling “how to bypass proxy issues for npm install.”

Closing Thoughts

Great onboarding isn’t just a process; it’s a new hire’s first taste of your company’s culture.

Make it seamless and they’ll build great things. Make it chaotic and they’ll question everything - including their life choices… you know what I mean.

Until next time, Cheers

How does your team handle developer onboarding? Have you struggled with chasing for access or missing documentation? Share your experiences on LinkedIn and 𝕏 

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Thanks for reading,
Kelvin
TechParadox.dev