Research from STX Next, a European software development company specialising in Python, found that soft skills dominate importance among programmers.

Over 100 Python developers were surveyed in the Python Tech Radar report, where soft skills came out on top as the most important factors to becoming a great python developer.

32% of developers surveyed said an ability to think logically, critically, and analytically is the key to becoming a great Python developer.

A further 14% said persistence was key to their job, with the same proportion of respondents saying a readiness for tackling new challenges and for continuous learning were crucial.

The report offered several insights into the world of Python developers.

20% of respondents highlighted mentorship as another soft skill to focus on, while 19% said they wish to improve their communication skills.

Mentorship has been a large part of driving diversity and inclusion in the work place, as many marginalised groups say a lack of role models are holding them back from pursuing tech.

Further, the survey also revelaed that 93% of Python developers highlighted self-learning as the main method they learnt to programme, with a further 56% said that they regularly made use of online courses.

This trumped more traditional pathways of university degrees, showing the various ways of entering the tech sphere.

In addition to this, many developers said the best way to learn is through practical experience – 70% said their main training and learning activities consisted of working on new and existing commercial projects, slightly higher than those who cited working on their own personal projects (64%).

While learning was noted as important, time was clearly a limiting factor: 75% of developers spend just six hours or fewer learning per week, with 42% spending one to three hours, and 32% spending four to six hours.

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Ronald Binkofski, CEO at STX Next said: “Our research reveals what has long been known within the tech industry: the modern day developer is a lot more than simply someone who codes and understands a programming language. Technical skills are a given but soft skills are what set the best developers apart.

“Recent layoffs in the industry have increased the pressure on developers to expand their skillsets even more. Organisations that are facing up to economic challenges will seek resilient and multitalented employees that can guide teams through hard times and ride out the storm.

“Recruiting and retaining developers that can blend a proficiency in coding with the ability to motivate teams and help others to improve are invaluable to businesses. It’s positive to see from our research that in response to this growing need, developers are dedicating time to improving their employability and building their skillsets.”

Binkofski concluded: “Employers are demanding that their new hires are leaders, mentors and that they have a proficient understanding of the ins and outs of business. Resilience and perseverance, coupled with an ability to think logically and analytically in approaches to problem solving, should be regarded as crucial tools in the kit of any developer.”