The new-era software laborer is the official term for people working in software development (hehe), and today the group roughly splits into frontend and backend. Their roles are well-defined, and occasionally there are full-stack masters who can handle every tricky issue without batting an eye (but are exhausted to the bone).

Putting aside the backend Java ecosystem, a single frontend role already offers endless topics to study. The three frameworks—Angular, Vue, React—do you master all of them and understand their internals? Do you know how to actually use them? Explain how state management solutions like Vuex and Redux work. You say you are proficient in Vue 2? That’s so last era, now everyone is on Vue 3—talk about that. You have been working for years, so let’s chat about frontend modularization. How do tooling bundles such as Vite and Webpack work and how do you configure them? You use React’s JSX all the time, right? Have you done performance tuning? Be specific. “Hey Xiao X, this page is lagging like crazy, can you fix it?” “Polling is too low-level, switch to WebSocket.” How do you use workers to relieve main-thread pressure? To provide the best performance experience, how does the browser render things? What is its underlying logic? Can you sketch out the evolution of HTTP? It has already reached HTTP/3—give a brief rundown. Frontend can even build games now—have you played with Three.js or WebGL? You should also be comfortable with Node.js; introduce Express and Koa, etc……..

There is just too much content, and every item above keeps evolving over time. All of this can be called technology, but I wonder how many people, just like me back then, once vowed to crush it all and become “the omnipotent expert”? (Imitating young Edison—swearing to read every book in the library—an impossible and meaningless mission.)

Recently, exactly one year after graduation, I suddenly realized one thing: knowledge is endless. Just like the sea of books, can you finish reading every book in the world? Impossible, and unnecessary. Technology works the same way. At its core, technology is just a set of rules. A child who doesn’t know 1+1 equal what? Once he opens the math textbook, the first page clearly states “1+1=2.” He learns it. When someone asks, he answers 1+1=2, showing mastery of that skill. Learning technology is no different. The real question is: what technology should we learn? Or what is our ultimate goal? After all, learning too much can become a crime—a waste of life.

The breadth and depth of computer technology stretch like an ocean; you can never finish it because it is the fruit of generations of people constantly pushing forward. That is the truth.

My mentor said every human life tops out at thirty-six thousand days. Most people may spend their whole life being pushed forward by others. It is important to keep your head down and keep moving, but occasionally gazing up at the stars may bring a different feeling. Humans have limited energy, and our limited lifespan ensures we cannot become omnipotent gods (even if some people are researching life extension).

I believe that before we can swing our arms wildly and go all-in, we must first figure out what we cherish most, what truly matters to us. Everything else can be ignored. This is the foundational rule. Life should be colorful—take the dog for a walk, tinker with machines, or enjoy other hobbies in your spare time, not just chase those elusive ideals. This is the attitude we should carry. Cherish what you already have and pursue the tomorrow you want.

In today’s era, especially on the land I am currently on, I have witnessed too many tragedies and comedies. Some people’s life scripts could be described by an old American drama’s title—The Walking Dead. Others are busy from dawn till dusk but actually accomplish nothing. I firmly believe the tears you cry today are the result of the stupid decisions you made back then. Everyone has their fate. When it comes to technology, I just want to keep my feet on the ground; when it comes to life, I just want simplicity.
If many years from now, when I look back, I can still confidently tell the world, I never regretted the decisions I made along this path, then that is enough.

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It’s our duty. End of text.