CST 438 - Week 1

Hey everyone, 

    This week, I learned a lot about what software engineering really means and how it’s different from just programming. The reading from SAG Chapter 1: What is Software Engineering? explained that software engineering is not just about writing code—it’s about creating software in a structured, organized, and maintainable way. It involves planning, designing, testing, and thinking about how the software will be used and maintained over time.

    In Lab 1, I learned about REST APIs and how they let different systems communicate using HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE. The lab videos walked through how to build and test an API step by step, which helped me understand how the backend of web applications works. The bonus reading on REST API best practices was also helpful—it explained things like keeping endpoint names consistent and using the correct status codes when returning responses.

    In Lab 2, I learned about unit testing and why it’s such an important part of software development. Writing tests for individual functions helps make sure everything works as expected and makes debugging easier later on. I can see how testing saves time and prevents bigger problems when working on larger projects.

    The quizzes helped review the main ideas from the labs and readings, and I feel like I’m starting to understand the mindset of a software engineer—focusing on maintainability, teamwork, and quality, not just getting the code to run.

    Overall, this first week gave me a solid introduction to what software engineering is all about and how it’s different from basic programming. I’m excited to keep learning and see how all these concepts connect in future labs and projects.

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