Your hat reveals your developer personality

This was inspired by a coworker making production changes late one Friday afternoon. Someone commented that making changes right before the weekend is Wild West crazy, and wearing a cowboy hat would be appropriate.

That got me thinking - over time, behavioural patterns emerge which reflect the attitudes and habits of developers. The following are the main personalities as I see them. 

The Engineer

Typical quote: "Everybody ready? Stick to the plan, guys.”

• Has full overview of current status and consequences of potential changes
• Makes backups of everything before starting
• Makes no production changes unless absolutely necessary
• Analysis, changes and result are all documented
• Uses test scripts during development
• Uses automatic build and deployment scripts

Watching the Engineer in action is like: "Morning Mood" by Edvard Grieg 

The Soldier

Typical quote: "Cover me, I'm going in!"

• Has a strategy for deployment, execution and fallback
• Often uses automated test, build and/or deployment scripts
• Seldom enters a live situation without cover from squad members
• Can improvise when needed, but makes rational decisions which can be documented and defended afterwards
• Has a documented plan, and documents the results

Watching the Soldier in action is like: "Ride of the Valkyries" by Richard Wagner 

The Silent Assassin

Typical quote: "...[faint swoosh]..."

• Confident of own ability, always works alone
• Likes to apply changes manually rather than use build/deployment scripts
• Makes improvised changes without notification
• Leaves no documentation or clues to what changes were made
• Seldom makes backups
• Risky tactics, but gets the job done somehow
• Damaging consequences are not discovered until it's too late

 Watching the Silent Assassin in action is like: "Flight of the Bumble Bee" by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

The Cowboy

Typical quote: "YIIIIEHAAAA!"

• Shoots from the hip, deploys untested code and config changes
• Lone gunman, often works alone ("this server ain't big enough for the two of us")
• Often skips automated scripts in favor of manual changes to save time
• Makes production changes at random times, without notifying customers and colleagues
• Chance of successful outcome is like a duel - 50/50 
• If the site/server survives, it is often full of "bullet holes"

Watching the Cowboy in action is like: "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly" by Ennio Morricone

The Berserker

Typical quote: "AAAARGH! Take THIS! And THAT!"

• Works without a plan, just attacking randomly until it somehow works, or breaks completely
• Applying random untested changes without realizing the consequences
• Improvises and applies changes manually rather than using automated build/deployment scripts
• Provides no documentation of changes
• Leaves the site/server in a ravaged state afterwards

Watching the Berserker in action is like: "Carmina Burana: O Fortuna" by Carl Orff

The Clown

Typical quote: "Oops, I did it again."

• Works alone, often at times when no-one else is available to help (nights, weekends)
• Makes changes without notifying customers or colleagues
• Takes no backups, documents nothing
• Uses no automated scripts for testing, build or deployment
• Manually deploys untested code and config changes
• Limited troubleshooting ability

Watching the Clown in action is like: "Requiem: Dies Irae" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

We actually have these hanging on our office wall as a reminder of our responsibility.

Which hat is yours?

We've all met variants of these developers. We've probably all been a little of each type ourselves at some point. These are of course tongue-in-cheek sterotypes, but there's an element of truth in all of them. 

I'd like to think most of us aspire to be a mix of the Engineer and the Soldier, circumstances allowing. 

Which hats have you encountered? Are there any hats missing?
Which type of hat belongs to you?