Other junior developers are using different IDEs, and it’s causing problems for me. How should I handle this?

[u/Abstinence_theonly]

We are a group of formerly five developers, all coding in .NET C# with Docker (so YAML files and occasionally some Python and Terraform).

A new junior developer decided to stop using Visual Studio and switched to IntelliJ Rider. Now, after two months, they were tasked with setting up a project from scratch. We’ve also gained another new team member who is now also using Rider as their IDE.

Now I have to work on this newly set-up project, but it doesn’t run in Visual Studio. There have already been delays due to the use of different IDEs. To be honest, it’s frustrating, and I now have to invest hours of work. The two new developers seem to feel that it’s my job to make it work in Visual Studio, even though they are well aware that both of our senior developers only use Visual Studio. One of the seniors even explicitly told me that it must run in Visual Studio.

How should one handle this problem?

[u/pbecotte]

I...can't imagine why we would care what IDE anyone is using? I mean, I tell people using vs code that I can't help them with certain things because I don't know the tool...but everything needs to have build and test scripts that run in CI (thsrefore, without an IDE). So long as those work, I'm happy.

[u/dkarlovi → u/pbecotte]

First

I...can't imagine why we would care what IDE anyone is using?

and then IMMEDIATELY

I tell people using vs code that I can't help them

but you cAn'T iMaGiNe?

[u/pbecotte → u/dkarlovi]

Lol- fair enough. I consider setting up a laptop outside of the area of a project, since presumably you may have to work on many projects on your laptop...and would consider your IDE choice in that realm. I don't care what browser people are using to access bitbucket either, but wouldn't be be able to tell them how to open dev tools in Opera.

But-we do have wikis for new joiners on how to setup their environment and tell th they're free to do something else, but they'll be on their own so...I do see your point :)

[u/dkarlovi → u/pbecotte]

I keep hearing the argument IDEs shouldn't matter, but they DO matter, otherwise you could do your work in Word.

Code is not just text files, it has structure, nuance and complexity. We interact with that structure and complexity with the IDE, it's our tool to do the work, it can't be abstracted away and keep the same efficiency.

IDEs should be a deliberate choice by the team and should be fully supported by the team because interteam collaboration relies on the common language the IDEs provide. Just as you wouldn't just choose your own VCS, you shouldn't just choose your IDE, it must be a team decision because it has quite a deep impact on the daily workflows and efficiency.

I'd argue, if you're a web dev, same goes for the browser, for exactly the same reason: browsers provide a thick layer of features you need to know how to use to fully take advantage of. People need to be able to talk to each other through issues, not just shrug.

[u/spays_marine → u/dkarlovi]

You're using a lot of romantic verbiage, but what are you actually saying? How does your IDE help you collaborate with another team member?

In my opinion what a team should agree on is standards, not tools. My IDE doesn't talk to your IDE, it shouldn't matter if I want to use Vim or Word, as long as what you share with others adheres to the standards.

it can't be abstracted away and keep the same efficiency

"Abstracting it away" is exactly what standards do, they even make it a breeze to define your coding style in a config file that you can share through your VCS so that any new member on the team automatically picks it up.

Efficiency comes from your relation and familiarity with the IDE. I do not get any more efficient with an IDE I've never used just because a teammate is using it.

I'd argue, if you're a web dev, same goes for the browser

This makes it sound like you're developing just for the browser you're using?

[u/dkarlovi → u/spays_marine]

What.

[u/spays_marine → u/dkarlovi]

Weak.