As software is increasingly pervasive in our lives, it's more important than ever for builders to be representative of the people we're impacting. Having spent 10+ years immersed in technical hiring — first as an engineer, then as an author, and now as a tech hiring consultant — there's a lot of work to be done in building a more inclusive culture.

And, no doubt, many people are working hard on this issue. Through anti-bias programs, expanded support for mothers and fathers, diversity-focused networking groups, skills-based screening methods, and even interview trainings, companies are trying to create cultures that welcome diversity in its many forms.

There are signs of progress. According to HackerRank's study — which surveyed over 14,000 professional software developers, nearly 2,000 of which were women — the gender gap for when developers learn to code is slowly, but surely, shrinking.