Context:
I just got hired as a software developer in a team which has freshly transitioned from networking to development. Before me they hired another developer a year ago who has been since then given a senior role, he is the only other developer by background in that team. This senior dev and I have graduated from same college and program as well, and this is also our both first job, only difference being he graduated from college before me being older than me. I am saying this to explain how much of a difference he and I have in professional experience.
Our manager is not technical, therefore he is one of those "I care about how much money did it save the company."

Problem:
Because of him being the only dev in the team for more than a year, no one challenged his opinions and ideas on how processes should work. When I joined the team, I saw a team not using Git/GitHub correctly or straight up not using it, no documentation, pushing code directly to production boxes, no collaboration, manual if some testing. (Things are not that bad, the team is learning and they realized they aren't following the best practices.)

When I joined, as in any other team, I started putting my ideas forward, but I am always met with a condescending response ("Do you even know insert given topic") by this senior dev. The rest of the team & manager just side with senior, when I asked them why, the conversation went somewhat like this:

Me: Why do you think this is okay?

Team & manager: He is senior and he knows more.

Me: Why do you think he knows more?

Team & manager: Dude, he uses Linux as his dev environment, he knows a lot.

(That Linux comment actually happened.)

So, I decided to stop getting myself insulted and just do my own thing until maybe more developers are hired and/or we get a technical manager. However, recently I was told to collaborate with this senior on a project, as usual he denied my ideas...which was okay, I decided to play by his rules(not worth my time) until I recently saw my branches and commits being deleted because he had something else in plan, which was not communicated to anyone.

I am still on probation and don't want to cause a drama but it's getting hard not to.

There was a time when I would have said "Stick it out, give things a chance."

That was then and this is now.

I've been where you are. What the "senior" did is unacceptable. Pulling your commits is marginally justifiable, if he IMMEDIATELY issues his design plan document. Deleting your (presumably private) branches is not.

Get out of there. As soon as possible.

You made the mistake so many make.

You came straight from school to your first job and took it upon you to change how the company works.

Nobody cares if your suggestions are good or not, they just see a still green behind the ears graduate who thinks he knows better than everyone before him.

Of course you'll be met with resistance and looked down upon.

So that was why you're in the situation you're in right now.

Your senior either understood you know more than him and views you as a danger to his position or he thinks you're an immature, know it all hack who can't write correct code.

You have two options:

Confront or submit.

If you confront ask why your work was deleted and escalate to superiors if you can prove it was replaced by inferior code.

Be prepared for backlash up to the point that you want to or are forced to look for a new job.

If you submit, just do your tasks and bite your tongue if you have an idea how to optimize the company.

It's not your place until asked to do so, given a position with that responsibility or have your own company that you can run exactly the way you want it to...

Often times the best programmers are the ones with the humility to admit when they're wrong and that don't need to hide behind layers of bullshit to cover up for not knowing something

Do you currently have the great luck of working in an industry where there's plenty of work.

Right now you should be working for a company where either a) you love your job or b) you are learning every single day (which will help with a) in the long term). I can see no reason whatsoever for you to remain at this job.

"Because of him being the only dev in the team for more than a year, no one challenged his opinions and ideas on how processes should work"

that is exactly what happened to me at work (pardon my english)
and thats happened not only in progamming but also in every field work. (im not progamming but have same situation with yours)

i dont say my senior (same situation with your senior) is bad at all, sometimes i give some advice/opinion/critic but she rejected it, she wont discussing it and findout the best way to solve the problem,

but my condition is worse than you, cause you know, "she" is a woman, with "cute" wannabe attitude, when something get messy, people around side with her. So basically i know, i already lose the war before even started (again pardon my english).

well if you are looking for the answer, maybe its only has 2 option,

1. brace yourself, and accept the condition, considering if you need (have) to keep your job. i believe karma is real




2. you could resign and find another job, i mean why would you live in a place that makes you unhappy right?

and sometimes, the turth will be revealed itself,
i mean its better for you to focus on yourself, use your energy and your time to develop your ability and skills rather than think about them, ignore close minded people like your senior (also mine).

and the meaning of "the turth will be revealed itself", who knows 5 years later your senior will stuck at low grade job and you got into higher level job at different company. who knows right?

Do the job the best way you can regardless of circumstance

You were hired for your skills and expertise, the fact that a "senior" engineer doesn't recognise that isn't your fault.

The way I see it you have three options:

Option 1: Leave

This situation raises numerous red flags. Small dev team entirely controlled by one inexperience leader, no consultation on process, poor standards and quality control, etc.. You could well be better off elsewhere.

Only choose this option if you feel you can't make it work otherwise. Leaving during probation can look bad on a resume. You will need to explain it and see yourself well in all future interviews.

Option 2: Submit

Lower your own standards to fit in the with team. You're new, don't rock the boat. He does have another year's experience compared to you. Clearly he knows more, just sit there and learn from the master of all things programming.

Don't choose this option. You're better than that.

Option 3: Try to improve the situation

This is what you were hired to do. Do the job to the best of your ability despite adversity. You have said that direct confrontation didn't work and your concerns were dismissed. You need evidence to support yourself. Some things you could try:

Ask to document the current development process.

"I'm having trouble getting my head around our development process, if you explain it to me I'll document it for the next new starter." There is no reasonable cause to reject such a request. Best case you will discover the process isn't as bad as you thought. More likely case you can use this to identify special deficiencies or problems you can improve. Worst case your request gets rejected, see Option 1.

Present Solutions not Problems

Write up formal documentation for what process you want to change. Make notes of specific problems the team has had that this process with resolve in the future. You know an off-hand suggestion to change will be dismissed, don't give them that chance. Present the team leader and management with a well research and documented approach to solve problems. Now you aren't the new kid causes issues, you are the solution to problems they already had.

Be polite and don't start fights

You need to be the bigger person in this situation, show yourself as rational and willing to listen. If an idea gets shot down accept it and move on. When the problems inevitably reoccur you can bring it up then. You don't want to be seen as a troublemaker, earn their represent through your behaviour even if you can't change their minds.