Thoughtful writing for developers

A minimalistic blog platform featuring articles on programming, technology, productivity, and career growth for modern developers.

We Had No Plan, No Alignment, and No Runway. I Stayed Anyway.
technology

We Had No Plan, No Alignment, and No Runway. I Stayed Anyway.

I ignored 6 obvious red flags and watched $400K in equity vanish. Here's the startup evaluation checklist I wish I'd had before signing.

ARAlex RiveraOctober 17, 20259 min read
The Best Engineers I Followed Don't Code Until 10:30 AM
technology

The Best Engineers I Followed Don't Code Until 10:30 AM

I shadowed 12 senior engineers for 30 days. Most don't code until mid-morning. One calls Slack "the enemy." Their actual habits surprised me.

LPLisa ParkOctober 6, 20259 min read
I Thought I Was Getting Lazy. Turns Out I'd Outgrown My Job.
technology

I Thought I Was Getting Lazy. Turns Out I'd Outgrown My Job.

I kept flagging problems nobody asked me to find. Turns out that friction wasn't me overstepping. It was sign #2 that I'd already outgrown my role.

ARAlex RiveraOctober 5, 202511 min read
How I Went From Getting Rejected to Leading a Platform Team (It Wasn't My Code)
technology

How I Went From Getting Rejected to Leading a Platform Team (It Wasn't My Code)

Marcus could code circles around everyone. 7 years experience. Passed over twice. After leading a platform team, I finally get why—it wasn't his code.

MSMaria SantosSeptember 25, 202510 min read
I Watched 47 TDDs Get Approved or Shot Down. Here's the Pattern.
technology

I Watched 47 TDDs Get Approved or Shot Down. Here's the Pattern.

Most TDD rejections aren't about your code. After watching 47 proposals succeed or fail, I found 5 patterns that have nothing to do with technical quality.

SCSarah ChenSeptember 16, 20259 min read
How I Actually Organize Technical Knowledge (After Failing with Notion Databases)
technology

How I Actually Organize Technical Knowledge (After Failing with Notion Databases)

I went from 2,000+ unorganized bookmarks to a queryable knowledge system. Here's the modified Zettelkasten structure that actually works for code.

JOJames OkonkwoSeptember 4, 202510 min read
I Got Promoted to Staff. My More Talented Colleague Didn't. Here's Why.
technology

I Got Promoted to Staff. My More Talented Colleague Didn't. Here's Why.

I've run promotion committees and watched brilliant engineers stay stuck at senior for 8 years. The difference wasn't technical skill. It was three things nobody talks about.

MCMarcus ChenAugust 27, 202510 min read
I Was the Style Police in Code Reviews for Years. I Was Wrong.
technology

I Was the Style Police in Code Reviews for Years. I Was Wrong.

After tracking 200 PRs, I found most review comments were just noise. Here's the 8-question checklist that cut our turnaround time nearly in half.

DEDr. Elena VasquezAugust 24, 202510 min read
I Watched 3 Engineers Become Managers. 2 of Them Are Miserable.
technology

I Watched 3 Engineers Become Managers. 2 of Them Are Miserable.

Two of three engineers I watched become managers are miserable. Here's the energy audit framework I used to figure out which path actually fits you.

APArjun PatelAugust 13, 202511 min read
I Tried 3 PKM Tools for 6 Months as a Developer. Here's What Actually Survived.
technology

I Tried 3 PKM Tools for 6 Months as a Developer. Here's What Actually Survived.

After 11 abandoned note apps, I tested Obsidian, Notion, and one other for 6 months of real dev work. Only one actually stuck.

OHOmar HassanAugust 8, 202511 min read