If you’re new to this blog, these are the posts I’d start with. They capture the ideas I return to most often when thinking about writing software, shipping code, and working effectively as an engineer.
Shipping
How to Deliver Code Every Day
A practical system for keeping pull requests small and merging code continuously.
Things I Check Before Opening a PR
My personal checklist for making pull requests easy to review and safe to merge.
Pull Request Templates
How a simple template can make pull requests easier to write and review.
“What Would Finishing This Today Look Like?”
A question I use when work feels stuck and I need to make real progress.
Writing Better Code
Write Boring Code
Why the boring code is the best code.
Hard-Won Software Development Habits
A collection of habits that are core to engineering practice.
Frozen String Comment: YAGNI
A small example of resisting unnecessary abstractions.
The Joy of JavaScript Absolute Imports
Why simplifying your import paths can make a codebase easier to work with.
Debugging and Problem Solving
All My Best Debugging Tips
A collection of techniques I rely on when debugging difficult issues.
A Perfect Bug Report
What makes a bug report genuinely helpful to the engineer fixing it.
Don’t Ask for Advice — Ask for a Code Review
A better way to get useful feedback from other developers.
Thinking Clearly About Work
Always Be Ranking
A simple technique for making better decisions by forcing prioritization.
Getting It Right the First Time
Why great engineers often seem to deliver correct solutions quickly.
Desire Paths
What software design can learn from how people actually behave.
Career and Community
Take the Big Project
Why the hardest problems are often the best opportunities for growth.
My Daily Programming Routine
A look at the habits that shape my workday.
How I Organize a Meetup
Lessons from organizing developer communities over many years.
Product and Process
Acceptance Criteria That Actually Work
How to write acceptance criteria that help engineers, reviewers, and product teams.
If you enjoy these posts, keep reading!