Writing on software engineering, management, and working remotely.

Write Design Docs like Amazon

This is the exhaustive Design Document format that I used while working at AWS Amplify.

The Basics

Here’s what I consider to be the basics. I call them that not because they’re easy, but because they’re fundamental. The foundation on which your advanced skills and expertise rest. Multipliers and nullifiers, makers and breakers of everything you do.

Nested Checkbox Coding Challenge

I had an interview challenge shared with me that's used at a large fintech company. This is my solution.

Grammar & Spell Checking Blog Posts with LTeX

How to install LTeX for VS Code

Migrating to the Apple MacBook Air M2

Note to self on how to seamless go from an Intel-based Mac to the new M2.

Converting Next.js to Astro

Friction log & impressions migrating from Next.js to Astro

Converting Next.js to Qwik

Friction log & impressions migrating from Next.js to Qwik

Advent of JavaScript, Day 17

Challenge #17 – Table of Contents Web Component

Advent of JavaScript, Day 10

Challenge #10 – Verify Code Screen

Advent of JavaScript, Day 9

Challenge #9 – Image Carousel

Advent of JavaScript, Day 8

Challenge #8 – Weather App

Advent of JavaScript, Day 7

Challenge #7 – Tip Calculator

Advent of JavaScript, Day 6

Challenge #6 – Range Slider

Advent of JavaScript, Day 5

Challenge #5 – Multi-select Checkboxes in Preact & Vue

Advent of JavaScript, Day 4

Challenge #4 – Computer Keyboard

Advent of JavaScript, Day 3

Challenge #3 – Creating a keyboard

Advent of JavaScript, Day 2

Challenge #2 – Creating an eCommerce component

Advent of JavaScript, Day 1

Challenge #1 – Create a Pomodoro timer

Write Functional Tests & Assertions

Don't `catch` more than you need.

Filesystem Routers & Indexes

Page paths should match the URL and end with "index"

GraphQL Context & Services

Using `class` to abstract complexity in GraphQL resolvers.

Work on Features, Not Repositories

Javascript Fatigue

The viral post that lead to Create React App, Babel's preset-env, and more.

Jest Snapshots for Storybook

How to take Jest snapshots from Storybook (before Storyshots existed)

I Ditched My iPhone for the Google Pixel.

Ecosystem > Lockin

Teaching React Without Using React

React can seem daunting, but it can be really similar to PHP & traditional websites.

Hydra, a precursor to GraphQL

Seeing RESTful API design patterns turn into GraphQL.

Dogfooding Your Open-Source Projects

The best designs arise from a need, not assumptions.

3 Ways to Define Webpack Loaders

Webpack's loaders have multiple, somewhat confusing APIs.

“Give Back Friday” or “Refactor Friday”

Experimenting with time to be creative

React & event.preventDefault()

React's `event` system isn't the same as the DOM's!

Writing Paralysis

Why it's difficult to make time to write.

Why I Don’t Support Windows

Dated, incorrect reflection of why Windows wasn't well-supported.

Résumé Tips for Programmers

Somewhat dated advice for what worked well when hiring individual contributors.

Angular Trust Filter

Sometimes content needs to live dangerously.

Circular Dependencies in Node

Use mutations and late-references to work around circular references.

Simple Node Cluster

Simple Node scaling using `cluster`

Copying Databases in Node

Tips for programmatically migrating data using Node.

Using HTML5, Not Hash Routes

Creating a SPA router with AngularJS

Why I'm Terrible at Finishing

Avoiding "academic" in favor of "utility"

Track Commits, Not Time

Preventing micro-management & time-tracking without new processes