Three years ago, if I were going to build out a side project, I would almost always start with the UI. I wanted to get an MVP out fast to see if the idea was worth pursuing, so I would grab data however I could, wire it into a React app, and spend most of my time making the interface usable. That approach worked well enough then, but it does not work nearly as well when LLMs are part of the development process. ...
Don't Cook a Turkey for Thanksgiving
Think about a classic Thanksgiving meal. What are you actually excited to eat? The stuffing? Your aunt’s sweet potato casserole? Maybe a good roll or two. But what almost never makes anyone’s top picks? The turkey. Turkey is always just sort of there. People take some because it feels like part of the script, not because they are thrilled about it. As a kid, you hurried through the dry slices your parents insisted on so you could get back to the good stuff. As an adult, you might grab a few bigger pieces, but you know that without a lake of gravy, every bite would feel like work. Maybe you do it to set a good example for your kids, but you are not savoring it. ...
Pick Your One Hill to Die On
Every developer has opinions. Tools, patterns, architecture, naming, state libraries, folder structures, testing strategies. If you’ve been building software long enough, you’ve probably collected dozens of things you feel strongly about. But here is the truth: If you try to push all of them, you dilute your influence. If you try to defend everything, you end up defending nothing. The most effective developers I’ve worked with can usually articulate one core principle they will fight for. One idea they will apply pressure on. One thing they believe improves systems long term. Everything else remains flexible. ...