Why I Still Trust Make Over Modern Build Tools
A contrarian defense of Make (1976) over modern JavaScript build tools. Make is boring, understood, and still works. Modern tools are complex, break often, and solve problems Make already solved....
Static Sites Still Win
Static sites load faster, cost less, and break less than dynamic alternatives. Here's why the simplest web architecture keeps winning against modern complexity....
SQLite: Software Done Right
SQLite runs on more devices than any software in history. After 45 years watching technology disappoint, here's why SQLite is the rare project that delivered on its promises....
Microservices Were a Mistake for 90% of Companies
A monolith with good tests is better than 50 microservices with distributed debugging nightmares. When to use microservices: when you've proven you need them....
Why I Never Use ORMs
ORMs hide the database until they don't, create performance traps, and solve the wrong problem. SQL is the better abstraction. A contrarian take from 30 years of database work....
Every Dependency Is Technical Debt
Dependencies are liabilities, not assets. From left-pad breaking the internet to Log4j's endemic vulnerability, every package you add expands your attack surface and maintenance burden....
C Was the Last Good Language
Why modern languages prioritize developer experience over runtime efficiency. The trade-offs we accepted and forgot. Where Rust tries to have it both ways....
The Best Code I Ever Wrote Was Deleted
The hardest skill in software engineering isn't writing code - it's knowing when to delete it. Stories of systems that improved by subtraction....
Write Your Own Build Scripts
Build tool complexity has gotten out of control. A 50-line shell script often does the job better than any framework....
Your Database Is Already the Best API You'll Ever Write
For decades we buried databases under layers of abstraction. Tools like PostgREST and Supabase show that PostgreSQL with Row-Level Security is often the best API you'll ever write....
Why Engineers Should Own Their Build System
Build systems have become black boxes that nobody understands. When they break, teams are helpless. Here's the case for simpler builds that engineers actually control....