Atomic Spin

Developer Tools • Jan 20, 2020

Setting up GitHub Actions for a React/Node Project

How to set up GitHub Actions for a React, Node, Postgres, Yarn, and Typescript project running on Heroku. And why I won't be going back to CircleCI.

Extracurricular Activities • Jan 19, 2020

Self-Hosting Your Own Cloud – Part 6: Ad & Tracker Blocking with Pi-Hole

There are a lot of apps and devices that may be tracking us. By setting up network-level ad blocking with Pi-Hole via DNS, we can protect our privacy.

Personal Optimization • Jan 18, 2020

What I’m Taking with Me into 2020

It feels good to look back and take stock of what worked and what didn't. Behaviors distill into patterns; some are worth keeping, others need to be thrown out.

Exploratory Testing • Jan 17, 2020

More Ways to Test – Learning from Fairy Tales

When testing software, you have to be creative. One of the best sources of inspiration is fairy tales — specifically "Goldilocks and the Three Bears".

Web Apps • Jan 16, 2020

How to Add a Timeout to Promises in Node.js

Node.js doesn't allow you to add a timeout to a promise by default. Here's a method I worked out for wrapping your promises in timeouts.

React Native • Jan 13, 2020

Why We Chose to Use Native UI Tests with a React Native App

Writing native UI tests for a React Native app may seem counterproductive, but it made our team more effective in our testing.

Business Practices • Jan 12, 2020

Three Crucial Times To Gather Client Feedback on a Project

It’s very difficult to guess what a client is thinking without asking directly; client interviews have been tremendously valuable to us.

Development Practices • Jan 11, 2020

Diagnosing and Relieving Pain in Software Development

Software development has a lot of “pain points.” Diagnosing and relieving them is the key to becoming a better developer.

Growing as Makers • Jan 10, 2020

Overcoming Pair-formance Anxiety

"Pair-formance Anxiety” is a common emotional state that improves when you consciously work on it, especially if you have help.

Developer Tools • Jan 09, 2020

Developing Azure Functions in a Docker Container

An example Dockerfile for creating a container with the necessary .NET and Azure Functions dependencies installed for doing Functions development.

Project & Team Management • Jan 08, 2020

Four DOs and DON’Ts for Software Systems Integrations

Systems integrations are hard. Following these do's and don'ts will go a long way in de-risking the project, minimizing surprises, and finding success.

Ruby • Jan 07, 2020

Pay No Attention: Behind the Magic of Ruby DSLs

Working in Ruby on Rails for the first time can seem a bit daunting. But the magic of Ruby DSLs has proven to be more than just hocus pocus.