development Archives

Development Practices

How to Structure a Valuable README

A README is the welcoming committee to new developers, a trailhead for the existing team, and an archive that will exist a long time.

The Software Life

Understanding Software Jargon, Part 1: Development Terms

In this series, I'll take a stab at creating a glossary of terms for people new to custom software and software jargon.

Development Practices

The Benefits of a Spiking Phase in Agile Development

A spiking phase lets everybody working on the project gain a greater understanding of the system as a whole.

Developer Tools

3 Great Features in JetBrains Rider You May Have Missed

The ability to use a conditional breakpoint is just one of the great features in JetBrains Rider that may not be on a new user's radar.

Development

Software Development Involves Uncertainty, and That’s Okay

Software development is sometimes chaotic, but I'm excited that the things we build are ambitious, even if they operate in a world of uncertainty.

Python

What’s the Future of Python Development?

If Python is slow, why do so many people still use it? Will it eventually be replaced by newer languages? Let's explore where Python development is going.

Growing as Makers

Making Mistakes Made Me the Developer I Am Today

We talk a lot about the costs of making mistakes, but something nobody seems to talk about is the cost of avoiding mistakes.

Project & Team Management

Rethinking Agile, Part 1 – Deload Periods

After sustained intense exercise, a deload gives your mind and nerves a chance to reset. I think it's time to bring this concept into software development.

Growing as Makers

3 Ways Ego Prevents You from Succeeding at Work

Dropping my ego allowed me to exhibit the teach and learn value much better, and I have become a better developer because of it.

Development

Onboarding as a New Dev: How to Wrap Your Head Around a Large Code Base

Be patient when learning a large code base. It's a long process, but if you keep working at it, eventually everything will come into focus.

Development

Developers: Be Careful How You Use Metrics

We often apply metrics to job performance. When it comes to software development, however, this is surprisingly complicated.

Development Practices

Applying Lessons from Learning a Foreign Language to Software Development

Going from humanities to STEM was a challenge. However, there were lessons I learned from studying a foreign language that apply to software development.