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In this captivating episode of the Maintainable Software Podcast, host Robby Russell delves deep with Esther Olatunde, Senior Product Engineer at Intercom, into the realms of software maintenance, technical debt, and the impact of AI on software development. The discussion kicks off with Esther's insights on what constitutes well-maintained software, emphasizing the importance of quality from both the user's and developer's perspectives. They explore how ease of onboarding for new developers and the ability to swiftly navigate codebases significantly contribute to a project's maintainability.
The conversation then shifts towards the nuances of managing technical debt, with Esther sharing her evolved understanding of the term over her career. From her early days in startups to her current role at Intercom, she provides a rich perspective on the challenges and strategies for advocating maintenance work within diverse organizational sizes. This episode takes an intriguing turn as Robby and Esther speculate on the future of software engineering in the age of AI, pondering how tools like GitHub Copilot could redefine the developer's role.
Robby probes into the potential of AI in accelerating development processes and the implications for software quality and team dynamics. They also touch upon the critical aspect of advocating for maintenance tasks to non-developers, underscoring the long-term benefits over immediate functionality gains. The episode is peppered with practical advice for engineers at all levels, encouraging them to persistently champion the cause of addressing technical debt for healthier codebases.
As a bonus, Esther recommends a non-technical yet profoundly relevant book, "Built" by Tony Fadell, which offers insights into product development and innovation, further enriching the discussion with broader perspectives on creating meaningful and lasting technology. Dive into this episode for a thorough exploration of the intricacies of software maintenance, the evolving landscape of software development, and how to navigate the challenges of technical debt, all through the lens of an experienced software engineer at the forefront of the industry.
Helpful Links:Esther's WebsiteEsther on LinkedInEsther on GitHubIntercomGitHub Copilot"Built" by Tony FadellThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
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Starting off, Robbie Russell and Robbie Wagner bonding over the complexities of their names in the coffee queue.They dive into the essence of maintainable software, debating the importance of recent commits and the dangers of a single-contributor project.Tech debt, the ever-looming shadow over software development, gets a moment in the spotlight. They share a laugh over buying GitHub stars as a measure of project health.Wagner's approach to tackling tech debt without permission is both rebellious and pragmatic, advocating for quality and refactoring 'on-the-go'.The conversation shifts to the Scout rule in software maintenance, and how constant vigilance is key to overcoming tech debt fatigue.Discussions around Ember.js, its community, and the evolution of front-end development light up the conversation.The narrative takes a turn as they explore automating the mundane, with ESLint, Prettier, and CI tools like Dependabot starring as the unsung heroes in the quest for quality.They touch upon the challenges of maintaining a balance between new features and tech debt, with Wagner emphasizing the sneaky art of integrating tech debt fixes into regular work.Robbie Wagner shares his love for rye whiskey, introducing listeners to his favorite brands and distilleries.Wrapping up, they delve into the world of podcasts, discussing the uniqueness of "Whiskey, Web and Whatnot" and how it blends technical discussions with personal stories and whiskey.Helpful Links:Check out Whiskey, Web and Whatnot for more episodes and whiskey recommendations!Thanks to Our Sponsor!
Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
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In the latest episode of Maintainable, Robby Russell has a fascinating conversation with Irina Nazarova, the CEO of Evil Martians, a name that resonates with innovation and bold strides in the software development world. They dive deep into what it takes to maintain not just code, but also the delicate balance between rapid development and long-term sustainability in the ever-evolving startup landscape.
Irina shares her unique perspective on the common traits of well-maintained software, stressing the importance of adaptability and the role of technical debt at different stages of a company's growth. With a background rich in pushing the boundaries of what's possible in software consultancy, she offers a fresh take on commercializing open-source projects, nurturing innovation within the team, and the significance of building genuine relationships with clients.
Listeners will get a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of running a software consultancy that dares to dream big. From the intricacies of investing in internal projects to the philosophy behind fostering a culture of innovation and respect, this episode is a goldmine of insights for anyone curious about the intersection of consultancy work and product development.
Don't miss out on this engaging discussion that reveals the byproducts of passion, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence in the software industry. Check out the episode and let us know your thoughts!
Book Recommendations:The Challenger SaleHelpful Links:Evil MartiansIrina on LinkedInIrina on TwitterAnyCableLayered Design for Ruby on Rails Applications by Vladimir DementyevThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
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Robby has a chat with Kyle Daigle, the Chief Operating Officer at GitHub. They dive into the evolution of software development from the perspective of maintaining and scaling software within large organizations like GitHub. Kyle talks about the importance of simplicity and readability in code over complexity, advocating for well-named variables and straightforward codebases to enhance maintainability.
He reflects on his journey from a young developer to understanding the value of well-maintained software, noting the balance between creativity in naming and the necessity for clarity as projects and teams grow. The conversation also covers the approach to technical debt, highlighting that not all old code is debt, but rather it depends on whether it hinders progress.
Additionally, they explore the impact of AI tools like GitHub Copilot on software development, suggesting that these tools can aid in quicker code reviews and foster higher-level problem-solving discussions among developers. Stay tuned to learn more.
Book Recommendations:Turn The Ship Around By David MarquetHelpful Links:Githubkdaigle @ githubThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
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Robby speaks to the Senior Software Engineer at Perchwell, Jon Moniaci. They discuss the delicate balance between innovation and stability in software development. Jon emphasizes the importance of fostering an environment where engineers can experiment without fear, advocating for a culture of defensive programming to mitigate the fear of breaking things in production. He shares insights from his experiences, including the challenges of working with legacy code and the importance of testing and QA processes.
He also talks about the value of considering software pieces as potential microservices to encourage maintainability and flexibility, even if full microservice architecture isn't implemented. This approach, Jon suggests, allows for more sustainable development practices, ultimately leading to more resilient and adaptable software systems. Tune in for that and so much more!
Book Recommendations:Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking) by Katie MackHelpful Links:WebsiteJon on LinkedInPerchwellThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
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Robby has a candid chat with Chad Fowler, the General Partner & CTO at BlueYard Capital. They delve into the nuances of software maintenance, the evolution and challenges of managing software projects, and insights from Chad's tenure as CTO of Wunderlist. They discuss the importance of building software in small, manageable pieces to facilitate easy updates or replacements, the counterintuitive perspective on unit testing's impact on maintainability, and strategies for keeping software up-to-date by redeploying to new platforms.
Additionally, Chad shares his thoughts on the current industry layoff trends, emphasizing the value of adaptability and resilience. The conversation also touches on the relevance of mentoring in the tech industry and the potential implications of AI and large language models on software engineering careers. Chad's philosophy on software development, emphasizing pragmatism, adaptability, and the continuous reevaluation of problems to make them smaller and more manageable, permeates the discussion.
Book Recommendations:The E-myth Revisited by Michael E. GerberZen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. PirsigHelpful Links:WunderlistThe Passionate Programmer by Chad FowlerChad on X/TwitterChad on LinkedInThe Privacy PodcastBlueYard CapitalThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
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Robby has a conversation with John Nunemaker, the Owner at "Box Out Sports" and "Fewer & Faster". They dive into the basics of maintaining software projects, highlighting the crucial importance of keeping dependencies and versions up to date. John shares his wealth of experience from his time at GitHub, shedding light on the delicate balance between exploring new architecture patterns and adhering to existing ones. They explore practical approaches to software challenges, emphasizing tools like Dependabot for efficient dependency management and the significance of evaluating the potential risks associated with changes in dependencies.
John also provides valuable insights into the release of open source libraries, emphasizing the need for clear communication of expectations from the community and personal visions for the project. The discussion spans topics ranging from navigating the challenges of legacy code reviews to the gratification derived from seeking and improving the darker corners of a codebase. The episode culminates with a discussion on personal satisfaction in project selection and the art of effectively marketing open source projects.
In essence, this episode of Maintainable not only unveils the intricacies of maintaining software projects but also offers practical wisdom on navigating challenges related to dependencies, legacy code, and personal project satisfaction. Listeners gain valuable insights into the strategic use of tools, the thoughtful release of open source projects, and the importance of continual improvement in the ever-evolving landscape of software development. If you’re a software engineer seeking tangible approaches to enhance the maintainability of your projects, then don’t miss this episode. Stay tuned!
Book Recommendations:Hell Yeah or No: What's Worth Doing by Derek DiversHelpful Links:Flipper RubygemFlipper CloudDon't Repeat Yourself, Repeat Others Slidedeck From RailsConf 2010The World Runs on Bad Software by Brandon KeepersThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
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Robby has a conversation with Jemma Issroff, a Senior Software Engineer, speaker and the author of the book, “Ruby Garbage Collection in Under Two Hours” They delve into the intricacies of well-maintained software, and Jemma brings her wealth of experience, particularly from her involvement in Prism, a notable rewrite of the Ruby parser. The duo explores the contrasting dynamics of maintaining software in C versus Ruby, shedding light on the nuanced challenges and advantages each presents. As the conversation unfolds, they draw intriguing parallels between their approaches to utilizing advanced tools like ChatGPT and CoPilot in their respective workflows. Jemma also offers a sneak peek into her upcoming transition into the realm of artificial intelligence, adding a fascinating layer to the dialogue.
Beyond the tech talk, the episode takes an unexpected turn as the two bond over their shared affection for running in the rain and Jemma recounts her enriching experience at Recurse, a unique software programmers retreat. This episode is a captivating blend of technical expertise and personal anecdotes where rain-soaked runs and programming retreats add unexpected flavors to the conversation. Tune in for a unique exploration of the tech landscape that will definitely leave you inspired and informed.
Book Recommendations:Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel KahnemanHelpful Links:Prism, a Ruby parserShopifyAnthrop\cJemma.devRecurse CenterThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
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Robby has a chat with the Software Development Team Lead at Thoughtbot, Jeanine Soterwood. Unraveling the intricacies of Ruby on Rails, they explore the often overlooked importance of keeping apps up-to-date and maintaining a robust test suite. The conversation weaves through the delicate balance between enticing features and the long-term needs of software maintenance, shedding light on the aspects clients may not find thrilling.
Drawing from their experiences in the consulting realm, Robby and Jeanine share valuable insights on being a commendable guest in another team's code base. From deciphering a client's process and team culture to navigating the challenge of conveying that software is an ever-evolving entity, the episode unfolds with practical tips. The duo advocates for proposing experiments over permanent decisions, emphasizing the art of gaining buy-in.
Additionally, they tackle the nuances of pairing with junior developers and unravel Jeanine's journey of embracing non-DRY tests. Wrapping up with a deep dive into managing a technical debt backlog and Jeanine's impactful work on Ruby for Good projects, this episode will be a treasure trove for any software engineer who is navigating the elusive path of effective project maintenance.
Book Recommendations:A Little Life by Hanya YanagiharaHelpful Links:Jeanine on LinkedInThougthbotThe Case for WET TestsThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
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Robby engages with independent consultant and author, Andrew Atkinson, delving into the intricate world of software development and database maintenance. The duo kicks off with a profound exploration of the importance of swift and intuitive change management in software, unraveling the key traits that transform a database into a well-maintained powerhouse. From securing data to cleaning up legacy information, they shed light on the often-neglected aspects that can significantly enhance a software engineer's efficiency.
As the conversation flows, Andrew unveils the secrets behind his latest book, "High Performance PostgreSQL for Rails," tracing its origins from an internal slide deck to a valuable resource for developers beyond the Rails framework. The episode explores the nuanced process of "Unshipping," as Andrew dissects Mixpanel's article, offering a roadmap for deprecating features without disappointing customers.
The episode is a treasure trove of insights, covering everything from optimizing database performance with rules to navigating the tricky terrain of advocating for codebase improvements in the face of reluctant stakeholders. Don't miss out on this dynamic exchange of ideas; tune in to the episode now for an enlightening journey through the realms of software development and database management.
Book Recommendations:Staff Engineer: Leadership Beyond the Management Track By Will LarsonHelpful Links:Mixpanel: The art of removing features and productsOrder High Performance PostgreSQL for Rails (USE PROMO CODE: Maintainable for 35% off!)Coverbandhttps://andyatkinson.com/https://github.com/andyatkinsonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/andyatkinsonThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
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Robby engages in a captivating conversation with the CEO at Mirdin and UpToSpeed, Jimmy Koppel. They delve into the transformative power of evolvable code, shedding light on its myriad benefits and how it contributes to an enriching coding experience. Drawing inspiration from Jimmy's insightful blog post, "The 11 Aspects of Good Code," the discussion unfolds to explore the external qualities of code and the profound impact of crafting code that is not just functional, but a joy to work with. Jimmy shares his vision for UpToSpeed, a platform aiming to revolutionize the onboarding process for software engineers through the strategic use of AI tools, offering a glimpse into the future of seamless integration for new team members.
From the nuances of recovering the programmer's intent through well-crafted code to intriguing references to "Zen and the Art of Motorcycles," this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about the art and science of coding. Unlock the secrets of creating code that not only meets technical requirements but also enhances the human experience of programming. Discover the unique blend of philosophy and practicality as Jimmy and Robby explore the fascinating world of code evolution, drawing on diverse insights from literature, AI, and the shared wisdom of seasoned developers.
Whether you're a coding enthusiast, a seasoned developer, or someone intrigued by the intersection of technology and human expression, this episode promises to be an engaging journey through the nuances of software craftsmanship and the quest for code that stands the test of time. Tune in to gain a fresh perspective on the intricate dance between programmers and their creations, and learn how the pursuit of excellence in coding can truly be a pleasurable and rewarding endeavor.
Book Recommendations:Make It StickHow Learning WorksHelpful Links:The 11 Aspects of Good CodeThe Secret History of Information Hiding by David ParnasThe Advanced Software Design Course by MirdinJimmy's BlogJimmy’s WebsiteThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
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Robby has a chat with Senior DevOps Engineer, Hila Fish. They start off by discussing the key characteristics of maintainable infrastructure code. Hila shared insights on providing software engineering teams with the necessary space for exploration while maintaining essential guardrails to ensure the stability of production environments. The conversation also touched upon the significance of offering engineers useful metrics and dashboards for measuring load and stress tests. Robby and Hila reminisced about the evolution of roles like sysadmins and DBAs over the decades, highlighting the transformative journey of infrastructure management.
A focal point of the episode was Hila's experience leading a large migration project from Bitbucket Cloud to a self-hosted Gitlab within a tight six-week timeframe. She emphasized the importance of rigorous testing in both development and production environments, effective communication with stakeholders and the team, and other critical aspects of successful project management. The discussion extended to personal and professional development, with Hila underlining the importance of regularly evaluating one's values against those of the employer and the value of self-retrospectives.
The challenges in hiring for potential versus expertise in an industry that demands a combination of both were explored. The episode also featured insights into DevOpsDays TLV, Hila's involvement in tech events, and valuable tips for overcoming the initial fear of speaking at such events, accompanied by her own unconventional journey to delivering her first talk. It’s going to be an interesting episode, so don’t miss out.
Helpful Links:Hila on LinkedInOpen-Source - Open ChoiceTechnical Documentation - How Can I Write Them Better and Why Should I Care? By Hila FishTerraformHelmGitLabBitbucketDBAsDevOpsDays TLVThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
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Robby has a chat with Staff Software Engineer at Lightstep from ServiceNow, Jacob Aronoff. Their conversation delves into the vital signs of a thriving open source software project. They unpack the characteristics of well-maintained open source endeavors, emphasizing the importance of a passionate community behind the project, rather than misleading indicators like GitHub stars. They discuss the nuances of evaluating a project's health through performance metrics, suggesting that a more holistic view that includes the scrutiny of open issues can provide better insights into the project's robustness and responsiveness to community needs.
Furthermore, their discussion highlights a critical, yet often overlooked, aspect of open source software: the project's own dependencies. Jacob argues that understanding these dependencies is crucial before adopting an open source solution, as it could have far-reaching implications on the stability and security of one's own project. They also take a deep dive into the organizational dynamics of the OpenTelemetry community, examining its structured approach to scaling and sustaining the project over time. Their discussion then transitions into the philosophical debate of balancing between the extremes of premature abstraction and delivering a fully opinionated software project.
Jacob shares his penchant for “building in the open”, advocating for transparency and community involvement in the development process. He provides valuable advice for both newcomers looking to contribute to open source projects and maintainers seeking to attract new talent. In a personal touch, he extends his gratitude to Robby for creating Oh My Zsh, sharing his own journey in developing a custom theme for it.
Moreover, Jacob expresses his preference for pure functional languages, hinting at the broader discussion around programming paradigms and their influence on open source software development. Stay tuned for that and more!
Book Recommendations:Killers of the Flower Moon By David Grann and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy By Douglas AdamsHelpful Links:Jacob on LinkedInLightstep from ServiceNowJaronoff97 on GitHubJacob's WebsiteJacob on TwitterThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
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Robby has a chat with Oliver Drotbohm, a Staff 2 Engineer at VMware. They explore the essence of maintainable software, pinpointing understandability and modifiability as its foundational pillars. Drawing from Dr. Carola Lilienthal's "Sustainable Software Architecture: Analyze and Reduce Technical Debt," Robby and Oliver dissect the metaphor of technical debt, discussing its historical context and its relevance in today's fast-paced software development environment.
Their nuanced conversation balanced the need for making compromises with the risk of over-preparation, emphasizing the critical role that clear documentation of architecture design decisions plays. They further delve into the iterative nature of building sustainable software, advocating for a build-feedback-repeat cycle to ensure that the right product is being developed.
Their discussion pivots to the strategic use of microservices, unpacking the circumstances that justify their implementation and the inherent tradeoffs. An overview of the Modulithic project for Java Spring presents a modern approach to modular software development. They round off with a sneak peek of Oliver's book, "Modulithic Applications with Spring," while also touching upon the inherent challenges of writing technical literature in an industry where change is the only constant. Tune in and enjoy!
Book Recommendations:The Creative Act: A Way of Being By Rick RubinHelpful Links:Oliver's Book - Modulithic Applications with SpringOliver’s WebsiteOliver on GithubOliver on Twitter XOliver on LinkedInSubscribe to Maintainable on:
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Thanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
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Robby has a chat with Colin Campbell, the Director of Engineering at Tucows. Colin delves into the professional ethos of software development, emphasizing that the caliber of an engineer’s work is a reflection of their daily habits. He stressed the importance of humility for software engineers, arguing that it is crucial for continuous improvement and effective teamwork. He also talked about the strategic approach of doing nothing during Sprint Zero, suggesting that thorough planning and groundwork are essential before diving into actual code deployment.
The conversation transitions to the practical aspects of the craft, sharing insights from his experience of refactoring the OpenSRS platform at Tucows. Colin expresses a strong stance against total rewrites of systems, except when transitioning to new platforms, advocating for the incremental and strategic improvements using the Strangler Fig pattern. He also describes the satisfaction derived from identifying and rectifying “code smells” through refactoring, underscoring this practice as a source of professional fulfillment.
Moreover, he provides a glimpse into the life of platform engineers, detailing the intricacies of supporting application developers and the necessity of being decisively focused when addressing specific programming tasks, hence being “ruthless” to the ticket at hand to ensure quality and efficiency. For that and so much more, tune in to the episode on your favorite podcast platform.
Book Recommendations:The Creative Act By Rick RubinHelpful Links:Colin on LinkedInhttps://www.tucows.com/https://tucowsdomains.com/https://opensrs.com/https://martinfowler.com/bliki/StranglerFigApplication.htmlThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and soon, other frameworks.
It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.
Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Check them out!
Subscribe to Maintainable on:
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Robby has a chat with the Author of Sustainable Web Development with Ruby on Rails, Dave Bryant Copeland (he/him/his). Dave is a Senior Software Engineer and speaker. Reflecting on his experience, Dave believes that well-maintained software is software that people understand what it does, how it works, and that it can be changed. He starts off by highlighting the challenges that developers face when trying to retrofit software with more testing.
He also shares his expert insights on how software engineers can navigate design decisions while ensuring that they speak up if a proposed feature is difficult to build, test, and maintain. When it comes to software engineers getting advice from experienced practitioners, Dave says that the engineers should make sure they understand their own context and biases. He introduces us to his book and shares a very interesting story about the disappointment he got after building and releasing a frontend in Angular. Stay tuned for more!
Book Recommendations:The Culture Map by Erin MeyerHelpful Links:Dave's book - Sustainable Web Development with Ruby on RailsWebsite - https://naildrivin5.com/Subscribe to Maintainable on:
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Robby has a chat with Cameron Jacoby (she/her/hers), a Senior Full-Stack Engineer at BetterUp, a platform that uses world-class coaching and science-backed solutions that help people grow personally and professionally. The one thing that Cameron says should stand out about code being maintainable is that it should be easy to read and understand. She explains why procedural code can often be easier to communicate with and highlights the importance of having helpful data metrics for most new features one works on.
Robby and Cameron also discuss real-world approaches to tracking metrics for monitoring purposes, the benefits of using feature flags, especially within internal-facing software applications, the struggles engineering teams have with maintaining a staging environment, how being on-call is one of the fastest ways to ramp up one’s debugging skills and build intuition as a software engineer, and so much more. Stay tuned!
Helpful Links:Personal Website - https://www.cameronjacoby.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronjacoby/Stitch Fix - https://www.stitchfix.com/BetterUp - https://www.betterup.com/Subscribe to Maintainable on:
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Robby has a chat with Adriana Villela, a Senior Developer Advocate at Lightstep. Adriana highlights that well-maintained software should be software that one can understand when they go into the code even if they’re not super familiar with it. She shares why she values being a serial refactorer and describes what beautiful code should look like. Adriana views debuggers as her best friends because as she says, “I do find maintaining documentation very difficult. That’s where a debugger comes in very handy so that he can step through the code to figure out what is going on”
She will share a story about joining a software project that required a lot of refactoring, why asking for forgiveness is often easier than asking for permission, her involvement with the OpenTelemetry project and the standardization of observability protocols, and how to think about observability on a practical day-to-day level as a software engineer. She will also introduce us to Lightstep and what being a Senior Developer Advocate role is like, and dive into trace-based testing, why every software engineer should develop a trace mindset, the complexities of tooling we have today versus what was available a few decades ago, and what her podcast, On-Call Me Maybe Podcast, is all about. Stay tuned for all that and more.
Book Recommendations:Implementing Service Level Objectives by Alex HidalgoHelpful Links:https://oncallmemaybe.com/Adriana on Twitter - @adrianamvillelaMastodon - [email protected] on LinkedInAdriana on Instagram - @adriana.m.VillelaLinktree - https://linktr.ee/adriana_villelaSLOconfVIDEO: SLOconf 2023 - Translating Failures into SLOs - Ana Margarita Medina and Adriana VillelaAbby Bangser: Building Trust In Your Deployment PipelineSubscribe to Maintainable on:
Apple PodcastsOvercastSpotifyOr search "Maintainable" wherever you stream your podcasts.
Keep up to date with the Maintainable Podcast by joining the newsletter.
Subscribe to Maintainable on:
Apple PodcastsOvercastSpotifyOr search "Maintainable" wherever you stream your podcasts.
Keep up to date with the Maintainable Podcast by joining the newsletter.
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Robby has a chat with Ahmed Wasfy (he/him/his), the Senior Development Manager at Amazon. On the topic of the common characteristics of well maintained software, Ahmed feels that one critical thing is that software should serve a purpose in terms of what values it adds and the trackable business goal it fulfills. He shares some valuable insights about legacy code based on his vast experience and dives into how to approach the management of technical debt so that an engineering team trusts there is a time and place to work on that.
Robby and Ahmed discuss how to strike a good balance between new feature development and incremental improvements, challenges that large organizations face when recruiting a lot of engineers in a short period of time when there are no local domain experts, the Ageism bias in the software engineering industry, Ahmed's coaching work under TheThrivingEM.com, and how to approach your first 90 days in a new role. There is that and so much more software engineering wisdom to gain from this episode, so make sure you tune in.
Book Recommendations:Mastery by George LeonardHelpful Links:TheThrivingEM.comAhmed's InstagramAhmed's LinkedInSubscribe to Maintainable on:
Apple PodcastsOvercastSpotifyOr search "Maintainable" wherever you stream your podcasts.
Keep up to date with the Maintainable Podcast by joining the newsletter.
Subscribe to Maintainable on:
Apple PodcastsOvercastSpotifyOr search "Maintainable" wherever you stream your podcasts.
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Robby has a chat with Independent Python Instructor and Consultant, Naomi Ceder (she/her/hers). Naomi values clear organization, separation of concern and capsulation, visibility instrumentation, and tests when it comes to creating a legacy piece of code that will be continuously useful. She will talk about the importance of weighing up the costs of using 3rd party tools vs rolling your own solution, working in small teams through a career, and what to consider when weighing up a rewrite vs refactoring.
They will discuss her involvement in the Python Foundation and what a foundation typically offers to a community on the global and local levels. Naomi will tell us about her book, The Quick Python Book, 3rd edition, and give us an overview of who the ideal audience is for it. For those of you who want to become technical writers, she will share considerations for how you can get more involved in open-source communities.
Book Recommendations:Debt: The First 5000 Years by David GraeberPaula by Isabel AllendeHelpful Links:https://www.naomiceder.tech/https://www.manning.com/books/the-quick-python-book-third-editionhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/naomiceder/https://mastodon.art/@naomicederSubscribe to Maintainable on:
Apple PodcastsOvercastSpotifyOr search "Maintainable" wherever you stream your podcasts.
Keep up to date with the Maintainable Podcast by joining the newsletter.
Subscribe to Maintainable on:
Apple PodcastsOvercastSpotifyOr search "Maintainable" wherever you stream your podcasts.
Keep up to date with the Maintainable Podcast by joining the newsletter.
- Se mer
