Cory House

Not Enough Time To Build It Sloppy

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 03:29:17 GMT

“Just write it quick and dirty. We can clean it up later.” When deadlines loom and clients are angry it’s hard to argue. Yet the hard truth is most technical de…

Visual Studio Tip: Locate Current File in Solution Explorer on Demand

Wed, 02 May 2012 03:20:28 GMT

Visual Studio doesn’t offer an easy way to locate the current file you’re editing in the Solution Explorer on demand. You can set the solution explorer to alway…

The Joy of Prototype Driven Development

Wed, 23 May 2012 03:45:44 GMT

I’m a big believer in PDD. Why? Because we clearly need another TLA in our lives. Okay, as a good developer seeing an unfamiliar acronym you likely just Googled…

How RESTful is Your API?

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 02:35:27 GMT

It’s been over a decade since Roy Fielding wrote his seminal dissertation on Representation State Transfer (REST). Over this period we’ve seen SOAP/WSDL fall ou…

Kill the Zombies in Your Code

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 03:00:41 GMT

With Halloween nearly upon us, it seems appropriate to discuss a widespread problem in software development: zombie code. Nearly every codebase I work with is l…

Strongly Typed .NET Session Pattern

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 18:59:48 GMT

When working in a strongly typed language like C#, I prefer to avoid being “stringly typed“. Thus I typically wrap .NET’s session object with a custom wrapper. …

Are You a Resume’ Driven Developer?

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 03:59:51 GMT

I’ve had the pleasure of working with many exceptionally talented developers over the years. Yet I’ve noticed the downfall of a few of the brightest minds is a …

Nebraska Code Camp 2013 – Lessons Learned

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 05:29:01 GMT

Rethinking Enterprise – Ted Neward Ted started the day off with a bang. He has a knack for pulling in interesting tidbits from other disciplines and weaving the…

Serializing Knockout ViewModels to JSON: Quotes matter

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:07:33 GMT

The Knockout MVVM framework makes it dirt simple to serialize your ViewModels to JSON: ko.toJSON(viewModel); However, if you’re wondering why some observables a…

Highlights from Codepalousa 2013

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:58:48 GMT

This was my first time attending CodepaLOUsa, and I was not disappointed. The always entertaining Carl Franklin got things rolling with a nostalgic keynote on h…

I’ll keep my 4 year old laptop, thanks.

Sat, 06 Jul 2013 04:37:08 GMT

I enjoy shopping around for computer equipment and like Joel Spolsky, I’m a big believer in using the best tools money can buy. And yet, I’ve held on to my trus…

JavaScript Breakpoints in Chrome

Fri, 26 Jul 2013 14:29:42 GMT

When doing front-end dev, I set breakpoints in Chrome all the time. Here’s the quickest way to set a JavaScript breakpoint in Chrome: F12 if dev tools aren’t al…

Debugging JavaScript in Chrome with frames

Mon, 05 Aug 2013 12:43:23 GMT

When debugging JavaScript on a page with frames, it’s easy to find yourself running commands in the console in the wrong frame. I’ve hit this wall many times an…

Warn Users of Unsaved Changes with jQuery

Tue, 20 Aug 2013 02:09:16 GMT

In web apps it’s helpful to warn the user if they attempt to navigate away after making changes without hitting save. But the tricky part is, how do you track w…

KnockoutJS: Maintain Input Focus While Tabbing and Rebinding

Fri, 27 Sep 2013 21:26:39 GMT

Single page applications pose a unique and interesting set of problems. Libraries that offer two-way binding like KnockoutJS and AngularJS make it trivial to co…

JavaScript Configuration Object Pattern: JSON Saves the Day

Sun, 06 Oct 2013 17:43:22 GMT

So you’re building a modern web app? That means you’re likely running a variety of client-side libraries and custom business logic in JavaScript. And one of the…

Writing Code? Know Your Boundaries.

Tue, 08 Oct 2013 03:33:23 GMT

Today’s developers are cursed blessed with a massive list of libraries and technologies for solving problems. And some of the worst sins against code stem from …

Writing in a Dynamic Language? Naming Matters More.

Sat, 19 Oct 2013 02:23:47 GMT

Sure, well-named variables and functions are important in all programming languages. But when is a name good enough? And when is it especially critical? I just …

Programming Your Brain: The Art of Learning in Three Steps

Sun, 15 Dec 2013 05:15:16 GMT

From time to time, I run into people who are interested in breaking into programming. Last night at the company holiday party a guy (we’ll call him Sam) walked …

This is somewhat embarrassing, isn’t it?

Fri, 27 Dec 2013 12:00:00 GMT

It seems we can’t find what you’re looking for. Perhaps searching, or one of the links below, can help. Search Recent Posts AngularJS: The De Facto Standard for…

Seven Reasons Clean Code Matters

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 21:56:26 GMT

Anyone who knows me well knows the one technical topic I’m unapologetically religious about is the importance of clean code. I recently wrote a guest post on th…

This is somewhat embarrassing, isn’t it?

Sun, 05 Jan 2014 12:00:00 GMT

It seems we can’t find what you’re looking for. Perhaps searching, or one of the links below, can help. Search Recent Posts Who Dictates Software Quality: Clien…

Hey Developer, Are You Focusing on the Right Thing?

Thu, 09 Jan 2014 14:19:00 GMT

At a certain point (perhaps sooner than you think), becoming more technically competent isn’t going to change the trajectory of your life. You have to change yo…

Want to Get Better? Here’s a Strategy to Solicit Genuine Useful Feedback

Sun, 12 Jan 2014 21:35:19 GMT

I just wrapped up presenting two sessions at Codemash and I’ve never learned more about how to improve from a single session. How? Well, a few days ago I was ch…

Lean Software Architecture: Focus on the Pain – Part 1 of 3

Thu, 16 Jan 2014 14:00:23 GMT

An architect’s job is to manage complexity, not increase it. Yet the developer life is filled with jargon, acronyms, and seemingly infinite choices. So how do w…

13″ Haswell Ultrabook Showdown

Fri, 17 Jan 2014 20:59:34 GMT

I recently decided it’s time to pickup a better machine for traveling and working unplugged. As a frequent conference speaker and remote worker, I need a machin…

David & Goliath: Haswell Ultrabook vs Desktop Replacement Laptop

Sat, 18 Jan 2014 22:58:01 GMT

Okay, so it was only a few months ago I was rambling on about how I am quite happy with my four year old desktop replacement style Dell laptop. It’s been comple…

Lean Software Architecture: Build The Simplest Thing – Part 2 of 3

Mon, 20 Jan 2014 15:03:38 GMT

In part one of this series, we outlined some specific examples of complexities that today’s software architects may consider. And we considered how each potenti…

Lean Software Architecture: Focus On the Pain – Part 3 of 3

Thu, 23 Jan 2014 13:01:46 GMT

In previous parts of this series, we outlined a simple two step process for being a lean software architect: Build the simplest thing that could possibly work F…

Where Should an Architect Begin?

Fri, 24 Jan 2014 14:33:54 GMT

Imagine you’re dropped in a new position with no one there to help provide a smooth knowledge transition. It’s like being dropped right out of the sky. That’s e…

Who Dictates Software Quality: Client or Coder?

Wed, 29 Jan 2014 05:41:06 GMT

A friend of mine brought up a common struggle for many software developers, particularly independent consultants: How do you influence your clients to demand th…

User Interface Framework Showdown: Bootstrap, Foundation, KendoUI, and jQueryUI

Thu, 27 Feb 2014 03:41:05 GMT

Standards might not be exciting, but man, they’re important. Without them everyone does their own thing, reinvents the wheel, and unnecessarily injects new fram…

AngularJS: The De Facto Standard for SPA Development?

Tue, 15 Apr 2014 02:42:14 GMT

One year ago, I started a large Single Page Application (SPA) project. I spent a few weeks Googling and biting my nails, trying to choose between the various op…

The TDD Divide: Everyone is Right

Thu, 01 May 2014 13:33:57 GMT

I’ve been enjoying the back and forth regarding the Death of TDD on the interwebs. The intellectual volleying between “legalists” like Robert C. Martin (Uncle B…

An Epic Week of Development in Norway

Thu, 19 Jun 2014 18:02:19 GMT

tldr; NDC was amazing! I was a guest on .NET Rocks! My recorded sessions from NDC in Oslo, Norway are below. And I finally got to meet Uncle Bob! I just had an …

Knockout Bindings are Evaluated Left to Right

Mon, 04 Aug 2014 20:21:11 GMT

I just resolved an odd behavior that tripped me up. Have you ever attached a click handler to a checkbox/radio with Knockout and wondered why the old value is r…

Shadow DOM vs iframes

Fri, 03 Oct 2014 03:52:48 GMT

I’m really excited about the new HTML5 Web Components Standard. The Shadow DOM is particularly interesting, as it finally gives us encapsulated markup and styli…

Two Quick TFS Performance Tips

Thu, 09 Oct 2014 13:01:34 GMT

Team Foundation Server (TFS) continues to improve, but one area I’ve struggled recently is performance. I work in a very large codebase that knocks up against t…

6 Quick Tips for Presenting Code in Visual Studio

Sun, 16 Nov 2014 12:00:00 GMT

As a frequent conference presenter and attendee, I often see live code walk-throughs. There are a variety of tweaks you can make to optimize the Visual Studio e…

6 Quick Tips for Presenting Code in Visual Studio

Mon, 17 Nov 2014 04:46:42 GMT

As a frequent conference presenter and attendee, I often see live code walk-throughs. There are a variety of tweaks you can make to optimize the Visual Studio e…

Cache Busting via Gulp.js

Mon, 26 Jan 2015 03:47:36 GMT

Have you ever thought about how many HTTP requests your app is wasting? Many developers think the native caching mechanisms of browsers are sufficient. However,…

7 Ways to Handle Circular Dependencies in RequireJS

Tue, 03 Feb 2015 14:21:10 GMT

When working with RequireJS, you’re likely to run across two modules that need to reference each other. When you create a circular reference using the standard …

Is Separating HTML and JavaScript Harmful?

Wed, 18 Mar 2015 14:54:54 GMT

I’ve spent the last many years religiously honoring the principle of separation of concerns. Separating concerns produces code that’s easier to read, maintain, …

Why I’m Not Sold on MongoDB

Mon, 13 Apr 2015 12:49:19 GMT

Disclaimer: While I’ve experimented with MongoDB, I haven’t deployed it to production. These are my honest reservations that keep me from deploying a production…

What Makes a Great Coding Interview? Be Real.

Thu, 07 May 2015 12:43:47 GMT

I’ve both taken and created a lot of coding interviews throughout the years. And I’ve learned there are many ways to screw it up. The worst tests feel like a wa…

Conferences Are For Why, Not How

Sun, 28 Jun 2015 20:18:24 GMT

There are dozens of solid ways to level up as a developer. Online video, blogs, niche mailing lists, books, reading source code on GitHub, and of course simply …

Webpack vs Browserify

Mon, 27 Jul 2015 13:54:16 GMT

If you need a cabin, why start with a mere pile of logs? In the land of JavaScript, no one is king for long. Just last year Grunt was effectively dethroned by G…

Building Applications with React and Flux

Fri, 14 Aug 2015 03:09:36 GMT

It’s live! I just published a new course on Pluralsight: “Building Applications with React and Flux“. This is the product of over six months of preparation incl…

React Demo Apps

Tue, 25 Aug 2015 11:14:05 GMT

I just wrapped up six months of hard work authoring my new Pluralsight course “Building Applications with React and Flux“. During that time I dissected over 30 …

React’s JSX: The Other Side of the Coin

Tue, 01 Sep 2015 19:58:54 GMT

When React was released, many people took one look at JSX and lost their minds. What are these angle brackets doing in JavaScript?! What about separation of con…

Internet Explorer 8 is (nearly) Dead

Wed, 07 Oct 2015 13:17:20 GMT

IE8’s death has been rumored for a long while, but the final nail in the coffin is coming January 12, 2016: Starting on that date, Microsoft will only support t…

12 Rules for Professional JavaScript in 2015

Wed, 21 Oct 2015 12:03:47 GMT

Well, that’s disturbing.Disclaimer: I speak in absolutes below for brevity. Yes, nearly every “rule” in programming has exceptions. JavaScript is hard. It moves…

Casing jargon for developers: camelCase PascalCase kebab-case Train-Case...

Thu, 31 Dec 2015 16:01:26 GMT

Casing jargon for developers: camelCase PascalCase kebab-case Train-Case snake_case Camel_Snake_Case SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE #programming

Angular 2 versus React: There Will Be Blood

Sun, 03 Jan 2016 21:03:36 GMT

Angular 2 versus React: There Will Be Blood. My detailed comparison is live! http://buff.ly/1Rjyclb #angularjs #reactjs #javascript

Angular 2 versus React

Tue, 05 Jan 2016 02:11:52 GMT

Angular 2 has reached Beta and appears poised to become the hot new framework of 2016. It’s time for a showdown. Let’s see how it stacks up against 2015’s darli…

Why I Left Gulp and Grunt for npm Scripts

Mon, 18 Jan 2016 15:17:16 GMT

I know what you’re thinking. WAT?! Didn’t Gulp just kill Grunt? Why can’t we just be content for a few minutes here in JavaScript land? I hear ya, but… I’ve fou…

Common coding mistake: Trying to do too much in one commit

Fri, 18 Mar 2016 01:11:00 GMT

Common coding mistake: Trying to do too much in one commit. Commits should honor the single responsibility principle too.

In Defense of ES6 Classes

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 13:09:25 GMT

These days it feels like everyone is attacking classes in JavaScript. Developers I respect say ES6 classes are a virus. We’ve compiled long lists on the reasons…

It's live

Sat, 21 May 2016 11:53:42 GMT

It's live! React & Redux in ES6 just published on Pluralsight! http://buff.ly/1NDvEiU #reactjs #javascript

React and Redux in ES6 – Live!

Mon, 23 May 2016 11:50:39 GMT

After over 6 months of preparation, research, writing, and recording, “Building Applications in React and Redux in ES6” just published on Pluralsight! This isn’…

I Don’t Do Q&A at the End of Conference Talks. Here’s Why.

Thu, 07 Jul 2016 16:49:18 GMT

I’m admittedly in the minority: At the end of a conference or user group talk, how should the speaker handle questions? — Cory House (@housecor) July 1, 2016 Q&…

Devs, watch out for this in 2016: You can easily spend all your time...

Sat, 23 Jul 2016 01:11:05 GMT

Devs, watch out for this in 2016: You can easily spend all your time learning fleeting new tech instead of the timeless fundamentals.

Posted: React Binding Patterns: 5 Approaches for Handling `this` keyword...

Wed, 17 Aug 2016 19:45:43 GMT

Posted: React Binding Patterns: 5 Approaches for Handling `this` keyword http://buff.ly/2beVF8D #reactjs

React Binding Patterns: 5 Approaches for Handling `this`

Thu, 18 Aug 2016 18:01:11 GMT

JavaScript’s this keyword behavior has confused developers for ages. Coding with binds is hard. There are at least five ways to handle the this context in React…

Tip: Avoid using switch in #JavaScript

Fri, 19 Aug 2016 16:24:00 GMT

Tip: Avoid using switch in #JavaScript. Consider the method lookup pattern. Here's why: http://buff.ly/2bnqUMT

Important: Named imports still import the entire resource

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 19:21:18 GMT

Important: Named imports still import *the entire resource*. Need only part of a lib? Explicitly import it. Huge impact. #javascript

Save typing in npm: npm i -D <- install ---save-dev npm i -S <-...

Fri, 07 Oct 2016 19:48:49 GMT

Save typing in npm: npm i -D <- install ---save-dev npm i -S <- install --save npm t <- npm test #node #javascript

Want to Code Faster? Timebox Impediments

Wed, 02 Nov 2016 18:28:20 GMT

Confession: Last week I burned an entire morning configuring SSH key authentication on our Enterprise Github account. I tried everything I could think of, but c…

It's live

Fri, 11 Nov 2016 13:44:31 GMT

It's live! "Building a JavaScript Development Environment" just published on @pluralsight! http://app.pluralsight.com/author/cory-house #javascript

Building a JavaScript Development Environment – Live on Pluralsight!

Sat, 12 Nov 2016 22:48:06 GMT

I just published my newest course on Pluralsight! Building a JavaScript application from scratch today is overwhelming. You have to make decisions about package…

The hardest decision in software development today: What should I ignore

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 02:23:20 GMT

The hardest decision in software development today: What should I ignore? We can't possibly follow it all. #specialize

A Week with the New Macbook Pro with Touch Bar

Sun, 27 Nov 2016 22:26:21 GMT

I purchased the new Macbook Pro (MBP for short, below) with Touch Bar one week ago. I chose the maxed out “standard” model for $2,799 at the local Apple store: …

Why Do Developers Run Macs?

Sun, 27 Nov 2016 22:53:14 GMT

I spoke at Fluent conference in San Francisco in March of 2015. I looked out in the crowd as I was setting up and saw this: See all those glowing Apples? Nearly…

The JavaScript Starter Kit Manifesto

Tue, 29 Nov 2016 14:59:26 GMT

My talk from Nodevember just went live on YouTube! This is my sales pitch: Starting from scratch today in JavaScript is crazy. The solution? Your team needs a J…

I've switched from Webstorm to VSCode: 1 Faster 2 Sips battery 3 Entire UI...

Wed, 11 Jan 2017 18:08:04 GMT

I've switched from Webstorm to VSCode: 1 Faster 2 Sips battery 3 Entire UI scales via ctrl+/- (😍 for demos) 4 Multiple solutions per window

To increase quality: 1 TDD 2 Pair 3 Stop bug tracking

Wed, 18 Jan 2017 14:28:04 GMT

To increase quality: 1 TDD 2 Pair 3 Stop bug tracking. Zero defect policy. New bug = priority #1. 4 Simple design (3-4 hour tasks) -@chzy

React tip: State that references itself leads to out-of-sync bugs

Tue, 07 Mar 2017 14:47:11 GMT

React tip: State that references itself leads to out-of-sync bugs. Instead, generate derived data in render or a function. #reactjs

Node debugging used to be 😔 In @code it's 😍 Watch window, call stack,...

Thu, 09 Mar 2017 14:47:02 GMT

Node debugging used to be 😔 In @code it's 😍 Watch window, call stack, hover vars to inspect... Point at a file and go! So slick. #nodejs

My take on #reactjs setState: 1

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 11:52:48 GMT

My take on #reactjs setState: 1. Use setState when 1 component uses the data. 2. Use Redux when many components use the data.

ES6 modules support lands in browsers

Wed, 12 Apr 2017 13:47:02 GMT

ES6 modules support lands in browsers! 🎉 Time to rethink bundling? 🤔 Nope. Automated builds are here to stay: http://buff.ly/2p2U3H5

After over 6 months of heavy research & writing, I've finally started...

Wed, 19 Apr 2017 13:20:28 GMT

After over 6 months of heavy research & writing, I've finally started recording! 🎉 Can't wait for this to go live! #reactjs @pluralsight

Software maintenance is not "keep it working like before." It is "keep being...

Tue, 25 Apr 2017 13:47:07 GMT

Software maintenance is not "keep it working like before." It is "keep being useful in a changing world". @jessitron

A function name should describe what it does, not when it's run

Fri, 28 Apr 2017 15:03:31 GMT

A function name should describe what it does, not when it's run. Why? Good function names summarize what happens inside. #cleancode

Love this

Sat, 29 Apr 2017 01:34:01 GMT

Love this. This is why I don't hesitate to spend money on computer equipment. "Spend your money where you spend your time." - Noah Kagan

Q: "How about we just ignore tests for now

Thu, 04 May 2017 18:39:11 GMT

Q: "How about we just ignore tests for now? We're moving too fast." A: "Tests are like brakes. Going fast without them is dangerous."

So here's my favorite new way to rapidly prototype React components

Sat, 06 May 2017 13:47:01 GMT

So here's my favorite new way to rapidly prototype React components. Can easily share too! 👍 http://buff.ly/2qJwVM3

Here’s Why Client-Side Rendering Won

Tue, 09 May 2017 01:31:21 GMT

A decade ago, nearly everyone was rendering their web applications on the server using technologies like ASP.NET, Ruby on Rails, Java, and PHP. Then handy libra…

Sure, destructuring props makes code concise

Wed, 10 May 2017 19:27:44 GMT

Sure, destructuring props makes code concise. But another benefit just occurred to me: Autocompletion support. #reactjs

Create React App has been upgraded: Webpack 2, PWA by default, and really...

Fri, 19 May 2017 15:07:30 GMT

Create React App has been upgraded: Webpack 2, PWA by default, and really slick error overlay. Great stuff! https://facebook.github.io/react/blog/2...

Tip: You don't need to declare a constructor in your React component to...

Mon, 22 May 2017 13:47:01 GMT

Tip: You don't need to declare a constructor in your React component to initialize state. Can use a public class field instead! #reactjs

It's live

Tue, 06 Jun 2017 12:51:33 GMT

It's live! "Creating Reusable React Components" just published on @pluralsight! 🎉 Share your React components! http://buff.ly/2sNpbsA

Wow

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 01:20:02 GMT

Wow. If fear holds you back, this 13 min talk by @ tferriss is a must watch. Define your fears. http://buff.ly/2rmoZ7c

Tried Vue

Sat, 17 Jun 2017 02:44:30 GMT

Tried Vue. Fundamentally, it's the same as Angular, Ember, & Knockout: It's HTML-centric. React is JS-centric. https://medium.com/@CalinLeafsha...

"70% of a developer's day is spent reading code." - @getify Optimize for reading

Tue, 20 Jun 2017 01:34:00 GMT

"70% of a developer's day is spent reading code." - @getify Optimize for reading. #FluentConf #cleancode

Why write pure functions

Wed, 21 Jun 2017 01:34:00 GMT

Why write pure functions? 1. Easy to test. 2. Easy to understand. 3. Composable. 4. Deterministic. (consistent output for a given input)

Most bugs come from side effects, so write "pure" functions: 1

Fri, 23 Jun 2017 01:34:00 GMT

Most bugs come from side effects, so write "pure" functions: 1. Accept *all* inputs as params. 2. Don't mutate inputs. 3. Return new value.

Event organizers: If you give us a quality shirt with: 1

Wed, 05 Jul 2017 15:10:06 GMT

Event organizers: If you give us a quality shirt with: 1. A small logo 2. No year on it We'll wear it to promote your event for *years*.

Tip: You can automatically add a code review checklist to GitHub pull...

Fri, 07 Jul 2017 12:38:51 GMT

Tip: You can automatically add a code review checklist to GitHub pull requests by creating PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md. Here's ours:

I've never written a conf talk, blog, or course without learning a ton in...

Sun, 09 Jul 2017 17:57:11 GMT

I've never written a conf talk, blog, or course without learning a ton in the process. Even topics I thought I had nailed. To learn, teach.

Great idea

Mon, 10 Jul 2017 15:20:01 GMT

Great idea. Keep your cables organized and avoid them falling behind your desk with simple binder clips. http://buff.ly/2t4NIc6

Was about to create this, but great to find it exists

Wed, 19 Jul 2017 15:36:54 GMT

Was about to create this, but great to find it exists! 😀 Avoid bloating your bundle by linting named imports! https://github.com/eslint-plugins/es...

"JavaScript fatigue is what happens when people use tools they don't need to...

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 18:38:06 GMT

"JavaScript fatigue is what happens when people use tools they don't need to solve problems they don't have." - Lucas F Costa #nejsconf

After attending many conferences, I've realized: I don't attend to learn

Sun, 30 Jul 2017 01:34:00 GMT

After attending many conferences, I've realized: I don't attend to learn. I attend to learn what I need to learn.

Developer

Sun, 06 Aug 2017 01:34:12 GMT

Developer? Go deep. Architect? Go wide. A thoughtful short read on breadth vs depth: https://buff.ly/2hxHiSp

Remote work is much more productive for me

Thu, 10 Aug 2017 19:36:52 GMT

Remote work is much more productive for me. I just accomplished more in half a day than I could in a couple interruption filled office days.

Public Speaking Transformed My Life…and Can Change Yours Too

Sat, 12 Aug 2017 16:09:57 GMT

A Call For Speakers…From 40,000 Feet I’m writing this from a bar…that’s floating somewhere over Greenland. I just enjoyed a complimentary 3 course meal with win…

After watching my "Building JS Dev Environment" course, someone emailed me:...

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 15:20:05 GMT

After watching my "Building JS Dev Environment" course, someone emailed me: "How do you keep up with JavaScript churn?" Here's my answer.

Deployment & release aren't the same thing

Tue, 05 Sep 2017 13:47:00 GMT

Deployment & release aren't the same thing. Deployment: Put code in prod env. Release: Make the feature available. So deploy continously.

To convey the big picture, I'm compiling a list of reasons not to use...

Sat, 16 Sep 2017 19:55:14 GMT

To convey the big picture, I'm compiling a list of reasons *not* to use React for my new course. Other downsides/concerns I'm overlooking?

"Never Write another Higher Order Component" Excellent talk by @mjackson on...

Sat, 23 Sep 2017 19:10:09 GMT

"Never Write another Higher Order Component" Excellent talk by @mjackson on an alternative pattern: Render props https://www.youtube.com/watch?time...

Reusable Web Application Strategies: three patterns for running the same app in multiple spots

Fri, 29 Sep 2017 11:37:45 GMT

Imagine your team just deployed an amazing todo list app. A month later, another team in your company wants to run your todo app within their invoice app. So no…

I've found a VSCode setup I ❤️: Material Pale Night Material Icon Theme See...

Thu, 05 Oct 2017 02:31:09 GMT

I've found a VSCode setup I ❤️: Material Pale Night Material Icon Theme See settings in 2nd screenshot. Perfect for late night coding.

Woah, you can get most of TypeScript's benefits with plain JS by just...

Tue, 10 Oct 2017 15:20:08 GMT

Woah, you can get most of TypeScript's benefits with plain JS by just slapping comments in your code?! Compelling. https://buff.ly/2ydk9eR

Developer job security: Low road: Obfuscate so only you can understand

Thu, 19 Oct 2017 13:47:03 GMT

Developer job security: Low road: Obfuscate so only you can understand. High road: Automate your job away, and a better job will follow.

I'm a fan of Redux, but it's a power tool, not a "use it all the time" tool

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 20:13:43 GMT

I'm a fan of Redux, but it's a power tool, not a "use it all the time" tool. Too many people are cutting paper with an ax.

Spent the morning comparing React's syntax to Angular, Vue, and Ember's for...

Wed, 25 Oct 2017 16:20:01 GMT

Spent the morning comparing React's syntax to Angular, Vue, and Ember's for my upcoming "React: The Big Picture" course... #react

Why blog

Wed, 25 Oct 2017 19:59:11 GMT

Why blog? Cunningham's Law: "the best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer.

Much of writing testable code boils down to this: Keep logic and I/O separate

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 19:18:43 GMT

Much of writing testable code boils down to this: Keep logic and I/O separate. Then you can test logic in isolation without mocking. #tdd

This is absolutely key

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 13:47:04 GMT

This is absolutely key. Want to write loosely coupled code? Do these three things. Full post by @_ericelliott: https://buff.ly/2yojAjt

Just updated the "Tech Speaker Starter Kit" with some new resources...

Fri, 03 Nov 2017 18:28:46 GMT

Just updated the "Tech Speaker Starter Kit" with some new resources including a list of over *800* conferences: https://github.com/coryhouse/speake...

Here's a handy pattern to easily build objects for #javascript tests

Fri, 10 Nov 2017 02:48:25 GMT

Here's a handy pattern to easily build objects for #javascript tests. Similar to the builder pattern, but less coding.

Is there a single good reason to ever use a static class in #javascript...

Fri, 10 Nov 2017 14:47:03 GMT

Is there a single good reason to ever use a static class in #javascript instead of simply exporting the public functions? 🤔 I can't think of one.

As a long-time OO developer, I've finally embraced the functional paradigm...

Mon, 13 Nov 2017 14:47:00 GMT

As a long-time OO developer, I've finally embraced the functional paradigm in #javascript. Epiphany: Most my objects are just data structures. *No...

Tip: With async/await, you can run multiple async operations in parallel

Mon, 13 Nov 2017 16:20:04 GMT

Tip: With async/await, you can run multiple async operations in parallel. How? Put the await statements on the same line! Works like promise.all. h...

React Pattern: Centralized PropTypes

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 13:42:50 GMT

Avoid repeating yourself by centralizing PropTypes There are three popular ways to handle types in React: PropTypes, TypeScript and Flow. This post is about Pro…

Tip: Does your project work better with @code (VS Code) extensions

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 16:20:06 GMT

Tip: Does your project work better with @code (VS Code) extensions? List recommended extensions in .vscode/extensions.json, and VS Code will prompt...

Extract your setState calls to pure functions

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 14:34:10 GMT

Extract your setState calls to pure functions. Test them in isolation. Reuse as desired. Handy pattern from @MicheleBertoli Slides: "setState ftw":...

Using the same JS lib on multiple apps

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 14:04:49 GMT

Using the same JS lib on multiple apps? 1. Extract it via Webpack 2. Reference the lib on a CDN Now your users only have to download the lib once. 👍

It's live

Wed, 22 Nov 2017 13:19:29 GMT

It's live! 🎥 "React: The Big Picture" just published on @pluralsight! 🎉 Short course on React's benefits, tradeoffs, and downsides. ⚖️ https://ap...

Coming very soon: Use cipm instead of npm on your CI server for 20x faster...

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 23:29:11 GMT

Coming very soon: Use cipm instead of npm on your CI server for 20x faster install than npm 4! 🎉 #Nodevember

Perf tip: Stop using babel-preset-es2015

Tue, 28 Nov 2017 16:51:27 GMT

Perf tip: Stop using babel-preset-es2015. It's deprecated. Use babel-preset-env instead. The env preset only transpiles the features that your targ...

Handy way to update npm packages: Use npx

Wed, 29 Nov 2017 14:47:07 GMT

Handy way to update npm packages: Use npx. Nicely formatted report. Hit space to select the packages you want to update. Slick. 😎 via @seldo #java...

Designing Reusable React Components

Fri, 01 Dec 2017 13:30:28 GMT

What Legos Can Teach Us About Reuse in React Apps React is a component library. So React makes it easy to break your UI down into composable pieces. The questio…

Woah, prettier does a wonderful job formatting markdown files too

Fri, 01 Dec 2017 14:47:14 GMT

Woah, prettier does a wonderful job formatting markdown files too! Numbered lists and tables look great. Really enjoying prettier: https://buff.ly/...

Creating a new feature

Thu, 07 Dec 2017 16:20:15 GMT

Creating a new feature? Consider writing the docs first. Here's why. 1. It clarifies your vision before writing code. 2. If the doc lists many manu...

Just rewrote a Redux app in plain React

Mon, 11 Dec 2017 02:50:26 GMT

Just rewrote a Redux app in plain React. Here's how: 1. Moved data from Redux store to most relevant component 2. Lifted state as needed More on li...

Man, after using @prettiercode for a month, I'd love to have all the time...

Mon, 11 Dec 2017 16:20:11 GMT

Man, after using @prettiercode for a month, I'd love to have all the time back that I've wasted over the years manually formatting code! Prettier i...

Coding a simple prototype takes a little time, but saves a ton of time in...

Tue, 12 Dec 2017 14:46:43 GMT

Coding a simple prototype takes a little time, but saves a ton of time in discussion. It's easier to hit your target when your conversation revolve...

Perhaps the most striking stat on the 2017 State of #JavaScript Survey: VS...

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 04:24:59 GMT

Perhaps the most striking stat on the 2017 State of #JavaScript Survey: VS Code (@code) is by far the most popular editor - and it's only 2.5 years...

Speaker tip: Instead of asking "Who doesn't understand x?" ask "Who...

Sun, 17 Dec 2017 18:02:54 GMT

Speaker tip: Instead of asking "Who doesn't understand x?" ask "Who understands x?" Why? 1. It avoids embarrassing people. 2. It enhances engagemen...

React tip: You often don't need to declare a constructor in class components

Tue, 19 Dec 2017 14:47:01 GMT

React tip: You often don't need to declare a constructor in class components. You can use a class field instead. (stage 3) Transpiled via Babel: ht...

Three ways to design a reusable React component: 1

Sat, 23 Dec 2017 13:14:59 GMT

Three ways to design a reusable React component: 1. Uncontrolled 2. Controlled 3. Controllable Option #3 is most flexible (and quick to implement t...

Career tip: If your boss doesn't see it, you won't get credit for it

Thu, 28 Dec 2017 14:34:00 GMT

Career tip: If your boss doesn't see it, you won't get credit for it. Document your work. Present demos. Promote the good stuff. Don't expect your...

Seriously, if you haven't tried automated testing with @Cypress_io, do it now

Sun, 31 Dec 2017 17:02:49 GMT

Seriously, if you haven't tried automated testing with @Cypress_io, do it now. Spent the morning adding integration tests to React Slingshot with C...

Slick way to update an element in an array in an immutable manner *without...

Sat, 06 Jan 2018 14:24:53 GMT

Slick way to update an element in an array in an immutable manner *without changing the array's order*. Just use map and replace the relevant eleme...

6 years ago: I was terrified of public speaking

Thu, 11 Jan 2018 11:59:27 GMT

6 years ago: I was terrified of public speaking. Today, I’m presenting my 120th session. This quote hit me hard. I’ve never felt more grateful. Or...

"I've heard from several people that they've consolidated their companies...

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 19:11:44 GMT

"I've heard from several people that they've consolidated their companies tool dependencies into a single package and this worked really well for t...

Watch out: You may unknowingly be addicted to complexity

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 14:47:07 GMT

Watch out: You may unknowingly be addicted to complexity. “Simplicity is a great virtue but it requires hard work to achieve it and education to ap...

Woah, automatically convert your plain JavaScript React components to TypeScript

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 21:36:47 GMT

Woah, automatically convert your plain JavaScript React components to TypeScript. Reads PropTypes and converts! Slick. https://github.com/lyft/reac...

A successful development team is like a bees nest

Fri, 26 Jan 2018 16:02:16 GMT

A successful development team is like a bees nest. Give them trust and autonomy to do their work, and they'll happily make you honey. But if you co...

JavaScript tip: You can easily simulate named function parameters

Sun, 28 Jan 2018 02:34:04 GMT

JavaScript tip: You can easily simulate named function parameters. 1. Accept an object instead of separate arguments. 2. Use destructuring. Slick....

Remote work benefit: Interacting via text fosters reading & writing skills

Fri, 02 Feb 2018 14:49:52 GMT

Remote work benefit: Interacting via text fosters reading & writing skills. 1. You can carefully read and consider your co-worker's input at yo...

Common question: "How do I build a big SPA?" My take

Fri, 02 Feb 2018 16:20:04 GMT

Common question: "How do I build a big SPA?" My take? Don't. Build multiple small SPAs. Share common elements like navigation via npm. There's noth...

ES2018 has been finalized

Sat, 03 Feb 2018 16:20:01 GMT

ES2018 has been finalized. Features: 1. Rest/spread properties 🎉 2. Asynchronous iteration 3. Promise.prototype.finally() 4. New regex features Mo...

Impressed with the regex enhancements in ES2018

Sun, 04 Feb 2018 14:10:55 GMT

Impressed with the regex enhancements in ES2018. Named capture groups make regex so much easier to read and parse! 1. Declare a named capture in an...

Motivation hack: Leave an incomplete task at the end of your work day

Tue, 06 Feb 2018 14:41:39 GMT

Motivation hack: Leave an incomplete task at the end of your work day. Why? 1. Partially complete tasks motivate you to get started the next day. 2...

Git tip: Have a lot of old branches on your machine

Fri, 09 Feb 2018 12:38:49 GMT

Git tip: Have a lot of old branches on your machine? Here's a Bash script that removes local branches that are no longer remote: git fetch -p &...

🔥 Confirmed: 🔥 1

Sat, 10 Feb 2018 15:27:30 GMT

🔥 Confirmed: 🔥 1. npm install Node@8 (saves Node 8 as dependency in package.json) 2. Your app will run using Node 8 for *everyone* - even Yarn us...

An epic read for #javascript app best practices/project guidelines

Sat, 10 Feb 2018 16:20:00 GMT

An epic read for #javascript app best practices/project guidelines. Tons of great tips in here: https://buff.ly/2H1WY9h

Fascinating overview of Spotify's desktop app, built in JS

Sun, 11 Feb 2018 02:34:00 GMT

Fascinating overview of Spotify's desktop app, built in JS. I typically avoid iframes, but Spotify's iframe use is compelling. Why? 1. As an instal...

Realization: Putting Redux in our company framework by default was a mistake

Sun, 11 Feb 2018 18:25:08 GMT

Realization: Putting Redux in our company framework by default was a mistake. Result: 1 People connect *every* component. 2 People embed Redux in "...

JS tip: console.log accepts multiple arguments

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 14:47:01 GMT

JS tip: console.log accepts multiple arguments. Each argument is conveniently output with a space in between. Can't believe I've been concatenating...

The number of options for automated testing in #javascript today is amazing

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 16:20:12 GMT

The number of options for automated testing in #javascript today is amazing. Here's the most epic post I've seen for outlining all the options: htt...

"Comment the why, not the how." is the most succinct and useful maxim for...

Tue, 13 Feb 2018 02:34:00 GMT

"Comment the why, not the how." is the most succinct and useful maxim for handling code comments that I've found. If I feel the need to comment the...

React tip: You can eliminate constructors for state and binding

Tue, 13 Feb 2018 14:47:01 GMT

React tip: You can eliminate constructors for state and binding. Use class fields instead (stage 3, transpiled via Babel). Making this change all o...

Need something fixed/enhanced in an open source package that you use at work

Sat, 17 Feb 2018 16:12:02 GMT

Need something fixed/enhanced in an open source package that you use at work? Consider just doing the work. "It's part of my job to deliver what I'...

"99% of the time, when you think you need to mock a module, the real answer...

Sun, 18 Feb 2018 02:34:00 GMT

"99% of the time, when you think you need to mock a module, the real answer is that you should decouple the part that uses the data from the part t...

So true

Sun, 18 Feb 2018 13:23:12 GMT

So true. For today's developers, formal education is just the beginning. Long-term success requires self-guided reading, coding, and experimentatio...

Excited for the enhancements coming to Babel 7: - 60% faster 🚤 -...

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 14:47:11 GMT

Excited for the enhancements coming to Babel 7: - 60% faster 🚤 - babel-polyfill now only polyfills what your env needs = smaller bundles - Scoped...

Pattern I'm increasingly seeing: Companies are forking create-react-app and...

Tue, 20 Feb 2018 18:28:25 GMT

Pattern I'm increasingly seeing: Companies are forking create-react-app and adding their unique opinions into it. Here's why: - Avoid reinventing t...

Highly relevant quote for anyone teaching or learning

Sun, 25 Feb 2018 15:07:45 GMT

Highly relevant quote for anyone teaching or learning. Merely reading and watching isn't enough. We must do. "To learn and not to do is really not...

promise.finally has moved to stage 4, so it's officially part of JavaScript

Mon, 26 Feb 2018 14:47:01 GMT

promise.finally has moved to stage 4, so it's officially part of JavaScript. Here's how it works: https://buff.ly/2Chg8Jf #javascript

GitHub Tip: Create PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md in your project root

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 14:18:29 GMT

GitHub Tip: Create PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md in your project root. GitHub will automatically populate all pull requests with this content! I suggest...

How to handle environment-specific settings in your JavaScript apps

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 13:53:34 GMT

8 ways to handle environment-specific app settings Today many web apps are built using React, Angular, Vue, Ember, etc. These modern client-side rendered apps o…

How I read open source docs: 1

Fri, 02 Mar 2018 17:29:58 GMT

How I read open source docs: 1. Clone repo 2. Open http://README.md in VS Code 3. Display markdown preview on right. 4. Read right pane. Fix typos...

Career tip: As tech moves faster, consider specializing

Sat, 03 Mar 2018 15:29:55 GMT

Career tip: As tech moves faster, consider specializing. 2000 - I was "full stack", multiple langs. Generalist. 2010 - Still "full stack", but focu...

Ever use your Browser's console as a little scratchpad to try JavaScript

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 14:47:01 GMT

Ever use your Browser's console as a little scratchpad to try JavaScript? Now you can use VS Code as a REPL! Install the Quokka.js plugin and see t...

GitHub tip: You can assign "code owners" to sections of a code base

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 16:28:22 GMT

GitHub tip: You can assign "code owners" to sections of a code base. Why? Code reviews are then assigned to the owner(s) automatically! 1. Create C...

Sure, you know about console.log, but there are a lot of other handy tools...

Sat, 10 Mar 2018 02:34:02 GMT

Sure, you know about console.log, but there are a lot of other handy tools in the browser console: https://buff.ly/2FtBktn #javascript

Realization: I’ve spent many hours reading books and blog posts about...

Tue, 13 Mar 2018 18:09:09 GMT

Realization: I’ve spent many hours reading books and blog posts about productivity. I must admit most of this reading was merely procrastination. I...

Love the new split terminal window feature in VS Code

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 09:39:40 GMT

Love the new split terminal window feature in VS Code! @code Really handy for running your app and automated tests in side-by-side integrated termi...

The "full stack" dev is a dying breed

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 17:32:47 GMT

The "full stack" dev is a dying breed. Just keeping up with JS & React ecosystems is a full-time job! Redux, MobX, GraphQL/Apollo/Relay, Jest,...

"What have you learned in the past week that you’ll still care about in 5...

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 13:53:16 GMT

"What have you learned in the past week that you’ll still care about in 5 years?" - Shane Parrish Few tech skills were useful for me for over 5 yea...

Many companies have: 1

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 21:04:45 GMT

Many companies have: 1. A corporate style guide 2. A separate UI component library that implements the style guide's rules Idea: The style guide an...

Why specialize

Mon, 19 Mar 2018 13:47:07 GMT

Why specialize? Because the industry is changing faster than ever. Today, the half-life of an engineering degree is between 2.5 and 5 years. You mu...

As a dev nearing 40, this StackOverflow stat concerns me: Only 7% of...

Tue, 20 Mar 2018 17:15:20 GMT

As a dev nearing 40, this StackOverflow stat concerns me: Only 7% of developers are over 44 years old. I still love solving problems with code. I'd...

Woah, @Netlify now supports AWS lambda functions

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 15:02:08 GMT

Woah, @Netlify now supports AWS lambda functions! 125,000 requests/mth for free. This integration with AWS is slick. https://buff.ly/2psWW2c

Apple support is exceptional

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 16:55:03 GMT

Apple support is exceptional. 1 of my AirPods wasn’t as loud as the other. 1. I click “call me” on Apple site 2. They call 3. I explain the issue 4...

React tip: Functional components transpile down to less code, which =...

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 19:14:52 GMT

React tip: Functional components transpile down to less code, which = smaller bundles. 🗜 Just updated my "9 Reasons to use Functional Components"...

Google publishes a JavaScript style guide

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 03:05:06 GMT

Google publishes a JavaScript style guide. Here are some key lessons. #javascript Summary: -const or let, no var -semicolons required -prefer arrow...

All too many meetings are scheduled because the scheduler is unwilling to...

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 19:18:31 GMT

All too many meetings are scheduled because the scheduler is unwilling to simply email a cogent and thoughtful proposal to effected parties. Before...

Woah

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 16:08:50 GMT

Woah! This is super handy. Ever been confused trying to remember how to specify different version ranges for package.json references? Here's a semv...

Ah

Wed, 04 Apr 2018 15:46:46 GMT

Ah! Just learned there is a name for this pattern. Ever created a file that just exports a bunch of things? That's a barrel. A barrel is a way to r...

Question I've heard recently: “What if we create a component library in...

Fri, 06 Apr 2018 13:10:11 GMT

Question I've heard recently: “What if we create a component library in React/Vue/Angular/whatever and a new component tech becomes popular in a co...

Yep, JavaScript Moves Fast. Build Your Component Library Anyway.

Fri, 06 Apr 2018 12:46:57 GMT

Here’s a question I’ve heard a few times recently: “What if we create a component library in React/Vue/Angular/whatever and a new component technology replaces …

Today I'm creating plop templates for our team's React framework

Mon, 09 Apr 2018 15:15:29 GMT

Today I'm creating plop templates for our team's React framework. This will allow us to easily generate React components, reducers, actions, tests,...

Systems > goals 1

Wed, 11 Apr 2018 01:34:04 GMT

Systems > goals 1. Less stressful 2. Produces more consistent results 3. Avoids feeling like a failure when an arbitrary goal isn’t reached. 4....

Study finds remote workers are more productive and stay with the company longer

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 02:35:51 GMT

Study finds remote workers are more productive and stay with the company longer. Working remote part time is an excellent compromise too. It provid...

Solid examples of some common mistakes with async/await: How to escape...

Fri, 13 Apr 2018 01:34:02 GMT

Solid examples of some common mistakes with async/await: How to escape async/await hell https://buff.ly/2GXcGpy #javascript

Coding gets much easier over time

Fri, 13 Apr 2018 20:55:01 GMT

Coding gets much easier over time. 1. You get better at breaking complex problems down into simple problems. 2. You get better at conveying your in...

Do you read books and blogs that are full of superb life advice...and then...

Sun, 15 Apr 2018 15:31:24 GMT

Do you read books and blogs that are full of superb life advice...and then fail to act? Me too. A lot. Don’t do that. It’s intellectual procrastina...

Making my slides for "Rapid UI development with Mock APIs" at @sddconf London

Sun, 15 Apr 2018 19:18:05 GMT

Making my slides for "Rapid UI development with Mock APIs" at @sddconf London. This seems an appropriate start...

It's concerning how many internal projects have no docs

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 13:50:40 GMT

It's concerning how many internal projects have no docs. A readme is critical for closed source too. What's this for? How does it work? How do I ge...

So how's everyone handling mock APIs

Wed, 18 Apr 2018 02:20:30 GMT

So how's everyone handling mock APIs? Any favorite services, libraries, or techniques to share? I'm still using json-server with json-schema-faker....

Tired of writing React propTypes by hand

Thu, 19 Apr 2018 01:49:42 GMT

Tired of writing React propTypes by hand? Just paste the JSON from your API into http://transform.now.sh and it'll spit out a propType declaration...

Realization: Resumes have little correlation with me saying yes to a...

Thu, 19 Apr 2018 16:02:33 GMT

Realization: Resumes have little correlation with me saying yes to a potential hire. Instead, I chat about coding like baseball. We should both be...

Tip: When creating a new React component, start by requiring all props

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:17:08 GMT

Tip: When creating a new React component, start by requiring all props. Why? 1 Handling the null case requires extra code 2 It's easy to forget to...

Yes, CSS is hard

Sun, 22 Apr 2018 01:32:49 GMT

Yes, CSS is hard. But you've gotta love the instant feedback loop in the browser - made even better with autocomplete support in dev tools. This co...

I often see confusion around the need/impact of treating state as immutable...

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 15:20:07 GMT

I often see confusion around the need/impact of treating state as immutable in React. Here's a little sandbox I created to show the impacts of muta...

I prefer plain JS over ImmutableJS

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 01:34:01 GMT

I prefer plain JS over ImmutableJS. 1. ImmutableJS is ~54KB. Near twice the size of React and React-DOM combined. 2. You must use a new, wordy synt...

"Avoid centralized config

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 13:47:01 GMT

"Avoid centralized config. It's hard to delete centralized config, since it's unclear what you'll break." - Malte Ubl Examples: - Single CSS file -...

Oooo

Fri, 27 Apr 2018 13:17:14 GMT

Oooo. I like this. An elegant way to handle nested React render prop components: https://github.com/pedronauck/react-adopt Check out the before and...

Excellent post on handling space in CSS

Tue, 01 May 2018 03:04:08 GMT

Excellent post on handling space in CSS. Taking this simple advice for handling spacing makes your styles so much easier to understand and maintain...

"Patterns for Reusable JavaScript Components" is now up on YouTube

Sun, 06 May 2018 16:19:03 GMT

"Patterns for Reusable JavaScript Components" is now up on YouTube! 📹 This talk explores lessons I learned from building a reusable component libr...

Writing dumb code is actually hard

Mon, 07 May 2018 13:21:03 GMT

Writing dumb code is actually hard. And it pays exponential dividends to do so. Spot on. Quick read: "Why Senior Devs Write Dumb Code and How to Sp...

I'm writing a new conf talk: "Going Pro"

Mon, 07 May 2018 18:35:09 GMT

I'm writing a new conf talk: "Going Pro". Themes: Amateurs write clever code. Pros write clear code. Amateurs forget. Pros automate. Amateurs are r...

When I started coding: "This isn't working

Thu, 10 May 2018 17:28:01 GMT

When I started coding: "This isn't working. It must be a bug in the library". Today, after years of experience: "This isn't working. It's almost ce...

Four super helpful #JavaScript array functions: map - give me a new array...

Sat, 12 May 2018 15:48:31 GMT

Four super helpful #JavaScript array functions: map - give me a new array with some changes filter - give me a new array with some items excluded f...

Tired of converting React functional components to classes by hand

Wed, 23 May 2018 20:16:06 GMT

Tired of converting React functional components to classes by hand? Me too. Just found a handy VS Code plugin: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com...

Over my career, it's surprising how rarely I've used recursion

Mon, 28 May 2018 22:00:50 GMT

Over my career, it's surprising how rarely I've used recursion. School made it sound common. But I rarely write or see recursive algorithms in line...

Most teams add dependencies without asking "Can we afford this?"

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 12:13:56 GMT

Most teams add dependencies without asking "Can we afford this?". Instead, set a performance budget. How small? This post argues that you should li...

The biggest barrier to automated testing isn't learning how to write tests

Tue, 05 Jun 2018 15:19:07 GMT

The biggest barrier to automated testing isn't learning how to write tests. The biggest barrier is understanding how to write testable code. #tdd

If a week ago you told me my GitHub repo will be hosted by Microsoft in an...

Wed, 06 Jun 2018 13:46:22 GMT

If a week ago you told me my GitHub repo will be hosted by Microsoft in an underwater data center I’d have said you were nuts https://www.bbc.com/n...

Developers must strive to stay current so we know when our expertise,...

Thu, 07 Jun 2018 02:21:22 GMT

Developers must strive to stay current so we know when our expertise, insights, and “best practices” have become outdated. “The illiterates of the...

If you're a speaker, watch this 6 minute TED Talk about nothing

Fri, 08 Jun 2018 05:12:24 GMT

If you're a speaker, watch this 6 minute TED Talk about nothing. Yep, it's about nothing. But if you carefully consider all the techniques in his d...

I often see applications that are needlessly bloated and complex

Sat, 09 Jun 2018 13:47:00 GMT

I often see applications that are needlessly bloated and complex. I’ve found two common reasons: 1. Dev team is unaware of the framework or environ...

One of my favorite things about side projects: When I'm stuck, I can walk...

Sun, 17 Jun 2018 03:28:07 GMT

One of my favorite things about side projects: When I'm stuck, I can walk away from the keyboard for the day and goof off until an idea pops in my...

I enjoy learning concepts from others that believe I already understand

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 13:47:01 GMT

I enjoy learning concepts from others that believe I already understand. Why? 1. I learn new metaphors 2. I learn justifications and downsides 3. I...

Sure, toying with new tech is fun

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 01:57:07 GMT

Sure, toying with new tech is fun. But the most rewarding moments in programming involve deep flow. This happens when you know the tech so well tha...

Why learn the proper names for language features

Sat, 23 Jun 2018 15:48:08 GMT

Why learn the proper names for language features? 1. It enables efficient conversations 2. It conveys professionalism in interviews 3. Most importa...

Idea: - Think about your day in 15 minute blocks

Mon, 25 Jun 2018 21:16:57 GMT

Idea: - Think about your day in 15 minute blocks. - You get 32 blocks a day for each major life area: sleep, life, work. - Don't steal from sleep a...

With cross-cutting concerns, I like to begin with copy/paste

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 13:26:05 GMT

With cross-cutting concerns, I like to begin with copy/paste. I accept the duplication at first. Once I've copy pasted a few times and exercised th...

Hey React devs, here's a repo that shows the same React app written with 4...

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 14:41:53 GMT

Hey React devs, here's a repo that shows the same React app written with 4 different approaches: 1. Plain React 2. React with Redux and thunks 3. R...

On desktop, a user waits around 9 seconds before giving up

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 15:16:24 GMT

On desktop, a user waits around 9 seconds before giving up. On mobile, a user waits only around 3 seconds before giving up. So mobile performance i...

Thanks for attending “Goodbye REST, Hello GraphQL”

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 19:13:06 GMT

Thanks for attending “Goodbye REST, Hello GraphQL”! Appreciated all the great questions! All (250!) slides and demos: https://github.com/coryhouse/...

Specialize

Sun, 15 Jul 2018 18:27:58 GMT

Specialize. If you can’t quickly say what your specialty is, no one else can either. "A woodpecker can tap twenty times on a thousand trees and get...

Solid speaker tip: Be clear about the transformation you'd like to make in...

Tue, 17 Jul 2018 12:35:55 GMT

Solid speaker tip: Be clear about the transformation you'd like to make in your audience. I take this a step further. I announce the desired transf...

Woah, just learned that in Node, values in package.json are automatically...

Tue, 17 Jul 2018 18:05:24 GMT

Woah, just learned that in Node, values in package.json are automatically accessible like this: process.env.npm_package_keyYouWantHere For example,...

Coding gets less stressful over time

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 11:49:15 GMT

Coding gets less stressful over time. When I started coding and got an error: - I worried I was a bad coder. - I worried I would never find the ans...

Confession: I speak at conferences because I benefit immensely: 1

Thu, 19 Jul 2018 13:12:33 GMT

Confession: I speak at conferences because I benefit immensely: 1. It forces me to learn 2. It improves my confidence 3. I make new friends 4. I ge...

Never rely on your co-workers or QA staff to find bugs in your code

Fri, 20 Jul 2018 13:47:00 GMT

Never rely on your co-workers or QA staff to find bugs in your code. Write and test your code as though it's going to production without another se...

Sure, the definition of success is personal

Sun, 22 Jul 2018 03:12:18 GMT

Sure, the definition of success is personal. But the definition of failure is clear: Complaining about things you can control instead of acting. Ex...

Just tried hosting GraphQL on Amazon's AppSync

Wed, 25 Jul 2018 19:37:01 GMT

Just tried hosting GraphQL on Amazon's AppSync. Impressed how simple they've made it to host a GraphQL server. 👍 They have starter apps for many p...

TIL: You can easily grab all HTML form data like this: var data = new...

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 12:57:29 GMT

TIL: You can easily grab all HTML form data like this: var data = new FormData(document.querySelector('form')); This gives you key/value pairs that...

Coding angry: Mostly fruitless

Fri, 27 Jul 2018 17:18:58 GMT

Coding angry: Mostly fruitless. Exercising angry: Highly fruitful. Frustrated? Walk away from the keyboard. Burn your frustration down while waitin...

Speaking healed my poor self-image by changing how I assumed other people saw me

Mon, 30 Jul 2018 03:19:37 GMT

Speaking healed my poor self-image by changing how I assumed other people saw me. By "leading" for an hour, speaking helped convince me that people...

React tip: Extract your lifecycle method logic to well named methods

Thu, 02 Aug 2018 12:10:12 GMT

React tip: Extract your lifecycle method logic to well named methods. Why? Because the lifecycle method's name only tells you when it runs. Good me...

When I started coding my apps slowly became a house of cards

Thu, 02 Aug 2018 13:47:00 GMT

When I started coding my apps slowly became a house of cards. I couldn’t fully understand my own code. Too much complexity had to be loaded in my h...

Workflow tip: Topical browser windows

Sun, 05 Aug 2018 11:33:06 GMT

Workflow tip: Topical browser windows. (Open a new browser window for each new topic). 1. This aids focus - no unrelated tabs 2. It's easier to swi...

I'm late to the party, but I just learned CSS grid in about 30 minutes via...

Mon, 13 Aug 2018 12:33:10 GMT

I'm late to the party, but I just learned CSS grid in about 30 minutes via this slick, simple game: Grid Garden REPL's like this are highly effecti...

My @ThatConference keynote is now up on YouTube: "The 7 Pillar Developer: A...

Mon, 13 Aug 2018 18:41:59 GMT

My @ThatConference keynote is now up on YouTube: "The 7 Pillar Developer: A Holistic Approach to Building an Exceptional Career". This one wasn't e...

Jest 23.5 now supports .each statements: lay out multiple scenarios in a...

Wed, 15 Aug 2018 13:27:06 GMT

Jest 23.5 now supports .each statements: lay out multiple scenarios in a tabular format! Much more concise and readable than copy/pasting tests for...

Recruiter: "We hire the best people in the world...who are willing to work...

Wed, 15 Aug 2018 19:32:41 GMT

Recruiter: "We hire the best people in the world...who are willing to work on-site in San Francisco."

Learn one thing at a time

Sat, 18 Aug 2018 13:07:07 GMT

Learn one thing at a time. Example: People often try to learn React before learning modern JS. This leads to confusion, slows progress, and makes i...

I ❤️ Git

Sun, 19 Aug 2018 14:46:50 GMT

I ❤️ Git. But honestly, it intimidated me for years. I thought I needed to understand all its powerful features to be productive. I found that's no...

Confession: Technology moves so fast these days that when someone recommends...

Tue, 21 Aug 2018 02:59:19 GMT

Confession: Technology moves so fast these days that when someone recommends something I haven't heard of, I typically ignore it. When the 2nd or 3...

So, think your eyes are fine

Fri, 31 Aug 2018 00:45:30 GMT

So, think your eyes are fine? So did I. Went to the eye doc for the first time ever...and now I have these. Text is now wildly crisp. I can finally...

Realization: I'm more productive on side projects because I step away when...

Sat, 01 Sep 2018 15:18:06 GMT

Realization: I'm more productive on side projects because I step away when I'm tired/bored/stuck. I come back when I have clarity and feel fresh. W...

Two types of people: 1

Fri, 07 Sep 2018 22:13:07 GMT

Two types of people: 1. “I’ve gonna wait until I feel like it before I do it.” 2. “I’ve gotta do it so that I feel like it.” Mindset #2 is a life c...

There’s always somebody Richer Faster Smarter Stronger More popular Better...

Sat, 08 Sep 2018 14:55:11 GMT

There’s always somebody Richer Faster Smarter Stronger More popular Better looking More powerful Who cares. Run your own race. For your own reasons.

Commitments that radically increased my quality of life: 1

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 13:55:46 GMT

Commitments that radically increased my quality of life: 1. Work out daily. 2. No alarm. Sleep until I wake naturally. 3. Breakfast and dinner with...

Why I ❤️front end dev: 1

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 17:16:50 GMT

Why I ❤️front end dev: 1. Rapid feedback loop 2. Visual results 3. Vibrant open source ecosystem 4. Freedom to choose my tools (nearly all free) 5....

Really enjoying my new outdoor office

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 16:07:45 GMT

Really enjoying my new outdoor office! Bought comfy patio furniture and a Steelcase Skate table. Now I can work on the deck! The table rolls up ove...

Okay Twitter, I'm teaching my 10 year old son to code today and I need help

Sat, 15 Sep 2018 19:01:40 GMT

Okay Twitter, I'm teaching my 10 year old son to code today and I need help. In the Chrome console, he accidentally assigned a variable to an undef...

Tip: If you don't need to return anything while iterating over a JS array,...

Fri, 21 Sep 2018 18:12:15 GMT

Tip: If you don't need to return anything while iterating over a JS array, use forEach instead of map. #javascript

I keep noticing examples of how movement creates motivation: Start walking...

Tue, 25 Sep 2018 23:02:26 GMT

I keep noticing examples of how movement *creates* motivation: Start walking on the treadmill and I tend to keep walking. Start lifting weights and...

Odd habit: I often code in Git diff view

Sat, 29 Sep 2018 00:02:27 GMT

Odd habit: I often code in Git diff view. I find it's quicker to navigate the code since I can clearly see the sections of the file that I've alrea...

One of the most powerful things you can do for your motivation: Find work...

Sun, 30 Sep 2018 22:43:22 GMT

One of the most powerful things you can do for your motivation: Find work that doesn’t feel like work.

An oddly common career mistake: Becoming the go-to person for something we...

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 13:47:00 GMT

An oddly common career mistake: Becoming the go-to person for something we don't enjoy. One solution: Strategic public ignorance. We should deliber...

Just switched some tests from Enzyme to react-testing-library: ✅ Encourages...

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 15:46:38 GMT

Just switched some tests from Enzyme to react-testing-library: ✅ Encourages writing accessible apps ✅ Selectors typically rely on visible text ✅ Sm...

The most striking benefit of dev in React/Angular/Vue vs jQuery: Components...

Wed, 03 Oct 2018 01:34:00 GMT

The most striking benefit of dev in React/Angular/Vue vs jQuery: Components free our minds. We can create portions of the UI in complete isolation,...

Procrastination is often a sign we don't have clarity on how to move forward

Thu, 04 Oct 2018 01:34:00 GMT

Procrastination is often a sign we don't have clarity on how to move forward. But as developers, our work is malleable, so we can start anyway. Com...

It’s live

Sat, 06 Oct 2018 13:06:14 GMT

It’s live! “Goodbye REST APIs. Hello GraphQL!” is now published on InfoQ! 🎉 https://www.infoq.com/presentations/rest-graphql

Optimism is the most important quality you can develop for success and happiness

Mon, 15 Oct 2018 13:47:01 GMT

Optimism is the most important quality you can develop for success and happiness. Optimists have 3 behaviors: 1. Look for the good 2. Seek the valu...

When I was young, I dreamt of things I wanted to buy

Thu, 18 Oct 2018 14:14:55 GMT

When I was young, I dreamt of things I wanted to buy. Today, I dream of things I want to create, skills I want to learn, and places I’d like to exp...

Idea: 1

Thu, 18 Oct 2018 22:10:41 GMT

Idea: 1. Create a single React storybook for an entire company. 2. Build components there before integrating with an app. 3. Share these components...

Promise.all combined with modern JS features like destructuring, object...

Thu, 25 Oct 2018 15:33:18 GMT

Promise.all combined with modern JS features like destructuring, object shorthand, and concise arrow functions is 🔥. Here I'm making three API cal...

At conferences, I frequently talk to attendees who blow me away with their...

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 12:01:37 GMT

At conferences, I frequently talk to attendees who blow me away with their knowledge and skills. There are countless brilliant people out there who...

It takes me 2+ hours of recording and editing to create a tight 5 min video

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 21:32:04 GMT

It takes me 2+ hours of recording and editing to create a tight 5 min video. -I cut pauses -I speed up my typing -I edit it so that I talk & ty...

Woot

Fri, 02 Nov 2018 15:31:39 GMT

Woot! Just wrapped up recording my 10th @pluralsight course! 🎉 “Securing React Apps with Auth0”! Thanks to everyone for their input along the way!...

Exercise is seriously magical

Sat, 03 Nov 2018 10:56:20 GMT

Exercise is seriously magical. You can wake up feeling lethargic and feel totally transformed 15 minutes into a hard workout. Alert. Optimistic. Re...

Time is money

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 14:27:05 GMT

Time is money. So I buy the fastest machine I can afford. Waiting for a beach ball / spinner literally costs money in the form of lost focus, frict...

Everyone’s life is filled with gravitational pulls that hold you in place:...

Sat, 10 Nov 2018 16:46:43 GMT

Everyone’s life is filled with gravitational pulls that hold you in place: Job Location Lifestyle Friends Family Self-image Tricky thing about majo...

The 2018 State of JS Survey results are published

Tue, 20 Nov 2018 14:14:10 GMT

The 2018 State of JS Survey results are published! 🎉 Highlights: - React dominates, but Vue popularity has grown. - GraphQL has highest interest,...

Just drove a @Tesla Model 3

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 00:16:08 GMT

Just drove a @Tesla Model 3. I am in love. So smooth. So fast. So quiet. So solid. Autopilot works like magic. I have tasted the future, and it is...

Spent yesterday building a React app using Hooks

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 14:41:05 GMT

Spent yesterday building a React app using Hooks. What a joy. Even as a long time React dev, composing lifecycle methods remains tricky. useEffect’...

🎉 It’s live

Sat, 01 Dec 2018 13:57:20 GMT

🎉 It’s live! 🎉 “Securing React Apps with Auth0” just published on @pluralsight! This course shows how to handle authorization and authentication...

Just converted a React component to use Hooks

Sat, 01 Dec 2018 21:00:40 GMT

Just converted a React component to use Hooks. Here's the diff: https://github.com/coryhouse/pluralsight-redux-app-used-to-build-script/pull/18/fil...

Developers: When asked to disable copy/paste, just say no

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 03:28:33 GMT

Developers: When asked to disable copy/paste, just say no. People who store info digitally should be able to copy/paste, without risking a typo. Di...

Common mistake in React apps: Storing values in state that could be derived...

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 01:22:27 GMT

Common mistake in React apps: Storing values in state that could be derived from existing state. Doing so leads to manually trying to keep state va...

Woah

Mon, 17 Dec 2018 20:41:00 GMT

Woah! Just found the PurgeCssPlugin for Webpack. It eliminates unused CSS! I didn't know this was easily possible with plain CSS, but it just elimi...

I've wasted countless hours through the years on slow feedback loops

Tue, 18 Dec 2018 20:01:24 GMT

I've wasted countless hours through the years on slow feedback loops. Over time, I learned: If the feedback loop is slow, job #1 is to ask: Is ther...

Refactoring before commit is critical

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 18:26:55 GMT

Refactoring before commit is critical. After code hits prod, it's both harder and riskier to refactor. The code is no longer fresh in your mind, an...

1

Mon, 24 Dec 2018 02:26:19 GMT

1. Avoid copy/pasting the same code in many spots. 2. Avoid creating abstractions before there are multiple use cases. Both these seemingly contrad...

In 2018, I greatly reduced my bad habit of doing things merely to impress others

Thu, 27 Dec 2018 13:57:03 GMT

In 2018, I greatly reduced my bad habit of doing things merely to impress others. The book that helped me focus on what matters most: "Ego Is the E...

Woah

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 12:53:06 GMT

Woah. “97% of the code in today’s web apps is from npm. Only 3% is the code that you wrote.”- @seldo

My 3 favorite ways to navigate in VS Code: @code 1

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 17:42:17 GMT

My 3 favorite ways to navigate in VS Code: @code 1. CMD+click on import path or function to navigate there 2. CMD+P to open by filename 3. CMD+SHIF...

Npm perf tip: Use npm ci instead of npm install for 1

Sat, 29 Dec 2018 21:48:48 GMT

Npm perf tip: Use npm ci instead of npm install for 1. Your CI server 2. Anytime you want to delete node_modules, then npm install. Why? - It’s up...

Tip: You can compare any two files using VS Code's slick native diff tool: 1

Wed, 02 Jan 2019 19:32:32 GMT

Tip: You can compare any two files using VS Code's slick native diff tool: 1. Open command palette (CMD+Shift+P) 2. Enter: "File: Compare active fi...

A function can be too long or too short

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 13:18:48 GMT

A function can be too long or too short. Too long: Doesn't fit in your head. Does many unrelated things. Too short: The abstraction costs more than...

Despite my long history in C#, I’m still not using TypeScript

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 02:05:52 GMT

Despite my long history in C#, I’m still not using TypeScript. Why? I’ve found I don’t spend much time on type-related issues in JS. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ “Jav...

I ❤️ building against mock data

Wed, 09 Jan 2019 02:29:19 GMT

I ❤️ building against mock data. Just built a complete app against mock data. We rapidly iterated on the data structures while building the UI. The...

Woah, here's a slick way to learn/experiment/teach JavaScript: RunJS

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 14:37:25 GMT

Woah, here's a slick way to learn/experiment/teach JavaScript: RunJS. - Compiles via Babel - TypeScript support - Reference npm packages - Runs you...

A http://README.md is my favorite form of documentation

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 15:58:28 GMT

A http://README.md is my favorite form of documentation. ✅ No navigation overhead ✅ Easy to search via find ✅ Easy to download for offline access ✅...

To start a habit, plan when and where

Sat, 12 Jan 2019 15:55:59 GMT

To start a habit, plan when and where. Then you’re more likely to do it. Instead of, “I want to write more”, make a plan. “I’ll write 5-7 every wee...

I don’t understand the grumpy old programmer stereotype

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 00:07:00 GMT

I don’t understand the grumpy old programmer stereotype. Times have gotten so much better. I spent years just waiting for IE6 to die! Now browsers...

Okay, I confess

Fri, 18 Jan 2019 18:21:31 GMT

Okay, I confess. I've spent the last few days writing TypeScript...and I'm enjoying it! What swayed me to try TS again: 1 Babel compiles TS 2 creat...

Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits

Wed, 23 Jan 2019 03:42:19 GMT

Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits. Your net worth is a lagging measure of your financial habits. Your weight is a lagging measure...

JS Tip: You can declare a default value when destructuring

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 12:27:43 GMT

JS Tip: You can declare a default value when destructuring. Example: const { id = 7 } = {} console.log(id) // 7 This protects from setting "id" abo...

Hot take: Optional chaining encourages writing brittle code

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 12:53:25 GMT

Hot take: Optional chaining encourages writing brittle code. Example (currently a stage 1 JS feature): const data = myObj?.firstProp?.secondProp?.a...

I feel wildly lucky to have found a career I enjoy so much

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 22:45:06 GMT

I feel wildly lucky to have found a career I enjoy so much. Even after 2 decades, writing software continues to be a fascinating occupation. Each p...

When I see complex code that I don't understand, I fight a knee jerk...

Mon, 28 Jan 2019 18:42:09 GMT

When I see complex code that I don't understand, I fight a knee jerk reaction: "That seems needlessly complicated"... It's hard to discern between...

A helpful code review mindset: "Will we understand why this line exists...

Thu, 31 Jan 2019 17:04:32 GMT

A helpful code review mindset: "Will we understand why this line exists later?" If the answer is no, options to clarify intent: 1. Introduce a well...

Software development: When your curiosity about why something doesn't work...

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 17:16:27 GMT

Software development: When your curiosity about why something doesn't work exceeds your desire to give up.

A Slack chat from today: "We're trying to reach feature parody"

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 04:16:49 GMT

A Slack chat from today: "We're trying to reach feature parody". "You mean parity." 🤓 "Yeah, whatever. Anyway, once it’s all switched we’ll defeca...

To simulate enums in JS, you can use an object

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 16:16:57 GMT

To simulate enums in JS, you can use an object. But I often prefer to use consts. To me, consts read better, are easier to use, and I don't have to...

There are so many benefits to transitioning to GraphQL

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 16:34:30 GMT

There are so many benefits to transitioning to GraphQL. Here's a few benefits Netflix is enjoying. Smaller payloads Faster responses Simpler backen...

If you're doing GraphQL, here's an excellent, concise list of best...

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 20:52:53 GMT

If you're doing GraphQL, here's an excellent, concise list of best practices: https://principledgraphql.com/

Limiting work in progress is important

Tue, 19 Feb 2019 19:58:14 GMT

Limiting work in progress is important. But I’ve found the ideal number of items in progress is greater than 1. Concurrent tasks mean you can switc...

Superb CSS post

Thu, 28 Feb 2019 20:54:46 GMT

Superb CSS post. "Stop thinking about separation of concerns. Instead, think dependency *direction*." CSS and HTML must correspond. So ask what's m...

Recording complete

Fri, 01 Mar 2019 15:20:07 GMT

Recording complete! 🎉 I've completely updated "Building Apps with React and Redux" on Pluralsight! I made a long list of enhancements along the wa...

Just got confirmation that the major update to “Building Apps with React and...

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 22:36:28 GMT

Just got confirmation that the major update to “Building Apps with React and Redux” on @pluralsight goes live tonight at 1030. 🎉 I’ve upgraded all...

My huge update to "Building Apps with React and Redux" on @pluralsight is live

Wed, 13 Mar 2019 13:19:51 GMT

My huge update to "Building Apps with React and Redux" on @pluralsight is live. 🎉 This includes a long list of enhancements to cover new tech and...

Just built a powerful React form implementation with 3 ingredients: 1

Fri, 15 Mar 2019 02:42:39 GMT

Just built a powerful React form implementation with 3 ingredients: 1. Reusable form inputs = enforce consistency 2. Hooks = share logic across reu...

Working with dates in JavaScript

Sat, 16 Mar 2019 13:47:01 GMT

Working with dates in JavaScript? Moment is popular, but it has a few significant downsides. This post compares a variety of alternatives, with cod...

Little JavaScript trick I find useful: When declaring a named import, enter...

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 19:52:05 GMT

Little JavaScript trick I find useful: When declaring a named import, enter the right-hand side first. Then, you get autocompletion support from yo...

React tip: Context can enhance performance too

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 19:56:15 GMT

React tip: Context can enhance performance too. Example: Have a component that needs some data, but some of its parents don't need that data? Consi...

I'm concerned by open source projects using only Yarn in their examples

Fri, 22 Mar 2019 19:39:25 GMT

I'm concerned by open source projects using only Yarn in their examples. Please use npm for your docs. - npm is the default - Yarn only docs create...

I'm ashamed to say I used to assume consumption was a sign of wealth

Sun, 24 Mar 2019 17:44:15 GMT

I'm ashamed to say I used to assume consumption was a sign of wealth. Fancy car? Must be rich. Now I realize conspicuous consumption says very litt...

When creating reusable components, it's useful to have a checklist of states...

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 21:38:13 GMT

When creating reusable components, it's useful to have a checklist of states to consider. It's easy to forget some of these: - Loading - Loading ti...

TIL about console.dir

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 12:54:39 GMT

TIL about console.dir. It writes all the properties of a JavaScript object to the console. Closures are even labeled! See highlighted text in the a...

Woah, this is elegant JavaScript

Fri, 29 Mar 2019 19:23:21 GMT

Woah, this is elegant JavaScript. Need to conditionally add a property to an object? Here's a slick approach. The right-hand side is only applied i...

Just finished “The Simple Path to Wealth”

Sun, 31 Mar 2019 16:15:54 GMT

Just finished “The Simple Path to Wealth”. Superb. 1. Live WAY below your means 2. Invest savings in low cost index funds (VTSAX) 3. When your inve...

When a team regularly responds to code reviews with “Looks good to me”, I...

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 21:33:00 GMT

When a team regularly responds to code reviews with “Looks good to me”, I get concerned. A code review with no questions, comments, issues, or sugg...

Unpopular opinion: The team lead should approve all code reviews

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 23:06:00 GMT

Unpopular opinion: The team lead should approve all code reviews. Without a clear person with skin in the game, code quality tends to atrophy. Why?...

Just used react-window to handle a table of 1000 records

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 20:25:27 GMT

Just used react-window to handle a table of 1000 records. Loads nearly instantly, feels natural when scrolling, and re-renders a subset of rows imm...

Habit that has radically improved my life over the last 5 years: Listening...

Sat, 06 Apr 2019 18:43:55 GMT

Habit that has radically improved my life over the last 5 years: Listening to audiobooks instead of the radio. In just the last year, I’ve “read” 2...

I have days where I say “I don’t have time for the gym.” Yet I spend an hour...

Sun, 07 Apr 2019 13:58:18 GMT

I have days where I say “I don’t have time for the gym.” Yet I spend an hour on Twitter that day. That’s not a lack of time. That’s a failure of pr...

Ooo, I like this pattern from @kentcdodds for minimizing boilerplate in...

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 14:51:12 GMT

Ooo, I like this pattern from @kentcdodds for minimizing boilerplate in React tests. Note how the helpers in the renderLoginForm function make the...

What I love about working remote: You can work where you feel most inspired

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 15:12:59 GMT

What I love about working remote: You can work where you feel most inspired. Got up early and biked to the lake. 70 degrees and sunny. 😍

Things I think about during a code review: Is the intent clear

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 12:48:17 GMT

Things I think about during a code review: Is the intent clear? Is there needless duplication? Could existing code have solved this? Is this an ato...

Just spent months building a high performance UI in React

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 22:14:14 GMT

Just spent months building a high performance UI in React. Instantly responsive against a mock API. Even with Chrome performance at 4x slowdown and...

"Premature optimization is the root of all evil" - Donald Knuth Why

Fri, 19 Apr 2019 17:06:25 GMT

"Premature optimization is the root of all evil" - Donald Knuth Why? Because perf optimizations typically require more code, more complexity, and t...

Sad to hear of Joe Armstrong's passing.😔 My fav quote of his: "The problem...

Sat, 20 Apr 2019 14:54:17 GMT

Sad to hear of Joe Armstrong's passing.😔 My fav quote of his: "The problem with object-oriented languages is they’ve got all this implicit environ...

GraphQL isn’t suddenly popular because it can do things REST can’t do

Sat, 04 May 2019 16:16:04 GMT

GraphQL isn’t suddenly popular because it can do things REST can’t do. REST isn’t a spec. So “REST” can theoretically do anything. GraphQL is popul...

Recipe for going nowhere for a decade: 1

Tue, 07 May 2019 02:19:54 GMT

Recipe for going nowhere for a decade: 1. Don’t travel 2. Don’t read 3. Spend all free time on entertainment 4. Do the same job 5. Eat the same stu...

A benefit to having an expert on the team: They've already made many mistakes

Thu, 09 May 2019 15:40:46 GMT

A benefit to having an expert on the team: They've already made *many* mistakes. So an expert can often say "I'd avoid x because... But I've found...

Redux and context are like pain medicine

Wed, 15 May 2019 15:22:03 GMT

Redux and context are like pain medicine. They reduce the pain of managing state and actions used by many components. But global data has downsides...

To foster automated testing: 1 Setup test framework 2 Write a few tests 3...

Fri, 17 May 2019 12:02:42 GMT

To foster automated testing: 1 Setup test framework 2 Write a few tests 3 Setup a CI server to run the tests on every pull request. 4 Integrate pul...

Here's a simple practice for maintainable code

Fri, 17 May 2019 15:21:26 GMT

Here's a simple practice for maintainable code. Separate these three activities: 1. Get data 2. Reformat data 3. Display data Code that separates t...

Voluntary discomfort avoids involuntary discomfort

Mon, 20 May 2019 13:35:59 GMT

Voluntary discomfort avoids involuntary discomfort. Exercise and eating healthy avoids health problems Learning new skills avoids being stuck in yo...

Question: For those writing automated integration tests/end-to-end tests,...

Thu, 23 May 2019 16:00:43 GMT

Question: For those writing automated integration tests/end-to-end tests, how do you handle data? Options: 1. Call a real DB 2. Call a mock API 3....

Avoid trading long-term happiness for short-term pleasure

Sat, 08 Jun 2019 14:05:01 GMT

Avoid trading long-term happiness for short-term pleasure. This mindset avoids binging, cheating, overspending, and other destructive hedonism.

Common thinking: "I need to add code to justify my job"

Sun, 09 Jun 2019 12:12:35 GMT

Common thinking: "I need to add code to justify my job". Yet some devs remove more code than they add. 👍 "In my 3 years at Facebook, I added 391,9...

The 3 conditions that sociologists consider crucial to making close friends: 1

Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:34:08 GMT

The 3 conditions that sociologists consider crucial to making close friends: 1. Proximity 2. Repeated, unplanned interactions 3. A setting that enc...

I've seen microfrontends work well with these rules: 1

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 11:26:39 GMT

I've seen microfrontends work well with these rules: 1. Consistent tech. All microfrontends use the same JS lib (e.g. React) 2. Each team shares *d...

When a tweet ends with “don’t @ me”, I hear this: “Listen to me

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 15:56:15 GMT

When a tweet ends with “don’t @ me”, I hear this: “Listen to me. But I’m not willing to listen to you.” Am I misreading? Is there a more charitable...

Speaker tip: "Don't memorize your talk

Wed, 19 Jun 2019 11:00:26 GMT

Speaker tip: "Don't memorize your talk. Memorize your stories." - Seth Godin This works. I've presented 30 min to full day talks without slides or...

When someone new joins the team, I try to avoid verbal training

Fri, 21 Jun 2019 19:32:32 GMT

When someone new joins the team, I try to avoid verbal training. I believe processes should be documented. So I link to the relevant doc. If one do...

Two concerning trends I'm seeing in modern React apps: 1

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 12:03:35 GMT

Two concerning trends I'm seeing in modern React apps: 1. Creating custom hooks when the Hook is only useful for one component. 2. Declaring a cont...

Why I love modern UI development: ✅ Work solely on my local machine ✅ No...

Thu, 27 Jun 2019 20:43:06 GMT

Why I love modern UI development: ✅ Work solely on my local machine ✅ No internet required ✅ Call a local mock API that I control ✅ Build each comp...

Working in a sloppy codebase under a tight deadline: “I will have to...

Fri, 28 Jun 2019 16:41:27 GMT

Working in a sloppy codebase under a tight deadline: “I will have to remember ‘I am here today to cross the swamp, not to fight all the alligators....

3 books that had a huge influence on my career: 1

Sat, 29 Jun 2019 14:26:37 GMT

3 books that had a huge influence on my career: 1. The 4-Hour Work Week (Maximize hourly impact) 2. Ego is the Enemy (Be humble, open, driven by co...

I'm a huge fan of @kentcdodds testing-library

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 04:04:05 GMT

I'm a huge fan of @kentcdodds testing-library. Just wrote a solid test suite for a reusable React Alert in well under and hour. Love how the API en...

Programmer tests should: Minimize programmer waiting

Fri, 05 Jul 2019 00:57:30 GMT

Programmer tests should: Minimize programmer waiting. Run reliably. Predict deployability. Respond to behavior changes. Not respond to structure ch...

For most my career, I ran 2-3 monitors

Sun, 07 Jul 2019 15:32:54 GMT

For most my career, I ran 2-3 monitors. 4 years ago, I switched to a single monitor. The result? I've found I actually prefer it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I just...

The fastest approach I've found for wrapping existing markup in a new tag: 1

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 13:31:22 GMT

The fastest approach I've found for wrapping existing markup in a new tag: 1. Type tag before the element I want to wrap 2. The editor auto creates...

Great example of the benefits of async/await

Sat, 20 Jul 2019 18:38:50 GMT

Great example of the benefits of async/await. Love how it eliminated the nesting in the chained promises version. Much easier to read. 👍 #javascript

TIL With async/await, you must await a promise for try/catch to catch the error

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 11:14:18 GMT

TIL With async/await, you must await a promise for try/catch to catch the error. If you return the promise without using await, the rejected promis...

When most people say they want to be a millionaire, what they really mean is...

Fri, 26 Jul 2019 17:58:03 GMT

When most people say they want to be a millionaire, what they really mean is “I want to spend a million dollars,” which is literally the opposite o...

Habit: At the gym, I walk up to the guys who I have a physique I’d like to...

Mon, 29 Jul 2019 22:11:11 GMT

Habit: At the gym, I walk up to the guys who I have a physique I’d like to emulate. I ask them about their routine and diet. I do the same with dev...

Just learned about GitHub's handy suggestion feature

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 14:19:47 GMT

Just learned about GitHub's handy suggestion feature. This makes it easy to create suggestions in PRs that people can accept with a single click. S...

Attitude checklist - When I'm feeling lethargic or moody

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 02:29:23 GMT

Attitude checklist - When I'm feeling lethargic or moody. I find it's typically one of these 5. ✅ Do I need to eat? ✅ Have I drank enough water? ✅...

My preferred workflow when fixing a bug: 1

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 15:19:00 GMT

My preferred workflow when fixing a bug: 1. Can I write an isolated, automated test for this bug? If not, refactor so I can. 2. Write failing test...

I’m frugal with liabilities: -car -clothes -cable TV Liabilities depreciate...

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 16:27:10 GMT

I’m frugal with liabilities: -car -clothes -cable TV Liabilities depreciate and distract. I happily spend money on assets: -books -experiences -gym...

Starting these activities can radically improve quality of life, even if...

Sat, 03 Aug 2019 14:00:53 GMT

Starting these activities can radically improve quality of life, even if you’re not good at it at first: Reading Speaking Writing Saving Exercise E...

In React, I rarely have perf issues

Sat, 03 Aug 2019 19:36:33 GMT

In React, I rarely have perf issues. But I recently used context to resolve a perf issue: I used context to avoid passing props to a component that...

The combination of @Cypress_io and Cypress @TestingLib has made testing such...

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 15:14:43 GMT

The combination of @Cypress_io and Cypress @TestingLib has made testing such a wonderful experience. 😍 Look at this test. It reads so clearly. No...

Loving the new React devtools

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 18:37:04 GMT

Loving the new React devtools. The "rendered by" section is going to be handy for navigating big apps. And I can change live data when using Hooks....

One of the most valuable concepts I learned in school: Opportunity cost -...

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 12:01:46 GMT

One of the most valuable concepts I learned in school: Opportunity cost - The loss of potential gain from other options when an option is chosen. T...

In #JavaScript, I find it's typically preferable to create a file with plain...

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 15:44:42 GMT

In #JavaScript, I find it's typically preferable to create a file with plain functions than to declare a class. Here's a diff that outlines the adv...

Components have many potential states (error, no data, etc)

Thu, 22 Aug 2019 17:40:15 GMT

Components have many potential states (error, no data, etc). The easier it is to see every potential state, the more likely we are to account for e...

Writing "Logic-less" JSX can improve readability

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 12:44:14 GMT

Writing "Logic-less" JSX can improve readability. How do you write "logic-less" JSX? Simple: Send JSX the exact data structures it needs. The diffe...

Software mistakes that are expensive to fix: - Hiring the wrong people -...

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 20:07:21 GMT

Software mistakes that are expensive to fix: - Hiring the wrong people - Choosing the wrong tech - Building the wrong thing - Not writing any autom...

Just added a feature to a huge 10+ year old app written in C#, ASP NET...

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 19:13:16 GMT

Just added a feature to a huge 10+ year old app written in C#, ASP NET Webforms, and jQuery. For each change, I had to wait 7 min for the build to...

Component-oriented development is increasingly gratifying over time: I start...

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 23:00:37 GMT

Component-oriented development is increasingly gratifying over time: I start off building basic components (inputs, buttons, etc). As I move forwar...

Yet another reason to ❤️ async/await: If you mark a JavaScript function as...

Fri, 30 Aug 2019 13:03:47 GMT

Yet another reason to ❤️ async/await: If you mark a JavaScript function as async, anything it returns is automatically wrapped in a promise. This m...

Looking back, the moment my life turned around for the better: I finally...

Fri, 30 Aug 2019 22:04:51 GMT

Looking back, the moment my life turned around for the better: I finally stopped doing the things I assumed others expected me to do...And I starte...

"Everyone has the same 24 hours" is a lie

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 15:14:14 GMT

"Everyone has the same 24 hours" is a lie. Some people use money to buy time: - Fly or Uber instead of driving - Autopay all bills - Buy a fast com...

Big news

Fri, 06 Sep 2019 14:55:19 GMT

Big news! Today I'm fulfilling a lifelong dream: I've quit my job to focus on consulting and training! 🎉 1. I'm helping teams transition to React:...

Now that I'm independent, I feel liberated

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 11:38:36 GMT

Now that I'm independent, I feel liberated. Why? Because I finally conquered my fear. Fear of failure. Fear of freedom. Fear of being my own boss....

My approach for learning new tech: 1

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 16:32:17 GMT

My approach for learning new tech: 1. Create a repo to centralize my learning & resources 2. Read/watch a comprehensive resource to understand...

For me, happiness requires balancing: 1

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 21:21:00 GMT

For me, happiness requires balancing: 1. Doing things I want to do because it makes me happy 2. Doing things I don't want to do, out of love for ot...

TIL the CSS attribute selector is surprisingly powerful

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 17:00:52 GMT

TIL the CSS attribute selector is surprisingly powerful. You can style elements based on their attributes, and even target attributes that start wi...

Common thread I've found in the bios of extremely driven men: Their...

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 22:53:40 GMT

Common thread I've found in the bios of extremely driven men: Their marriages fall apart. Elon Musk Jeff Bezos Tiger Woods Arnold Schwarzenegger As...

The internet became more enjoyable when I realized: I don't have to respond

Thu, 19 Sep 2019 00:49:06 GMT

The internet became more enjoyable when I realized: I don't have to respond. Bad take? I can ignore it. Incorrect info? It's not my job to edit the...

Ever annoyed by the long list of local Git branches that are no longer relevant

Sat, 21 Sep 2019 02:56:58 GMT

Ever annoyed by the long list of local Git branches that are no longer relevant? Solution: git remote prune origin That removes all local branches...

Merging pull requests too quickly risks hurting quality

Mon, 23 Sep 2019 23:48:51 GMT

Merging pull requests too quickly risks hurting quality. Merging pull requests too slowly frustrates the developer, interrupts flow, slows integrat...

TIL you can declare a local file as an npm dependency

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 15:57:22 GMT

TIL you can declare a local file as an npm dependency. Useful for sharing code in monorepos! You don't have to actually publish the package to npm....

Developer productivity is directly related to feedback speed

Fri, 27 Sep 2019 10:56:22 GMT

Developer productivity is directly related to feedback speed. Techniques to speed feedback loops: Mock APIs (fake APIs can be as fast as desired) V...

TIL: If you accidentally use a promise.then (instead of await) in an async...

Sun, 29 Sep 2019 12:20:00 GMT

TIL: If you accidentally use a promise.then (instead of await) in an async function, the catch block won't get called on error! The code on the lef...

Two reasons I ❤️ modern UI dev: 1

Sun, 06 Oct 2019 13:47:05 GMT

Two reasons I ❤️ modern UI dev: 1. Rapid visual feedback. Hit save, and see the result. Instantly.🔥 2. High autonomy. I don’t worry about my envir...

Lousy variable name: data It says nothing about what's inside

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 00:42:56 GMT

Lousy variable name: data It says nothing about what's inside. It's surprising how often I see this in code. It's especially problematic in dynamic...

Tip: Annoyed by how libraries like Axios place the response under .data

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 18:23:22 GMT

Tip: Annoyed by how libraries like Axios place the response under .data? Destructuring with renaming to the rescue: const { data: user } = await ax...

3 keys to easily reusable React components: ✅Declare detailed propTypes (or...

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 11:30:52 GMT

3 keys to easily reusable React components: ✅Declare detailed propTypes (or use TypeScript) ✅Add comments above each propType to document and enhan...

I’ve been working heavily in React for 5 years now

Fri, 18 Oct 2019 15:53:34 GMT

I’ve been working heavily in React for 5 years now. Here’s a 50+ lessons I’ve learned along the way: http://bit.ly/5yrs-react #reactjs From “Lesson...

Mac tip: Use Safari when on battery

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 10:52:04 GMT

Mac tip: Use Safari when on battery. Why? It's *much* more efficient. If I run Chrome on my 2019 32GB i9 MacBook Pro, I only get around 3 hours bat...

One of the most satisfying experiences when writing automated tests: 1

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 00:06:41 GMT

One of the most satisfying experiences when writing automated tests: 1. I write a test that I expect to pass 2. It fails, so I assume the test is w...

Want more screen real estate and less noise in @code

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 13:47:03 GMT

Want more screen real estate and less noise in @code? Try Zen Mode. It only shows code. View -> Appearance -> Zen mode (Or CMD+K Z). I tweake...

An option to consider: Stuck

Sat, 26 Oct 2019 19:45:20 GMT

An option to consider: Stuck? Leave early and finish later. In my old job, I often felt pressure to keep trying until the end of the day, even when...

If you navigate away quickly before a setState call completes, React warns...

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 19:52:18 GMT

If you navigate away quickly before a setState call completes, React warns in the console. A big Cypress testing benefit: It navigates so quickly t...

Tip: JavaScript's spread syntax is also handy for creating a copy of an...

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 02:53:39 GMT

Tip: JavaScript's spread syntax is also handy for creating a copy of an object with a property omitted: const { address, ...userWithoutAddress } =...

Emerging job title: UI Architect Concerns: State management Reusable...

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 01:41:54 GMT

Emerging job title: UI Architect Concerns: State management Reusable components, scripts, styles Dev environment (transpiling/bundling/linting...)...

You can conditionally add JavaScript array elements in a single expression

Sat, 02 Nov 2019 11:51:26 GMT

You can conditionally add JavaScript array elements in a single expression. How? Use spread: const arr = [ ...(includeA ? ['a'] : []), 'b', ]; This...

A risky dev team mindset: "We're too busy to do code reviews." Without...

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 02:30:14 GMT

A risky dev team mindset: "We're too busy to do code reviews." Without reviews, consistently, velocity, and quality fall. Skipping code reviews mak...

Felt so lucky today

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 03:08:51 GMT

Felt so lucky today. Loving independence. Training another big team in React this week. Many training engagements coming up. Enjoying doing dev for...

I feared public speaking

Fri, 08 Nov 2019 15:23:30 GMT

I feared public speaking. I feared independence. The decision to chase my fears instead of hide was one of the best decisions of my life. The world...

Choosing the “hard” way requires discipline

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 02:50:24 GMT

Choosing the “hard” way requires discipline. Walk or bike instead of drive Buy in cash instead of getting a loan Create instead of consume Choosing...

Currently updating imports in a large project from the "named import" style:...

Sat, 16 Nov 2019 17:19:40 GMT

Currently updating imports in a large project from the "named import" style: import { SelectInput } from "reusable"; to a direct import: import Sel...

Welp, after literally 10 seconds using the new MacBook Pro 16" I was sold

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 18:37:33 GMT

Welp, after literally 10 seconds using the new MacBook Pro 16" I was sold. The 2015 keyboard is back! 🎉 Shut up and take my money! The new larger,...

Have an issue, but can't tell what line is causing the bug

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 14:56:12 GMT

Have an issue, but can't tell what line is causing the bug? Bisect. Here's how: 1. Comment out half the code. Still there? 2. Continue commenting o...

I believe the world would be better if TVs weren't in public spaces like...

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 15:30:49 GMT

I believe the world would be better if TVs weren't in public spaces like restaurants, stores, airports, and gyms. TVs create needless noise and dis...

In poorly built software, velocity slows over time

Sat, 23 Nov 2019 22:56:43 GMT

In poorly built software, velocity slows over time. Poorly designed monolithic functions, components, and APIs fight reuse. In well-built software,...

TIL you can prefetch lazy loaded React components.🔥 create-react-app honors...

Fri, 29 Nov 2019 23:16:33 GMT

TIL you can prefetch lazy loaded React components.🔥 create-react-app honors Webpack directives: https://webpack.js.org/guides/code-splitting/#pref...

Using a timebox for a tricky issue is a great way to avoid wasting hours...

Sun, 08 Dec 2019 23:20:20 GMT

Using a timebox for a tricky issue is a great way to avoid wasting hours churning. I was stumped on Friday. I gave myself an hour, but remained stu...

Common saying: "Buy experiences, not stuff"

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 11:46:31 GMT

Common saying: "Buy experiences, not stuff". But stuff is an experience too. Nice bed = experience restfulness Nice car = experience luxury, speed,...

What a 2019

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 15:24:17 GMT

What a 2019! In September, I quit my job to pursue my dream of being independent. I'm focused on React training, consulting, and development: http:...

This is a superb, visually stunning blog post on React Hooks

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 02:34:01 GMT

This is a superb, visually stunning blog post on React Hooks. Even if you understand React Hooks, this is worth reading. https://buff.ly/2lhV8eb Gr...

My entire career, I've only used automated integration testing when the app...

Fri, 13 Dec 2019 13:37:39 GMT

My entire career, I've only used automated integration testing when the app was too big to manually test. But Cypress has changed that. It's so eas...

Upward spiral: Sleep well -> exercise -> eat well -> focus at work...

Sat, 14 Dec 2019 14:42:08 GMT

Upward spiral: Sleep well -> exercise -> eat well -> focus at work -> optimistic attitude When people say “How you do anything is how y...

This advice improved my writing: Prefer active voice

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 12:32:05 GMT

This advice improved my writing: Prefer active voice. Active voice is typically easier to understand and less wordy. Example 1: Avoid: "Count the n...

“We need mandatory daily stand up meetings”

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 15:27:40 GMT

“We need mandatory daily stand up meetings”. No we don’t. We just need to talk regularly. #agiledogma

Two forms of working for "free": 1

Thu, 26 Dec 2019 17:52:36 GMT

Two forms of working for "free": 1. Working over 40 hours/week in a salaried job 2. Working on the side to grow your skills/business I did #1 early...

"We need a mandatory weekly retrospective to be agile." No we don't

Sun, 29 Dec 2019 15:43:44 GMT

"We need a mandatory weekly retrospective to be agile." No we don't. We just need to regularly discuss what's working, and what isn't. We don't nee...

React integration testing tip: On your CI server, run your automated...

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 13:46:35 GMT

React integration testing tip: On your CI server, run your automated integration tests against your React *production* build. Why? React is MUCH fa...

Just radically reduced our CI build time

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:44:06 GMT

Just radically reduced our CI build time! Before: 12.5 minutes ☹️ After: 3 minutes! 🔥 Tips: - Run integration tests against the prod React build (...

🎉 It's live

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 22:46:30 GMT

🎉 It's live! 🎉 "Clean Coding Principles in C#" just published on @pluralsight. This course is full of concrete examples. I show "dirty" C# snippe...

An underrated way to learn and stay current: Read the docs

Sat, 04 Jan 2020 15:05:23 GMT

An underrated way to learn and stay current: Read the docs. I've worked in React since it was open sourced and often re-read the docs. - I find new...

Solid writeup for anyone managing a JavaScript monorepo

Sun, 05 Jan 2020 01:39:09 GMT

Solid writeup for anyone managing a JavaScript monorepo. Covers npm, Yarn, Yarn Workspaces, and Lerna, and their potential interactions. Summary: -...

Default mode: The activity you naturally reach for during free time

Sun, 05 Jan 2020 16:45:10 GMT

Default mode: The activity you naturally reach for during free time. Bad default = bad results: Eating -> Overweight Shopping -> Bankrupt Ent...

Simple rule to keep React apps simple: Declare state as low as possible

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:18:41 GMT

Simple rule to keep React apps simple: Declare state as low as possible. If only one component needs the data, declare the state there. Keeping sta...

Why work remote

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 15:41:20 GMT

Why work remote? Focus Choose a schedule that works best for you Weave work around life Work where you’re most comfortable and inspired Take meetin...

App without tests: 1

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 03:42:39 GMT

App without tests: 1. Developer thinks he’s done 2. Developer merges code 3. Days later, we find regressions. 👎 App with tests: 1. Developer think...

React features I avoid at first, then only refactor to when necessary:...

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 15:49:27 GMT

React features I avoid at first, then only refactor to when necessary: useReducer: Use when useState is insufficient (complex state) useMemo/memo:...

React tip: With boolean props, prefer a false default

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 18:27:30 GMT

React tip: With boolean props, prefer a false default. Example of hiding a legend, defaulted to visible:

👎 &...

You don’t need a library to create a UI that uses a state machine

Sat, 18 Jan 2020 15:06:42 GMT

You don’t need a library to create a UI that uses a state machine. Recipe: 1. Create a list of potential statuses (loading, saving, submitted, erro...

I avoid nested destructuring, especially when declaring defaults

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 04:30:18 GMT

I avoid nested destructuring, especially when declaring defaults. It requires the reader to carefully group curly braces. Can you confidently and q...

Common testing mistake: Describing behavior without context

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 12:42:56 GMT

Common testing mistake: Describing behavior without context. Poor name: 👎 should show 'Edit' button Better name: 👍 should show 'Edit' button when...

Wow, now that I understand state machines, I can't help but see them

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 00:15:00 GMT

Wow, now that I understand state machines, I can't help but see them. I'm looking at code from last week and going: "Ah! These 7 state variables ca...

I put a React component in its own file when: ✅It's reusable by itself ✅It's...

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 11:34:49 GMT

I put a React component in its own file when: ✅It's reusable by itself ✅It's big, so it's helpful to be in its own file. Less scrolling. Easier to...

I ♥️ remote work

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 12:55:32 GMT

I ♥️ remote work. Oddly, woke up at 4am today. No biggie. Started work. Turns out it's a snow day ☃️, so kids are out of school. I'm using the time...

So far, I ♥️ being independent

Sun, 26 Jan 2020 17:22:35 GMT

So far, I ♥️ being independent. 1. Don't need to keep Slack open 2. No commute 3. Don't need permission to take vacation or work odd hours 4. Quiet...

As a consultant, I'm seeing an epidemic: Companies are wasting millions by...

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 23:59:05 GMT

As a consultant, I'm seeing an epidemic: Companies are wasting millions by giving developers slow laptops. Today I said "npm install x". My laptop:...

Common thread among people I respect: An abundance mindset

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 01:25:03 GMT

Common thread among people I respect: An abundance mindset. They don’t tear down others to build themselves up. They celebrate the success of other...

Common mistake I see in React apps: Putting state in the wrong spot

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 02:34:00 GMT

Common mistake I see in React apps: Putting state in the wrong spot. Simple strategy: 1. Put state in the component that needs it. 2. Do child comp...

It's sad how many people I see making good money, creating their own prison

Sun, 02 Feb 2020 16:00:30 GMT

It's sad how many people I see making good money, creating their own prison. Many people are implicitly saying this: "I'd rather live a lifestyle I...

I'm working in the cleanest code base I've ever worked with

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 23:19:59 GMT

I'm working in the cleanest code base I've ever worked with. It also has more automated tests than any app I've ever worked with. I believe the two...

How I write code: 1

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 13:53:49 GMT

How I write code: 1. Write small, focused, well-named, pure functions. 2. Compose related functions in well-named modules. Result: ✔️ Easy to under...

Woot

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 01:42:43 GMT

Woot! This is big: @Cypress_io now supports testing Firefox and Edge! 🎉 Really excited to see cross browser support finally arrive in my favorite...

Rules keep me safe

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 03:46:10 GMT

Rules keep me safe. Rules help me avoid overdoing it. Rules keep me from ruining my health, relationships, finances, and happiness. Examples: I'm n...

I ♥️ pure functions

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 02:34:00 GMT

I ♥️ pure functions. ✅Simple data as input ✅No side-effects ✅No external dependencies ✅Simple data out ✅Easy to compose ✅Easy to test

Unpopular opinion: ESLint rules should be strict

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 11:52:58 GMT

Unpopular opinion: ESLint rules should be strict. We expect books to have consistent formatting/patterns. I believe code should be held to the same...

To save money, look for “diminishing returns” (the point where the better...

Sun, 23 Feb 2020 13:42:00 GMT

To save money, look for “diminishing returns” (the point where the better item isn’t worth the extra cost). Examples: 2015 Dell laptop vs 2020 MacB...

To save money💰 Buy used Avoid buying the “best”

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 13:55:38 GMT

To save money💰 Buy used Avoid buying the “best”. Look for diminishing returns (point where extra cost isn’t worth it) Upgrade less often (avoid sw...

Realization: Independence increased my productivity

Sat, 29 Feb 2020 22:39:35 GMT

Realization: Independence increased my productivity. - No commute - Fast internet - No recurring meetings - I choose my tools - My machine is much...

Unpopular opinion: I like switch statements

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 19:02:30 GMT

Unpopular opinion: I like switch statements. 1. Switch clearly conveys "One of these cases applies" at a glance. 2. Switch's default case encourage...

3 reasons to use TypeScript instead of React PropTypes: When checks run: PT:...

Sat, 07 Mar 2020 12:49:05 GMT

3 reasons to use TypeScript instead of React PropTypes: When checks run: PT: Runtime 👎 TS: Compile time 👍 Where output displays: PT: Browser cons...

I'm updating a client's React component library

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 16:13:11 GMT

I'm updating a client's React component library. I'm converting old class-based demos to use functions with Hooks. It's striking how much of this t...

Why I ❤️ TypeScript: TypeScript gives me what I love about C#: Strong types...

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 20:02:29 GMT

Why I ❤️ TypeScript: TypeScript gives me what I love about C#: Strong types and excellent autocomplete. And TypeScript avoids what I don't like abo...

I'm dealing with an unhelpful error message that doesn't provide a useful...

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 15:25:39 GMT

I'm dealing with an unhelpful error message that doesn't provide a useful line number. I'm using my favorite approach: bisect. 1. Delete half the c...

In Chrome, if I write an infinite loop, the tab just freezes and cannot be...

Sat, 14 Mar 2020 00:25:18 GMT

In Chrome, if I write an infinite loop, the tab just freezes and cannot be closed. I have to force close the entire browser, and thus ALL tabs. 👎...

I ♥️ Hooks

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 18:38:28 GMT

I ♥️ Hooks. But each useEffect should clearly convey intent. Simple solution: 1. Nest a well-named function 2. Call it Otherwise useEffect merely s...

Adopting TypeScript: Short-term pain for long-term gain

Sat, 21 Mar 2020 15:25:35 GMT

Adopting TypeScript: Short-term pain for long-term gain. ✅Better autocomplete ✅Safe, fast refactoring ✅Compile-time errors instead of run-time erro...

The "best" technology often doesn't win

Sun, 22 Mar 2020 14:41:25 GMT

The "best" technology often doesn't win. There are many non-technical reasons to pick a technology. Community Job opportunities Ability to hire Eco...

Want to create a new #JavaScript object with an optional property

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 13:44:21 GMT

Want to create a new #JavaScript object with an optional property? Use spread (...) with the logical and operator (&&). const user = { name...

Client: Help

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 22:49:08 GMT

Client: Help! Me: This Hook solves your issue. Client: We only use React classes. Hooks seem scary. Me: Okay. I'll rewrite the Hook to work in your...

I'm really enjoying the 16" MacBook Pro

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 02:06:44 GMT

I'm really enjoying the 16" MacBook Pro. Fantastic keyboard Runs cool, even with the i9 Fan virtually never runs Excellent battery life Bright, low...

JavaScript rest syntax can remove properties too

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 15:37:42 GMT

JavaScript rest syntax can remove properties too. For example, given this object: const user = { name: "Cory", address: { city: "KC" } } This creat...

Why I ♥️ software development: I don't have to get it right the first time

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 16:52:16 GMT

Why I ♥️ software development: I don't have to get it right the first time. In many fields, mistakes are dangerous and costly. In software developm...

When I'm unsure what HTML element to use, I Google for "HTML5 Flowchart"

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 19:47:47 GMT

When I'm unsure what HTML element to use, I Google for "HTML5 Flowchart". Super handy. 🔥 Why is semantic HTML important? - Better SEO - Easier mai...

Over the last decade, I've consumed 100's of books, videos, blogs, etc

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 00:22:54 GMT

Over the last decade, I've consumed 100's of books, videos, blogs, etc. Common thread: ✅ Non-fiction ✅ Timeless content I just spent the day creati...

PSA: Please don't name a variable "data"

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 12:55:18 GMT

PSA: Please don't name a variable "data". It tells your fellow programmers literally nothing about what's inside.

An unexpected benefit of closing schools: Slowing down creates space for...

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 16:02:42 GMT

An unexpected benefit of closing schools: Slowing down creates space for exploring. With this free time, my youngest son has discovered a love of r...

I prefer #javascript function declarations over function expressions and...

Sun, 05 Apr 2020 20:33:24 GMT

I prefer #javascript function declarations over function expressions and arrow functions. Function declaration benefits: 1. Hoisted, so order doesn...

Why I no longer write classes in #Javascript: I don't need them

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 12:05:38 GMT

Why I no longer write classes in #Javascript: I don't need them. Instead, I use: 1. Plain objects (data only, no behavior) 2. Pure functions (no si...

Why I ❤️ being a UI specialist: ✔️Close to the user ✔️I choose my tools...

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 15:54:35 GMT

Why I ❤️ being a UI specialist: ✔️Close to the user ✔️I choose my tools ✔️Can work from anywhere ✔️Cross-team blockers are rare ✔️I’m not impeded w...

React = Legos for adults

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 10:59:20 GMT

React = Legos for adults. Except it's even better because: - Many people share their Legos for free 😃 - If I find a Lego that mostly works, I can...

My days of complaining about CSS positioning are over

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 14:04:37 GMT

My days of complaining about CSS positioning are over. Flexbox is awesome. 🔥 I'm embarrassed to say I was a grumpy old man floating divs until abo...

I rarely say "that's impossible"

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 20:04:20 GMT

I rarely say "that's impossible". This has me stumped. So in the spirit of Cunningham's Law, I'm going to say it: It's impossible to animate an exp...

JSON doesn't support comments

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 15:23:33 GMT

JSON doesn't support comments. So here's how I comment npm scripts in package.json. 😎 #javascript #npm

Valuable developer traits: Humility and self-awareness These traits help you...

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 12:18:10 GMT

Valuable developer traits: Humility and self-awareness These traits help you say: I'm stuck. I'm doing this the hard way. I need a break. I need he...

I'm jumping between 2 projects: 1

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 20:59:23 GMT

I'm jumping between 2 projects: 1. React in JavaScript 2. React in TypeScript The difference: In JS, I spend more time in the browser resolving run...

Today I learned: 1

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 03:32:40 GMT

Today I learned: 1. In Github, type the letter t 2. A file finder appears 3. Enter a filename to open it Fast and slick! 🔥 #git #github

Confession: For the first 10 years of my career, I considered automated...

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 11:59:54 GMT

Confession: For the first 10 years of my career, I considered automated testing a waste of time. Now, after 10 years of writing tests, I realize: 1...

My routine for happiness during the pandemic: Sleep well Exercise daily...

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 13:37:48 GMT

My routine for happiness during the pandemic: Sleep well Exercise daily Learn Work hard on things I can control Be grateful Mindset: Life doesn’t s...

TypeScript habit: When trying a new library, TS slows down experimentation

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 19:22:02 GMT

TypeScript habit: When trying a new library, TS slows down experimentation. So I use plain JS in @codesandbox and try it out. If it meets my needs,...

TypeScript protects from edge cases

Sat, 18 Apr 2020 19:15:54 GMT

TypeScript protects from edge cases. Example: I reference something that may be undefined. In JS, I get a runtime error, but only if I happen to ex...

Useful organizational skills in software development: - Name things well -...

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 14:56:45 GMT

Useful organizational skills in software development: - Name things well - Group related things together - Keep unrelated things separate - Avoid r...

Performance pattern If your web app requires a lot of data that changes...

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 01:30:38 GMT

Performance pattern If your web app requires a lot of data that changes rarely: 1. Store the data in localStorage. 2. When the user returns, read f...

TIL: To log all clicks in React, use onClickCapture

Sun, 26 Apr 2020 13:21:43 GMT

TIL: To log all clicks in React, use onClickCapture. This simple component logs clicks in all child components. 😎 #reactjs

Programming irony: A complex solution often feels impressive

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 02:08:48 GMT

Programming irony: A complex solution often feels impressive. Why? Because complexity is hard to understand. So it looks like it was hard to build....

HTTP call checklist: -Can this run in parallel with other requests

Fri, 01 May 2020 00:57:51 GMT

HTTP call checklist: -Can this run in parallel with other requests? -When should the request time out? -How are server errors handled? -What if the...

React: The Good Parts 1

Fri, 01 May 2020 11:41:16 GMT

React: The Good Parts 1. Function components 2. JSX 3. Props 4. useState 5. useEffect I can elegantly solve most problems with these 5 simple tools...

Why I code against a mock API: 1 I control the speed 2 It's never down 3 No...

Fri, 01 May 2020 15:21:38 GMT

Why I code against a mock API: 1 I control the speed 2 It's never down 3 No internet required 4 No cross-team dependency 5 I can force it to throw...

Two things that totally changed the way I think about separation of concerns: 1

Fri, 01 May 2020 22:24:25 GMT

Two things that totally changed the way I think about separation of concerns: 1. This 2013 talk by Pete Hunt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7cQ3...

"I don't have time to write tests"

Sat, 09 May 2020 12:03:02 GMT

"I don't have time to write tests". Do you have time to: 1. Run the app manually after each change 2. Investigate and fix broken builds 3. Investig...

I don't write end-to-end (e2e) tests

Sat, 09 May 2020 12:15:57 GMT

I don't write end-to-end (e2e) tests. Instead, I write integration tests against realistic mock APIs. With comprehensive tests against a mock API,...

Announcement: I'm writing a new course

Mon, 11 May 2020 12:18:38 GMT

Announcement: I'm writing a new course! 🎉 Title: "Managing React State" I'm publishing on @pluralsight this summer. ☀️ What do you expect/hope to...

When fixing a bug, I write a test that reproduces the bug first

Fri, 15 May 2020 13:40:29 GMT

When fixing a bug, I write a test that reproduces the bug first. Benefits: ✅I don't have to repeatedly configure the app to reproduce the bug while...

I’m creating a reusable React component library in TypeScript for a client

Sat, 16 May 2020 12:05:24 GMT

I’m creating a reusable React component library in TypeScript for a client. It’s taking longer than a plain JS library. That’s not surprising. Type...

New React state library from Facebook: Recoil

Sat, 16 May 2020 17:40:16 GMT

New React state library from Facebook: Recoil. 🎉 ✅ Flexible shared state ✅ Derived data and queries ✅ App-wide state observation This short video...

I'm torn about @tailwindcss

Wed, 20 May 2020 01:28:53 GMT

I'm torn about @tailwindcss. It's a tradeoff. Benefit: Move faster. No need to declare my own classes. Cost: More "noisy" HTML due to long class de...

These are the 6 questions I ask to decide where to store state in React apps

Fri, 22 May 2020 12:41:35 GMT

These are the 6 questions I ask to decide where to store state in React apps. See any missing scenarios? Suggested tweaks? #reactjs

Most React devs know to declare a key when iterating over an array

Mon, 25 May 2020 12:11:16 GMT

Most React devs know to declare a key when iterating over an array. But there are 2 lessor known reasons to use keys: 1. To force a re-render on a...

Learning is hard

Mon, 25 May 2020 17:34:40 GMT

Learning is hard. Here's a mindset I find helpful. I don't expect to understand the docs at first. I don't expect to "do it right" at first. But I...

React-query and swr are awesome

Tue, 26 May 2020 02:10:45 GMT

React-query and swr are awesome. 🔥 They taught me to ask a bunch of questions that I should have been asking: 1. Should I cache data on the client...

The fastest way I've found to learn new tech: I build something with it...

Thu, 28 May 2020 11:42:56 GMT

The fastest way I've found to learn new tech: I build something with it *outside my company's environment*. Here's why: - I don’t have to wait for...

I was manually updating localStorage anytime state was updated

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 13:41:15 GMT

I was manually updating localStorage anytime state was updated. Then I realized: That's the perfect job for useEffect. Here, I’m persisting shoppin...

When working with a list, an array is an obvious choice

Sun, 07 Jun 2020 21:21:30 GMT

When working with a list, an array is an obvious choice. But sometimes it's preferable to use an object instead. Here's when: 1. Each item has a un...

I've spent the last week trying to use #JavaScript Map and Set instead of...

Fri, 12 Jun 2020 17:44:57 GMT

I've spent the last week trying to use #JavaScript Map and Set instead of plain ol' arrays and objects. My verdict? Not worth it. The lack of basic...

Why I write integration tests first: 1 I don't have to keep manually running...

Sat, 13 Jun 2020 11:15:09 GMT

Why I write integration tests first: 1 I don't have to keep manually running the app to see my code work. Integration tests automate the browser. 2...

Overrated: Buying new stuff

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 01:50:38 GMT

Overrated: Buying new stuff. Underrated: Maintaining your stuff so well that it continues to feel new, so you don't have a big desire to upgrade.

Interesting UI monorepo config: 1

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 12:05:51 GMT

Interesting UI monorepo config: 1. Place each project in a separate folder 2. Place a single package.json in root. So all projects share a single p...

As a developer, UI/UX can seem like an art or innate talent

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 00:43:58 GMT

As a developer, UI/UX can seem like an art or innate talent. We're not “born with” these skills. We learn them. Here’s a compelling short video on...

30 Ways to Handle React State

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 17:34:29 GMT

While preparing my upcoming Pluralsight course “Managing React State”, I found a surprising number of React state management options. This slide from the upcomi…

TIL: HTML
and
create collapsable content

Sat, 20 Jun 2020 15:38:01 GMT

TIL: HTML

and

create collapsable content. No JS required! 😎 Works in all evergreen browsers. And IE11 degrades nic...

In a JavaScript app, what do you call a file that only contains functions...

Sat, 20 Jun 2020 23:40:23 GMT

In a JavaScript app, what do you call a file that only contains functions that perform HTTP requests? For example, this file contains functions tha...

I ♥️ Hooks

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 14:24:02 GMT

I ♥️ Hooks. But they created a “2nd system” problem: There are 2 ways to do everything. The function API is superior. 😀 But, most the React docs s...

Why react-query / swr are awesome: They return cached data immediately,...

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 23:08:31 GMT

Why react-query / swr are awesome: They return cached data *immediately*, then fetch behind the scenes and update the UI when it’s returned. Result...

Slick way to get a unique JavaScript array: 1

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 12:05:57 GMT

Slick way to get a unique JavaScript array: 1. Declare a Set (Set enforces unique values). 2. Convert it to an array via object spread. One liner:...

After using @PrettierCode, watching someone code without it makes me cringe

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 21:27:06 GMT

After using @PrettierCode, watching someone code without it makes me cringe. Manually adjusting indentation and line breaks feels downright silly....

Some teams claim they're "too busy" to: 1

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 14:58:48 GMT

Some teams claim they're "too busy" to: 1. Write tests 2. Speed up the build process 3. Configure CI / CD 4. Mock the API 5. Configure linting / au...

Over abstractor: “We should wrap React in case we move to Vue or Svelte.” What

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 13:08:16 GMT

Over abstractor: “We should wrap React in case we move to Vue or Svelte.” What? No. That won’t work. Under abstractor: “We can call fetch in each c...

Fallacy: Motivation creates action

Sat, 27 Jun 2020 12:25:53 GMT

Fallacy: Motivation creates action. Reality: Action creates motivation. So, to create motivation, I have to force myself to get started. I have to...

In React, there are at least 8 ways to handle state

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 12:33:58 GMT

In React, there are at least 8 ways to handle state. This app uses all 8 approaches: https://github.com/coryhouse/react-state-demo The pull request...

I ❤️ composition

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 15:15:55 GMT

I ❤️ composition. There are many composition tools: Functions Classes Components Libraries Packages Composition avoids overwhelm and duplication by...

On Admiring Simplicity

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 13:23:47 GMT

A poorly-designed solution may seem impressive. Why? Because it’s complex and unapproachable. So it looks like it was hard to build. A well-designed solution ma…

A poorly-designed solution may seem impressive

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 13:09:09 GMT

A poorly-designed solution may seem impressive. Why? Because it’s complex and unapproachable. So it looks like it was hard to build. A well-designe...

Good habits create positive feedback loops

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 12:32:47 GMT

Good habits create positive feedback loops. Sleep well Exercise Eat healthy Focus during work Save money Habits interact. So one good habit fosters...

Four Ways to Fetch Data in React

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 13:17:31 GMT

React is a focused component library. So it has no opinion on how to request remote data. If you’re requesting and sending data to web APIs via HTTP, here are f…

Life as a dev: Every few days, I learn something that makes me wish I could...

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 01:06:45 GMT

Life as a dev: Every few days, I learn something that makes me wish I could go back and improve my previous code.

Four Reasons React Renders (and three ways to stop it)

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 11:56:22 GMT

There are four events that cause a React component to render: State change Prop change Parent render Context change When state changes, you can skip the render …

4 reasons React renders: 1

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 11:47:03 GMT

4 reasons React renders: 1. State change 2. Prop change 3. Parent render 4. Context change When props change or a parent renders, you can skip the...

Questions to ask when picking a data structure: How many records

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 12:31:19 GMT

Questions to ask when picking a data structure: How many records? How will records be accessed? Does order matter? Does serialization size matter?...

Sometimes, I want to use a React Hook in an existing class component

Sat, 25 Jul 2020 16:40:19 GMT

Sometimes, I want to use a React Hook in an existing class component. Two options: 1. Convert the class to a function 2. Wrap the Hook in a higher-...

Meritocracy: Picking people based on talent rather than on class privilege...

Sun, 26 Jul 2020 18:50:00 GMT

Meritocracy: Picking people based on talent rather than on class privilege or wealth. Problem: Privilege and wealth create more opportunities for b...

I ♥️ #remotework

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 12:15:54 GMT

I ♥️ #remotework. “A person with a 1 hour commute has to earn 40% more to be as satisfied with life as someone who walks to the office. For a singl...

Why I prefer videos over live teaching/webinars: 1

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 12:41:19 GMT

Why I prefer videos over live teaching/webinars: 1. Carefully edited (typically) 2. I can pause it 3. No delays from people having issues 4. I can...

I've worked remote for years

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 23:19:17 GMT

I've worked remote for years. This year isn't like normal remote work. It's more isolating. I miss my social breaks. Travel to conferences Training...

Growth mindset: I want to get better

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 22:23:56 GMT

Growth mindset: I want to get better. I'm open to learning from anyone. I'm searching for truth, not validation. I'm not afraid of asking a stupid...

Two rules that help me stick to exercise: 1

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 18:23:12 GMT

Two rules that help me stick to exercise: 1. Skipping exercise doesn't save time. Why? Because I get more done after a workout. Exercise improves m...

Working over 40 hours a week in a salaried position = giving time away

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 14:27:43 GMT

Working over 40 hours a week in a salaried position = giving time away. Working nights and weekends on a side business = building a path to indepen...

You don’t have to work overtime to get ahead

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 14:47:50 GMT

You don’t have to work overtime to get ahead. I started my career as “Associate Software Engineer” Over the years I got consistent raises and promo...

Handy pattern: Declare a single status to replace related state

Sat, 08 Aug 2020 14:50:58 GMT

Handy pattern: Declare a single status to replace related state. I call it a "poor man's state machine" What term would you use to describe the pat...

5 reasons I prefer React function components over class components: 1

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 15:21:58 GMT

5 reasons I prefer React function components over class components: 1. Less code 2. Simpler mental model 3. Avoids "this" keyword confusion 4. Shar...

For people just starting React today, are classes worth learning anymore

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 14:56:03 GMT

For people just starting React today, are classes worth learning anymore? My take: Probably not. I can only think of 2 reasons to learn classes tod...

To me, freedom is the game

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 13:45:12 GMT

To me, freedom is the game. Here’s how I optimize for freedom: Avoid debt and needless spending Live beneath my means Be independent - build my biz...

Formik vs Plain React for Forms – Worth it?

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 12:17:39 GMT

I typically use plain React for forms. But I just converted a React form to use Formik. Results (sizes minified): Plain React: 130 lines of code, 46KFormik: 105…

I typically use plain React for forms

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 12:12:23 GMT

I typically use plain React for forms. But I just converted a form to use Formik. Results: (LOC = Lines of code) Plain React: 130 LOC, 46K Formik:...

I don't need XState

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 17:12:01 GMT

I don't need XState. State enums work. I don't need MobX. Deriving state in render works. I don't need Formik. Plain React works. I don't need Redu...

It's done

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 14:34:35 GMT

It's done! "Managing React State" is live! 🎉 This course explores 8 different ways to handle state in React apps today, and how to choose between...

Woah, if you're building a component library / design system, "Design...

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 20:29:34 GMT

Woah, if you're building a component library / design system, "Design Systems Repo" has an impressive list for inspiration: https://designsystemsre...

Rhythm I’ve found: Work 2 hours, then take a long break away from the screen

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 02:43:02 GMT

Rhythm I’ve found: Work 2 hours, then take a long break away from the screen. I do ~3 focused, 2-hour work sessions/day. For breaks I lift weights,...

When stuck, step away

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 15:29:55 GMT

When stuck, step away. Spent hours trying to solve what seemed like a simple problem 2 days ago. This morning, looked at it with fresh eyes. Fixed...

Just finished “The Phoenix Project”

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 13:29:19 GMT

Just finished “The Phoenix Project”. Superb book on DevOps. If you aspire to improve your org’s DevOps practices, this entertaining novel tells the...

Epiphany: Just wrote a test…for tests

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 12:15:48 GMT

Epiphany: Just wrote a test…for tests! Problem: We forget to create tests for new components. Solution: Write one test that assures a corresponding...

Software development: It’s hard to make something easy

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 13:43:13 GMT

Software development: It’s hard to make something easy. But it’s massively rewarding when you do.

Software development is about these 10 transformations

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 13:34:02 GMT

Software development is about these 10 transformations... (thread) 1. Transform manual into automatic. 2. Transform slow into fast. 3. Transform er...

Years ago, I was programming in PHP

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 14:09:59 GMT

Years ago, I was programming in PHP. The company announced they were moving to off-the-shelf software. They expected me to run the new system. Inst...

I’ve spent the last three days convinced my laptop had been hacked or had a...

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 14:12:02 GMT

I’ve spent the last three days convinced my laptop had been hacked or had a horrible hardware bug. Random keystrokes, mouse bouncing around, inabil...

I avoid declaring React components via the concise arrow syntax

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 11:50:02 GMT

I avoid declaring React components via the concise arrow syntax. Instead, I prefer to use plain old function declarations. Here's why: 1. I can set...

Just successfully deployed a React app to an AWS S3 bucket via an Azure Dev...

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 11:41:44 GMT

Just successfully deployed a React app to an AWS S3 bucket via an Azure Dev Ops CI server, using Terraform. After every merged PR, it builds, run t...

Many who have have experienced work from home will never go back to...

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 18:54:06 GMT

Many who have have experienced work from home will never go back to full-time office work. They've tasted the benefits: - No commute - Pick your wo...

Just read “The Psychology of Money”

Sun, 27 Sep 2020 00:14:29 GMT

Just read “The Psychology of Money”. Superb.🔥 Key point: The best benefit from saving is the ability to own your time. People who control their ti...

What college is selling: 1

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 14:38:48 GMT

What college is selling: 1. Membership to an elite club 2. A certificate to help open doors 3. A motivational whip at your back 4. A clear, “safe”...

My opinion on TypeScript changed because the environment around it changed

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 12:54:20 GMT

My opinion on TypeScript changed because the environment around it changed. Babel compiles TS. ESLint supports TS. Editors support TS. create-react...

I am anti "foo"

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 12:15:38 GMT

I am anti "foo". Why? Because "foo" typically confuses rather than clarifies. My preference: Use *realistic* values and identifiers that convey rea...

I'll admit it: For the first 10 years of my career, I thought tests were a...

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 16:05:02 GMT

I'll admit it: For the first 10 years of my career, I thought tests were a waste of time. Now I realize tests *save* me time. How tests help: ✅ Run...

Fallacy: To stay busy, go broad

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:07:02 GMT

Fallacy: To stay busy, go broad. Offer many services. Reality: To stay busy, be exceptional at one thing. It's surprising how small you can niche d...

A team without documented, repeatable processes is out of control

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 17:38:51 GMT

A team without documented, repeatable processes is out of control. Questions the docs should answer: How do I run the app? What is our definition o...

The #1 answer I hear from teams that don’t write automated tests: “We don’t...

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 12:10:47 GMT

The #1 answer I hear from teams that don’t write automated tests: “We don’t have time.” I interpret this to mean two things: 1. Management doesn’t...

Low-stress life recipe: Early to bed

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 12:09:14 GMT

Low-stress life recipe: Early to bed. Wake naturally. No alarm. Exercise early. Work from home. Set my own schedule. Specialize in work I enjoy. Av...

I'm considering writing another React related course on @pluralsight

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:07:21 GMT

I'm considering writing another React related course on @pluralsight. What course would you like to see me create? #reactjs #react

How to create a life of stress: Overcommit

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 13:46:10 GMT

How to create a life of stress: Overcommit. Say yes to everyone. Go broad. Try to know everything and be useful to everyone. Spend more than you ea...

After coding in TypeScript, plain JavaScript feels like doing acrobatics...

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 19:20:05 GMT

After coding in TypeScript, plain JavaScript feels like doing acrobatics without a net. So when I work in plain JS, here's a setting I enjoy: Tell...

How I became a conference speaker: Someone said “Why aren’t you speaking?”...

Sat, 31 Oct 2020 13:26:58 GMT

How I became a conference speaker: Someone said “Why aren’t you speaking?” How I became an author: Someone said “why don’t you author a course?” On...

An organization that doesn't document effectively, cannot grow efficiently

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 19:23:58 GMT

An organization that doesn't document effectively, cannot grow efficiently. Why? Because it can’t efficiently share knowledge as the org grows. So,...

TIL about the URL constructor

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 13:26:35 GMT

TIL about the URL constructor. A safe and clear way to dynamically build a URL, one piece at a time. More: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs...

Avoid creating flexible React components with many props

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 12:58:08 GMT

Avoid creating flexible React components with many props. Instead, start "rigid" (few props). Benefits: Enforce consistency Simpler code Easy to un...

Woah, npm 7 automatically installs peer dependencies:...

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 19:45:48 GMT

Woah, npm 7 automatically installs peer dependencies: https://github.blog/2020-10-13-presenting-v7-0-0-of-the-npm-cli/ This will bite people. Examp...

“We all have the same 24 hours a day”

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 21:40:58 GMT

“We all have the same 24 hours a day”. No we don’t. Some have less: -Health issues -Caring for others -Unreliable car, home -Low pay job that requi...

Many companies use Confluence, Dropbox, etc for project docs

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 21:50:35 GMT

Many companies use Confluence, Dropbox, etc for project docs. I prefer a http://README.md, stored in the repo. Easy to find Can link to local files...

6 Signs a Dev Team is Out of Control

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 12:26:58 GMT

“We don’t have time to write tests.” “We don’t have time for code reviews.” “We don’t have time to set up a CI server.” “We don’t have time to automate deploys.…

6 signs a dev team is out of control: We don't have time to write tests

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 12:01:44 GMT

6 signs a dev team is out of control: We don't have time to write tests. We don't have time for code reviews. We don't have time to set up a CI ser...

9 things that I've found improve development team velocity: - Mock APIs -...

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 17:56:33 GMT

9 things that I've found improve development team velocity: - Mock APIs - Static types - Fast CI builds - Fast feedback loops - Small, focused tick...

TIL the browser's built-in form validation features are surprisingly robust

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 13:52:39 GMT

TIL the browser's built-in form validation features are surprisingly robust. 1. Declare attributes like required, min, max, minLength, maxLength, a...

One of the most persistent rules of software: Adding more people to a late...

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 21:29:55 GMT

One of the most persistent rules of software: Adding more people to a late project makes it later. Why? Because adding people adds overhead: -Stop...

My favorite benefit of going independent: freedom

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 14:36:38 GMT

My favorite benefit of going independent: freedom. I pick my projects. I pick my equipment. I pick when and where I work. So when I work, I’m happi...

On React's useEffect Hook: "I try to describe the effects I write by saying...

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 02:36:52 GMT

On React's useEffect Hook: "I try to describe the effects I write by saying “when [dependencies] change do this” to myself. If this sentence contai...

Today I’m thankful for: A healthy family

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 16:02:17 GMT

Today I’m thankful for: A healthy family. ❤️ A career I still enjoy after 20 years. 👨‍💻 My courses have been watched by over 800k devs. 🎉 A succ...

I buy a new laptop every 1-2 years

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 20:32:18 GMT

I buy a new laptop every 1-2 years. Here’s why: 1. It makes me money. 2. It’s a business tax deduction. 3. Buying a fast machine is like buying tim...

Just joined a project

Sat, 28 Nov 2020 14:20:45 GMT

Just joined a project. The app requires 10 manual steps before I can start coding each day. 👎 Before building my first feature, I'm automating the...

I'm working on two similar projects

Sun, 29 Nov 2020 16:31:13 GMT

I'm working on two similar projects. One is written in plain JS. The other in TypeScript. In JS, I finish coding sooner. But, then I spend more tim...

5 skills of successful developers: Communication - Clear writing, speech,...

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 15:45:21 GMT

5 skills of successful developers: Communication - Clear writing, speech, and code. Organization - Logically groups and names things. Curiosity - L...

If a team has no automated tests, it's hard to get started

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 15:51:31 GMT

If a team has no automated tests, it's hard to get started. Why? Because there are many decisions to make: Testing lib Where to store tests Mocking...

As a kid, I looked at exotic cars and thought “It would be awesome to own...

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 23:56:06 GMT

As a kid, I looked at exotic cars and thought “It would be awesome to own that!” As an adult, I look at exotic cars and think “that would be outrag...

Two questions that changed my life: 1

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 14:38:44 GMT

Two questions that changed my life: 1. What would you do if you didn’t have to work? 2. How can you start doing some of that now?

6 techniques for managing large datasets in React: 1.Pagination 2.Lazy...

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 16:36:21 GMT

6 techniques for managing large datasets in React: 1.Pagination 2.Lazy loading / Infinite scroll 3.Windowing 4.Eliminate needless renders 5.Impleme...

I don’t ask if I can write tests

Sun, 13 Dec 2020 13:50:29 GMT

I don’t ask if I can write tests. I don’t ask if I can spend time refactoring before I commit. I don’t ask if I can make the UI accessible. I don’t...

Regex are hard to write, and even harder to read

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 03:18:25 GMT

Regex are hard to write, and even harder to read. A technique that helps: 1. Declare the regex as a well-named const. 2. Write automated tests on t...

My son (12) has learned JavaScript over the last 2 years

Sat, 19 Dec 2020 22:32:48 GMT

My son (12) has learned JavaScript over the last 2 years. He struggles with picking good variable names. This leads to confusion about what his cod...

3 skills that make coding easier: Organization - Recognizing and grouping...

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 15:16:33 GMT

3 skills that make coding easier: Organization - Recognizing and grouping related items Naming - Describing things clearly, yet succinctly Decompos...

Just joined a TypeScript project

Wed, 23 Dec 2020 20:17:58 GMT

Just joined a TypeScript project. I noticed an opportunity for refactoring. In JS, I’m more hesitant to change code. Even with tests, I fear missin...

A reminder on why the industry started rendering on the client: Partial page...

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 15:28:49 GMT

A reminder on why the industry started rendering on the client: Partial page loads Instant client-side routing Animated interactions and transition...

Toyota dealer wanted $470 to change the spark plugs

Fri, 25 Dec 2020 02:18:34 GMT

Toyota dealer wanted $470 to change the spark plugs. (Transverse mounted V6, so rear bank is tricky). Took a couple hours, but I just finished the...

Early in my career, I pushed back on unfamiliar tasks

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 19:58:48 GMT

Early in my career, I pushed back on unfamiliar tasks. I said “I don’t know how to do that. I’ve never done that before.” Then I realized: In devel...

On React components, I prefer false defaults for boolean props

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 12:51:00 GMT

On React components, I prefer false defaults for boolean props. Why? Because I can set the prop with less code. 👎 <...

When something is hard to type in TypeScript, I often find that’s a sign I...

Sat, 02 Jan 2021 14:58:38 GMT

When something is hard to type in TypeScript, I often find that’s a sign I should rethink my data structures and function signatures. So TypeScript...

It's fascinating how differently I view a problem after a good night's sleep

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 19:43:13 GMT

It's fascinating how differently I view a problem after a good night's sleep. Today I woke up and immediately solved a problem that stumped me yest...

3 things I can influence: 1

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 14:52:51 GMT

3 things I can influence: 1. My physical health (via exercise and diet) 2. My mental health (via my relationships, my habits, and the content I con...

In poorly-structured companies, the hardest part of software development is...

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 15:34:09 GMT

In poorly-structured companies, the hardest part of software development is overcoming the barriers to actually writing code. Common barriers: ❌ Mi...

It's surprising how many REST APIs lack useful docs

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 18:59:43 GMT

It's surprising how many REST APIs lack useful docs. Useful docs should include: - BaseURLs for all environments - Potential HTTP response codes -...

Some teams call tasks “done” when they’re not done

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 14:01:03 GMT

Some teams call tasks “done” when they’re not done. It’s not done until its: Tested Secure Reliable Accessible Performant Configurable Maintainable...

React = reusable components

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 13:19:14 GMT

React = reusable components. Typescript = reusable types. So with TypeScript, I know my reusable components are passed the exact shape they require...

Mistake 1: Ignoring new tech, so I end up doing things the old/hard way

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 15:48:15 GMT

Mistake 1: Ignoring new tech, so I end up doing things the old/hard way. Mistake 2: Being so busy toying with new tech that I never get very good a...

Coding without tests, static types, code reviews, and CI is like...

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 16:49:16 GMT

Coding without tests, static types, code reviews, and CI is like constructing a building without a shared blueprint or frequent inspections. In the...

My favorite financial habits: 1

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:15:09 GMT

My favorite financial habits: 1. Automatically invest monthly in low cost index funds (VTSAX, FZROX). Buy and hold. 2. Track net worth. 3. Use poin...

Pro athletes do drills to improve

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 15:10:41 GMT

Pro athletes do drills to improve. Developers can too: 1. Practice new keyboard shortcuts 2. Do coding katas 3. Read open source code 4. Write a li...

A surprising way to make significantly more money: Work for free

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 14:45:18 GMT

A surprising way to make significantly more money: Work for free. Work “for free” in the short-term, in exchange for a chance of a big payout in th...

I'm starting to think the greatest advantage of being independent is being...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 12:28:58 GMT

I'm starting to think the greatest advantage of being independent is being able to stop work whenever I feel stuck. Yesterday I was stumped on a te...

React Server Components in 5 Minutes

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 19:53:20 GMT

I’m excited about React Server Components. In this post, I will summarize the benefits and limitations in a few quick points. For more details, check out the Fa…

Two fundamental risks I mitigate: 1

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 15:03:36 GMT

Two fundamental risks I mitigate: 1. Health problems How: ✅ Eat well ✅ Exercise daily ✅ Sleep without an alarm clock ✅ Design a low-stress life ✅ B...

Adding Custom Testing Library Queries

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 13:43:31 GMT

Testing Library is great. But it’s lacking a few queries I would find useful. Here’s an example of enhancing Cypress Testing Library with a plain function: I of…

If you write tests with @TestingLib, here's a handy tool:...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 13:39:38 GMT

If you write tests with @TestingLib, here's a handy tool: http://testing-playground.com This is a handy environment for testing queries in isolatio...

While working on a ticket, I'm often tempted to fix/improve unrelated code

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 20:00:44 GMT

While working on a ticket, I'm often tempted to fix/improve unrelated code. I've learned to open a ticket to document the issue instead. This helps...

Why I ♥️ being a software developer: -Good pay -Fast feedback -1000’s of...

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 17:01:54 GMT

Why I ♥️ being a software developer: -Good pay -Fast feedback -1000’s of free tools -Undo costs me nothing -I can automate repetitive tasks -Genero...

Software tradeoffs: Build vs Buy Reuse vs Copy Sync vs Async Serial vs...

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 13:24:10 GMT

Software tradeoffs: Build vs Buy Reuse vs Copy Sync vs Async Serial vs Parallel Dynamic vs Static Concise vs Explicit Unified vs Separate Secure vs...

5 books that improved my life - and their big idea: Ego is the Enemy - Be...

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 15:10:16 GMT

5 books that improved my life - and their big idea: Ego is the Enemy - Be humble The Happiness Advantage - Be optimistic The Power of Habit - Build...

My favorite way to wrap text in an HTML tag in VS Code: Use Emmet

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 18:20:53 GMT

My favorite way to wrap text in an HTML tag in VS Code: Use Emmet. 1. Open the command palette (Cmd+Shift+P) 2. Execute "Emmet: Wrap with Abbreviat...

Developer tip: If you're unclear about your task, speak up

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 17:42:51 GMT

Developer tip: If you're unclear about your task, speak up. Don't worry about asking a "dumb" question. Instead, worry about wasting hours going in...

I prefer small, focused pull requests

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 13:21:15 GMT

I prefer small, focused pull requests. They're easier to code review, and foster rapid feedback. How to encourage small PRs: Small tickets Fast CI...

I rarely use these React performance features: React.memo useCallback...

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 14:55:01 GMT

I rarely use these React performance features: React.memo useCallback useMemo If I have a performance issue, I usually find I made a mistake or am...

Occasionally I review React code bases where React.memo and useCallback are...

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 15:26:18 GMT

Occasionally I review React code bases where React.memo and useCallback are used everywhere. Don’t do that. It usually costs more than it saves. If...

What I look for in a pull request: ✅ As small as practical ✅ Focused on one...

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 14:39:28 GMT

What I look for in a pull request: ✅ As small as practical ✅ Focused on one thing ✅ Tied to a well-documented issue ✅ Has comprehensive tests ✅ Inc...

Over the years, I've hired dozens of devs

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 13:04:58 GMT

Over the years, I've hired dozens of devs. The devs that didn't work out: 🚩Claimed to understand when they clearly didn't 🚩Often said "I'll be do...

If I constantly search for better approaches, I’ll rarely get anything done

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 14:51:18 GMT

If I constantly search for better approaches, I’ll rarely get anything done. If I only do what I know, I risk doing things the hard way. And I’ll n...

I rarely use Storybook for my clients

Sat, 13 Feb 2021 14:38:26 GMT

I rarely use Storybook for my clients. Instead I: 1. Use create-react-app and the company’s design system to create a custom doc site 2. Generate c...

Sprint planning: "Let's commit to exactly what we're going to deliver over...

Sat, 20 Feb 2021 14:31:50 GMT

Sprint planning: "Let's commit to exactly what we're going to deliver over the next 2 weeks." That's a problem. Why? Because that's not how softwar...

Integration testing tip: Avoid creating many small tests

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 14:34:17 GMT

Integration testing tip: Avoid creating many small tests. Instead, create a few big tests. Here’s why: There’s a lot of overhead in starting each i...

Two coding styles: 1

Sat, 27 Feb 2021 13:57:39 GMT

Two coding styles: 1. A few long functions 2. Many small functions I prefer small, focused functions. I find they’re easier to understand, test, re...

The cost of a slow development environment: It lowers my morale It drains my...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 18:45:02 GMT

The cost of a slow development environment: It lowers my morale It drains my energy It clouds my thinking It lowers my creativity It inhibits getti...

The worst dev team I ever worked on: No source control

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 18:45:53 GMT

The worst dev team I ever worked on: No source control. We yelled “stay out of x!” No tickets or written requirements. No tests. We fixed bugs when...

Writing software is basically a 2 step process: 1

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 14:29:13 GMT

Writing software is basically a 2 step process: 1. Ask the computer to do something 2. Verify its response That’s why I believe in creating fast fe...

"That's easy

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 13:11:13 GMT

"That's easy. 5 minutes, tops." 1 day later: "I need another day...Changing that breaks this other thing..." 🤦‍♂️ ------- "That's not supported. I...

Hey developers, please stop disabling copy/paste in form fields

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 23:37:53 GMT

Hey developers, please stop disabling copy/paste in form fields! 🚨 It’s awful UX. It’s confusing. It doesn’t improve security. It breaks password...

Microservices lead to many separate databases

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 14:49:07 GMT

Microservices lead to many separate databases. Yet these DBs often have related data structures. This creates a common risk: Primary keys in one DB...

To motivate a dev team, you don’t need gimmicks

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 13:54:34 GMT

To motivate a dev team, you don’t need gimmicks. You need basics. Solve meaningful problems. Treat people with respect. Remove blockers. Fire the c...

3 patterns that make TypeScript hard: 1

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 12:35:28 GMT

3 patterns that make TypeScript hard: 1. Inconsistent data structures 2. Overloaded functions 3. Multiple return types from the same function Here'...

Things many people don’t like to do: Exercise Negotiate Work for free Read...

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:19:18 GMT

Things many people don’t like to do: Exercise Negotiate Work for free Read the docs Teach yourself Delay gratification Learn during free time Choos...

One of my favorite git commands: git checkout - This checks out the branch I...

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 13:29:55 GMT

One of my favorite git commands: git checkout - This checks out the branch I was on previously. So it's handy for toggling between branches.

When I do OO programming, automated testing feels harder

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 11:35:55 GMT

When I do OO programming, automated testing feels harder. Here's why: Private methods, shared state (properties outside the method), and complex de...

I'm building a large React component library for a client

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 16:15:37 GMT

I'm building a large React component library for a client. I just added a section for reusable Hooks. It's wonderful that React makes it so easy to...

Habit: When I open a pull request, I do my own code review first

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 18:21:50 GMT

Habit: When I open a pull request, I do my own code review first. Things I often find and address: Logic errors Poor names Repeated code TODO comme...

I’ve reached the point of coding in TypeScript where coding in plain...

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 13:41:09 GMT

I’ve reached the point of coding in TypeScript where coding in plain JavaScript almost feels reckless. I miss autocomplete. I miss explicit functio...

Hot take: Relying on QA to write your tests and find your bugs is malpractice

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 13:10:15 GMT

Hot take: Relying on QA to write your tests and find your bugs is malpractice. QA isn’t your personal debugging and test creation team. So, if you...

Unpopular opinion: Separate QA teams lower quality

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 12:35:45 GMT

Unpopular opinion: Separate QA teams lower quality. Here's why: When you tell developers some other team is responsible for testing and assuring qu...

I quit my job to be an independent consultant in 2019

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 12:41:23 GMT

I quit my job to be an independent consultant in 2019. A few months later, the virus hit. I went from doing on-site React training/consulting sessi...

My rule for writing reliable, scalable software: Each feature must have...

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 12:20:58 GMT

My rule for writing reliable, scalable software: Each feature must have automated tests. If it's not covered by an automated test, it's not a suppo...

Something 2020 made clear: Remote meetings work REALLY well when everyone...

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 15:28:10 GMT

Something 2020 made clear: Remote meetings work REALLY well when *everyone* is remote. Why? Because no one is a "second class" attendee. We can hea...

I often commit a change, then before I push I realize “Oops, I’m on the...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 12:33:24 GMT

I often commit a change, then before I push I realize “Oops, I’m on the wrong branch!”. 🤦‍♂️ Here’s how I fix it: git reset --soft HEAD~ This is b...

Two pet peeves: 1

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:23:25 GMT

Two pet peeves: 1. Developers who don't participate in code reviews 2. Developers who merely approve all pull requests Ignoring or "rubber stamping...

As a consultant, I’ve found 7 common reasons dev teams struggle: 1

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 11:57:18 GMT

As a consultant, I’ve found 7 common reasons dev teams struggle: 1. Using complex tools they don’t need 2. Slow, flakey dev environment 3. No mock...

Just interviewed a seriously impressive developer

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 15:20:50 GMT

Just interviewed a seriously impressive developer. 😀 Here's what I look for in an interview: ✅ Clear communication ✅ The humility to say "I don't...

How to effectively answer “I don’t know” in an interview: ✅ “I don’t know,...

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 12:29:45 GMT

How to effectively answer “I don’t know” in an interview: ✅ “I don’t know, but based on my experience, x might work.” ✅ “I don’t know, but I’m curi...

I've found reviewing code on GitHub alone isn't sufficient

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 21:08:34 GMT

I've found reviewing code on GitHub alone isn't sufficient. I also: 1. Run the code. I check the visual design, user experience, perf, accessibilit...

Just upgraded a project to React 17

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 00:28:03 GMT

Just upgraded a project to React 17. Importing React is no longer required in React 17, so I used this react-codemod command to remove unnecessary...

How to attract and retain great developers: Pay well Use modern tech Offer...

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 12:46:27 GMT

How to attract and retain great developers: Pay well Use modern tech Offer flexible hours Provide fast laptops Support remote work Treat people wit...

TypeScript union types are 🔥

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 16:36:41 GMT

TypeScript union types are 🔥. Example: type Status = "Open" | "Pending" | "Closed"; However, what if I want to be able to iterate over these too?...

Three things I like to separate: 1

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 15:38:03 GMT

Three things I like to separate: 1. Retrieving data 2. Transforming / formatting data 3. Displaying data Often, when I’m dealing with code that’s c...

I'm switching between JavaScript and TypeScript

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 17:53:48 GMT

I'm switching between JavaScript and TypeScript. I've noticed TypeScript has a lower mental load. Here's why: In JS I have to remember object shape...

Physical projects: Measure twice, cut once

Sun, 02 May 2021 13:29:26 GMT

Physical projects: Measure twice, cut once. Undo is expensive. 😬 Virtual projects: Try and iterate. Undo is free. 😍

Woah, just learned you can use $npm_execpath to write npm scripts that work...

Wed, 05 May 2021 12:33:29 GMT

Woah, just learned you can use $npm_execpath to write npm scripts that work with both npm and Yarn: "prebuild": "$npm_execpath run clean" $npm_exec...

One developer, working alone, can ship as much code as an entire team

Fri, 07 May 2021 10:52:11 GMT

One developer, working alone, can ship as much code as an entire team. No communication overhead. No waiting for approvals. No cross-team blockers....

When a developer responds to every pull request with “looks good to me”, I...

Mon, 10 May 2021 12:47:15 GMT

When a developer responds to every pull request with “looks good to me”, I don’t think “wow, you’re easy to work with!” I think “are you too busy t...

Developers often focus on improving their coding skills

Tue, 11 May 2021 14:42:51 GMT

Developers often focus on improving their coding skills. But it’s the non-coding skills that transform developers into true leaders: Code review Pl...

TypeScript tip: VSCode's TypeScript server hangs sometimes

Sat, 15 May 2021 13:34:57 GMT

TypeScript tip: VSCode's TypeScript server hangs sometimes. When this happens, it will say something is an invalid type, when it's actually valid....

It's hard to mentally disconnect

Sun, 16 May 2021 21:17:54 GMT

It's hard to mentally disconnect. When I'm stuck, I ruminate on programming problems during my free time. https://t.co/VA3ROSbHgh

Being a developer requires balancing hubris with humility

Tue, 18 May 2021 14:33:26 GMT

Being a developer requires balancing hubris with humility. Hubris: “I’ve never done that. But sure, I can handle it”. Humility: “I just finished it...

To get promoted, exceed expectations

Tue, 18 May 2021 18:18:34 GMT

To get promoted, exceed expectations. Be proactive. Think bigger picture. Take on more responsibility. Identity and resolve quality issues (perform...

As a manager, I happily promoted proactive employees

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 12:08:37 GMT

As a manager, I happily promoted proactive employees. Proactive employees didn't merely bring me problems. They brought me solutions. They thought...

Developers who merely click approve on every pull request aren’t doing their job

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:53:11 GMT

Developers who merely click approve on every pull request aren’t doing their job. They’re a liability. They squander the opportunity for quality co...

5 strategies for quickly merging PRs: 1 Create small PRs 2 Open tickets for...

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 13:19:03 GMT

5 strategies for quickly merging PRs: 1 Create small PRs 2 Open tickets for issues that can be fixed later 3 Use feature toggles so work can be con...

Years ago I read “The Non-Designer’s Design Book”

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 10:58:30 GMT

Years ago I read “The Non-Designer’s Design Book”. It was an excellent time investment. I learned the fundamentals: Color 🖍 Spacing 👽 Typography...

The more I read about React 18, the more I realize: React is maturing into a...

Sat, 12 Jun 2021 17:00:17 GMT

The more I read about React 18, the more I realize: React is maturing into a library for building frameworks! Sure, I can build apps with just Reac...

React tip: To keep JSX simple, return early

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 11:32:31 GMT

React tip: To keep JSX simple, return early. Check for loading, 404s, or other errors first. #react

6 React “frameworks” and their typical use case: ⚛️ create-react-app:...

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 11:11:42 GMT

6 React “frameworks” and their typical use case: ⚛️ create-react-app: Client-rendered apps ⚛️ Gatsby: Server-rendered static apps ⚛️ Nextjs, Remix,...

Two code review approaches: 1

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 15:44:07 GMT

Two code review approaches: 1. Pull request 2. Pair/mob programming My take? I believe in a hybrid model. Neither is perfect. So we should use both...

When creating reusable React components, prefer compound components over...

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 13:07:57 GMT

When creating reusable React components, prefer compound components over config objects. Compound components are more flexible and offer a more nat...

Early in my career, my boss asked me to email all our customers

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 11:48:00 GMT

Early in my career, my boss asked me to email all our customers. I used a while loop…and forgot to increment the counter. The script emailed all ou...

The most useful piece of advice I’ve heard for designing reusable React...

Sat, 19 Jun 2021 12:16:35 GMT

The most useful piece of advice I’ve heard for designing reusable React components: Use popular libraries as inspiration. Before implementing my ow...

Splitting up a large front-end dev team requires 3 key ingredients: ✅ A...

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 13:03:23 GMT

Splitting up a large front-end dev team requires 3 key ingredients: ✅ A design system ✅ Designers that use the design system as their guide ✅ A com...

Why I ❤️ software development: Experimentation is typically acceptable,...

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 11:39:45 GMT

Why I ❤️ software development: Experimentation is typically acceptable, fast, and cheap. I sit down with a simple goal: Get *closer* to the solutio...

Why I taught my son HTML, JS, and CSS before Git: I believe it’s easier to...

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 12:00:47 GMT

Why I taught my son HTML, JS, and CSS before Git: I believe it’s easier to learn and appreciate something, if you’ve experienced the pain first. I...

Woah, just learned about CSS Container Queries

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 18:15:12 GMT

Woah, just learned about CSS Container Queries. Big idea: Declare queries that monitor *the size of the component's container* (instead of the enti...

Reusable React component design tip: Mimic native HTML APIs

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 18:47:02 GMT

Reusable React component design tip: Mimic native HTML APIs. Example: Avoid ...

I was immediately excited when I saw React

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 15:53:38 GMT

I was immediately excited when I saw React. I recognized the pain it would remove. I was tired of: ❌ Cryptic runtime errors ❌ Proprietary templatin...

“What gets measured, gets managed.” So as a dev, I measure: ✅ Build time ✅...

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 15:48:28 GMT

“What gets measured, gets managed.” So as a dev, I measure: ✅ Build time ✅ Bundle size ✅ Code coverage ✅ Code quality (Via ESLint, TypeScript, auto...

Simple pattern to reduce the pain of “prop drilling”: Consider using an...

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 12:48:54 GMT

Simple pattern to reduce the pain of “prop drilling”: Consider using an object instead of separate props. Another advantage to this approach: When...

I'm a big believer in automated testing

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 19:42:39 GMT

I'm a big believer in automated testing. But I typically write tests *after* writing the code. Why? Because my first design is rarely the final des...

Regex: Write once, read never

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 16:30:03 GMT

Regex: Write once, read never. My solution: 1. Put the regex in a pure function, with a good name. 2. Write automated tests on the function. Benefi...

The first thing I do when I consult with a company: I review their app’s...

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 14:10:30 GMT

The first thing I do when I consult with a company: I review their app’s dependencies. I typically run webpack-bundle-analyzer. It gives me a clear...

I run each PR I review locally

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 16:02:35 GMT

I run each PR I review locally. Why? Because there are many things that are hard to evaluate by merely reading code: Responsive design Accessibilit...

As a dev, I do "Quality Assurance"

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 20:06:05 GMT

As a dev, I do "Quality Assurance". 1. I run and test my own code. 2. I run and test my fellow developer's code during code reviews. Dedicated QA c...

Today I learned about CSS' currentColor value

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 16:13:26 GMT

Today I learned about CSS' currentColor value. It says "apply this element's color to this other attribute". So in this example, the border will be...

Just used TypeScript to enforce distinct prop combinations

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 12:08:32 GMT

Just used TypeScript to enforce distinct prop combinations. (also known as conditional props) 😍 In this example, I created a Card component that r...

A practical alternative to pair programming that I enjoy: I open PRs early,...

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 12:12:11 GMT

A practical alternative to pair programming that I enjoy: I open PRs early, and request feedback early. I say "This isn't done, but how do you feel...

It’s remarkable how much better life is on a development team with this...

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 19:44:37 GMT

It’s remarkable how much better life is on a development team with this simple rule: Code is automatically deployed to production when merged. No m...

The best financial advice I've found: 1

Sat, 31 Jul 2021 13:36:33 GMT

The best financial advice I've found: 1. Avoid being showy. Live beneath your means. Slack = freedom. 2. Avoid liabilities. Grow income via index f...

As I’ve learned TypeScript over the years, I’ve noticed a pattern: If it’s...

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 13:59:52 GMT

As I’ve learned TypeScript over the years, I’ve noticed a pattern: If it’s hard to type via TypeScript, I should probably rethink my design. #types...

My rule for React state: Any state that can be derived, should be derived

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 14:29:17 GMT

My rule for React state: Any state that can be derived, should be derived. This seems obvious with a simple example like this. But it's a surprisin...

A well-structured codebase is consistent on the following: Validation HTTP...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 12:06:35 GMT

A well-structured codebase is consistent on the following: Validation HTTP calls Sharing code Error handling Automated tests Route declarations Fil...

TypeScript tip: Declaring type keys in alphabetical order makes them easier...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 15:53:32 GMT

TypeScript tip: Declaring type keys in alphabetical order makes them easier to read later. The good news is, you don’t have to manually alphabetize...

Habit: When I'm done coding, I don't immediately open a pull request

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 12:57:45 GMT

Habit: When I'm done coding, I don't immediately open a pull request. I prefer to sleep on it. After a good night's sleep, I typically find multipl...

How I pivoted from an object-oriented programming style to a functional...

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 14:36:50 GMT

How I pivoted from an object-oriented programming style to a functional programming style: 1. I stopped attaching behavior to objects. My objects a...

When unit testing, I rarely use mocking libraries

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 12:15:44 GMT

When unit testing, I rarely use mocking libraries. Instead, I restructure the code so mocking isn't necessary. Here's how: 1. I split the code into...

Just learned about SWC, a Babel alternative

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 21:06:55 GMT

Just learned about SWC, a Babel alternative. Next.js is transitioning to use it instead of Babel. Why? It's 20x faster than Babel. How? It's writte...

Simple #TypeScript tip I wish someone had told me long ago: If you get a...

Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:57:21 GMT

Simple #TypeScript tip I wish someone had told me long ago: If you get a giant, scary error message, scroll to the end. The end of the message is t...

Common problem: "We don't have time to improve our process"

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 12:25:10 GMT

Common problem: "We don't have time to improve our process". "We don't have time to mock the APIs" = waste time with flakey calls. "We don’t have t...

My favorite way to create a new JavaScript object with a property omitted is...

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 18:15:57 GMT

My favorite way to create a new JavaScript object with a property omitted is Rest/spread. // Create a user without the address property const { add...

The only technique I’ve found for creating reliable end-to-end tests: 1

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 23:50:03 GMT

The only technique I’ve found for creating reliable end-to-end tests: 1. Run the app against a test db instance. 2. Recreate the db with a static d...

After shipping multiple projects with #TypeScript, I wouldn't go back to JS

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 21:03:59 GMT

After shipping multiple projects with #TypeScript, I wouldn't go back to JS. Yes, TypeScript requires extra work up front to declare types. But, th...

I'm excited about the new type narrowing features in #typescript 4.4

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 12:37:59 GMT

I'm excited about the new type narrowing features in #typescript 4.4. Now we can check types on one line, and TypeScript will "remember" that we na...

The difference between `any` and `unknown` in #TypeScript: any = “I don’t...

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 12:34:48 GMT

The difference between `any` and `unknown` in #TypeScript: any = “I don’t care” unknown = “I don’t know” Prefer `unknown` over `any`. Why? Because...

I've started using @Cypress_io & @TestingLib for more than testing

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 19:57:54 GMT

I've started using @Cypress_io & @TestingLib for more than testing. They're now part of my daily *dev* workflow. I do TDD by automating the bro...

z-index Tip: When creating a reusable component that declares a z-index, add...

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 14:16:16 GMT

z-index Tip: When creating a reusable component that declares a z-index, add this style to the root element: isolation: isolate Why? This creates a...

Job satisfaction is driven by 5 factors: 1

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 12:16:31 GMT

Job satisfaction is driven by 5 factors: 1. Significance: The work is meaningful and impactful 2. Task identity: A feeling of ownership in the work...

30+ HTML tags to consider before using a div: header footer nav main section...

Sat, 04 Sep 2021 14:56:08 GMT

30+ HTML tags to consider before using a div: header footer nav main section summary caption label p ul ol blockquote article aside mark details fi...

HTML accessibility tip: Only add a role if you can't use the ideal HTML tag

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 11:53:59 GMT

HTML accessibility tip: Only add a role if you can't use the ideal HTML tag. Why? Because many HTML tags automatically apply the proper role. Examp...

Scenario: You're using TypeScript, and want statically typed CSS too

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 18:33:11 GMT

Scenario: You're using TypeScript, and want statically typed CSS too. The answer: vanilla-extract. 😍 It's like CSS modules, but also type safe! (a...

An interesting JavaScript template string trick: You can replace this: {...

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 15:28:31 GMT

An interesting JavaScript template string trick: You can replace this: { "aria-required": isRequired ? "true" : "false"; } with this: { "aria-requi...

React PropTypes are dead to me

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 18:33:03 GMT

React PropTypes are dead to me. PropTypes: ❌ Checks at run-time ❌ React-specific ❌ No refactor protection ❌ Flakey autocomplete (plugins/patterns r...

10 lessons I've learned about handling React state over the last 7 years

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 13:10:22 GMT

10 lessons I've learned about handling React state over the last 7 years... (thread) #react #reactjs

Two reasons to use HTML
on forms: 1

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 12:04:22 GMT

Two reasons to use HTML

on forms: 1. Group related fields on a big form. Add a under each

. This he...

Habit: I often work in my car

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 23:23:22 GMT

Habit: I often work in my car. I do this when I drive my kids to their activities. To save a round-trip, I wait in my car and work. I bring my lapt...

The problem with sprints: Sprints create a constant sense of hurry

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 14:12:30 GMT

The problem with sprints: Sprints create a constant sense of hurry. Constantly feeling rushed is a big problem: ❌Hurts intrinsic motivation ❌Reduce...

Sprint mindset: "We estimate and commit to finishing work by this date"

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 11:27:16 GMT

Sprint mindset: "We estimate and commit to finishing work by this date". Kanban mindset: "We optimize for flow, prioritize often, visualize work-in...

My favorite way to estimate tickets

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 14:18:53 GMT

My favorite way to estimate tickets? Don’t. 😜 Instead, ask this: Can we break this ticket down further? This question leads to small tickets that...

I recently reviewed a team's codebase

Sat, 25 Sep 2021 17:10:46 GMT

I recently reviewed a team's codebase. There were dozens of broken automated tests. Why? The tests weren't being run on a CI server. My response? �...

A well-named test answers 3 questions: 1

Sun, 26 Sep 2021 13:55:02 GMT

A well-named test answers 3 questions: 1. What code is being tested? 2. What scenario is being tested? 3. What is the expected result? Answering th...

7 things that keep teams from doing Continuous Delivery (deploying daily or...

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 12:14:31 GMT

7 things that keep teams from doing Continuous Delivery (deploying daily or even hourly): 1. Non-atomic PRs. Solution: Each PR must be ready for a...

Handy pattern I enjoy: Clone the repo twice

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 15:57:01 GMT

Handy pattern I enjoy: Clone the repo twice. This way, I can have two local copies, pointed to different branches. I find this is useful when I nee...

Problem: You're using @Cypress_io for tests, and need to log in for each test

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 19:28:42 GMT

Problem: You're using @Cypress_io for tests, and need to log in for each test. Solution: Just found the new session API! It holds cookies & ses...

This Cypress post just blew my mind

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 15:57:24 GMT

This Cypress post just blew my mind. Summary: Avoid initializing test data via the UI. Instead, add a test-friendly API to your app. The API will i...

Why I store all URLs in a one file: ✅ Support reuse ✅ Enforce consistency ✅...

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 12:12:49 GMT

Why I store all URLs in a one file: ✅ Support reuse ✅ Enforce consistency ✅ Easy to see duplication ✅ Test URLs in isolation ✅ Simple call sites =...

7 practices that take more time up front, but save time later: 1

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 14:05:09 GMT

7 practices that take more time up front, but save time later: 1. Automating tests 2. Declaring types 3. Refactoring 4. Writing docs 5. Performing...

Common problems I see at companies that are struggling with their reusable...

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 11:10:36 GMT

Common problems I see at companies that are struggling with their reusable component library: ❌Weak docs ❌No UX team ❌No dedicated support team ❌Po...

Software dev is an amazing career

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 14:26:15 GMT

Software dev is an amazing career. Work anywhere. Flexible hours. Low red tape. Intellectually challenging. Lots of creative freedom. Many job oppo...

HTML z-index tip: You might not need a z-index at all

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 12:44:52 GMT

HTML z-index tip: You might not need a z-index at all. Here's why: Later HTML elements are automatically rendered above earlier elements. So, a z-i...

I'm working on 2 similar React component libraries

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 12:43:13 GMT

I'm working on 2 similar React component libraries. One is written in #javascript. One is written in #typescript. In the JS version, I frequently f...

Woah, just found Sapling, a @code extension that displays my app's React...

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 16:35:04 GMT

Woah, just found Sapling, a @code extension that displays my app's React component tree! 😍 I like visualizing and navigating the tree this way. Es...

The 4-step bug fix: 1

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 15:52:51 GMT

The 4-step bug fix: 1. Write a test that reproduces the bug (assert the correct behavior). 2. Watch the test fail, due to the bug. ❌ 3. Fix the bug...

JavaScript's 8 falsy values: 0 -0 false NaN "" (empty string) null undefined...

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 22:43:07 GMT

JavaScript's 8 falsy values: 0 -0 false NaN "" (empty string) null undefined document.all Everything else is truthy. #javascript

I'm trying out pnpm (a fast, powerful replacement for npm)

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 11:55:00 GMT

I'm trying out pnpm (a fast, powerful replacement for npm). It clearly tells me if I'm using a deprecated package, or if a newer major version is a...

Coding is writing

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 14:09:20 GMT

Coding is writing. So: Better grammar = better code. Better vocabulary = better code. Better organizational skills = better code. More empathy for...

For most of my life, my goal was to save enough money that I could stop working

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 12:34:46 GMT

For most of my life, my goal was to save enough money that I could stop working. Now I realize that was the wrong goal for me. I love what I do. So...

How to create a React app in 2021: Client rendered: create-react-app Static,...

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 12:35:29 GMT

How to create a React app in 2021: Client rendered: create-react-app Static, pre-rendered: @GatsbyJS, @astrodotbuild Server-rendered: Next.js by @v...

This week I worked with a team to get code coverage over 80% (a corporate...

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 11:42:46 GMT

This week I worked with a team to get code coverage over 80% (a corporate minimum). The problem with this effort: Code coverage can be gamed. Sure,...

Found a M1 Max 32GB in stock at my local Apple store and couldn’t resist

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 16:29:49 GMT

Found a M1 Max 32GB in stock at my local Apple store and couldn’t resist! Pros over my 2019 i9: ✅ Fast! Runs Jest tests twice as fast as my i9. ✅ A...

Mac performance / battery life tip: Tell Spotlight to ignore the folder...

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 00:12:56 GMT

Mac performance / battery life tip: Tell Spotlight to ignore the folder where you store source code. Especially important for #JavaScript devs due...

Woah, I just found an elegant way to resolve package-lock.json conflicts:...

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 00:50:58 GMT

Woah, I just found an elegant way to resolve package-lock.json conflicts: npm install --package-lock-only "npm will automatically resolve any confl...

Woah, Chrome now has a built in recorder

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 13:34:54 GMT

Woah, Chrome now has a built in recorder. Includes metrics for measuring performance too. And you can export the results to a Puppeteer script. htt...

Checklist: How to make your React app faster ⚛️: ✅ Keep state as local as...

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 13:37:00 GMT

Checklist: How to make your React app faster ⚛️: ✅ Keep state as local as possible. Start by declaring state in the component that uses it. Lift as...

When I consider splitting up a component: 1

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 13:04:52 GMT

When I consider splitting up a component: 1. Support reuse 2. Eliminate duplicated markup 3. JSX is hard to read / "too long" / doesn’t “fit in my...

Had an awesome evening out last night in Atlanta with @jcreamer898...

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 12:32:30 GMT

Had an awesome evening out last night in Atlanta with @jcreamer898 @kentcdodds @flybayer @RayGesualdo! Having a blast at @connect_js!

This week I learned more about a new React framework: @blitz_js

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 13:28:54 GMT

This week I learned more about a new React framework: @blitz_js. Blitz "wraps" Next.js and adds: ✅@prisma DB ✅Generates funcs for calling the API v...

Code review habit: To review tests, I split my editor vertically

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 17:53:53 GMT

Code review habit: To review tests, I split my editor vertically. Left side: File under test Right side: Test Benefits: ✅ Reading tests helps me un...

Two things I enjoy: ✅ Fast machines ✅ Fast test suites On the M1 Max, 300+...

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 13:54:34 GMT

Two things I enjoy: ✅ Fast machines ✅ Fast test suites On the M1 Max, 300+ tests pass in less than 1 second! 😍

I was using fireEvent with @TestingLib

Sat, 13 Nov 2021 13:32:00 GMT

I was using fireEvent with @TestingLib. But, I've switched to using user-event instead. Why? The docs now recommend user-event instead fireEvent: h...

Many #React devs consider create-react-app the obvious choice

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 13:34:14 GMT

Many #React devs consider create-react-app the obvious choice. But that era is passing. - It’s not supported by Meta full-time anymore - There are...

With projects that use npm, it's easy to make two mistakes: ❌ Unused...

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 13:45:57 GMT

With projects that use npm, it's easy to make two mistakes: ❌ Unused packages in package.json ❌ Using packages that aren't in package.json To catch...

Being a developer requires balancing 2 skills: 1

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 19:31:37 GMT

Being a developer requires balancing 2 skills: 1. Be curious (get to the root of the problem) 2. Accept some mysteries (so you can get things done)...

Wow, the #React ecosystem now has (at least) 3 routers: 1

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 01:35:16 GMT

Wow, the #React ecosystem now has (at least) 3 routers: 1. React Router 2. Next.js Router 3. React Location - the new router from @tannerlinsley (t...

I need to pick an auth provider for a web app startup

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 11:57:25 GMT

I need to pick an auth provider for a web app startup. I like Auth0, but my client is concerned about the cost at scale. Questions: 1. What other p...

Ever wonder if your TypeScript app has unused code

Sat, 20 Nov 2021 19:37:12 GMT

Ever wonder if your TypeScript app has unused code? This handy package finds unused exports: https://github.com/pzavolinsky/ts-unused-exports #type...

Habit: I step away from the machine when I get a confusing error

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 15:56:34 GMT

Habit: I step away from the machine when I get a confusing error. Benefits: ✅ Stepping away lowers my stress and fosters creativity. ✅ I know what...

Just found a way to write React tests faster

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 13:18:17 GMT

Just found a way to write React tests faster! Instead of writing tests from scratch, I'm writing Jest tests against my Storybook stories via this "...

After working in TypeScript for awhile, writing JavaScript feels...

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 17:24:04 GMT

After working in TypeScript for awhile, writing JavaScript feels surprisingly dangerous, and mentally taxing. Here's why: ✅ TypeScript makes the im...

Pull request habit: Provide before and after screenshots in the pull request...

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 13:08:58 GMT

Pull request habit: Provide before and after screenshots in the pull request description. I'm on a team that's doing this consistently. I've found...

Problem: I have a React component with optional props that should only be...

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 17:28:46 GMT

Problem: I have a React component with optional props that should only be used together. Solution: I unify the props into a single prop that accept...

A frustrating trend: The biggest reason I see teams ignoring/violating the...

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 13:50:56 GMT

A frustrating trend: The biggest reason I see teams ignoring/violating the design system isn’t developers. It’s designers. Some designers reinvent...

Today I’m thankful for: @reactjs - For providing an elegant component API...

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 13:40:57 GMT

Today I’m thankful for: @reactjs - For providing an elegant component API @TestingLib - For helping me write user-oriented tests, & accessible...

My initial impressions on @remix_run: ✅ Uses the web platform ✅ Works...

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 14:46:18 GMT

My initial impressions on @remix_run: ✅ Uses the web platform ✅ Works without JS ✅ Elegantly mixes React with backend code ✅ Clear “page” API ✅ Fil...

I’ve seen some teams fail to successfully create design systems and...

Sun, 28 Nov 2021 14:41:28 GMT

I’ve seen some teams fail to successfully create design systems and component libraries. Mistakes: ❌ Poor docs ❌ Allowing designers/devs to ignore...

To expedite code reviews, I keep my PR's small

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 13:05:54 GMT

To expedite code reviews, I keep my PR's small. Here's how: ✅ Focus on 1 thing. ✅ Only change what’s necessary for that 1 thing. ✅ Handle bugs, new...

I find TypeScript gets me to a better design, faster, because it encourages...

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 18:55:14 GMT

I find TypeScript gets me to a better design, faster, because it encourages me to refactor earlier, and more often. In JS, I’m hesitant to change m...

My code review checklist: ✅ Tested ✅ Secure ✅ Robust ✅ Reusable ✅ Accessible...

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 13:15:42 GMT

My code review checklist: ✅ Tested ✅ Secure ✅ Robust ✅ Reusable ✅ Accessible ✅ Performant ✅ Configurable ✅ Documented I use this as a quick reminde...

I admire how @remix_run embraces convention over configuration (as...

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 22:45:50 GMT

I admire how @remix_run embraces convention over configuration (as popularized by Rails) ✅ Name your file, and get a route "for free" ✅ Export a fu...

Becoming a software developer is a journey, not a destination

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 14:58:01 GMT

Becoming a software developer is a journey, not a destination. The moment you write your first code, you’re a software developer. The rest is a jou...

15 ways to make a slow React app: Put all state in the root Don’t cache,...

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 14:17:08 GMT

15 ways to make a slow React app: Put all state in the root Don’t cache, refetch Pass needless props Change state constantly Request more data than...

To close out the year, I'm experimenting with using these compelling tools...

Sat, 11 Dec 2021 17:05:09 GMT

To close out the year, I'm experimenting with using these compelling tools more in 2022: @remix_run @turborepo @tailwindcss @ApiMocking @prisma @pn...

A powerful way to grow quickly: Learn alone, for free

Sat, 11 Dec 2021 19:29:33 GMT

A powerful way to grow quickly: Learn alone, for free. I don't need permission, a teacher, or costly resources to learn a new skill. I just need to...

My unintuitive solution to burnout: Learn

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 14:45:16 GMT

My unintuitive solution to burnout: Learn. Sometimes, when I feel burnout, I’m actually just bored. I want novelty. I want a new challenge. I want...

Just created Remix Doge with @remix_run

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 17:23:27 GMT

Just created Remix Doge with @remix_run. The app displays dog images from an API.🐕 Why I'm impressed: 1. It runs without JS 2. Very little code No...

This month I’m switching one of my clients from create-react-app to @vercel...

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 14:33:30 GMT

This month I’m switching one of my clients from create-react-app to @vercel Next.js. I’ve noticed the strong opinions help me navigate and build fa...

When logic is hard to unit test due to side-effects, I typically prefer...

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 14:59:32 GMT

When logic is hard to unit test due to side-effects, I typically prefer extracting over mocking. My approach: 1. Extract the logic to a well-named,...

A common automated testing mistake in TypeScript: Not specifying the...

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 13:40:15 GMT

A common automated testing mistake in TypeScript: Not specifying the expected result's type. Types are useful in tests too. For all the same reason...

When I think back on my early career, I made one mistake frequently: I tried...

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 13:10:34 GMT

When I think back on my early career, I made one mistake frequently: I tried to change too much at once, and got overwhelmed. I’ve learned small, i...

There’s nothing wrong with using free time to learn, explore, and grow

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 21:49:03 GMT

There’s nothing wrong with using free time to learn, explore, and grow. Voluntary growth isn’t “hustle culture”. Working outside work isn’t “workah...

Concern: Waiting for code reviews wastes time

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 14:45:17 GMT

Concern: Waiting for code reviews wastes time. Reality: I can be productive while waiting for a review. ✅ I review my own PR a final time. ✅ I revi...

Just learned about Zod, a #TypeScript schema declaration and validation library

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 17:49:49 GMT

Just learned about Zod, a #TypeScript schema declaration and validation library. Zod is a simple way to validate API response shapes. Declare a val...

I hated Apple

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 02:59:05 GMT

I hated Apple. I thought it was just overpriced. Now I realize what they're selling: Integration. My laptop, phone, watch, and headphones all talk...

Accessibility tip: Use aria-current to style active links

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 13:37:11 GMT

Accessibility tip: Use aria-current to style active links. Benefits: 1. Screen reader users will get a friendly notification that the link is activ...

Just switched an app from create-react-app to @vercel Next.js

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 20:14:51 GMT

Just switched an app from create-react-app to @vercel Next.js. A surprising benefit: Tests run twice as fast! Here’s why: With Next, each page rend...

10 reasons I recently switched an app from create-react-app to @vercel...

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 15:59:14 GMT

10 reasons I recently switched an app from create-react-app to @vercel Next.js: 1 Faster startup 2 Faster builds 3 Faster first paint 4 Faster test...

Has anyone created a comparison of @nextjs be @remix_run yet

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 02:18:54 GMT

Has anyone created a comparison of @nextjs be @remix_run yet? I’m enjoying both and compiling my thoughts, but would love to hear other takes.

3 dev team tasks, ordered by priority: 1

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 15:12:30 GMT

3 dev team tasks, ordered by priority: 1. Critical bugs/blockers 2. Code review 3. Writing code Common mistake: Prioritizing coding over code revie...

Four frontend trends I'm seeing in 2022: 1

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 15:37:50 GMT

Four frontend trends I'm seeing in 2022: 1. Moving from client-side to server-side rendering 2. Moving from lean client-side generators to full-sta...

TIL this is valid #JavaScript: onClick?.(); I'm familiar with optional...

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 21:18:03 GMT

TIL this is valid #JavaScript: onClick?.(); I'm familiar with optional chaining, but I didn't realize I could use it before the invocation parens l...

To me, the best thing money can buy is freedom

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 15:47:39 GMT

To me, the best thing money can buy is freedom. Freedom to eat what I want. Freedom to sleep when I want. Freedom to travel where I want. Freedom t...

10 reusable component mistakes: 1

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 18:25:47 GMT

10 reusable component mistakes: 1. Incompatible props Example: Solution: Unify props t...

When I started programming, I feared I could never remember it all

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 14:16:33 GMT

When I started programming, I feared I could never remember it all. Now, I know that I never will. And that’s okay. Success as a modern developer i...

Rapid development checklist: Clear requirements Small tickets Mock APIs CI...

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 15:22:57 GMT

Rapid development checklist: Clear requirements Small tickets Mock APIs CI server Linting Feature flags Trunk-based dev Static types Automated test...

Just learned about devcontainers

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 14:38:23 GMT

Just learned about devcontainers. Declare a Docker image that contains your dev environment. Benefits: ✅ No need to manually install dependencies ✅...

Just published

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 03:32:05 GMT

Just published! 🎉 Building Reusable Components...That Are Actually Reusable 🎥 In this talk, I share lessons learned from helping companies build...

Why I use a backend for frontend (BFF) for most SPAs I build: ✅ Better security

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 18:53:30 GMT

Why I use a backend for frontend (BFF) for most SPAs I build: ✅ Better security. The BFF can set an HTTP-only cookie. ✅ Better performance. I can a...

A little code review habit I appreciate: When my teammates make a minor...

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 17:43:09 GMT

A little code review habit I appreciate: When my teammates make a minor suggestion, they often prefix it with "Nit:" It's a short, polite way to sa...

Why software development is so satisfying: We accelerate slow processes

Sat, 22 Jan 2022 13:51:52 GMT

Why software development is so satisfying: We accelerate slow processes. We simplify complex processes. We secure insecure processes. We harden err...

I just created a custom Link component

Sat, 22 Jan 2022 16:51:11 GMT

I just created a custom Link component. What makes it unique? It only accepts *known* URLs. Benefits: ✅ Concise syntax ✅ URL autocomplete support ✅...

I believe in storing developer-oriented docs in the repo

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 16:08:38 GMT

I believe in storing developer-oriented docs in the repo. 1. No discovery issues. It’s in the repo. 🔎 2. Easily navigate between the docs and the...

New React 18 APIs: createRoot - replaces render startTransition - for low...

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 22:49:40 GMT

New React 18 APIs: createRoot - replaces render startTransition - for low priority updates useId - Creates an ID that is consistent on server and c...

How I use #TypeScript with #Node today: 1

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 17:09:10 GMT

How I use #TypeScript with #Node today: 1. For dev, I use ts-node. ts-node compiles TypeScript before passing it on to Node. Useful for npm scripts...

#TypeScript type narrowing: Use a truthy condition to remove null/undefined...

Sat, 05 Feb 2022 14:54:53 GMT

#TypeScript type narrowing: Use a truthy condition to remove null/undefined Use "typeof" to narrow a union of primitives Use "instanceof" to narrow...

An interesting new collaborative software architecture: local-first...

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 18:28:48 GMT

An interesting new collaborative software architecture: local-first Traditional web apps think of the server as the primary system of record. local...

8 ways to potentially speed up JavaScript project builds: Build tools: 1

Sat, 12 Feb 2022 16:29:23 GMT

8 ways to potentially speed up JavaScript project builds: Build tools: 1. swc 2. esbuild Fast, modern dev env: 3. Vite 4. Astro Monorepo tools: 5....

Here's an interesting browser state solution: A database, written in JS,...

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 13:54:36 GMT

Here's an interesting browser state solution: A database, written in JS, called TinyBase. Tables, rows, cells, indexes, relationships, undo, and mo...

In theory, it would be nice to write JavaScript web apps that don't need to...

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 13:58:19 GMT

In theory, it would be nice to write JavaScript web apps that don't need to be compiled. It's possible today. But there are multiple reasons I keep...

I often implement React components via 6 files: 1

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 13:58:51 GMT

I often implement React components via 6 files: 1. Button.tsx - component 2. Button.types.ts - TS types 3. Button.test.ts - Jest + testing-library...

Habit: When declaring REST API response types via #TypeScript, I only...

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 13:12:46 GMT

Habit: When declaring REST API response types via #TypeScript, I only declare properties for the fields we use. Benefits: 1. The type is simpler. 2...

I don't generate mock data

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 14:31:20 GMT

I don't generate mock data. I create it by hand, strategically. I store it in static files. It covers our edge cases. When I find a bug, I: 1. Augm...

Which initialization pattern do you typically prefer

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 20:47:02 GMT

Which initialization pattern do you typically prefer? Option 1: Initialize as null Option 2: Initialize as empty object Why?

Just learned about Ky, an elegant alternative to fetch or Axios

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 14:44:15 GMT

Just learned about Ky, an elegant alternative to fetch or Axios. https://github.com/sindresorhus/ky Ky requires VERY little code to make HTTP calls...

Just learned about the void operator in #JavaScript

Sat, 26 Feb 2022 14:07:57 GMT

Just learned about the void operator in #JavaScript. Useful to say “return undefined, regardless of what this code does”. Example: return void res....

5 key developer skills: 1

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 13:52:05 GMT

5 key developer skills: 1. Decomposition: Break big problems down into small problems. 2. Grouping: Store related things together. 3. Naming: Descr...

Just used esbuild-runner to speed up an app’s npm scripts, written in TypeScript

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 13:11:11 GMT

Just used esbuild-runner to speed up an app’s npm scripts, written in TypeScript. esbuild-runner starts the app over twice as fast. Here’s the diff...

A map object is often an elegant alternative to switch statements and...

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 14:01:17 GMT

A map object is often an elegant alternative to switch statements and if/else statements. A map object maps keys to values. The map's values can be...

Why I avoid naming files "index": 1

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 12:52:01 GMT

Why I avoid naming files "index": 1. Many files called index.* makes my open tabs harder to scan for the right file. 2. I open files by name using...

VS Code tip: If you're on a project with a lot of files named index, you can...

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 14:18:11 GMT

VS Code tip: If you're on a project with a lot of files named index, you can show the folder's name in the tab. Change Workbench › Editor: Label Fo...

Writing tests first (TDD) is a tradeoff

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 13:25:07 GMT

Writing tests first (TDD) is a tradeoff. Writing tests first: ✅Assures my code is testable ✅Assures each feature is covered ✅Avoids regressions dur...

For years, I’ve been creating custom mock APIs for each app

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 13:13:22 GMT

For years, I’ve been creating custom mock APIs for each app. So, here’s an exciting idea I’m implementing today: 1. Create a mock API server to moc...

3 technologies that are “better” than React: 1

Sat, 12 Mar 2022 12:27:00 GMT

3 technologies that are “better” than React: 1. Preact 2. Svelte 3. Solidjs These options offer better performance, smaller bundles, and more elega...

Stop disabling copy/paste

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 14:21:11 GMT

Hey developers, please stop disabling copy/paste in form fields! 🚨 It’s awful UX. It’s confusing. It doesn’t improve security. It breaks password managers. It …

An untrusted developer is a net loss

Sat, 19 Mar 2022 11:31:42 GMT

An untrusted developer is a net loss. The impact: Each line must be carefully reviewed in hopes of catching all the mistakes. We can’t assume anyth...

Component design trick: When creating a component, I try to design the...

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 16:08:49 GMT

Component design trick: When creating a component, I try to design the public API before writing code. I ask “What is the most desirable code for c...

Using Storybook

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 01:35:04 GMT

Using Storybook? Me too. But, I just tried out Ladle. It's basically Storybook, but MUCH faster. Ladle uses esbuild and Vite behind the scenes for...

5 reasons reusable components are harder to write than app code: 1

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 16:18:42 GMT

5 reasons reusable components are harder to write than app code: 1. We have to carefully document each setting so reuse scenarios are clear 2. The...

My take on micro-frontends: I think it’s important to standardize on one UI...

Sat, 26 Mar 2022 16:01:38 GMT

My take on micro-frontends: I think it’s important to standardize on one UI tech to deliver optimal UX. Why? Using a single UI tech to build the en...

3 ways to scale a frontend across teams: 1

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 14:54:42 GMT

3 ways to scale a frontend across teams: 1. Micro-frontend - Each team owns a vertical slice 2. Separate apps - Each team owns separate pages on di...

20 reasons to consider @nextjs over create-react-app: 1

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 12:59:35 GMT

20 reasons to consider @nextjs over create-react-app: 1. Faster startup (compiles pages on-the-fly) 2. Faster builds (uses swc) 3. Static generatio...

Just learned CSS has 5 "Layout modes": 1

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 14:10:11 GMT

Just learned CSS has 5 "Layout modes": 1. Flexbox 2. Positioned (eg. position: absolute) 3. Grid 4. Table 5. Flow Some CSS properties work differen...

Pairing vs code reviews is often debated

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 12:59:13 GMT

Pairing vs code reviews is often debated. It’s a tradeoff. Pair programming: ✅ Produces higher quality code ✅ Grows new devs faster ✅ Avoids rework...

I work with dozens of teams every year

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 16:42:12 GMT

I work with dozens of teams every year. The goal? Accelerate development. Things I look for: ✅ Are endpoints mocked? ✅ Do test personas exist? ✅ Do...

This CSS reset by @JoshWComeau contains a lot of thoughtful little tricks

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 15:18:13 GMT

This CSS reset by @JoshWComeau contains a lot of thoughtful little tricks. I learned a lot just reading his justifications. https://www.joshwcomeau...

Woah, just installed Fig

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 15:35:17 GMT

Woah, just installed Fig. Fig provides slick autocomplete in the Terminal. Only spent a few minutes with it so far, but I'm loving this so far. 👍...

3 ways to split a dev team that is too big: 1

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 12:33:41 GMT

3 ways to split a dev team that is too big: 1. Vertical: Each team owns a different vertical slice 2. Horizontal: Separate front and backend team 3...

Many teams say "accessibility is important", but don't actually test...

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 12:52:11 GMT

Many teams say "accessibility is important", but don't actually test accessibility. Why? They're "too busy". They don't know how to test accessibil...

Wow, TIL why Edge servers use V8 instead of Node

Sat, 23 Apr 2022 22:34:05 GMT

Wow, TIL why Edge servers use V8 instead of Node. It starts up 100x faster than Node. 🤯 This is huge. Not just because it's far lower overhead. Al...

Are you unfamiliar with Edge hosting

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 11:13:41 GMT

Are you unfamiliar with Edge hosting? This is a wonderful intro. This post explains why @Cloudflare chose: 1. The V8 JavaScript engine 2. The servi...

CSS Viewport height is complicated

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 12:05:25 GMT

CSS Viewport height is complicated. Summary: lvh: Largest viewport height (when browser UI is hidden) svh: Smallest viewport height (when browser U...

Lerna is unmaintained

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 15:53:24 GMT

Lerna is unmaintained. So, here are 10 monorepo-related tools to consider: 1. @NxDevTools 2. @turborepo 3. @pnpmjs workspace 4. @yarnpkg workspace...

I enjoyed this "TypeScript tips and tricks" episode with @mpocock1

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 18:37:00 GMT

I enjoyed this "TypeScript tips and tricks" episode with @mpocock1. He solves some seriously tricky typing problems with #typescript - including us...

I just learned there is a 28,000 km (17k miles) long stretch of fibre-optic...

Sun, 01 May 2022 18:25:04 GMT

I just learned there is a 28,000 km (17k miles) long stretch of fibre-optic cable that runs all the way from the UK to Japan. It’s called FLAG (Fib...

4 options for rendering in @nextjs: 1

Mon, 02 May 2022 12:12:41 GMT

4 options for rendering in @nextjs: 1. Static Site Generation (SSG) 2. Incremental Static Generation (ISG) 3. Server-side Rendering (SSR) 4. Client...

🚨 I'm writing a new course

Tue, 03 May 2022 13:04:37 GMT

🚨 I'm writing a new course! 🚨 “Next.js 12: The Big Picture” This course is for anyone considering @nextjs. It covers what makes Next.js special,...

I'm a @remix_run fan

Wed, 04 May 2022 15:39:18 GMT

I'm a @remix_run fan. But, there are valid reasons to prefer @nextjs static builds for some sites: 1. Static files are simple 2. Static files are c...

You probably don’t need CSS media queries anymore

Thu, 05 May 2022 12:30:49 GMT

You probably don’t need CSS media queries anymore. Why? Because CSS has matured. We can go beyond mere responsive designs. Now, we can support *flu...

Wow - I just converted a React component library build process from Rollup...

Thu, 05 May 2022 15:54:46 GMT

Wow - I just converted a React component library build process from Rollup to esbuild. Before, using Rollup: 33 seconds After, using esbuild: 8 sec...

React hooks tip: Prefer primitives in dependency arrays

Sat, 07 May 2022 12:20:49 GMT

React hooks tip: Prefer primitives in dependency arrays. Doing so helps avoid needless re-runs. #react

Common scenario: A team has two types of tests: 1

Mon, 09 May 2022 13:44:00 GMT

Common scenario: A team has two types of tests: 1. Unit tests (testing functions and components in isolation, often via @fbjest) 2. In-browser test...

Developer experience (DX) metrics: 1

Wed, 11 May 2022 13:41:34 GMT

Developer experience (DX) metrics: 1. How fast is the feedback loop? 2. How fast are the tests? 3. Can devs code against local mocks? 4. How fast i...

I’m a @Cypress_io fan

Fri, 13 May 2022 12:16:33 GMT

I’m a @Cypress_io fan. But, it’s not perfect. 1. Can’t trigger keyboard tab key 2. Can’t switch in/out of iframes 3. Can’t hover 4. Can't test cont...

Just learned about http://a11ysupport.io

Sat, 14 May 2022 12:51:32 GMT

Just learned about http://a11ysupport.io. Trying to write accessible web app? This site documents the features each screen reader supports. So it's...

Problem: With controlled React forms, every keystroke causes the form to...

Sun, 15 May 2022 13:35:05 GMT

Problem: With controlled React forms, every keystroke causes the form to re-render. This can lead to lag on long/expensive forms. Three solutions:...

Modern browsers support built-in form validation

Tue, 17 May 2022 13:15:42 GMT

Modern browsers support built-in form validation. Looks nice, right? But, many web developers don't use this built-in form validation. Here are 3 r...

PSA: React “concurrent mode” doesn’t exist

Wed, 18 May 2022 00:43:44 GMT

PSA: React “concurrent mode” doesn’t exist. It was proposed, but ultimately abandoned. Instead, React 18 gives us 2 hooks for declaring low-priorit...

I ❤️ Next and Remix

Thu, 19 May 2022 14:51:23 GMT

I ❤️ Next and Remix. Here's my take on @nextjs vs @remix_run in one image. What's interesting: I expect the list of unique benefits to get shorter...

Accessibility tip: Wrapping related form elements in a fieldset improves...

Sat, 21 May 2022 12:44:50 GMT

Accessibility tip: Wrapping related form elements in a fieldset improves accessibility. Example: Wrap radios in a fieldset with a legend. Then, scr...

Here's a React hook that checks if the user's device has a rear facing camera

Sun, 22 May 2022 11:58:49 GMT

Here's a React hook that checks if the user's device has a rear facing camera. Technique: Use the browser's getUserMedia API to check if facingMode...

Picking between px and em/rem in CSS has always confused me

Mon, 23 May 2022 01:36:08 GMT

Picking between px and em/rem in CSS has always confused me. This post by @JoshWComeau has finally made this decision clear! Summary: If the value...

Problem: The React docs encourage declaring anonymous functions in useEffect

Mon, 23 May 2022 11:59:57 GMT

Problem: The React docs encourage declaring anonymous functions in useEffect. This means the developer's intent isn't documented. 👎 Solution: Call...

Tired of getting "could not resolve" errors when running npm install

Mon, 23 May 2022 19:29:07 GMT

Tired of getting "could not resolve" errors when running npm install? This is typically caused by a package that needs to update its peerDependenci...

Why I enjoy React: I can use the parts I like, and replace the rest

Tue, 24 May 2022 16:06:36 GMT

Why I enjoy React: I can use the parts I like, and replace the rest. Don’t like useEffect or useState? No problem. Use third party state (react-que...

Woah

Wed, 25 May 2022 12:20:48 GMT

Woah. I just learned that HTML file inputs can access photos, videos, and audio captured directly by the device's camera and microphone like this:

Problem: People forget to write tests

Wed, 25 May 2022 19:07:42 GMT

Problem: People forget to write tests. Solution: Write a test that asserts that each file has a test. 😎 Below, I'm using Jest to assure each compo...

New hosting trend: JavaScript containers 7 reasons hosts are embracing JS...

Sat, 28 May 2022 12:57:42 GMT

New hosting trend: JavaScript containers 7 reasons hosts are embracing JS “containers”: 1. JS is more powerful than shell 2. JS is ubiquitous - Man...

I just read the “Web Forms” module on MDN

Sun, 29 May 2022 13:18:15 GMT

I just read the “Web Forms” module on MDN. I learned a variety of tricks. It’s hard to keep up with the enhancements over the years. And it’s easy...

Problem: If the user navigates away before a fetch completes, it creates a...

Mon, 30 May 2022 13:28:43 GMT

Problem: If the user navigates away before a fetch completes, it creates a race condition. They’ll see the “abandoned” request’s data if it returns...

Problem: Fetching in useEffect means React components render, then fetch

Tue, 31 May 2022 14:23:50 GMT

Problem: Fetching in useEffect means React components render, then fetch. This can lead to slow network waterfalls. Solution: Fetch as you render....

useEffect is a last resort

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 12:16:32 GMT

useEffect is a last resort. 3 cases where useEffect is overused: 1. To sync with state changes. Derive on each render instead. Memo if needed. 2. T...

Everyone is talking about server-side rendering

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 12:59:20 GMT

Everyone is talking about server-side rendering. Why? SEO and page load speed. Yet many web apps are: 1. Behind a login (so SEO doesn’t matter) 2....

Impression: React is getting more complex

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 22:18:57 GMT

Impression: React is getting more complex. Reality: The new React docs contain more nuance. They reflect important lessons from years of use. They...

Wow, just found this huge list of free public APIs

Sat, 04 Jun 2022 15:11:19 GMT

Wow, just found this huge list of free public APIs. Quite useful for learning, experimenting, and building demo apps. https://github.com/public-api...

You probably know :hover, :focus, and :active pseudo-classes

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 12:39:29 GMT

You probably know :hover, :focus, and :active pseudo-classes. Here’s some lesser-known CSS 3 selectors: :required :optional :valid :invalid :in-ran...

SSR with React is easy with Next or Remix

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 13:25:37 GMT

SSR with React is easy with Next or Remix. But, SSR has a cost: fewer hosting options. A CSR app can be hosted anywhere, cheaply. An SSR app requir...

Solid tip

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 19:15:01 GMT

Solid tip. “Once a PR has around 5 comments, consider suggesting a pair programming session instead of adding more comments." This speeds the feedb...

Next.js supports 4 rendering approaches

Sat, 11 Jun 2022 14:40:09 GMT

Next.js supports 4 rendering approaches. Picking a rendering approach in @nextjs can be tricky. I choose between them on page-by-page basis. Here's...

🚨 React developers: 🚨 You don’t have to fetch data via useEffect

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 13:31:09 GMT

🚨 React developers: 🚨 You don’t have to fetch data via useEffect. Here are 7 compelling alternatives to fetching data via useEffect: 1. react-que...

My decision tree: Using @remix_run

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 13:41:14 GMT

My decision tree: Using @remix_run? Fetch in loader. Using @nextjs? Fetch in getServerSideProps/getStaticProps and via swr on client. Using React R...

Attack: “I can’t believe React doesn’t have data fetching and routing...

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 11:41:21 GMT

Attack: “I can’t believe React doesn’t have data fetching and routing built-in.” My take: React is a component library. This focus is why it’s exte...

2 situations to consider web components: 1

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 14:10:15 GMT

2 situations to consider web components: 1. Your company wants to build a reusable component library that isn’t tied to a specific tech (like React...

Today I'm thinking about the tradeoffs inherent in choosing a full-featured...

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 16:46:17 GMT

Today I'm thinking about the tradeoffs inherent in choosing a full-featured framework like @nextjs. Here's my list. Can you think of other tradeoff...

It's wonderful to see standards emerging for non-browser JavaScript runtimes

Sat, 18 Jun 2022 12:47:39 GMT

It's wonderful to see standards emerging for non-browser JavaScript runtimes. Standards will help in at least 2 ways: 1. We can write JS that runs...

Here are 7 ways to create a React app in 2022

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:24:07 GMT

Here are 7 ways to create a React app in 2022. This feature matrix shows some key differences at a glance. List includes: @vite_js @nextjs @remix_r...

Great suggestion in the new React docs: Worried about the performance impact...

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 17:08:55 GMT

Great suggestion in the new React docs: Worried about the performance impact of calculating a value on each render? Then use console.time to test t...

I rarely memoize in React

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 12:40:01 GMT

I rarely memoize in React. Instead I: 1. Keep state as local as possible, to keep renders local. 2. Strategically decompose components to keep freq...

Developer experience (DX) matters

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:13:15 GMT

Developer experience (DX) matters. What does good DX look like? Fast compiles Robust mocks Excellent docs Easy code sharing Powerful dev tools Clea...

Accessibility / UX tip: Avoid disabling buttons

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 19:31:07 GMT

Accessibility / UX tip: Avoid disabling buttons. Show errors instead. Why? ❌ Disabled buttons may look clickable. Nothing happens when clicked. ❌ D...

Anti-pattern: Needlessly reading the URL

Sat, 25 Jun 2022 12:57:18 GMT

Anti-pattern: Needlessly reading the URL. Example: A button that reads the URL to determine what it should do. 👎 Simpler solution: Pass a prop to...

🚨 Web developers 🚨 and

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 12:34:30 GMT

🚨 Web developers 🚨 and

It's live

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 12:12:15 GMT

It's live! 🎉 My new course "Next.js 12: The Big Picture", just published on @pluralsight. In this course, I cover why Next.js is useful, review it...

This diagram showcases what makes @remix_run special: Dataflows include the...

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 02:13:23 GMT

This diagram showcases what makes @remix_run special: Dataflows include the server. Loaders pass data to the component. Then, Actions pass data bac...

On big, fast moving teams, merge conflicts can burn a lot of time

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 12:31:30 GMT

On big, fast moving teams, merge conflicts can burn a lot of time. 5 ways to avoid painful merge conflicts: 1. Reduce team size 2. Clarify code own...

Critique: “Remix looks like PHP”

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 14:07:31 GMT

Critique: “Remix looks like PHP”. Rebuttal: 1. PHP is popular because it’s a simple way to compose logic with markup. Same with Remix. 👍 2. PHP do...

Even after 20+ years of coding, I often make rookie mistakes

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 23:29:55 GMT

Even after 20+ years of coding, I often make rookie mistakes. I learn new things that someone else learned early in their career. My learning path...

Microfrontends require balancing user experience (UX) with developer...

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 13:58:46 GMT

Microfrontends require balancing user experience (UX) with developer experience (DX). Here’s why: Microfrontends improve DX by enabling team autono...

The JavaScript ecosystem is huge

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 12:35:36 GMT

The JavaScript ecosystem is huge. Module: esm, cjs, amd, umd Package manager: npm, yarn, pnpm Bundler: Webpack, Rollup, Parcel, Bun Compiler: Babel...

The smaller the dev team, the higher the output per developer

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 12:39:13 GMT

The smaller the dev team, the higher the output per developer. ✅Fewer code reviews ✅Less communication overhead ✅Fewer people to ask for permission...

I admire that the React team is focusing on performance

Sat, 02 Jul 2022 14:08:45 GMT

I admire that the React team is focusing on performance. 👍 But, I find React is usually plenty fast without optimizations. So: 1. I rarely use per...

Okay, Bun looks🔥

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 00:47:44 GMT

Okay, Bun looks🔥. But… I just converted my projects to esbuild. I haven’t tried Deno yet. I haven’t converted from Jest to Vit test either. Guess...

I don’t set goals

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 13:25:10 GMT

I don’t set goals. I create systems. Here are seven systems I’ve found useful. My learning system 1. Subscribe to relevant newsletters (and read th...

A lesson I've learned the hard way countless times: Keep changes as small as...

Sat, 09 Jul 2022 19:27:57 GMT

A lesson I've learned the hard way countless times: Keep changes as small as possible. Small, frequent, incremental changes are typically preferabl...

The longer I’ve been coding the more I realize: If I’m doing something...

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 12:44:40 GMT

The longer I’ve been coding the more I realize: If I’m doing something weird, it’s time for reflection. My use case likely isn't that special. So,...

Bun isn’t merely exciting

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 20:52:00 GMT

Bun isn’t merely exciting. It’s deeply motivating. Bun is a striking example of how productive a single developer can be. To think that something a...

As a JavaScript developer in 2022, I have analysis paralysis

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 14:39:20 GMT

As a JavaScript developer in 2022, I have analysis paralysis. Should I use npm, Yarn, pnpm, or Bun for package management? Should I run my code in...

React state management approaches have evolved a lot over the years

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 01:41:35 GMT

React state management approaches have evolved a lot over the years. This post comprehensively reviews where we've been, where we are, and why. And...

Bun is a big, risky bet

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 12:07:30 GMT

Bun is a big, risky bet. Here’s why: The JavaScript ecosystem innovates rapidly. And it’s characterized by many, focused, discrete packages that do...

create-react-app remains popular

Sat, 16 Jul 2022 16:54:32 GMT

create-react-app remains popular. But these days, many people are reaching for Next.js and Remix instead. They're great, but sometimes they're over...

Woah, I just learned that tsconfig.json allows comments

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 15:41:32 GMT

Woah, I just learned that tsconfig.json allows comments! json doesn't normally allow comments, but comments are valid in tsconfig.json. It's offici...

React devs are in a wonderful spot today

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 14:22:11 GMT

React devs are in a wonderful spot today. Why? Because many new libraries that are challenging React…are heavily inspired by React (and the React e...

I typically bill hourly

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 12:48:16 GMT

I typically bill hourly. But, I just completed a *fixed bid* development project for the first time in 20+ years. Result? It took me twice as many...

I'm enjoying working with @tailwindcss

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 15:22:36 GMT

I'm enjoying working with @tailwindcss. The final CSS is lean. I don't have to name things. Each style I use is well documented. Autocomplete is ex...

Software development estimates are frequently way off

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 16:05:17 GMT

Software development estimates are frequently *way* off. Why? Because many aspects of software development are nearly impossible to estimate. Here...

Scenario: You need to store a nested JavaScript object in the URL's querystring

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 17:42:21 GMT

Scenario: You need to store a nested JavaScript object in the URL's querystring. Solution: 1. Convert the object to a string via JSON.stringify 2....

I’ve spent the few weeks building a custom React devTool library

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 12:27:42 GMT

I’ve spent the few weeks building a custom React devTool library. I’m so excited about it I can hardly sleep. My goal: Make it easy to quickly crea...

Developer productivity requires balancing two competing desires: 1

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 17:45:47 GMT

Developer productivity requires balancing two competing desires: 1. Improve process. 2. Finish the current task. It’s often tempting to improve som...

This is a great error message

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 20:05:40 GMT

This is a great error message. It tells me three useful things: 1. Where the error happened. 2. Why the error happened. 3. Precisely how to fix it....

Question: What’s the most efficient way to store JSON in the URL’s query string

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 14:05:37 GMT

Question: What’s the most efficient way to store JSON in the URL’s query string? The most efficient option I’ve found: JSONCrush. https://github.co...

The larger a codebase is, the harder it is to make big changes

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 17:06:49 GMT

The larger a codebase is, the harder it is to make big changes. I'm learning this the hard way today. The changes I'm making would be easy if the a...

I’m creating a library for developers

Sat, 06 Aug 2022 14:32:07 GMT

I’m creating a library for developers. This library makes it easy to create custom DevTools, feature toggles, and mock APIs for your web app. Can y...

One of the most common causes of needless complexity that I see in code:...

Sat, 06 Aug 2022 19:00:59 GMT

One of the most common causes of needless complexity that I see in code: Inconsistent terminology It's easy to accidentally use different terms for...

Imagine a skill that empowers you to build anything you can imagine, all by...

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 14:04:15 GMT

Imagine a skill that empowers you to build anything you can imagine, all by yourself, for free. No career comes closer to achieving this amazing dr...

2022 Frontend security in 1 tweet: 1

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 16:00:16 GMT

2022 Frontend security in 1 tweet: 1. Use HTTPs 2. Server render 3. Store JWT/token in 'secure', 'samesite', 'httponly' cookie (prevent XSS). 4. De...

The React ecosystem: Dozens of state management libraries Dozens of mature...

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 13:35:07 GMT

The React ecosystem: Dozens of state management libraries Dozens of mature component libraries Multiple routing libraries Many mature frameworks Na...

Sometimes, it's handy to render specific content in @nextjs on the server or...

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 15:59:46 GMT

Sometimes, it's handy to render specific content in @nextjs on the server or the client. Here's a slick, declarative way to do so via a component....

13 Reasons Software Development is a Unique, Amazing Career

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 14:20:11 GMT

1. Creative freedom. Product managers and designers specify *what* I should build. But, I get to decide *how* to build it. I choose my patterns, libraries, tech…

Reusable component design tip: Honor the native HTML element's API

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 15:45:31 GMT

Reusable component design tip: Honor the native HTML element's API. If it accepts children, your reusable component probably should too. If it acce...

Reusable component design tip: Make impossible states impossible

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 15:36:00 GMT

Reusable component design tip: Make impossible states impossible. 4 ways to make the impossible, impossible: 1. Use TypeScript. 2. Declare union ty...

Just learned about localforage - An npm package that makes it easy to store...

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 12:36:36 GMT

Just learned about localforage - An npm package that makes it easy to store data in IndexDB, using a slick, localStorage like API. Supports 3 APIs:...

Reusable component design tip: Extend the native root element's type, and...

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 12:15:27 GMT

Reusable component design tip: Extend the native root element's type, and pass native props to the root element via rest syntax. Benefits: 1. Your...

In TypeScript, you can create a custom function to check an object's type

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 15:44:01 GMT

In TypeScript, you can create a custom function to check an object's type. This is called a "User Defined Type Guard" The function returns true if...

TypeScript tip: Consider generating types

Sat, 27 Aug 2022 12:26:55 GMT

TypeScript tip: Consider generating types. Example: I have a component library with 100 components. I want a union type that contains all the compo...

Tired of writing JavaScript sort functions from scratch

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 12:20:48 GMT

Tired of writing JavaScript sort functions from scratch? (I always Google it). Here’s a package for writing concise sort functions in a clear, decl...

My take on global state in React: 1

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 12:36:30 GMT

My take on global state in React: 1. Use react-query for remote state (HTTP calls). 2. Use context for low frequency updates. If I have other globa...

Really impressed with React Router 6.4

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 13:21:26 GMT

Really impressed with React Router 6.4. Composing data and actions with routes makes so much sense. Happy that we can enjoy this pattern outside of...

How I learned #TypeScript: 1

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 13:03:50 GMT

How I learned #TypeScript: 1. I read the docs. 2. @basarat book: https://basarat.gitbook.io/typescript/ 3. @swyx React cheat sheet: https://react-t...

Years ago, I was a senior developer

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 15:34:23 GMT

Years ago, I was a senior developer. I was promoted to manager of development. Result? I was a lousy manager. In retrospect, I can see clearly why...

What 20’s me wanted: Stuff

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 14:27:04 GMT

What 20’s me wanted: Stuff. Nicer car Nicer clothes Nicer home What 40’s me wants: Freedom. Work when I want, where I want, on what I want, with wh...

I ❤️ GitHub actions

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 12:56:04 GMT

I ❤️ GitHub actions. I just set up a GitHub action that runs Cypress on each PR, and blocks merges until it passes. Setup time required: 3 minutes,...

I ❤️ React

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 13:18:48 GMT

I ❤️ React. But, it’s not perfect. There are features you should avoid. Here’s “React: The Bad Parts” 👇

Four TypesScript code smells: 1

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 16:04:18 GMT

Four TypesScript code smells: 1. Using “any” 2. Using “as” 3. Not validating HTTP responses (via tools like Zod) 4. Setting “strict” to false Why?...

Tech I’ve learned in 2022: 1

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 14:46:40 GMT

Tech I’ve learned in 2022: 1. React 18 2. Next.js 12 3. Advanced TypeScript 4. trpc 5. pnpm 6. Turborepo 7. Cypress component testing 8. Playwright...

Prefer async/await over promises or callbacks

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 12:45:26 GMT

Prefer async/await over promises or callbacks. ✅ Reads top down ✅ Typically more concise ✅ The func signature clearly says "I return a promise" (si...

I hoped Web Components would take off

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 00:30:44 GMT

I hoped Web Components would take off. (I even wrote a course on them). They didn’t. Why? Because frameworks frequently innovate and improve. Stand...

Situation: You have a big list of icons or images

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 13:18:00 GMT

Situation: You have a big list of icons or images. You want to dynamically display a few without importing them all. Solution: Create a lazy loadin...

I work with around 25 companies every year

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 13:13:03 GMT

I work with around 25 companies every year. Three years ago, 90% of my clients used plain JavaScript. Today, 90% of my clients use TypeScript. The...

In TypeScript, "any" is occasionally necessary when building reusable libraries

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 16:46:33 GMT

In TypeScript, "any" is occasionally necessary when building reusable libraries. But in app code, "any" is rarely necessary. I'm reviewing an app t...

I just did the Zod tutorial by @mattpocockuk Wow, this is so well done

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 15:06:42 GMT

I just did the Zod tutorial by @mattpocockuk Wow, this is so well done! Such a slick way to learn Zod basics. 👍 https://www.totaltypescript.com/tu...

Zod question: How do you keep Zod and TypeScript in sync

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 15:32:32 GMT

Zod question: How do you keep Zod and TypeScript in sync? 2 options: 1. Derive TS types from your Zod schemas (via infer) 2. Generate Zod schemas f...

The larger the dev team, the more important it is to have: ✅ Static types ✅...

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 13:46:09 GMT

The larger the dev team, the more important it is to have: ✅ Static types ✅ Automated tests and linting ✅ Automated code formatting ✅ Clear definit...

Tech moves fast

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 19:46:18 GMT

Tech moves fast. Here's how I organize what I learn. 1. I store checklists, links, and notes in GitHub issues: https://github.com/coryhouse/reactjs...

When I work in dynamic languages, I feel more stressed

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 12:56:20 GMT

When I work in dynamic languages, I feel more stressed. Why? Because I have to remember the data types and object shapes used by every function. Th...

Wow, these GitHub Copilot stats are pretty compelling

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 16:06:11 GMT

Wow, these GitHub Copilot stats are pretty compelling. In a study of 95 devs, those using Copilot finished in 55% less time. Full study: https://sn...

It’s easy to overlook issues in code reviews

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 12:31:57 GMT

It’s easy to overlook issues in code reviews. So, I use a high-level checklist: DRY Usable Secure Tested Robust Readable Accessible Performant Conf...

How I test a pull request for "Robustness": I enter malformed data

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 15:02:04 GMT

How I test a pull request for "Robustness": I enter malformed data. I enter in a lot of data. I submit empty data. I slow the network. I disable th...

This TypeScript story sounds familiar

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 13:16:06 GMT

This TypeScript story sounds familiar. Summary: 1. Adopt TypeScript. 2. Overuse "any". 3. Think TypeScript is useless. 4. Later realize...the probl...

React: The Good Parts™ Core API: 1

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 13:30:05 GMT

React: The Good Parts™ Core API: 1. Function components 2. JSX 3. useState 4. useReducer 5. useRef 6. lazy 7. Suspense Ecosystem: 1. TypeScript 2....

Just converted a test suite from Jest to Vitest

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 15:43:10 GMT

Just converted a test suite from Jest to Vitest. The process: 1. Create vite.config.ts. Enable globals. 2. Replace “jest” with “vi” in tests. Resul...

I’m creating a new course

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 14:01:11 GMT

I’m creating a new course! 🎉 “React: The Good Parts” Idea: 1. Learn modern React quickly. 2. Build a realistic app from scratch. 3. Use only React...

Tip: Using TypeScript in VS Code

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 11:16:26 GMT

Tip: Using TypeScript in VS Code? Here are 5 places to check for TS compiler errors. And watch out, many of these spots but may be hidden at times....

I've been working in React for nearly a decade

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 11:34:26 GMT

I've been working in React for nearly a decade. But over the years my approach has radically evolved. Classes ➡️ functions Mixins ➡️ hooks prop-typ...

My React folder pattern: 1

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 12:38:16 GMT

My React folder pattern: 1. The component folder structure mimics the routing structure. Result? Easy to find! 2. Exception: Reusable components in...

Tailwind feels as logical as Prettier

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 10:19:28 GMT

Tailwind feels as logical as Prettier. Prettier ✅ Save time by auto-formatting code ✅ Eliminate decision fatigue ✅ Easily switch projects ✅ Code fa...

Problem: How do I find unused packages in package.json

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 16:07:37 GMT

Problem: How do I find unused packages in package.json? Answer: Use depcheck. It reports unused packages, and reports packages that should be insta...

Types are tests with better ergonomics

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 14:54:34 GMT

Types are tests with better ergonomics. Types provide faster feedback, inline, with less code than the equivalent test would require. Types don't r...

React tip: Avoid using useEffect to sync state

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 17:53:10 GMT

React tip: Avoid using useEffect to sync state. Instead: 1. Derive values on render 2. Handle logic in events I just eliminated these 3 useEffect c...

Code coverage can lie

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 13:05:49 GMT

Code coverage can lie. 100% coverage doesn’t mean all code is covered. One solution: Mutation testing. Mutation testing changes the code to assure...

React tip: Group related props

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 18:56:57 GMT

React tip: Group related props. Example: If two props are optional, but both must be set if used, group them via an object. This way, the related p...

Problem: When using a third party component library, it's common to set the...

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 14:59:21 GMT

Problem: When using a third party component library, it's common to set the same props each time you use a component. Solution: Wrap it. Benefits:...

TypeScript tip: Read “extends” as "equals", “assignable to”, or “subset of”

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 13:51:17 GMT

TypeScript tip: Read “extends” as "equals", “assignable to”, or “subset of”. So read this: function getKey(Val: any, key: a...

5 ways to unit test a React component today: 1

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 15:35:53 GMT

5 ways to unit test a React component today: 1. @fbjest with @TestingLib 2. @vitest_dev with @TestingLib 3. @storybookjs with 1 or 2 above 4. @Cypr...

TypeScript tip: Prefer type declarations to type assertions

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 14:13:42 GMT

TypeScript tip: Prefer type declarations to type assertions. Type assertions ignore excess properties. 👎 Type declarations check for excess proper...

Code smell: Frequently checking for null/undefined

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 10:41:04 GMT

Code smell: Frequently checking for null/undefined. The root cause: Inconsistent data/settings. When data is inconsistent, I normalize it before us...

I'm reviewing a React codebase that uses Redux to cache HTTP responses

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 13:01:54 GMT

I'm reviewing a React codebase that uses Redux to cache HTTP responses. It feels needlessly complex, and risky. And, there's no cache invalidation...

One of my favorite VS Code plugins: Code spell checker

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 12:44:26 GMT

One of my favorite VS Code plugins: Code spell checker. I've been shocked at how many spelling errors it has caught in the last few weeks. It has h...

I’m really enjoying @turborepo

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 14:08:36 GMT

I’m really enjoying @turborepo. It’s a game changer. With Turbo, I have an incentive to break my repo down into many small, focused packages. This...

Compiling #TypeScript is slow

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 12:31:04 GMT

Compiling #TypeScript is slow. My solutions: 1. Don't run tsc during dev. (Lean on editor) 2. Use incremental flag when watching files. 3. Decompos...

TypeScript tip: Avoid making a property optional when the property isn’t...

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 13:29:05 GMT

TypeScript tip: Avoid making a property optional when the property isn’t valid in a certain case. Instead, declare 2 separate types, and use Omit t...

Naming is hard

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 23:55:29 GMT

Naming is hard. The solution? Nouns vs verbs. Start these with a verb: Functions ➡️ getUser Ticket titles ➡️ Fix log out Commit messages ➡️ Fix bug...

Hiring a company to do software development is risky

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 13:25:04 GMT

Hiring a company to do software development is risky. Why? Because "Done" is hard to define. Consider aspects of software quality: Fast Secure Usab...

React’s “use” hook in 1 tweet: Works like “await”

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 13:09:58 GMT

React’s “use” hook in 1 tweet: Works like “await”. Wraps promises (and soon other things). The component replays when the promise resolves. Only fo...

I finally bought a Thunderbolt 4 dock

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 14:08:43 GMT

I finally bought a Thunderbolt 4 dock. Loving it. All this connects to my M1 MacBook Pro via 1 cable: 1. 4K/60hz monitor 2. 4K SLR webcam 3. Audien...

Prediction: React's upcoming `use` hook will be overused, just like...

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 13:17:20 GMT

Prediction: React's upcoming `use` hook will be overused, just like useEffect is today. Like `useEffect`, `use` should mainly be used "behind the s...

Two places I see useEffect overuse today: 1

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 11:11:10 GMT

Two places I see useEffect overuse today: 1. Fetching via HTTP. Solution? Use react-query, React Router loader, or fetch on the server if in Next,...

In a monorepo

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 16:07:08 GMT

In a monorepo? I just learned about syncpack. It's a simple way to enforce that all the monorepo packages use the same dependency versions. You can...

React state tip: Group related state into a single useState call (via an object)

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 10:56:49 GMT

React state tip: Group related state into a single useState call (via an object). Benefits: ✅ Less code ✅ Better readability ✅ Groups related items...

There are good reasons to create a folder

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 13:31:42 GMT

There are good reasons to create a folder. But, here’s a bad reason: To create many files with the same name. Avoid: 👎 /user/api.js /product/api.j...

React is usually plenty fast by default

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 14:03:43 GMT

React is usually plenty fast by default. I find performance optimizations are rarely necessary. If a React app is slow, a common culprit is renderi...

A messy codebase contains countless examples that shouldn't be copied

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 13:04:28 GMT

A messy codebase contains countless examples that shouldn't be copied. Result? Hiring more developers often just creates tech debt, faster. 👎 A co...

Performance jargon: LCP: Largest Contentful Paint - How long it takes for...

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 15:08:44 GMT

Performance jargon: LCP: Largest Contentful Paint - How long it takes for the largest piece of content to show. FID: First Input Delay - How long i...

4 React anti-patterns: 1

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 12:23:14 GMT

4 React anti-patterns: 1. Syncing state that can be derived on render via useEffect. 2. Using useMemo/useCallback everywhere. 3. Putting nearly all...

useCallback is often the result of a needless useEffect

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 17:05:19 GMT

useCallback is often the result of a needless useEffect. Often a useEffect can replaced by an event handler (onClick) Often a useEffect can be remo...

Situation: Your team’s codebase contains an anti-pattern

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 12:29:54 GMT

Situation: Your team’s codebase contains an anti-pattern. How do you keep the anti-pattern from spreading? My approach: 1. Fix all spots 2. Educate...

TypeScript tip: When migrating a web app to TypeScript, strongly type HTTP...

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 22:01:08 GMT

TypeScript tip: When migrating a web app to TypeScript, strongly type HTTP responses first. HTTP responses tend to be passed throughout the app. So...

A simple ruleset for handling React state: 1

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 13:40:33 GMT

A simple ruleset for handling React state: 1. Start local. 2. Children need it? Pass state down via props. 3. Parent/siblings need it? Cut and past...

Naming tip: "data" is rarely a good variable name

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 16:17:27 GMT

Naming tip: "data" is rarely a good variable name. Most apps contain *many* types of data, so prefer a more descriptive name.

⚛️ React tip: If state values are related, and must be kept in sync, create...

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 12:58:14 GMT

⚛️ React tip: If state values are related, and must be kept in sync, create the "derived" value on render. Example: If you have data and filteredDa...

This 7 second video from @kentcdodds may be the single most compelling sales...

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 16:48:38 GMT

This 7 second video from @kentcdodds may be the single most compelling sales pitch I've seen for @remix_run. Strong types, all the way from the DB...

React in 2014: ✅Make SPAs

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 13:01:18 GMT

React in 2014: ✅Make SPAs. ✅Use create-react-app. React in 2022: ✅Make SPAs, native mobile, static, MPAs, and hybrid apps. ✅Use Vite, Next, Remix,...

TypeScript tip: Sometimes a type's name conflicts with an existing identifier

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 23:39:56 GMT

TypeScript tip: Sometimes a type's name conflicts with an existing identifier. When this happens, I alias the type's name: import { Link as LinkTyp...

⚛️10 reasons to prefer useReducer over useState: 1

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 13:22:09 GMT

⚛️10 reasons to prefer useReducer over useState: 1. Separates reads from writes. 2. Avoids useState pitfalls. You should use functional setState to...

I just created my first React Server Component with @nextjs 13

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 13:54:30 GMT

I just created my first React Server Component with @nextjs 13! 😍 Here's a 90 second summary of how it works. I like how elegant the API is. I awa...

Why render React Server Components

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 15:48:00 GMT

Why render React Server Components? Performance. 1. Faster fetches. The server typically has a faster internet connection than your users.💨 2. Fet...

Server rendering JS is suddenly popular

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 13:51:52 GMT

Server rendering JS is suddenly popular. It’s not a coincidence. Smart people finally figured out how to: 1. Render JS-based components on the serv...

Yet another reason to convert your old React class components to functions:...

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 11:33:09 GMT

Yet another reason to convert your old React class components to functions: React Server Components only work with function components. (Chart from...

React should deprecate class components

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 14:25:11 GMT

React should deprecate class components. They’ve languished long enough. React’s API keeps growing. And many modern libraries assume you’re using h...

My favorite thing about file-based routing: The folder structure corresponds...

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 14:03:57 GMT

My favorite thing about file-based routing: The folder structure corresponds to the URL. This avoids decision fatigue, and makes files easy to find...

TypeScript tip: It's often helpful to access a union type at runtime

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 15:53:30 GMT

TypeScript tip: It's often helpful to access a union type at runtime. Solution? 1. Declare an array const 2. Use typeof to derive a union from the...

Problem: A TypeScript codebase with "any" everywhere

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 22:32:06 GMT

Problem: A TypeScript codebase with "any" everywhere. My first move: 1. Strongly type all HTTP calls. This ripples throughout the code in a good wa...

Claim: "I don't have time to write tests or types"

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 12:08:31 GMT

Claim: "I don't have time to write tests or types". Reality: They'll save you time. Skipping types and tests may save a little time today. But it w...

TypeScript decision: How should a function that calls fetch be typed

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 15:19:35 GMT

TypeScript decision: How should a function that calls fetch be typed? Options: 1. Type the return statement 2. Type the function's signature 3. Typ...

I'm trying to use @playwrightweb instead of Cypress

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 14:18:38 GMT

I'm trying to use @playwrightweb instead of Cypress. I like that Playwright has @TestingLib queries built in. But, they work differently. getBy* qu...

My definition of a TypeScript-friendly library: I don’t have to “opt-in” to...

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 12:04:23 GMT

My definition of a TypeScript-friendly library: I don’t have to “opt-in” to types. It’s automatic. I call APIs, enjoy rich autocomplete support, an...

Poll: Do you believe it’s important to validate fetch call response shapes...

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 13:26:08 GMT

Poll: Do you believe it’s important to validate fetch call response shapes *at runtime* via tools like Zod, io-ts, etc? (Remember, TypeScript doesn...

Healthy team habit: Create Architectural Decision Records (ADR) ADRs...

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 14:07:44 GMT

Healthy team habit: Create Architectural Decision Records (ADR) ADRs document big decisions. Benefits: ✅ Everyone understands how the decision was...

“We don’t do code reviews

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 15:03:52 GMT

“We don’t do code reviews. We trust our developers.” No one should be blindly trusted. No one is beyond making a...

How to ship a feature faster: Skip tests

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 15:54:55 GMT

How to ship a feature faster: Skip tests. Skip types. Skip docs. Skip code reviews. Skip error handling. Cut corners on security. Ignore performanc...

I’ve found it’s typically worthwhile to mock API’s for front end development

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 19:12:05 GMT

I’ve found it’s typically worthwhile to mock API’s for front end development. Doing so makes UI development faster, and makes automated testing lig...

My 3 step bug fix process: 1

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 04:51:12 GMT

My 3 step bug fix process: 1. Write a test that asserts the correct behavior. See the test fail, due to the bug. ❌ 2. Fix the bug. 🐞 3. See the te...

I believe in comprehensive code coverage

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 13:33:53 GMT

I believe in comprehensive code coverage. But, I don’t believe in mandating code coverage minimums. Mandating 90% test coverage leads to the team g...

Common mistake: Moving to the next feature before truly finishing the...

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 02:43:53 GMT

Common mistake: Moving to the next feature before truly finishing the current feature. Teams that do this create many partially working, buggy, poo...

TypeScript poll: Which approach to declaring React prop types do you prefer

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 04:25:29 GMT

TypeScript poll: Which approach to declaring React prop types do you prefer? Poll in next tweet...👇

Tip: Avoid explicit booleans

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 05:40:13 GMT

Tip: Avoid explicit booleans. For example, avoid this: if (x > y) { return true } else { return false } Instead, do this: return x > y;

I prefer building REST APIs in TypeScript

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 23:01:37 GMT

I prefer building REST APIs in TypeScript. Why? Because I can use the types to keep 6 separate things in sync: 1. The API request shape 2. The API...

Problem: In React, it's often tricky to hunt down the component that's...

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 15:13:31 GMT

Problem: In React, it's often tricky to hunt down the component that's rendering a piece of UI. Solution: LocatorJS (A Chrome plugin) I've been usi...

Had a wonderful time in LA this week training a team on modern React

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 23:17:36 GMT

Had a wonderful time in LA this week training a team on modern React. With so much new good stuff in the React ecosystem we had a lot of ground to...

How to write unreadable code: Put all code in one giant function

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 14:53:36 GMT

How to write unreadable code: Put all code in one giant function. Use short, unclear names. Embrace deep indentation. Require the reader to hold do...

A wasteful pattern: APIs that return PascalCase JSON

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 14:36:04 GMT

A wasteful pattern: APIs that return PascalCase JSON. The workaround: 1. Convert JSON to camelCase on the client. 2. Convert JSON back to PascalCas...

I have a wonderful wife and 3 healthy, amazing kids

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 13:45:42 GMT

I have a wonderful wife and 3 healthy, amazing kids. We enjoy multiple trips with friends each year. I’m in the best shape of my life. I run a succ...

ESLint should report ZERO warnings or errors on CI

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 17:08:20 GMT

ESLint should report *ZERO* warnings or errors on CI. If one occurs, it should break the build. If warnings/errors are ignored, then ESLint becomes...

I just cleaned up a JS project

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 14:50:51 GMT

I just cleaned up a JS project. Before: Over 3,000 ESLint warnings/errors. 😬 After: Zero warnings/errors. 😀 How? 1. I fixed many spots quickly vi...

Just learned you can use underscores as separators in JavaScript numbers

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 13:24:35 GMT

Just learned you can use underscores as separators in JavaScript numbers. This improves the readability of large values. #javascript

4 ways to handle multiple promises in #JavaScript How I choose: 1

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 16:00:25 GMT

4 ways to handle multiple promises in #JavaScript How I choose: 1. Promise.all - I want all, but reject if any reject. 2. Promise.allSettled - I wa...

TypeScript tip: Many optional properties are a code smell

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 13:42:16 GMT

TypeScript tip: Many optional properties are a code smell. Why? Because it reduces type safety. Example, I joined a project where every REST API ca...

I just radically simplified a fetch call

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:08:39 GMT

I just radically simplified a fetch call. Before: 26 lines. After: 6 lines. Here are 8 ways to simplify a fetch function.

Problem: JavaScript’s Date is lousy

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 14:12:56 GMT

Problem: JavaScript’s Date is lousy. So we often need to use a library instead. Solution: Temporal. Temporal is a new top-level namespace. Temporal...

I think the term "prop drilling" encourages React developers to overuse...

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 12:56:51 GMT

I think the term "prop drilling" encourages React developers to overuse tools like Context and Redux. "Prop drilling" is just passing arguments dow...

Just learned a new JavaScript array method: findLast It returns the last...

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 18:44:19 GMT

Just learned a new JavaScript array method: findLast It returns the last element in an array that matches. More on MDN: https://developer.mozilla.o...

I’m a big Cypress fan, so I’m shocked to say this: I just switched to...

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 14:04:20 GMT

I’m a big Cypress fan, so I’m shocked to say this: I just switched to @playwrightweb. Here are 16 reasons I switched: 1. WAY Faster. ~2X faster wit...

Yesterday I shared why I'm switching from Cypress to Playwright

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 13:53:34 GMT

Yesterday I shared why I'm switching from Cypress to Playwright. But Cypress is solid too. Here are 4 Cypress benefits: 1. More concise syntax. In...

⚛️ 3 keys to fast React app tests: 1

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 02:59:06 GMT

⚛️ 3 keys to fast React app tests: 1. Mock HTTP calls (Use @ApiMocking) 2. Test the prod build. React's prod build is MUCH faster. (see below) 3. P...

This isn’t error handling: .catch((error) => { console.log(error); });...

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 14:02:18 GMT

This isn’t error handling: .catch((error) => { console.log(error); }); That’s error swallowing. 😬 The user doesn’t watch the console. So, they...

⚛️ My React component unit testing strategy: Test each prop

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 17:30:45 GMT

⚛️ My React component unit testing strategy: Test each prop. Approach: 1. Split my VSCode window. I put the file under test on the left, and the te...

This resonates

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 20:18:46 GMT

This resonates. For me, writing software feels like creating art. It's a creative process. The act puts me in a state of flow. It's naturally rewar...

Just learned JavaScript has logical OR assignment and logical AND assignment

Sat, 03 Dec 2022 13:19:09 GMT

Just learned JavaScript has logical OR assignment and logical AND assignment! 🔥 Logical AND assignment: x &&= "x is truthy" // assigns if...

Modern JavaScript has over 50 operators

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 12:38:53 GMT

Modern JavaScript has over 50 operators. 🤯 + += = & &= |= ^ ^= , -- / /= == ** **= > >= () ++ != << <<= < <= &...

Coding in 2002: The more effective you are at written communication, the...

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 21:50:12 GMT

Coding in 2002: The more effective you are at written communication, the more effective you are as a developer. Coding in 2022: Same. AI doesn't ch...

Problem: package.json doesn’t support comments

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 13:00:52 GMT

Problem: package.json doesn’t support comments. Solution: Create a key that starts with // and ends with the target key. Put the comment in the val...

1992: Get answers in books 2002: Get answers on forums 2012: Get answers on...

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 18:37:12 GMT

1992: Get answers in books 2002: Get answers on forums 2012: Get answers on StackOverflow 2022: Get answers from AI We’re finding answers faster. �...

I thought I knew Flexbox well, but I learned a few new tricks in this...

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 03:01:08 GMT

I thought I knew Flexbox well, but I learned a few new tricks in this excellent post by @JoshWComeau. The interactive demos are fantastic. https://...

Problem: Using an open source component library often leads to bloat and...

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 01:30:26 GMT

Problem: Using an open source component library often leads to bloat and inconsistency. Why? Because each app has opinions. Each app needs to use t...

JavaScript tip: You might not need an if statement or a ternary

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 15:03:30 GMT

JavaScript tip: You might not need an if statement or a ternary. JS has Nullish coalescing assignment. Example: user.age ??= 'unknown age'; More: h...

Okay, @ApiMocking has become a fundamental part of my dev and testing workflow

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 23:52:13 GMT

Okay, @ApiMocking has become a fundamental part of my dev and testing workflow. I don’t worry about endpoints or DBs being down or slow. I don’t wo...

Server-rendering React is becoming popular

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 19:30:05 GMT

Server-rendering React is becoming popular. Why? Performance. Server-side rendering is faster because: 1. Fetches start earlier 2. Fetches run in p...

Prefer SPA: Internal app Behind a login Flakey internet Heavily interactive...

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 13:53:27 GMT

Prefer SPA: Internal app Behind a login Flakey internet Heavily interactive Favor faster subsequent page loads Have BFF/GraphQL/dedicated APIs Pref...

What’s a big pain point for you as a React developer

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 15:26:19 GMT

What’s a big pain point for you as a React developer? What do you wish was easier, faster, more powerful, or more reliable? #react

⚛️ 10 ways to fetch data in React: Next 13: React server component Next 12:...

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 14:19:24 GMT

⚛️ 10 ways to fetch data in React: Next 13: React server component Next 12: getServerSideProps, getStaticProps Remix / React Router / React locatio...

Claim: “React Server Components (RSC) are just PHP”

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 14:35:10 GMT

Claim: “React Server Components (RSC) are just PHP”. Reality: RSC is special because it finally means we can use the *same tech* to render componen...

Problem: Changing code temporarily to support local development

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 13:31:22 GMT

Problem: Changing code temporarily to support local development. The risk: Accidentally committing the change. Solution: Read an environment variab...

Console noise is a problem

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 16:42:51 GMT

Console noise is a problem. Examples: ESLint warnings and errors Dependency warnings Security warnings Console logs in the browser Automated test w...

A sad irony: Some software projects fail simply because the team tried to...

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 00:19:30 GMT

A sad irony: Some software projects fail simply because the team tried to move too fast. They didn't stop to ask: "Should we slow down and create a...

Wow, just asked ChatGPT to convert some old Enzyme tests to use @TestingLib...

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 22:42:36 GMT

Wow, just asked ChatGPT to convert some old Enzyme tests to use @TestingLib instead. It did an impressive job! Just a few minor tweaks were needed!...

Tip: npm scripts can reference env vars as variables: "start": "node...

Sat, 17 Dec 2022 16:08:00 GMT

Tip: npm scripts can reference env vars as variables: "start": "node ./hello.js $PORT" The $PORT above reads the PORT env variable. You can pass en...

Writing code involves countless architectural decisions

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 15:22:52 GMT

Writing code involves countless architectural decisions. Architecture is a given. Good architecture is not. So, the real question is: Are devs maki...

A unit test shouldn’t: 🚫 Call a DB 🚫 Run a browser 🚫 Make an HTTP call 🚫...

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 18:51:08 GMT

A unit test shouldn’t: 🚫 Call a DB 🚫 Run a browser 🚫 Make an HTTP call 🚫 Rely on stuff on other machines A unit test should pass without a netw...

5 types of tests: 1

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 14:23:47 GMT

5 types of tests: 1. Unit: Test 1 thing, alone 2. Integration: Test a few things, together 3. End-to-end (e2e): Test that everything works together...

Using Cypress, but wanna try Playwright

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 22:43:44 GMT

Using Cypress, but wanna try Playwright? Here's a new handy REPL for converting Cypress tests to Playwright. 1. Paste your existing Cypress test on...

How many records can you sort/filter/paginate in a web browser

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 17:54:02 GMT

How many records can you sort/filter/paginate in a web browser? I've successfully implemented client-side sort/filter/paginate with around 2,000 re...

Problem: Your page has many DOM elements, and you want it to render faster

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 19:55:44 GMT

Problem: Your page has many DOM elements, and you want it to render faster. Solution: Use CSS content-visibility to avoid painting off-screen items...

On some teams, writing good code feels like swimming upstream

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 18:34:15 GMT

On some teams, writing good code feels like swimming upstream. I've joined teams with: No CI No types No linting Lax code reviews No automated test...

Tip: Store sharable state in the URL

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 14:33:51 GMT

Tip: Store sharable state in the URL. Examples: Filter Sort Search Page number Toggles Record IDs Why put these things in the URL? ✅I can share the...

Common software dev mistakes are at the extremes: 1

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 16:28:12 GMT

Common software dev mistakes are at the extremes: 1. Under-engineering 2. Over-engineering Under-engineering: No CI No reviews Weak types Hard codi...

13 ways to be a lousy developer: - Don't volunteer to help others

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 13:34:42 GMT

13 ways to be a lousy developer: - Don't volunteer to help others. - Don’t try to get better or learn. - Don't test code before opening a PR. - Rub...

Problem: You want to re-throw a JavaScript error to provide a friendlier error

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 12:02:04 GMT

Problem: You want to re-throw a JavaScript error to provide a friendlier error. But, you want to keep the original error details too. Solution: Inc...

Vercel converted the BBC site to @nextjs

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 03:09:35 GMT

Vercel converted the BBC site to @nextjs. The results: ✅ Removed 20,000+ lines of code ✅ Removed 30+ dependencies (React Router, Express, Babel...)...

A simple, but often overlooked benefit of using the URL for state: It avoids...

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 13:49:25 GMT

A simple, but often overlooked benefit of using the URL for state: It avoids having to pass around state. Why? The URL is global. It's easily reada...

Problem: "Our code isn't testable"

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 16:27:57 GMT

Problem: "Our code isn't testable". The path forward: 1. Write tests for new code. 2. Write end-to-end tests for the "happy path". Start 1 and 2 to...

Client-side security boils down to one simple rule: Never trust the client

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 15:24:50 GMT

Client-side security boils down to one simple rule: Never trust the client. Assume the user will: - Manipulate the URL - Call endpoints directly wi...

Problem: You want to send messages between tabs, frames, iframes, or windows

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 14:10:14 GMT

Problem: You want to send messages between tabs, frames, iframes, or windows. Solution: The Broadcast channel API. More: https://developer.mozilla....

Sometimes, a performance problem is actually a design problem

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 15:53:36 GMT

Sometimes, a performance problem is actually a design problem. Example: “How do we fix the performance of this page showing 1,000+ items?" Answer:...

Tip: Don't lie to TypeScript

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 14:04:02 GMT

Tip: Don't lie to TypeScript. Lying to #TypeScript reduces type safety. Examples: - Setting "id" to 0 to represent an unsaved record. - Making "id"...

A common software development mistake: Going too wide or too narrow

Sat, 07 Jan 2023 14:04:49 GMT

A common software development mistake: Going too wide or too narrow. Too wide = “Let’s partially implement lots of features.” Too narrow = “Let’s f...

Problem: A PR is too big and contains unrelated changes

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 17:10:19 GMT

Problem: A PR is too big and contains unrelated changes. Solution: 1. Prefix the big PR's name with "WIP" so the team knows it's not ready. 2. Open...

Problem: TypeScript errors are typed "unknown"

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Problem: TypeScript errors are typed "unknown". Solution: Throw custom errors. They're easy to inspect. How: 1. Create an ErrorBase class. 2. Creat...

A common mistake: Types with many optional properties

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:36:44 GMT

A common mistake: Types with many optional properties. Why? Because the property is often required in some cases. So, optional properties often red...

Just switched a project from plain fetch to ky

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 16:21:46 GMT

Just switched a project from plain fetch to ky. I really like the result. 🔥 ✅ MUCH less code ✅ Treats non-2xx status codes as errors (don't have t...

Pre-commit hooks are a waste of time

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 13:31:15 GMT

Pre-commit hooks are a waste of time. Why? Because they enforce standards too early. Pre-commit hooks make us wait for a quality check on every com...

I don't write unit tests much anymore

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 22:25:49 GMT

I don't write unit tests much anymore. GitHub Copilot writes them for me. 🔥 Here's how: 1. Create a well-named function. 2. Create a test file. 3....

Employers shooting themselves in the foot: “We don’t allow using GitHub...

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 18:24:03 GMT

Employers shooting themselves in the foot: “We don’t allow using GitHub Copilot because it collects usage data.” If your competitor uses AI, (and t...

Monorepos are great…to a point

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 22:25:53 GMT

Monorepos are great…to a point. Grouping apps that use the same tech in one repo makes a lot of sense. Why? Because they can share a lot of code an...

⚛️ React code smell: Multiple setState calls in a row

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:05:06 GMT

⚛️ React code smell: Multiple setState calls in a row. This is often a sign that state should be unified, or that one value value can be derived fr...

React Router 6.4 introduced loaders

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 23:13:48 GMT

React Router 6.4 introduced loaders. The big idea: Fetch everything for the route in parallel. What I've noticed: In most apps, each route has one...

Concern: “Infinite scroll is bad because the user can’t ever access the...

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 13:14:51 GMT

Concern: “Infinite scroll is bad because the user can’t ever access the footer.” Solution: Implement the infinite scroll in a div that fills only p...

The big idea of BDD/Cucumber tests: “Write tests in plain English so...

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 14:59:49 GMT

The big idea of BDD/Cucumber tests: “Write tests in plain English so non-devs can help write the tests.” I’ve seen this attempted at many companies...

Problem: Tailwind styles get long sometimes

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 19:16:05 GMT

Problem: Tailwind styles get long sometimes. Solution: Install the Inline Fold extension in VS Code. It auto-collapses classes. Click the 3 dots to...

15 reasons I enjoy @tailwindcss: 1

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 13:31:56 GMT

15 reasons I enjoy @tailwindcss: 1. I don’t have to spend time naming classes. 2. I can jump into a project that uses it immediately. 3. The final...

In code reviews, I’m far more impressed with surprising simplicity than...

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 20:11:20 GMT

In code reviews, I’m far more impressed with surprising simplicity than perplexing complexity. Surprising simplicity is hard to achieve. Perplexing...

Code review habit: If a simple change is necessary, I just change it

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 14:42:57 GMT

Code review habit: If a simple change is necessary, I just change it. Examples: - Typo - Grammar issue - Naming issue If I think it’s controversial...

A surprising irony about working in TypeScript: The better I get at it, the...

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 20:35:43 GMT

A surprising irony about working in TypeScript: The better I get at it, the fewer types I declare. I declare types at the “edges” of my app: ✅Endpo...

One of the most wonderful benefits of public speaking: It raises the bar for...

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 21:50:20 GMT

One of the most wonderful benefits of public speaking: It raises the bar for what you consider stressful. After speaking to a crowd, most other soc...

An epidemic problem in software development: Resume driven development

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 12:41:00 GMT

An epidemic problem in software development: Resume driven development. What it looks like: Developers suggest the tech they want to learn, instead...

Ideally, onboarding a new developer on a JS project requires only 2...

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 12:49:59 GMT

Ideally, onboarding a new developer on a JS project requires only 2 commands: npm install npm start If more steps are required, it's often a sign t...

I've spent the last week in the UK

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 21:57:09 GMT

I've spent the last week in the UK. Number of pickup trucks I've seen? Nearly zero. So my fellow Americans, if you think you need a truck, ask your...

Unsurprisingly true: Having automated tests primarily created and maintained...

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 23:11:46 GMT

Unsurprisingly true: Having automated tests primarily created and maintained by QA or an outside party isn’t correlated with IT performance. - “Acc...

Branches should ideally have a short lifetime, less than a day

Sat, 28 Jan 2023 17:32:00 GMT

Branches should ideally have a short lifetime, less than a day. - “Accelerate” book How: ✅ Break tasks down. ✅ Pair or review code via conversation...

Problem: You need to deep clone a JavaScript object

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 12:05:07 GMT

Problem: You need to deep clone a JavaScript object. Solution: structuredClone. It clones nearly everything including dates, array, blobs, Error, a...

The closer developers are to end users, the better

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 17:14:43 GMT

The closer developers are to end users, the better. Why? End user feedback increases empathy, motivates developers, shortens the feedback loop, and...

Goal: Wrap React Router's Route component so I can avoid having to wrap 50+...

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 16:35:33 GMT

Goal: Wrap React Router's Route component so I can avoid having to wrap 50+ lazy loaded routes in Suspense. This doesn't work because React Router...

Wow, just found Deno Lint, a Rust-based alternative to ESLint

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 11:47:07 GMT

Wow, just found Deno Lint, a Rust-based alternative to ESLint. The performance difference is staggering. Example project: ESLint: 11.8 seconds Dino...

As an “old” developer, I’m driven by two conflicting ideas: 1

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 18:06:10 GMT

As an “old” developer, I’m driven by two conflicting ideas: 1. I have a sense of urgency to help teams avoid the mistakes I’ve made over the last 2...

Today I woke up in Germany

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 19:59:45 GMT

Today I woke up in Germany. I had brunch in Paris. Lunch in Detroit. And I’m excited to have dinner with my family in Kansas City. Modern travel ne...

A key dev team role: Architect

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 14:01:41 GMT

A key dev team role: Architect. Duties: -Foster reuse -Enforce consistency -Standardize solutions -Select technologies and patterns -Review changes...

Problem: You want to assure your unit test doesn't produce console errors

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 13:58:19 GMT

Problem: You want to assure your unit test doesn't produce console errors. Solution: Assert that console error hasn't been called after each test....

Pre-commit hook used well: ✅ Fast ✅ Focused (Lint changed files, auto-fix) ✅...

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 13:39:56 GMT

Pre-commit hook used well: ✅ Fast ✅ Focused (Lint changed files, auto-fix) ✅ Necessary (Assure secrets aren’t committed) Pre-commit hook used poorl...

When I teach teams React, I teach WAY more than just React: Debugging...

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 23:00:15 GMT

When I teach teams React, I teach WAY more than just React: Debugging TypeScript State, form, and styling patterns and libs React frameworks Compon...

A developer who immediately approves PRs is a liability

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 13:52:56 GMT

A developer who immediately approves PRs is a liability. Why? Because they eliminate an opportunity for a *real* review. A fake reviewer glances at...

Tailwind tradeoffs in one tweet: Are you willing to: Learn some class names...

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 15:24:38 GMT

Tailwind tradeoffs in one tweet: Are you willing to: Learn some class names 👎 Accept noisier HTML 👎 In exchange for: Smaller bundles 👍 No more n...

Claim: "Pair programming replaces code reviews" Are you willing to drive...

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 13:46:50 GMT

Claim: "Pair programming replaces code reviews" Are you willing to drive across a bridge that was never inspected just because two people built it...

Just switched a large project from create-react-app to Vite

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 19:08:52 GMT

Just switched a large project from create-react-app to Vite. With create-react-app: start: 25 sec Hot reload: 2.8 sec With Vite: start: 2 sec 🔥 Ho...

Software death spiral: “We don’t have automated tests, so we need many...

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 15:19:02 GMT

Software death spiral: “We don’t have automated tests, so we need many environments with slow, manual checks in each.” 😬 Virtuous cycle: “We have...

General rule: The fewer environments a web app has, the better

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 03:09:07 GMT

General rule: The fewer environments a web app has, the better. Why? Environments = overhead. Environments are a sign of manual processes. They exi...

Concern: Isn't deploying multiple times a day risky

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 16:06:15 GMT

Concern: Isn't deploying multiple times a day risky? Solution: Make it less risky. How: ✅Automate checks ✅Monitor prod for issues ✅Use feature togg...

Tip: When naming a variable that stores a list, avoid needless suffixes

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 22:30:05 GMT

Tip: When naming a variable that stores a list, avoid needless suffixes. Avoid: 🚫userData 🚫userList 🚫userArray 🚫userItems Instead, keep it simp...

Habit: When I open a PR, I review the diff myself first

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 14:10:19 GMT

Habit: When I open a PR, I review the diff myself first. I ask: Is this change well tested? Are docs necessary? Any hacks I need to resolve? Any fo...

Security misconception: “We can’t put a primary key in the URL because a...

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 23:51:22 GMT

Security misconception: “We can’t put a primary key in the URL because a malicious user may change the URL to request a record they aren’t supposed...

The REAL reason manual testing doesn't scale: When people quit, domain...

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 01:02:28 GMT

The REAL reason manual testing doesn't scale: When people quit, domain knowledge walks out the door. Suddenly, no one knows how parts of the app ar...

Trunk based development can accelerate velocity and reduce overhead

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 15:20:30 GMT

Trunk based development can accelerate velocity and reduce overhead. But, the team must be mature enough to handle it. Necessary foundation: ✅ Comp...

// TODO: Thing we’ll never get around to doing

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 12:38:45 GMT

// TODO: Thing we’ll never get around to doing. If it’s worth doing, do it now or open a ticket. Why a ticket? 1. TODO comments are often forgotten...

React tip: Keep state as "low" as possible

Sat, 18 Feb 2023 13:44:08 GMT

React tip: Keep state as "low" as possible. Example: If state is just passed down to one child, it's too high. Solution: Move the state down to the...

TypeScript tip: Variable names and type names should typically correspond

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 13:33:27 GMT

TypeScript tip: Variable names and type names should typically correspond. If the variable's name doesn't look like it "fits" with the type, ask: -...

Problem: If an app makes multiple GraphQL calls on the same page, all the...

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 15:44:25 GMT

Problem: If an app makes multiple GraphQL calls on the same page, all the GraphQL calls look the same in the network tab. My approach: Click on eac...

Wow, just upgraded to the iPhone 14 Pro and the 120hz screen is wonderful

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 22:10:34 GMT

Wow, just upgraded to the iPhone 14 Pro and the 120hz screen is wonderful. Scrolling is buttery smooth - and text stays crisp while scrolling. Now...

Idea: Open a software development agency with one simple premise: “Our...

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 14:30:12 GMT

Idea: Open a software development agency with one simple premise: “Our developers work directly with you.” No docs. No formal design. No layers in...

TypeScript tip: Use “never” to assure every case in a switch is handled

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 13:34:59 GMT

TypeScript tip: Use “never” to assure every case in a switch is handled. With this example, if a case is missing, TypeScript fails to compile. 👍 #...

Automate checks that can be automated

Sat, 25 Feb 2023 15:23:14 GMT

Automate checks that can be automated. ✅ Code compiles ✅ Tests pass ✅ Formatted ✅ Honors code standards Then our code reviews can focus on checks t...

Habit for creating smaller PRs, sooner: Suffix branch names with "phase-x"...

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 21:46:55 GMT

Habit for creating smaller PRs, sooner: Suffix branch names with "phase-x" Example: ticket-1-phase-1-improve-naming ticket-1-phase-2-improve-perfor...

The problem with a team of only junior developers: Anti-patterns proliferate

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 13:48:14 GMT

The problem with a team of only junior developers: Anti-patterns proliferate. One dev does it the "hard" way, or the "wrong" way, and the others co...

In databases, normalization is important

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 13:31:17 GMT

In databases, normalization is important. It avoids wasting space, and more importantly, avoids out-of-sync data. On the UI, the same principle hol...

If coding is hard, we're probably trying to move to fast

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 17:14:49 GMT

If coding is hard, we're probably trying to move to fast. Signs we're trying to move too fast: 🚫 Rework 🚫 Inconsistency 🚫 Unclear tickets 🚫 Bad...

JS arrow functions are great

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 14:50:26 GMT

JS arrow functions are great. ✅ Concise ✅ Optional implicit return ✅ Don’t have their own “this” context But, I don’t recommended using them everyw...

I've been asked to fix a broken page, inherited from an outside dev team

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 15:26:39 GMT

I've been asked to fix a broken page, inherited from an outside dev team. Heavy use of "any". No tests. I just came across these 2 lines, and I'm s...

Habit: I talk to myself while coding

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 14:36:49 GMT

Habit: I talk to myself while coding. I find coding is easier when I verbalize my thinking. I basically pretend I’m teaching. This forces me to con...

The world is filled with code that barely works: 🚩Slow 🚩Insecure...

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 23:33:46 GMT

The world is filled with code that barely works: 🚩Slow 🚩Insecure 🚩Inefficient 🚩Unreadable 🚩Inaccessible 🚩Requires pristine input 🚩No error h...

Problem: You’re using TypeScript and you don’t want to manually define types...

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 14:00:58 GMT

Problem: You’re using TypeScript and you don’t want to manually define types for each REST endpoint response. Solution: quicktype. Paste JSON into...

Types

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 15:21:23 GMT

Types. Are. Important. I'm working with a codebase littered with weights. It's written in TypeScript, but weight unit is stored as a "string". 👎 R...

Problem: You’re testing in Playwright, and using Mock Service Worker (msw)...

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 14:04:48 GMT

Problem: You’re testing in Playwright, and using Mock Service Worker (msw) with to mock endpoints. You want to customize the msw responses for each...

Just learned about transform tools

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 16:54:35 GMT

Just learned about transform tools. This site converts a huge number of formats. JSON GraphQL TypeScript Zod YAML TOML CSS Tailwind OpenAPI schema...

To me, TypeScript is easily the most attractive language for implementing...

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 15:22:40 GMT

To me, TypeScript is easily the most attractive language for implementing web services. Why? Because we can build the UI and services *in the same...

I'm working with a SPA that has a dedicated backend composed of over a dozen...

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 17:41:31 GMT

I'm working with a SPA that has a dedicated backend composed of over a dozen microservices. Each service has its own repo, and its own DB, even tho...

Problem: You need to make a breaking change, but can’t update all call sites...

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 17:37:32 GMT

Problem: You need to make a breaking change, but can’t update all call sites at once. Solution: Expand, migrate, contract. 1. Expand. Add the new A...

If managers fixate on deadlines rather than quality, the staff will too

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 13:32:42 GMT

If managers fixate on deadlines rather than quality, the staff will too. Developers assure they make deadlines by: 🚩Copy/pasting 🚩Cutting corners...

React-query tip: You don't have to mess with error handling on each query

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 17:00:49 GMT

React-query tip: You don't have to mess with error handling on each query. Instead, you can automatically fallback to the nearest error boundary if...

Some teams struggle because there’s too much friction in making improvements

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 21:34:39 GMT

Some teams struggle because there’s too much friction in making improvements. If a dev has to create a ticket, sell management, size the task, and...

Problem: Sometimes people use needless curly braces around static values

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 00:01:49 GMT

Problem: Sometimes people use needless curly braces around static values. Solution: Automatically remove needless curly braces via ESLint. Rule: ht...

Avoid Sprints

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 12:54:32 GMT

Avoid Sprints. Sprints create an arbitrary deadline every x days. This creates estimation overhead, and fosters short-term thinking. 👎 Instead: 1....

You don’t need a daily standup

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 15:12:16 GMT

You don’t need a daily standup. But you do need to communicate often. You don’t need formal retrospectives. But you do need to regularly discuss im...

You don’t need an architect

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 13:03:21 GMT

You don’t need an architect. But you do need at least one person who thinks architecturally. Common titles: Team lead Senior Dev Architect Principa...

Problem: You have TypeScript types, but want to use Zod too (for runtime...

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 14:15:09 GMT

Problem: You have TypeScript types, but want to use Zod too (for *runtime* validation) Solution: 1. Paste your TS type into transform tools to gene...

Problem: If you lazy load routes, React Router's loaders won't run until...

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 12:10:47 GMT

Problem: If you lazy load routes, React Router's loaders won't run until after the lazy route downloads and parses. Solution: 1. Add a "lazy" prope...

Problem: A function is confusing, but you need to enhance it to support a...

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 15:50:19 GMT

Problem: A function is confusing, but you need to enhance it to support a new feature. Solution: Write unit tests that document the *current* behav...

Problem: Sometimes devs accidentally reorder imports while coding

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 16:28:25 GMT

Problem: Sometimes devs accidentally reorder imports while coding. This leads to needless diffs. Solution: eslint-plugin-import's import/order rule...

Tip: Avoid AWS CodeCommit

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 22:55:17 GMT

Tip: Avoid AWS CodeCommit. One of my clients just switched from AWS CodeCommit to GitHub. I couldn't be happier. Doing code reviews and configuring...

Problem: localStorage isn’t strongly typed

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 13:04:12 GMT

Problem: localStorage isn’t strongly typed. You read and write to it via a string key, and the value returned is always a string. 👎 Solution: 1 In...

I quit my job a few years ago so I could be an independent consultant

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 14:31:45 GMT

I quit my job a few years ago so I could be an independent consultant. The difference in my daily routine is amazing. Before, as a full-time dev: 6...

Avoid Sprints

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 17:23:22 GMT

Sprints create an arbitrary deadline every x days. This creates estimation overhead, and fosters short-term thinking. Instead: 1. Break work down into small tic…

A common mistake in React: Mixing fetching, formatting, logic, and JSX

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 01:42:35 GMT

A common mistake in React: Mixing fetching, formatting, logic, and JSX. This works fine in small components. But it’s hard to maintain and test as...

Claim: “Employment is safer than independence.” Reality: A job isn’t safer

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 15:54:52 GMT

Claim: “Employment is safer than independence.” Reality: A job isn’t safer. You can be let go at any time. So what’s actually safe? Competence. Be...

"I’ve been employed in tech for years, but I’ve almost never worked"

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 21:14:02 GMT

"I’ve been employed in tech for years, but I’ve almost never worked". This post mentions a surprising cause: Scrum. Scrum encourages sizing tasks a...

React tip: Tired of manually wrapping React components just so you can add...

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 12:49:58 GMT

React tip: Tired of manually wrapping React components just so you can add styles? Check out stylemapper. With stylemapper, you call "styled", spec...

Using "any" in a TypeScript library is occasionally necessary

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 16:57:35 GMT

Using "any" in a TypeScript library is occasionally necessary. Using "any" in an app's TypeScript code is rarely necessary. So, an "any" in app cod...

Problem: Sometimes functions are needlessly marked async

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 12:44:28 GMT

Problem: Sometimes functions are needlessly marked async. Solution: typescript-eslint/require-await. This ESLint rule finds functions where the asy...

Generally, prefer TypeScript union types over enums

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 20:35:59 GMT

Generally, prefer TypeScript union types over enums. But, here's a rare case where enum is preferable: If you’re calling a function that accepts a...

TypeScript misconception: “If I need to rename a union type, the usages...

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 14:07:21 GMT

TypeScript misconception: “If I need to rename a union type, the usages won’t get updated.” Reality: All usages of the union type can be safely upd...

I typically run the app when reviewing a PR

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 15:34:20 GMT

I typically run the app when reviewing a PR. Here's why: ✅Helps me see the user experience. ✅Seeing the UX helps me read the code, because it helps...

Tip: Clone your repo multiple times

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 00:59:01 GMT

Tip: Clone your repo multiple times. Then you can have the multiple editors open to different branches. Result? Quickly switch context and compare...

TypeScript tip: Try to avoid optional fields

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 12:48:03 GMT

TypeScript tip: Try to avoid optional fields. They cause two problems: 1. They reduce type safety. 2. There's no type-safe way to enforce when the...

I recently joined a struggling team for part-time consulting

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 22:14:51 GMT

I recently joined a struggling team for part-time consulting. After some coaching and code reviews, things are going smoothly! Here are 6 key impro...

“I once attended a planning meeting in which it was discussed for 20 minutes...

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 12:13:45 GMT

“I once attended a planning meeting in which it was discussed for 20 minutes whether a task should be included in the next sprint. The task could b...

Around 2005, I had a job where I was paid well to do nearly nothing

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 13:42:22 GMT

Around 2005, I had a job where I was paid well to do nearly nothing. I worked for a large telecom company on a team called “test operations”. My jo...

Problem: You're doing a code review and have a suggested change that's hard...

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 21:48:56 GMT

Problem: You're doing a code review and have a suggested change that's hard to describe. Solution: Open a PR against the PR. If a suggested change...

Good news: You can deep clone objects in the browser via structuredClone

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 12:02:58 GMT

Good news: You can deep clone objects in the browser via structuredClone! 🎉 Bad news: Spread syntax is 34x faster than stucturedClone. ⚠️ structur...

Problem: Feature flags are handy, but it’s easy to forget to remove them later

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 13:00:43 GMT

Problem: Feature flags are handy, but it’s easy to forget to remove them later. This leads to needless overhead, complexity, and risk. Solution: Wr...

Problem: TypeScript only exists at compile-time

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 12:40:57 GMT

Problem: TypeScript only exists at compile-time. At runtime, it's plain JS. So, when the type is only known at runtime, TypeScript can't protect yo...

Claim: “We need sprints to break work down and hit deadlines.” Reality: We...

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 13:56:58 GMT

Claim: “We need sprints to break work down and hit deadlines.” Reality: We need to frequently release small tickets so we can estimate velocity. We...

Problem: A ticket is too big

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 17:50:19 GMT

Problem: A ticket is too big. Solution: Decompose it. Example: “Create contact us page.” How to decompose it: 1. Design page and write content. 2....

Independence is wonderful

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:55:33 GMT

Independence is wonderful. But it has its downsides too. Here are the key tradeoffs I’ve learned… 10 things I love about being independent: ✅ No al...

Problem: You want to start a new ticket, but you’re waiting for a related PR...

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 14:02:07 GMT

Problem: You want to start a new ticket, but you’re waiting for a related PR to be merged. Solution: Create a branch off the PR branch. Now your ne...

TypeScript tip: If a type is only used by one file, colocate the type with...

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:04:59 GMT

TypeScript tip: If a type is only used by one file, colocate the type with the file. This clarifies the close relationship, reduces file navigation...

Continuous integration: ✅ No PRs ✅ No branches ✅ No gating code reviews ✅...

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 13:15:34 GMT

Continuous integration: ✅ No PRs ✅ No branches ✅ No gating code reviews ✅ Commit directly into trunk Frequent Integration: ✅ Small PRs ✅ Simple, sh...

Continuous integration (CI) is a spectrum

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 14:48:31 GMT

Continuous integration (CI) is a spectrum. The question is, how frequently should we integrate our code changes? Options from most to least continu...

A common mistake: Partially implementing many features

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 13:02:45 GMT

A common mistake: Partially implementing many features. This causes multiple problems: 1. Creates confusion about what is done. 2. Hinders future r...

GitHub code review tip: In diff view, there’s a copy path button next to...

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 12:25:23 GMT

GitHub code review tip: In diff view, there’s a copy path button next to each filename. So to quickly open a file in VS Code: 1. Click the copy fil...

My new favorite VS Code extension: GitHub Pull Requests and Issues

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 12:29:03 GMT

My new favorite VS Code extension: GitHub Pull Requests and Issues. Review pull requests in VS Code! Benefits: 1. See and checkout PRs 2. See chang...

5 years ago, I had a full time job

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 11:52:20 GMT

5 years ago, I had a full time job. So did nearly everyone I knew. But, I knew an independent. He inspired me. I took the leap, and quit. After I w...

10 JavaScript/TypeScript features I avoid:

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 13:09:26 GMT

10 JavaScript/TypeScript features I avoid: ?. ?: as var let any else class enum switch They’re not always a problem. But, they’re overused, and can...

I taught a team React this week

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 13:42:13 GMT

I taught a team React this week. My teaching style is unique: We build an app that’s tailored to their company’s requirements, from scratch, togeth...

Problem: A long ternary is hard to read

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 18:48:11 GMT

Problem: A long ternary is hard to read. Solution: Extract two functions. (This is especially useful when there's a lot of JSX around a ternary)

A sign you may benefit from useReducer: You're making multiple setState...

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 13:26:27 GMT

A sign you may benefit from useReducer: You're making multiple setState calls in a row. With useReducer, multiple pieces of state can be updated vi...

Problem: With react-query, we may declare inconsistent query keys

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 12:15:31 GMT

Problem: With react-query, we may declare inconsistent query keys. That leads to cache misses and duplicated cache entries. 👎 Solution: 1. Wrap ea...

Problem: Your team is using VS Code, and you want to make it easy for all...

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 16:10:43 GMT

Problem: Your team is using VS Code, and you want to make it easy for all your developers to use the same extensions. Solution: Create .vscode/exte...

React-query tip: You probably don’t need initialData or presetData

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 12:07:24 GMT

React-query tip: You probably don’t need initialData or presetData. If you set these, isLoading is always false. Solution: Return early. Display a...

I’m loving Playwright’s new UI mode: npx playwright test --ui It opens a UI...

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 15:48:01 GMT

I’m loving Playwright’s new UI mode: npx playwright test --ui It opens a UI where I can: ✅ Run a test ✅ See the test run in browser ✅ Enable watch...

Situation: You have two projects, a UI and a REST API

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 12:41:28 GMT

Situation: You have two projects, a UI and a REST API. The UI and API are written in different languages, so different devs do UI vs API dev. The U...

In React components, I group related items and declare things in a...

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 18:16:27 GMT

In React components, I group related items and declare things in a consistent order. My approach: 1. state 2. derived state 3. other hook calls 4....

Is there an ESLint rule to warn when a "bad" variable name is used

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 19:37:58 GMT

Is there an ESLint rule to warn when a "bad" variable name is used? Example: I'd like it to warn when "data" is used. There's typically a more desc...

Problem: Your dev team makes spelling mistakes in code

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 14:38:32 GMT

Problem: Your dev team makes spelling mistakes in code. Solution: CSpell CSpell has a command line interface. So, run it against your entire codeba...

10 technologies I use with nearly every React app: 1

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 16:58:11 GMT

10 technologies I use with nearly every React app: 1. TypeScript 2. Zod 3. Playwright 4. Storybook 5. react-query 6. Jest or Vitest 7. Testing Libr...

Why I prefer const: It encourages a single, immutable declaration

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 12:39:22 GMT

Why I prefer const: It encourages a single, immutable declaration. This is often simpler. Note how the logic using let below is much more syntax an...

Problem: A component is hard to test because it displays many different...

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:31:20 GMT

Problem: A component is hard to test because it displays many different messages in different scenarios. Solution: 1. Put the test data in a well-n...

Problem: You want to run multiple npm scripts at the same time

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 11:54:50 GMT

Problem: You want to run multiple npm scripts at the same time. Solution: 1. Use npm-run-all. 2. Give related scripts a common prefix. Then you can...

I've been coding for 20+ years

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 17:07:41 GMT

I've been coding for 20+ years. For the first 10 years, I thought automated tests were a waste of time. Then, I dug in, practiced, and got good at...

I find GitHub CoPilot more useful for programming tasks than ChatGPT

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 02:30:43 GMT

I find GitHub CoPilot more useful for programming tasks than ChatGPT. Two reasons why: 1. Better ergonomics. I need not leave my editor. 2. Richer...

If I’m coding alone, I may skip writing tests if the project is small enough...

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 12:29:28 GMT

If I’m coding alone, I may skip writing tests if the project is small enough that I can hold the entire project in my head. But, when coding as a t...

Problem: You want to ensure environment variables are declared and...

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 15:23:15 GMT

Problem: You want to ensure environment variables are declared and referenced properly in all environments. And you want autocomplete support. Solu...

Problem: If a function accepts two arguments of the same type, people may...

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 13:07:01 GMT

Problem: If a function accepts two arguments of the same type, people may pass arguments in the wrong order. Solution: Accept an object instead. Th...

Challenge: Can you think of a single decision in software that has no tradeoffs

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 14:06:05 GMT

Challenge: Can you think of a single decision in software that has no tradeoffs? All upside. No cost or downsides.

Why I review PR's in my IDE: It’s easier to see if files are in the right spot

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 14:53:17 GMT

Why I review PR's in my IDE: It’s easier to see if files are in the right spot. In a code review diff, I can’t easily see where a file sits *relati...

React tip: Avoid extracting event handlers to separate functions if they're...

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 20:42:16 GMT

React tip: Avoid extracting event handlers to separate functions if they're only called once. Benefits of declaring inline: ✅ Less code ✅ Automatic...

As a developer, I know I’m not a designer

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 13:33:50 GMT

As a developer, I know I’m not a designer. But that doesn’t mean I should blindly implement designs. I push back on designs that are: 🚫 Insecure �...

Problem: If you rename a file by only changing its casing, Git won't “see”...

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 13:04:17 GMT

Problem: If you rename a file by only changing its casing, Git won't “see” the change. Solution: Use git mv. Example: git mv useraccount.js userAcc...

I knew time zones were complex

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 22:45:02 GMT

I knew time zones were complex. I never knew the mess was this bad. This short video was a real eye-opener. In summary, never try to handle time zo...

Why I’m so excited about React’s server components: I can do full stack...

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 00:14:31 GMT

Why I’m so excited about React’s server components: I can do full stack development with just React. I don’t need to build REST/GraphQL APIs anymor...

If you’ve only worked with React, Vue, Angular, etc, you might think every...

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 14:09:41 GMT

If you’ve only worked with React, Vue, Angular, etc, you might think every app needs a REST/GraphQL API. That’s not true. Many web apps call the DB...

Hard truth: Some devs are WAY more productive

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 18:28:19 GMT

Hard truth: Some devs are WAY more productive. As a consultant, I work with dozens of teams. I see massive differences in developer output. Here's...

Measuring developer productivity with 100% accuracy is impossible

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 13:59:36 GMT

Measuring developer productivity with 100% accuracy is impossible. Yet everyone “knows” when someone on the team is struggling or not pulling their...

I use @playwrightweb or @Cypress_io to write 2 types of tests: 1

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 12:37:25 GMT

I use @playwrightweb or @Cypress_io to write 2 types of tests: 1. End-to-end tests Goal: Load each page to assure the app works against the real AP...

All developer productivity stats are flawed, and can be gamed

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 14:13:58 GMT

All developer productivity stats are flawed, and can be gamed. But, like it or not, I’ve seen managers quietly monitor these 5 stats: Number of com...

Problem: You want to reset React state when a component’s props change

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 11:52:09 GMT

Problem: You want to reset React state when a component’s props change. Solution: Change the component’s key when the props change. When the key ch...

I've seen well-functioning teams suddenly struggle just because an extra...

Mon, 01 May 2023 11:20:46 GMT

I've seen well-functioning teams suddenly struggle just because an *extra* developer was added to the team. Hence, a rule: You can't add or remove...

TypeScript tip: Avoid prefixing interfaces with "I"

Mon, 01 May 2023 11:50:32 GMT

TypeScript tip: Avoid prefixing interfaces with "I". The "I" prefix is a C# convention, but not a TypeScript convention. In TypeScript, prefixing w...

I review TypeScript code daily

Tue, 02 May 2023 12:05:13 GMT

I review TypeScript code daily. Here are 6 suggestions I often make to improve types: ✅Eliminate any ✅Avoid optional fields ✅Avoid type assertions...

“This code seems needless, but surely it’s here for a reason

Wed, 03 May 2023 12:06:35 GMT

“This code seems needless, but surely it’s here for a reason. We better not touch it”. Once code is merged, it’s hard to find unnecessary complexit...

As a React developer: If I'm copy/pasting JSX, I should probably create a...

Wed, 03 May 2023 16:52:47 GMT

As a React developer: If I'm copy/pasting JSX, I should probably create a reusable component. If I'm copy/pasting logic, I should probably create a...

TypeScript tip: Avoid specifying a type inside map

Fri, 05 May 2023 01:08:20 GMT

TypeScript tip: Avoid specifying a type inside map. The array's type automatically applies to the map function.

If a function accepts a boolean, consider declaring two separate functions

Fri, 05 May 2023 12:19:10 GMT

If a function accepts a boolean, consider declaring two separate functions. Doing so improves readability and composability.

Just got access to the GitHub Copilot Chat beta

Fri, 05 May 2023 20:11:13 GMT

Just got access to the GitHub Copilot Chat beta! 🎉 Now I can ask Copilot to perform tasks via chat. I predict this is how most developers will use...

Before I quit my job, I did a “safe” trial run: I asked my boss for 90 days...

Sat, 06 May 2023 14:48:29 GMT

Before I quit my job, I did a “safe” trial run: I asked my boss for 90 days of unpaid leave. He accepted. In 90 days, I trained multiple companies,...

Avoid centralizing TypeScript types

Sun, 07 May 2023 12:30:30 GMT

Avoid centralizing TypeScript types. Why: 🚫 Creates ownership ambiguity 🚫 Makes it less clear what the type is for 🚫 Makes it unclear when we ca...

There are many ways to write unreliable software

Mon, 08 May 2023 12:34:49 GMT

There are many ways to write unreliable software. These 8 practices help me write reliable software. ✅Static types ✅Feature flags ✅Automated tests...

React performance technique: Split a big component if some state is only...

Tue, 09 May 2023 12:39:10 GMT

React performance technique: Split a big component if some state is only used in a portion of the JSX. Splitting reduces the amount of JSX rendered...

React performance tip: You probably don't need to optimize React's...

Tue, 09 May 2023 21:12:05 GMT

React performance tip: You probably don't need to optimize React's performance on your own. I've been working in React for nearly a decade. I rarel...

Technologies foster mindsets

Wed, 10 May 2023 13:31:03 GMT

Technologies foster mindsets. React: Think of your UI as nested components. React query: Think of query results as a global cache. TypeScript: Thin...

Many companies create needless overhead and complexity by batching deployments

Thu, 11 May 2023 01:23:44 GMT

Many companies create needless overhead and complexity by batching deployments. “Can we finish by the next release date?” “Who needs to approve thi...

Another reason to avoid prefixing TypeScript interfaces with "I": It can...

Thu, 11 May 2023 12:27:03 GMT

Another reason to avoid prefixing TypeScript interfaces with "I": It can lead to duplicated types, because types and interfaces are prefixed differ...

A recipe for creating a TypeScript codebase that’s hard to maintain:...

Thu, 11 May 2023 18:19:33 GMT

A recipe for creating a TypeScript codebase that’s hard to maintain: Centralize all types Downsides: 🚫 We have to constantly jump between files 🚫...

Problem: JavaScript's sort method mutates the existing array

Thu, 11 May 2023 22:36:01 GMT

Problem: JavaScript's sort method mutates the existing array. Solution: The new toSorted method. It returns a new array, and doesn't mutate the exi...

Two related signs of a mature dev team: 1

Fri, 12 May 2023 12:35:08 GMT

How to write reliable end-to-end tests: 1

Fri, 12 May 2023 14:32:19 GMT

How to write reliable end-to-end tests: 1. Use a DB with a static dataset. 2. If 1 isn’t possible, “smoke test”. Don’t assert specific data exists....

React tip: Components designed for a single use should have only required props

Fri, 12 May 2023 20:22:55 GMT

React tip: Components designed for a single use should have only required props. An optional prop for a single use component is illogical. If the p...

A test doesn't just make sure it works

Sat, 13 May 2023 15:19:08 GMT

A test doesn't just make sure it works. A test makes sure everyone understands how it should work. Tests are documentation.

The big risk of using global state managers: Some teams think "Let's put all...

Sat, 13 May 2023 16:44:23 GMT

The big risk of using global state managers: Some teams think "Let's put all our state here." For example, I've seen many teams use Redux to store...

Here's the difference between amateurs and pros: My friend is a wood worker

Sun, 14 May 2023 13:18:36 GMT

Here's the difference between amateurs and pros: My friend is a wood worker. He noticed multiple problems with my cabinets. 🚫 Cheap hinges 🚫 Low...

Problem: Dead code

Mon, 15 May 2023 11:53:25 GMT

Problem: Dead code. (code that isn't called) 🚫 It's a sign of a bug 🚫 Creates a maintenance burden 🚫 Wastes time during refactoring 🚫 Adds nois...

In JavaScript, I export on the same line as the declaration

Tue, 16 May 2023 12:23:19 GMT

In JavaScript, I export on the same line as the declaration. This avoids having to repeat the function's name in two spots. And I can see the funct...

I prefer: ✅ Static types over dynamic types ✅ Functional programming over...

Wed, 17 May 2023 13:19:00 GMT

I prefer: ✅ Static types over dynamic types ✅ Functional programming over object oriented programming ✅ Automated tests over manual tests ✅ Integra...

Had a lot of fun this week teaching React with TypeScript, React Query, Mock...

Thu, 18 May 2023 00:42:35 GMT

Had a lot of fun this week teaching React with TypeScript, React Query, Mock Service Worker, Tailwind, and Playwright here in my hometown of KC!

Problem: A page has multiple dialogs, but only one dialog should be...

Thu, 18 May 2023 01:18:03 GMT

Problem: A page has multiple dialogs, but only one dialog should be displayed at any given time. Solution: Handle dialog state via one piece of sta...

React: The Most Common Mistakes in 2023 I'm presenting this talk at @kc_dc...

Thu, 18 May 2023 13:08:11 GMT

React: The Most Common Mistakes in 2023 I'm presenting this talk at @kc_dc in July! The list: State: Needless state Global state overuse Syncing st...

When you’re building a dialog, ask this: “Should users be able to share a...

Fri, 19 May 2023 12:50:06 GMT

When you’re building a dialog, ask this: “Should users be able to share a link to this dialog?” If so, store the open state for the dialog in the U...

Situation: Multiple teams are collaborating to create a single, big React app

Fri, 19 May 2023 17:53:34 GMT

Situation: Multiple teams are collaborating to create a single, big React app. How would you handle it? 1. Cross-team monolith - All teams collabor...

TypeScript is the biggest improvement to my web dev experience in the last 5...

Sun, 21 May 2023 16:21:52 GMT

TypeScript is the biggest improvement to my web dev experience in the last 5 years. ✅ I feel less stressed. ✅ Reading code is easier. It's more exp...

One of the hard parts of leaving a software development project: I can't see...

Sun, 21 May 2023 21:48:31 GMT

One of the hard parts of leaving a software development project: I can't see what I built anymore. If I built a building, I could drive by and smil...

6 signs a dev team is out of control: 1

Mon, 22 May 2023 14:41:12 GMT

6 signs a dev team is out of control: 1. Few/no automated tests 2. Many lint warnings/errors 3. No Continuous Integration server 4. Frequent misspe...

Web app testing tip: 1

Wed, 24 May 2023 16:04:01 GMT

Web app testing tip: 1. Store all your links and headers in an array 2. Use the array to generate your nav bar 3. Use the array to generate a test...

A new reason I’m a fan of Tailwind: It’s AI friendly

Thu, 25 May 2023 13:21:35 GMT

A new reason I’m a fan of Tailwind: It’s AI friendly. I can ask an AI to create components with styles written in Tailwind. This idea doesn’t work...

When I audit a project, I clean up first

Sat, 27 May 2023 11:35:01 GMT

When I audit a project, I clean up first. 1. Run cspell to fix spelling issues 2. Remove unused vars and imports 3. Remove "dead" code (commented o...

As, a consultant, I’ve learned PRs are the most effective way to create...

Sat, 27 May 2023 20:47:36 GMT

As, a consultant, I’ve learned PRs are the most effective way to create actual change. If I ask for meetings, or suggest a change, the change won’t...

The less experience a developer has, the harder their job is (because they...

Sun, 28 May 2023 12:04:14 GMT

The less experience a developer has, the harder their job is (because they accidentally make it hard). The more experience a developer has, the eas...

Some developers love consistency too much

Mon, 29 May 2023 12:54:02 GMT

Some developers love consistency too much. Examples: “Always use let.” “Always use an arrow function instead and of a function declaration.” “Alway...

Comprehensive test coverage is great

Tue, 30 May 2023 14:07:50 GMT

Comprehensive test coverage is great. But, focusing on code coverage metrics isn’t. Avoid “we require x percent code coverage”. Prefer “we write au...

A single monorepo for an entire company rarely makes sense

Tue, 30 May 2023 23:05:40 GMT

A single monorepo for an entire company rarely makes sense. A separate repo for every team also rarely makes sense. The happy middle-ground? Put *r...

Problem: TypeScript optional fields reduce type safety

Wed, 31 May 2023 12:54:43 GMT

Problem: TypeScript optional fields reduce type safety. Why? Because an optional field can't specify when the field is optional vs required. Soluti...

I joined a struggling team in January

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:07:56 GMT

I joined a struggling team in January. Then: 🚫 No tests 🚫 Few lint rules 🚫 No CI config 🚫 Over 1,300 “any” in TypeScript 🚫 1,000’s of lines of...

How I define a unit test: An automated test that tests 1 function or...

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 12:24:03 GMT

How I define a unit test: An automated test that tests 1 function or component, alone. I write unit tests for 2 cases: 1. Reusable, pure util funct...

A well-designed REST API doesn't merely expose each DB table

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 16:04:43 GMT

A well-designed REST API doesn't merely expose each DB table. Doing so leads to: 🚫 Many HTTP calls 🚫 Returning data the UI doesn't need 🚫 A lot...

If useEffect is the answer, I'm probably asking the wrong question

Sat, 03 Jun 2023 13:10:40 GMT

If useEffect is the answer, I'm probably asking the wrong question. Examples: "How do I sync state?" Don't. Derive it. "How do I fetch with plain R...

Problem: Sometimes I make unrelated changes when working on a feature

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 12:30:39 GMT

Problem: Sometimes I make unrelated changes when working on a feature. (I notice nearby, related code that needs work, so I fix it). This can lead...

Just refactored a React component

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 12:35:31 GMT

Just refactored a React component. I removed 50% of the code.🔥 What I did: 1. Unify 10 related useState into 1 useState object 2. Unify 10 onChang...

Poll: Which code do you prefer for returning totals

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 20:31:07 GMT

Poll: Which code do you prefer for returning totals? 1. let and forEach 2. reduce Poll in next tweet...

Reviewing code is one of the most rewarding things I do

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 23:24:37 GMT

Reviewing code is one of the most rewarding things I do. Why? Because I get to see developers grow. At first, junior developers have a lot of issue...

Problem: In React Query, a mutation often needs access to the query's key so...

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 14:40:12 GMT

Problem: In React Query, a mutation often needs access to the query's key so it can clear cache. Solution: Put associated queries and mutations in...

Problem: Meetings are often needless, slow, expensive, and hard to schedule

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 16:08:19 GMT

Problem: Meetings are often needless, slow, expensive, and hard to schedule. My solution: Create a video instead. I make a clear proposal in a vide...

A weird misuse of React’s context I just found: 1

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 13:09:25 GMT

A weird misuse of React’s context I just found: 1. The user clicks a record on a list page. 2. The record’s detail is fetched, then stored in conte...

A bug I see in nearly every web app: If someone saves a stale record, it...

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 12:38:43 GMT

A bug I see in nearly every web app: If someone saves a stale record, it overwrites the newer DB record. 😬 Solution: 1. Provide 'updated' time wit...

The URL is often underused in web apps

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 16:28:18 GMT

The URL is often underused in web apps. I use the URL for state when the user may want to... ✅ Share the state ✅ Bookmark the page and maintain the...

Problem: Sometimes people disable an ESLint rule, then forget to remove the...

Sat, 10 Jun 2023 13:53:29 GMT

Problem: Sometimes people disable an ESLint rule, then forget to remove the disable when it’s no longer needed. Solution: Enable the report-unused-...

Just learned about Million, a new alternative React virtual DOM

Sat, 10 Jun 2023 20:19:59 GMT

Just learned about Million, a new alternative React virtual DOM. Million diffs state instead of DOM. This is faster when there's a little state, bu...

I’ve worked on teams with high quality, reliable, comprehensive tests

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 11:37:33 GMT

I’ve worked on teams with high quality, reliable, comprehensive tests. How good were our tests? I made changes *without even running the UI*. 🔥 I...

Problem: Git pre-commit hooks are slow, which is annoying when I commit...

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 12:41:24 GMT

Problem: Git pre-commit hooks are slow, which is annoying when I commit frequently. Solution: Skip them like this: git commit -m “message here” -n...

Problem: If we allow ESLint warnings, the number of warnings will grow over time

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 14:58:34 GMT

Problem: If we allow ESLint warnings, the number of warnings will grow over time. Here why: 🚫 It’s hard to see when new warnings occur 🚫 Noisy ES...

data is rarely the right variable name

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 20:19:21 GMT

data is rarely the right variable name. When in doubt, note the TypeScript type's name. Example: 🚫 function addItem(data: SelectedItem) 👍 functio...

TypeScript mistake: Needless “defensive” coding

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 13:15:20 GMT

TypeScript mistake: Needless “defensive” coding. Example: Making fields as optional “just in case”. Downsides: 🚫 Reduces clarity 🚫 Hurts type saf...

Goal: Allow the user to select items in a list

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 11:39:22 GMT

Goal: Allow the user to select items in a list. Three state approaches, from worst, to best: 1. list and selectedList 👎 2. list and selectedIds 👎...

Mindset that motivates me to go to the gym daily: Going to the gym is a...

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 19:51:49 GMT

Mindset that motivates me to go to the gym daily: Going to the gym is a privilege. Someday I may not have the time. Someday I may not have the mone...

⚛️ React Tip: Don't nest React component declarations

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 11:53:41 GMT

⚛️ React Tip: Don't nest React component declarations. If you declare a React component in a React component, React creates a new instance of the c...

Problem: When you deploy a new version of your SPA, users with a tab open...

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:54:41 GMT

Problem: When you deploy a new version of your SPA, users with a tab open will keep using the old SPA code. Solution: 1. Specify the app version in...

Problem: When you deploy a new version of your SPA, users with a tab open...

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 15:05:40 GMT

Problem: When you deploy a new version of your SPA, users with a tab open will keep using the old SPA code. Yesterday, I shared one solution. Peopl...

Yesterday, one of my clients had a problem

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 15:41:45 GMT

Yesterday, one of my clients had a problem. I tweeted my solution. It got over 6,000 engagements containing many thoughtful suggestions. Thank you...

I used to think every pull request (PR) needed to be "perfect"

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 12:11:21 GMT

I used to think every pull request (PR) needed to be "perfect". All win, no downsides. But sometimes a PR is many steps forward, and one step backw...

6 months ago, I started consulting a team with 1,300+ "any" in their TypeScript

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 14:47:01 GMT

6 months ago, I started consulting a team with 1,300+ "any" in their TypeScript. Since then, we've released tons of features, and dramatically impr...

Problem: Your web app is too big for one team to build

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 12:16:22 GMT

Problem: Your web app is too big for one team to build. Solution: Use Module Federation (MF) to compose apps. Here's how it works: 1. One team buil...

React mistake: Declaring state too high

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 12:42:57 GMT

React mistake: Declaring state too high. Why it's a problem: 🚫 Needless extra code 🚫 Needless extra renders 🚫 Needless complexity for no benefit...

I try to avoid introducing global state as long as I can

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:47:34 GMT

I try to avoid introducing global state as long as I can. Here’s why: The moment a system has global state, it tends to attract needless usage.

I’m helping a company build a VERY big React app by composing many separate...

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 14:50:26 GMT

I’m helping a company build a VERY big React app by composing many separate React projects. 19 teams, and growing! I just audited the projects and...

Just presented “React: The Most Common Mistakes in 2023” at @kc_dc

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 20:22:17 GMT

Just presented “React: The Most Common Mistakes in 2023” at @kc_dc. Here are the slides! http://bit.ly/react-kcdc-2023

Microservices provide more team autonomy than Microfrontends

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 16:27:17 GMT

Microservices provide more team autonomy than Microfrontends. Here’s why: With Microservices, each microservice dev team can pick their own tech. W...

"Storing your unit test and the file under test in separate folders is like...

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 19:56:30 GMT

"Storing your unit test and the file under test in separate folders is like storing your hand soap in the closet." -@scottsauber at @kc_dc Colocate...

Limiting work-in-progress is useful

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 11:52:50 GMT

Limiting work-in-progress is useful. But, I’ve found the ideal number of tasks in progress is greater than one. Why? Because I often get stumped, b...

Code reviews are a powerful way to improve code quality

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 13:35:15 GMT

Code reviews are a powerful way to improve code quality. But sometimes a code review is too late. Sometimes a code review exposes code that shouldn...

React performance problems are rare

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:06:20 GMT

React performance problems are rare. So, if I have a performance problem, I typically did one of 4 things: 🚫 My component is too big (so I split i...

The longer I work in TypeScript, the more this is clear to me: When building...

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 21:51:48 GMT

The longer I work in TypeScript, the more this is clear to me: When building apps with TypeScript, if my code is hard to type, my design is probabl...

Three misconceptions I’ve noticed among people who don’t “get” Tailwind: 1

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 03:02:25 GMT

Three misconceptions I’ve noticed among people who don’t “get” Tailwind: 1. People think it’s “inline styles”. (It’s not. It’s utility classes that...

If your frontend approach doesn’t offer a way to abstract repeated HTML,...

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 12:27:58 GMT

If your frontend approach doesn’t offer a way to abstract repeated HTML, then you should avoid Tailwind. But if you don’t have a way to abstract re...

The cascade in CSS is like inheritance in Object-Oriented programming

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 13:22:28 GMT

The cascade in CSS is like inheritance in Object-Oriented programming. It sounds like a good idea at first, but it often causes more problems than...

I strive to use consistent names when passing React props

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 13:07:18 GMT

I strive to use consistent names when passing React props. Consistent naming makes the code easier to read and navigate. Examples: ✅ Pass a piece o...

Problem: TypeScript and ESLint display errors using a red underline, so you...

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 16:36:18 GMT

Problem: TypeScript and ESLint display errors using a red underline, so you can’t tell if it’s a type or lint issue at a glance. Solution: Use only...

Refactoring is rarely “necessary” or “urgent”

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 12:30:22 GMT

Refactoring is rarely “necessary” or “urgent”. Yet refactoring is important because code is read often, and patterns proliferate. If we only change...

Confession: Years ago, my life was dominated by fear

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 13:33:09 GMT

Confession: Years ago, my life was dominated by fear. I was so scared of failure that I was afraid to speak up. I was afraid to try things that mig...

When I’m stuck on a hard programming problem the most ineffective thing I...

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 14:18:20 GMT

When I’m stuck on a hard programming problem the most ineffective thing I can do is sit at the keyboard and hope a good idea arrives. So instead, I...

You don’t need to get rich to radically change your life

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 19:31:48 GMT

You don’t need to get rich to radically change your life. You just need save enough that you can afford to not make money for a little while. Here’...

A common mistake: “I don’t like that person, so I won’t agree with anything...

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 22:59:36 GMT

A common mistake: “I don’t like that person, so I won’t agree with anything they say.” Example: “I don’t like Uncle Bob. So, DRY is dumb”. A person...

Good programming advice can be taken too far: DRY - “I don’t repeat...

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 12:39:48 GMT

Good programming advice can be taken too far: DRY - “I don’t repeat anything, ever” Single responsibility - “Every function I write is one line” TD...

“Move fast and break things.” This can be a useful mantra early in a...

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:28:57 GMT

“Move fast and break things.” This can be a useful mantra early in a software project. But, once real users and real data are impacted, it’s typica...

A lead who understands and is responsible for the entire system is critical

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 21:52:31 GMT

A lead who understands and is responsible for the entire system is critical. Here’s why: ✅ They can spot needless complexity ✅ They can see when a...

I thought TypeScript was a waste of time

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 15:32:33 GMT

I thought TypeScript was a waste of time. I thought it was more complexity than it was worth. I thought Microsoft was just trying to make JavaScrip...

Software development is an interest of mine

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 12:36:26 GMT

Software development is an interest of mine. I enjoy reading, experimenting, and getting better. But, it’s not *inherently* interesting. It’s inter...

Using "!" in TypeScript is often a hack that reduces type safety

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 18:36:34 GMT

Using "!" in TypeScript is often a hack that reduces type safety. Instead, it's typically best to: 1. Check if the expected data exists. 2. Throw a...

Software development is intimidating because there is no "arrival"

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 14:46:42 GMT

Software development is intimidating because there is no "arrival". There's no day I can say "I fully understand". A career in software development...

“I don’t need Tailwind

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 12:15:11 GMT

“I don’t need Tailwind. I’m a CSS expert.” ⚠️Will your docs will be as comprehensive? ⚠️Will your class structure will be as thoughtful? ⚠️Will you...

Anyone know of an ESLint rule that enforces naming React state properly

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 18:27:54 GMT

Anyone know of an ESLint rule that enforces naming React state properly? I'd like it to catch this: const [count, updateTheCount] = useState(0) And...

I believe one of the most valuable things we can do in code reviews is...

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 21:42:20 GMT

I believe one of the most valuable things we can do in code reviews is improve naming. "I'm unclear what this variable name means." "This function'...

Problem: Mock datasets tend to be bloated, unreliable, and repetitive

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 13:18:01 GMT

Problem: Mock datasets tend to be bloated, unreliable, and repetitive. So, it's often unclear what mock data can safely be changed, reused, or adde...

Problem: You want to support internationalization

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 20:32:03 GMT

Problem: You want to support internationalization. You want autocomplete support for translated strings. You want type safety to ensure translation...

Every abstraction has a cost

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 13:34:17 GMT

Every abstraction has a cost. Some abstractions don’t provide enough value to offset their cost. Examples: A function only called once with a singl...

Perhaps the most common mistake in software: Waiting too long before getting...

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:34:52 GMT

Perhaps the most common mistake in software: Waiting too long before getting feedback. Early feedback catches obvious issues when they're cheaper t...

Concern: “Asking for feedback makes me look weak or incompetent.” Reality:...

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 15:53:35 GMT

Concern: “Asking for feedback makes me look weak or incompetent.” Reality: Asking for feedback makes you look more confident, more capable, and mor...

Company: "We're agile." 5 minutes later

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 19:52:14 GMT

Company: "We're agile." 5 minutes later... Company: "It's time for quarterly PI planning, so all teams need to agree on what they'll do in the next...

Problem: You need to apply a key to a React fragment

Sat, 15 Jul 2023 15:14:13 GMT

Problem: You need to apply a key to a React fragment. Solution: Use React.Fragment instead of <>.

Every software shop wants to say “we’re agile”

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 14:34:46 GMT

Every software shop wants to say “we’re agile”. But true agility requires two things: 1. Executives that give teams autonomy and trust. 2. Teams th...

Habit: Before I make a PR comment, I ask “Could this check be automated?”...

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 13:51:31 GMT

Habit: Before I make a PR comment, I ask “Could this check be automated?” Examples: 🚫 Bad format ✅Use Prettier 🚫 Tests fail ✅ Run tests on CI 🚫...

I frequently audit JavaScript projects for companies

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 15:33:39 GMT

I frequently audit JavaScript projects for companies. Here's something I look for: Is there an ESLint plugin installed for each package we’re using...

Two mistakes I see often: 1

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 18:48:33 GMT

Two mistakes I see often: 1. Start coding too early. If we start coding before we know what we need, it leads to excessive rework and risks throwin...

A recipe for massive technical debt: 📉 🚫 Throw a large number of...

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:35:39 GMT

A recipe for massive technical debt: 📉 🚫 Throw a large number of developers at an empty project...and tell them to hurry. 🚫 Don't bother with co...

Problem: I need to fix a bug

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 12:37:01 GMT

Problem: I need to fix a bug. But, the code is so hard to understand that I don't know how to fix it. Solution: 1. Understand what the feature is s...

Short-term thinking: We don't have time to write tests

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:35:03 GMT

Short-term thinking: We don't have time to write tests. Long-term thinking: Tests will save us time. With tests, we can: ✅ Understand how each feat...

Me: This PR fails on my machine

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 18:14:06 GMT

Me: This PR fails on my machine. Dev: It works on my machine. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Me: Add a test that runs the feature on CI. Dev: The new test passes on my...

9 ways to resolve "It works on my machine": 1

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 15:59:27 GMT

9 ways to resolve "It works on my machine": 1. Try incognito mode. 2. Use a different browser. 3. Is everything committed? 4. Did you change/add a...

Habit: I often centralize API urls in a single file

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 13:07:23 GMT

Habit: I often centralize API urls in a single file. Benefits: ✅ I reuse the URLs in fetch calls and mock configs (using tools like @ApiMocking) ✅...

Old habit: I added useful explanations in my GitHub pull requests to help...

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 12:24:38 GMT

Old habit: I added useful explanations in my GitHub pull requests to help the reviewer. But once the PR was merged, my comments were lost. 👎 New h...

The most common way I see agile fail: 1

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 14:23:40 GMT

The most common way I see agile fail: 1. A team makes a mistake in production. 2. Executives create rigid, counter-productive processes because the...

A common TypeScript mistake I see in React code reviews: Needless useState...

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 01:17:13 GMT

A common TypeScript mistake I see in React code reviews: Needless useState type arguments. If there's a default, the type can typically be inferred.

Some developers claim to be “over-employed” (working multiple full-time...

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 13:19:28 GMT

Some developers claim to be “over-employed” (working multiple full-time remote jobs). I've worked with a couple people who appeared to be trying it...

Things I rarely use: 🚫 Currying 🚫 Middleware 🚫 Inheritance 🚫...

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 12:27:13 GMT

Things I rarely use: 🚫 Currying 🚫 Middleware 🚫 Inheritance 🚫 Polymorphism 🚫 IoC containers 🚫 The actor model 🚫 Aspect-oriented programming �...

Problem: You want to display a dialog

Sat, 29 Jul 2023 12:40:35 GMT

Problem: You want to display a dialog. Common solution: Use state to track the dialog's visibility. Alternative solution: Consider using a URL sear...

Problem: When a user shares or bookmarks a URL, the page doesn't show what...

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 12:42:57 GMT

Problem: When a user shares or bookmarks a URL, the page doesn't show what they were seeing when reloaded. Solution: Consider storing the state in...

⚠️ Watch out: Environments encourage behaviors

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:55:44 GMT

⚠️ Watch out: Environments encourage behaviors. QA: "Let's batch up work and wait for a separate team to manually test our app and approve before w...

Want to do Continuous integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD)

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 11:34:51 GMT

Want to do Continuous integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD)? Then avoid creating a bunch of non-prod environments. Here's why: Non-prod env...

Warning: If you hire people whose job is basically "lead meetings" you may...

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 19:42:06 GMT

Warning: If you hire people whose job is basically "lead meetings" you may find they waste a lot of people's time in needless meetings.

Problem: “We can’t release daily

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:40:05 GMT

Problem: “We can’t release daily. The business decides when we can release new features.” Solution: Decouple release from deployment. Here’s how: 1...

The most common mistake I see with feature flags is having too many

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 21:40:04 GMT

The most common mistake I see with feature flags is having too many. Flags are like tech debt. They’re useful, but they should typically be rare an...

Creating components is easy

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:02:17 GMT

Creating components is easy. Creating reusable components is hard. What mistakes did your company make when creating their own reusable UI components?

Global variables in disguise: React Context Redux React-query Apollo Jotai...

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 14:34:18 GMT

Global variables in disguise: React Context Redux React-query Apollo Jotai Zustand That doesn’t mean these things are “bad”. But it does mean we sh...

Building a web app and need global state

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 11:52:24 GMT

Building a web app and need global state? You might not need a global state library. Consider using the browser’s global state: URL Cookie IndexDB...

Global state isn’t “bad”

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:40:51 GMT

Global state isn’t “bad”. It’s a tradeoff. Advantages: ✅ Simple ✅ Convenient ✅ Easy to understand Downsides: 🚫 Prone to bugs 🚫 Can hurt performan...

A messy coding environment is like a messy kitchen

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 13:50:53 GMT

A messy coding environment is like a messy kitchen. The mess makes it hard to do good work. Examples: 🚫 Unused files 🚫 Failing tests 🚫 Misspelle...

A pattern I've noticed: A designer ships great work, gets bored, and moves on

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 03:12:25 GMT

A pattern I've noticed: A designer ships great work, gets bored, and moves on. A new designer is hired, and immediately wants to do a redesign. Oft...

Problem: You’re building a big feature that will require weeks of work

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 15:14:53 GMT

Problem: You’re building a big feature that will require weeks of work. Mistake: A long-lived feature branch. Solution: Use a feature flag to hide...

Each year, I work with a few teams that are basically doing the same thing:...

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 13:13:26 GMT

Each year, I work with a few teams that are basically doing the same thing: Rewriting old web apps to use React. The old apps use ASP NET Web Forms...

My mindset: “I should be able to merge my work daily.” This encourages me to...

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 13:50:05 GMT

My mindset: “I should be able to merge my work daily.” This encourages me to break tasks down. It encourages me to consider how I can “hide/disable...

Many companies create reusable components

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 15:53:49 GMT

Many companies create reusable components. But, the developers don't use them. Here's why: 🚫 "It’s bloated." 🚫 "I couldn’t find it." 🚫 "The API...

People keep talking about shadcn/ui, so I just created some reusable React...

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 12:48:13 GMT

People keep talking about shadcn/ui, so I just created some reusable React components with it. My impressions: ✅ It’s fast to get started with Next...

The most effective way to quickly learn a new tech: 1

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 22:29:29 GMT

The most effective way to quickly learn a new tech: 1. Open the docs. 2. Open an editor. 3. Build something.

My rule for creating reusable components: Honor HTML

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 13:33:05 GMT

My rule for creating reusable components: Honor HTML. Example: A reusable Button should honor the native HTML button API. So, don’t do this: 🚫 <...

Problem: 🚫 Your project has unused files

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 14:44:56 GMT

Problem: 🚫 Your project has unused files. 🚫 It has unused npm dependencies. 🚫 It has unused TypeScript exports. But you haven't noticed, because...

Storybook is nice, but it can be tricky to fully emulate my app's...

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 00:29:14 GMT

Storybook is nice, but it can be tricky to fully emulate my app's environment because it has a separate build. And it's often brittle when I add/up...

One of the most common reusable component mistakes I see: They're not...

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 13:39:03 GMT

One of the most common reusable component mistakes I see: They're not discoverable. I often ask teams "Where are your reusable components?" Their a...

I thought that lounge access was silly

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 18:32:06 GMT

I thought that lounge access was silly. Then I finally tried it when my Amex card got me in for free. Now I get it. Wow. Such a wonderful, quiet pl...

Here are the slides for "Creating Reusable Components...That Are Actually...

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 22:49:29 GMT

Here are the slides for "Creating Reusable Components...That Are Actually Reusable" at @ReactRally These are new slides and recommendations I creat...

Poll: Imagine your team has to build a project with either types or tests

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 22:52:31 GMT

Poll: Imagine your team has to build a project with either types or tests. You can't have both. Which would you pick?

I ❤️ pnpm

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 15:44:23 GMT

I ❤️ pnpm. Just radically sped up a CI build by switching to pnpm and parallelizing tasks (which pnpm supports built-in) Before: 12 minutes After:...

Types vs tests is a false dichotomy

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 13:46:59 GMT

Types vs tests is a false dichotomy. You can and should use both. But here’s why some teams favor types over tests: ✅ Types provide real-time inlin...

Some programmers are code-first

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 16:47:47 GMT

Some programmers are code-first. They focus on the code. Other programmers are product-first. They focus on the product and user experience. Strive...

I've been using @nextjs 13, the app folder, and React Server Components a...

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 20:58:05 GMT

I've been using @nextjs 13, the app folder, and React Server Components a lot lately. What a wonderful combination. I'm really impressed by how fas...

A problem I'm seeing on @nextjs: Sometimes I save changes, but I still see...

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 12:41:37 GMT

A problem I'm seeing on @nextjs: Sometimes I save changes, but I still see old results. I delete the .next folder and restart to resolve it. I've p...

Okay, this is wild

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 16:36:38 GMT

Okay, this is wild. I just saw metrics at a company on PRs per developer, per year. The company has around 100 devs. At the top, some devs complete...

One of my clients just did a demo of http://builder.io

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 12:58:47 GMT

One of my clients just did a demo of http://builder.io. Wow, I’m impressed. Drag and drop React components. Configure their props. Dynamic routes....

4 software delivery metrics worth tracking: 1

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 14:33:45 GMT

4 software delivery metrics worth tracking: 1. Change lead time - How long does it take to go from code committed to prod? 2. Deployment frequency...

Sometimes a simple REST API change can significantly simplify the UI

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:38:04 GMT

Sometimes a simple REST API change can significantly simplify the UI. Example: An endpoint returns either an array, or null. This requires the UI t...

If I were a dev manager again, here's a stat I'd track: PR comment/approval...

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 12:12:10 GMT

If I were a dev manager again, here's a stat I'd track: PR comment/approval ratio. Examples: Bob made 0 PR comments this month and approved 25 PRs....

I just built a product catalog app with @nextjs new app folder

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 12:48:14 GMT

I just built a product catalog app with @nextjs new app folder. I’m impressed. ✅ The new file-based routing with nested layouts works great, and fe...

Electrician installed the Tesla wall connector today on a 60 amp breaker

Sat, 26 Aug 2023 03:31:38 GMT

Electrician installed the Tesla wall connector today on a 60 amp breaker. Now the Model S charges at 41 miles/hour in my garage!

A common TypeScript mistake: Needless optional fields

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 12:51:07 GMT

A common TypeScript mistake: Needless optional fields. Me: “Why is this field optional?” Dev: “In case someone doesn’t pass it.” Me: If the field i...

When working in TypeScript, I think in sets

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 11:05:39 GMT

When working in TypeScript, I think in sets. Each type describes a potential set of values. The goal: Make each set as specific as possible.

Some people “overdo” their job

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 12:25:28 GMT

Some people “overdo” their job. Examples: 🚫 A software architect that over-engineers a simple problem. 🚫 A UI designer that redesigns something t...

Many companies are unwilling to spend a little extra money to make CI faster

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 14:40:08 GMT

Many companies are unwilling to spend a little extra money to make CI faster. This is a silly place to save money. A fast CI server that paralleliz...

If you work in TypeScript, this style guide by @mkosir_ is a wonderful resource

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:27:35 GMT

If you work in TypeScript, this style guide by @mkosir_ is a wonderful resource. Many thoughtful tips and links to related resources. https://mkosi...

I’m helping a team add end-to-end tests to an existing app

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 14:05:42 GMT

I’m helping a team add end-to-end tests to an existing app. But, the app is slow, so the e2e tests are slow. The good news? Now we have a *lot* of...

Problem: aria-labels are often overly broad

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 17:59:51 GMT

Problem: aria-labels are often overly broad. Remember, an aria-label provides a label for assistive tech. So the user may not be able to see the su...

Me: "If it doesn't improve the user experience, it doesn't matter." Dev:...

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 21:56:28 GMT

Me: "If it doesn't improve the user experience, it doesn't matter." Dev: "What about CI, types, and tests?! They matter!" Me: "Agreed. Those improv...

Imagine your CI build took only 5 seconds

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 14:04:22 GMT

Imagine your CI build took only 5 seconds. How would this impact your team? My take: ✅ We’d open PRs more often because they’re so fast. ✅ We’d fix...

I've found it's important to run PRs so I can review the user experience

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 20:30:16 GMT

I've found it's important to run PRs so I can review the user experience. I believe user experience is everyone's responsibility.

I occasionally see companies create reusable component libraries that make...

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 12:59:29 GMT

I occasionally see companies create reusable component libraries that make it hard to restyle. Their goal is admirable - they want to enforce consi...

Problem: You want to link to a page and highlight specific text

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 12:44:22 GMT

Problem: You want to link to a page and highlight specific text. Solution: Use the text fragments API. https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web...

Here’s a novel reason to write automated end-to-end tests: It motivates...

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 13:41:45 GMT

Here’s a novel reason to write automated end-to-end tests: It motivates developers to fix performance issues. Why? Because if the app is slow, the...

I’m helping a team create their first automated tests

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 14:03:31 GMT

I’m helping a team create their first automated tests. Here are 8 common testing mistakes I’m seeing, and how to fix them: 1. Unclear name. Solutio...

I’ve used a treadmill under my standing desk for the last 8 years

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 13:41:48 GMT

I’ve used a treadmill under my standing desk for the last 8 years. I love it, and I believe it’s a competitive advantage. Here’s why: 1. 10k steps...

Problem: The REST API I’m calling is a mess

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 14:41:17 GMT

Problem: The REST API I’m calling is a mess. Solution: Abstract it. Resolve the issues in your response handlers. ✅ Fix misspelled properties and c...

My talk "Creating Reusable Components...That Are Actually Reusable" from...

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 16:50:43 GMT

My talk "Creating Reusable Components...That Are Actually Reusable" from @ReactRally just posted on YouTube! I welcome your feedback. https://www.y...

“We don’t need types

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 21:54:56 GMT

“We don’t need types. We write tests.” Tests are wonderful. But tests don’t replace types. Why? Because tests are harder to do well than types. Tea...

I understand why some teams use plain JavaScript

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 18:06:04 GMT

I understand why some teams use plain JavaScript. Perhaps the code is simple and rarely changes. Perhaps the team is small, so types feel like over...

Why is this post is getting so much buzz

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 19:24:07 GMT

Why is this post is getting so much buzz? Because it's extremely uncommon for teams to migrate from TypeScript back to JavaScript. I've worked with...

I just removed tests, types, linting, code reviews, and CI from my project

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 13:46:28 GMT

I just removed tests, types, linting, code reviews, and CI from my project. I'm excited to ship my bugs faster!

Bun 1.0 is here and it’s shockingly compelling

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 02:54:50 GMT

Bun 1.0 is here and it’s shockingly compelling. Bun is a lightning fast runtime, build tool, bundler, package manager, and testing tool, all rolled...

The Node cjs to esm transition is a mess

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 13:37:51 GMT

The Node cjs to esm transition is a mess. But Bun can handle both cjs and esm *in the same file*! This works?! Awesome. 🤯

Problem: I'm working in an app that uses both Redux and React Query

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:36:26 GMT

Problem: I'm working in an app that uses both Redux and React Query. React Query responses are copied into the Redux store. The app is buggy becaus...

Software developers are writers

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 21:39:03 GMT

Software developers are writers. Great writers master communication. Communication involves 4 key skills: ✅ Writing ✅ Reading ✅ Listening ✅ Speakin...

Bun is exciting

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:12:15 GMT

Bun is exciting. But Bun’s “all-in-one”approach has many risks and downsides: 🚫 Bun will often lag behind changes to the separate tools it replace...

Problem: You need to represent an empty number

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 01:49:46 GMT

Problem: You need to represent an empty number. Hack: Use 0, -1, or "". The real solution: Use null. That's what it's for. Null says, "This has no...

Avoid disabling from submit buttons

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:03:27 GMT

Avoid disabling from submit buttons. 🚫 Hurts accessibility. The submit button “disappears” for screen readers. 🚫 Hurts usability. The user may no...

Yet another reason I run PRs as part of code reviews: I just ran a PR with...

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 23:41:27 GMT

Yet another reason I run PRs as part of code reviews: I just ran a PR with the devtools open and saw the app spewing console warnings. 😬 I can’t s...

TypeScript is a set-based language

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:44:44 GMT

TypeScript is a set-based language. If I "lie" to TypeScript about the nature of a set of values, then TypeScript can't help me. If something can b...

A common programming mistake: Forgetting to start with a verb

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 12:38:12 GMT

A common programming mistake: Forgetting to start with a verb. Here are 4 things that should typically start with a verb: 1. Function 🚫 userGet ✅...

Problem: TypeScript can't validate runtime data

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:12:24 GMT

Problem: TypeScript can't validate runtime data. Solution: Use Zod to validate runtime data. 6 things I validate at runtime via Zod: ✅ URL ✅ Cookie...

Mistake: Displaying UI features that don’t work

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 11:58:28 GMT

Mistake: Displaying UI features that don’t work. This is a common mistake on pre-production projects. Displaying buttons/pages/features that don’t...

Two thoughts on accessibility: 1

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 14:29:22 GMT

Two thoughts on accessibility: 1. I believe in writing accessible web apps. I teach teams how to use screen readers and how to write accessible HTM...

AI coding tools like Copilot make suggestions based on what code is in the repo

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 21:50:25 GMT

AI coding tools like Copilot make suggestions based on what code is in the repo. ⚠️ So watch out: If the code is full of anti-patterns, AI suggesti...

An EV is the ultimate mobile office

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 23:34:02 GMT

An EV is the ultimate mobile office. It’s quiet. I’m playing soft music. The A/C and cooled seat is on. My laptop and phone are charging. My screen...

A test naming strategy I enjoy: 1

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:58:02 GMT

A test naming strategy I enjoy: 1. Use "describe" to describe the scenario under test 2. Use "test" to describe the expected results Benefits: ✅ Av...

Naming rule: Case acronyms as words

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 13:53:18 GMT

Naming rule: Case acronyms as words. 🚫 getURLParam ✅ getUrlParam 🚫 parseHTTPRequest ✅ parseHttpRequest The second one is easier to read because i...

Problem: Disabled buttons hurt accessibility and usability

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 12:52:11 GMT

Problem: Disabled buttons hurt accessibility and usability. 🚫 They're invisible for screen readers. 🚫 There's no way for a user to discover why a...

"I don't need to run the PR

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 18:21:06 GMT

"I don't need to run the PR. I trust the developer". You wouldn't believe how many PRs I see that have obvious mistakes or don't even run. Writing...

“We don’t need to do code reviews

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 03:06:23 GMT

“We don’t need to do code reviews. We write tests”. How do we assure the code is well structured and readable? How do we assure the UX is good? How...

CSS Modules and CSS-in-JS encourage me to think selfishly

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 13:49:48 GMT

CSS Modules and CSS-in-JS encourage me to think selfishly. I write separate styles for each component I create. I'm not forced to reuse styles. Thi...

Pair programming doesn’t typically replace code reviews for one simple...

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 14:28:12 GMT

Pair programming doesn’t typically replace code reviews for one simple reason: Most teams don’t pair all day. Why? Because pairing is useful, but i...

📢 If you hate writing software, you may just be in the wrong role

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 19:57:56 GMT

📢 If you hate writing software, you may just be in the wrong role. I’ve worked with a LOT of different companies and teams over 20+ years. Typical...

My M1 laptop is silent

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 02:14:37 GMT

My M1 laptop is silent. I don't think I've ever heard the fans come on. It's wonderful. I can't imagine going back to the distraction of whirring f...

⚛️React performance tip: If your default state is expensive, put it in a...

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 13:07:26 GMT

⚛️React performance tip: If your default state is expensive, put it in a function. Here’s why: If the default logic is inlined, it's needlessly exe...

Pair programming is great

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 19:06:35 GMT

Pair programming is great. It can increase quality. It fosters creativity and collaboration. It helps catch issues early. It's a great fit for hard...

In late 2022, I joined a struggling team as a part-time consultant

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 14:05:23 GMT

In late 2022, I joined a struggling team as a part-time consultant. Here’s how we turned things around: ✅ Wrote simple @playwrightweb tests to assu...

Just hit 100k followers 🤯 Here are 10 things Twitter taught me about...

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 12:01:02 GMT

Just hit 100k followers 🤯 Here are 10 things Twitter taught me about programming and life. 1. Focus on value for others and people will listen. Mo...

Problem: You want to assure your web app isn’t logging messages to the...

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 12:39:43 GMT

Problem: You want to assure your web app isn’t logging messages to the console, and enforce it on CI. Solution: Use Playwright. With these 3 lines,...

Problem: You want to easily update outdated npm packages

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 21:15:34 GMT

Problem: You want to easily update outdated npm packages. Solution: Use VS Code's Version Lens extension. It displays a colorful icon next to each...

Many programming practices have a sweet spot

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 12:54:55 GMT

Many programming practices have a sweet spot. No types vs 100% perfect types. No tests vs 100% code coverage. No pair programming vs 100% pair prog...

I rarely need to do React performance optimizations

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:34:28 GMT

I rarely need to do React performance optimizations. But we have a page with 5 big tables and a summary bar. When one table changes, everything ren...

React performance in one tweet: Declare state as local as possible

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 16:46:30 GMT

React performance in one tweet: Declare state as local as possible. If state is only used by part of the JSX: 1. Split the component 2. Move the st...

Two related software development skills: 1

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 12:34:30 GMT

Often a useEffect can be replaced by calling code when an event occurs

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 15:46:37 GMT

Often a useEffect can be replaced by calling code when an event occurs. So, when I see a useEffect, I ask: Could this code be triggered by an event...

Just reviewed a web page making 55 fetch calls totaling 570k of JSON

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 01:51:49 GMT

Just reviewed a web page making 55 fetch calls totaling 570k of JSON. This one page is 1.6 MB. Why 55 calls? Because each database table is exposed...

Simple JS developer productivity tip: Fail npm start if the expected port...

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 15:31:55 GMT

Simple JS developer productivity tip: Fail npm start if the expected port isn’t available. Here’s why: If the port isn’t available, the app is prob...

I'm auditing an app that's using Tailwind...with CSS modules

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 01:22:47 GMT

I'm auditing an app that's using Tailwind...with CSS modules. 😬 Each component's styles are declared in a module.css file. Tailwind styles are app...

A common mistake: "Let's abstract this in case we want to replace it later."...

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 13:01:27 GMT

A common mistake: "Let's abstract this in case we want to replace it later." Examples: 🚫 "Let's abstract React in case we switch JS frameworks." �...

Just audited a codebase with a REST API that returns this: { table1: []...

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 13:30:39 GMT

Just audited a codebase with a REST API that returns this: { table1: [] table2: [] main: [] } Don’t couple your API to UI elements.

Some things that can’t be fully tested via automation

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 14:35:49 GMT

Some things that can’t be fully tested via automation. ✅ Is the code readable? ✅ Are there reuse opportunities? ✅ How’s the user experience? ✅ Is t...

The 5 keys to successful software: 1

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 12:56:25 GMT

The 5 keys to successful software: 1. Well built 2. Well marketed 3. Well supported 4. Well documented 5. Solves the right problem 5 is the key. 1-...

Hot take: 🌶️ If I need data “power tools” like Lodash, Underscore, Ramda,...

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 16:06:44 GMT

Hot take: 🌶️ If I need data “power tools” like Lodash, Underscore, Ramda, Remeda in my web UI, I should probably improve my backend APIs instead....

One of my favorite things about owning a Tesla: The phone integration

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 22:33:09 GMT

One of my favorite things about owning a Tesla: The phone integration. My phone is my key, so I don’t think about keys at all. I walk up and it unl...

I'm a big believer in code reviews

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 12:08:05 GMT

I'm a big believer in code reviews. But I've found review *after* merge can work well in high trust environments. Benefits: ✅ Code is merged quickl...

Problem: When a user clicks a button the response may be slow

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 16:48:43 GMT

Problem: When a user clicks a button the response may be slow. Solution: 1. Display a loading indicator 2. Set aria-disabled="true" on the button (...

I’m reviewing a JavaScript code base with JS Doc comments like this above...

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 16:34:19 GMT

I’m reviewing a JavaScript code base with JS Doc comments like this above every function and component: I don't recommend this. TypeScript provides...

In React, I group related state into one useState

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 12:47:12 GMT

In React, I group related state into one useState. Here’s why: ✅Requires less code. ✅Makes it easy to send to the server. ✅Can create a single onCh...

Another reason it's important to write tests: locale

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 21:32:29 GMT

Another reason it's important to write tests: locale. A dev in another country just submitted a PR that sorts numbers. The sort works for him, but...

Concern: “Code reviews slow us down”

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 15:13:14 GMT

Concern: “Code reviews slow us down”. Solution: Open a ticket for issues that can be resolved in a separate pull request. Example: “I opened ticket...

Problem: Your project may be using deprecated features

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 20:29:06 GMT

Problem: Your project may be using deprecated features. Solution: eslint-plugin-deprecation I just learned about this plugin. It caught a number of...

Problem: I use "test.only" to run a single test quickly

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 12:49:56 GMT

Problem: I use "test.only" to run a single test quickly. But if I forget to remove the "only" before committing, no other tests will run on CI. 😬...

Atomic design is great

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 12:54:28 GMT

Atomic design is great. It provides useful terminology for creating and composing reusable components. But sometimes teams organize their reusable...

Just used the new "Presenter Overlay" feature on MacOS Sonoma to create a...

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 15:54:02 GMT

Just used the new "Presenter Overlay" feature on MacOS Sonoma to create a short teaser for my "React State: 10 Years of Lessons Learned" talk. I do...

Wow, this was more lopsided than I expected

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 02:58:03 GMT

Wow, this was more lopsided than I expected. Out of 3,000 devs, 94% seldom or never use useReducer. And about half never use it. useReducer is grea...

I love cars and I love driving

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 14:46:54 GMT

I love cars and I love driving. I enjoy reading and watching car reviews - even for cars I’d never buy. Cars are awesome. But a city that prioritiz...

When I see an optional React component prop in a code review, I dig deeper: 1

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 13:50:09 GMT

When I see an optional React component prop in a code review, I dig deeper: 1. What happens when the prop is omitted? Is there a default? 2. Is it...

Problem: Sometimes people export internals merely to support unit testing

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:50:45 GMT

Problem: Sometimes people export internals merely to support unit testing. But, it's generally recommended to only test the public interface. And s...

One of the most satisfying discoveries as a React dev: Needless prop drilling

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 12:41:02 GMT

One of the most satisfying discoveries as a React dev: Needless prop drilling. Me: "Hrmm, where is this prop coming from?" I trace up through 5 lev...

One of the hardest parts of being a developer is picking my battles

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 15:48:22 GMT

One of the hardest parts of being a developer is picking my battles. 🚫 The team picks an “inferior” tech 🚫 The boss decides to double the team si...

How a developer shows empathy: Have a sense of urgency in reviewing pull...

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 01:07:04 GMT

How a developer shows empathy: Have a sense of urgency in reviewing pull requests. Write code that's easy for others to understand. Offer to help w...

You’d be shocked how complex a web form can be

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:10:56 GMT

You’d be shocked how complex a web form can be. I’m looking at a simple web form with 5 fields that uses: useState useEffect Redux React Query Reac...

Can someone show me a an HTML form that uses the browser’s native validation...

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:04:35 GMT

Can someone show me a an HTML form that uses the browser’s native validation APIs and: 1. Has custom styles for the native error messages so they l...

Problem: If a function accepts multiple parameters of the same type, we may...

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 17:10:40 GMT

Problem: If a function accepts multiple parameters of the same type, we may accidentally pass arguments in the wrong order. Types can’t protect us....

Poll: Which boolean variable name do you prefer

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 16:24:08 GMT

Poll: Which boolean variable name do you prefer? showX isXVisible The former is shorter, but sounds like a function. The latter is clearly a bool,...

Avoid a single meeting on a problem

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 15:16:44 GMT

Avoid a single meeting on a problem. Instead, have two separate meetings: Meeting 1 - Define the problem. Meeting 2 - Decide how to fix the problem...

It’s common to store the active tab like this: activeTabIndex = 0; But this...

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 13:13:07 GMT

It’s common to store the active tab like this: activeTabIndex = 0; But this has downsides: 🚫 What tab does each index represent? 🚫 TypeScript can...

A simple sign that a web app isn't using URLs effectively: Tickets can't...

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 12:15:31 GMT

A simple sign that a web app isn't using URLs effectively: Tickets can't merely specify a URL. Instead, they have to say 🚫 "Click on this tab" 🚫...

Habit: When someone provides a detailed and helpful explanation in a pull...

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 18:44:20 GMT

Habit: When someone provides a detailed and helpful explanation in a pull request, I often ask them to paste it into the code as a comment. If it's...

Just presented “Creating Reusable Components…That Are Actually Reusable” at...

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 21:07:37 GMT

Just presented “Creating Reusable Components…That Are Actually Reusable” at @connect_js. Here’s the slides! https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/vrtxhl4k...

Just learned about AutoAnimate

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 13:52:16 GMT

Just learned about AutoAnimate. Add motion to your app with one line of code. Works with all the popular JS frameworks too. Awesome work @jpschroed...

The smaller the PR, the faster it gets merged

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 22:44:31 GMT

The smaller the PR, the faster it gets merged. ✅ Lower risk ✅ Less to review ✅ Easier to understand

Problem: It’s easy to accidentally name a boolean in a way that makes it...

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:42:21 GMT

Problem: It’s easy to accidentally name a boolean in a way that makes it sound like a function. Example: showDialog. Instead, prefer isDialogVisibl...

So many bad takes on this photo

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 14:18:48 GMT

So many bad takes on this photo. SQL injection is protected via the “sql” call. If you don’t like inline SQL, you can abstract it by calling a func...

Locality of Behavior (LOB) Principle: The behaviour of a unit of code should...

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 16:18:24 GMT

Locality of Behavior (LOB) Principle: The behaviour of a unit of code should be as obvious as possible by looking only at that unit of code. Locali...

I work with multiple companies every week

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 13:46:25 GMT

I work with multiple companies every week. The teams I enjoy most: ✅ I work on my own laptop. ✅ The people I work with are good communicators. ✅ Ev...

Common React mistake: Buried default 🚫 Don’t bury the default inside the...

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 13:06:35 GMT

Common React mistake: Buried default 🚫 Don’t bury the default inside the component. ✅ Make the default part of the public API.

I just read this variable name in a code review:...

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 15:06:55 GMT

I just read this variable name in a code review: startLoadTabIsActiveAndHasNoErrorsButEndLoadTabHasErrors It's long, but I like it. I prefer descri...

I’m reviewing a plain JS code base

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 16:42:43 GMT

I’m reviewing a plain JS code base. It contains over 1,000 uses of optional chaining: “?.” Why? Because they don’t feel they can trust the properti...

"This is a good suggestion, but it's outside the scope of this PR

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 11:38:57 GMT

"This is a good suggestion, but it's outside the scope of this PR. So I opened ticket 123 to address it." This is a wonderful PR response.

A recipe for frustrating developers: 🚫 Require a slow VPN or slow remote...

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 13:55:36 GMT

A recipe for frustrating developers: 🚫 Require a slow VPN or slow remote virtual machine to work. 🚫 Forbid changing most things. We must accept p...

The key difference between @nextjs and @remix_run: Next is a React framework

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 15:20:28 GMT

The key difference between @nextjs and @remix_run: Next is a React framework. Remix is a framework that happens to use React. Next embraces React f...

Why I'm excited about React Server Components (RSC): 1

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 12:59:53 GMT

Why I'm excited about React Server Components (RSC): 1. Smaller JS bundle (Server components add zero K to the bundle) 2. Performance. Fetching sta...

Here’s why React Server Components (RSC) are a big performance win: 1

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 13:50:17 GMT

Here’s why React Server Components (RSC) are a big performance win: 1. RSC starts fetching sooner - the moment the request is received. Client comp...

3 parties that should have design input: 1

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 19:07:16 GMT

3 parties that should have design input: 1. The designer (assures the design is usable, consistent, aesthetically pleasing, etc) 2. The product own...

Tests are useful, but they’re not automatically a win

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 14:28:14 GMT

Tests are useful, but they’re not automatically a win. 🚫 Poorly-written, slow, flakey tests hinder development and waste time. ✅ Well-written, fas...

This talk is excellent

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 00:51:33 GMT

This talk is excellent. A nice history lesson on why static typing had a comeback and is likely to be the most popular paradigm for the future. “Wh...

React in 2023 is like the Honda Accord

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 15:18:20 GMT

React in 2023 is like the Honda Accord. ✅ Proven. ✅ Popular. ✅ Flexible. ✅ Reliable. ✅ Well documented. ✅ Easy to find related components. ✅ Easy t...

When working in @tan_stack React query, I use setQueryData instead of...

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 20:50:29 GMT

When working in @tan_stack React query, I use setQueryData instead of invalidateQueries when possible. Here's why: setQueryData instantly updates t...

“I don’t have time to exercise” is counter-productive

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 16:50:52 GMT

“I don’t have time to exercise” is counter-productive. Exercise is fuel for motivation and focus. So, exercise improves my per hour output. My rule...

GitHub CoPilot saves expensive developer time by purchasing cheap AI time

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 21:39:11 GMT

GitHub CoPilot saves expensive developer time by purchasing cheap AI time. So, if a company won't pay for GitHub CoPilot, they either don't realize...

I often group related props into an object

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 14:16:07 GMT

I often group related props into an object. Advantages: ✅ Less code, so easier to read ✅ Clarifies the relationship between related fields ✅ Makes...

I've finally realized why it's hard for me to get into watching pro sports:...

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 22:05:16 GMT

I've finally realized why it's hard for me to get into watching pro sports: It feels like I'm watching other people live their life. I'd rather be...

How I use React query: 1

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 14:09:30 GMT

How I use React query: 1. Create custom hooks that wrap related useQuery and useMutation calls. 2. Inline queryFn and mutationFn args. This enforce...

Problem: If your React app uses providers, you may have to repeat their...

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 13:26:37 GMT

Problem: If your React app uses providers, you may have to repeat their config in multiple spots: 1. The app's root 2. Storybook 3. Tests Solution:...

I’ve found React.memo usage should be rare

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 14:33:18 GMT

I’ve found React.memo usage should be rare. If it’s common, I ask: 1. Is state is too high? 2. Are components properly decomposed? Could we move st...

I've worked with teams that were scarred by their previous automated testing...

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 14:03:46 GMT

I've worked with teams that were scarred by their previous automated testing experience. "Tests were a hinderance. We wasted lots of time on slow,...

Downward spiral: 1

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 13:41:43 GMT

Downward spiral: 1. Releases often fail because the team doesn’t have automated tests and deployments, weak code reviews, poor communication, and o...

A minor tweak I enjoy: I put the scripts section near the top of package.json

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 15:07:24 GMT

A minor tweak I enjoy: I put the scripts section near the top of package.json. Why? Because it’s the thing I tend to read, change, and reference th...

In a code review, what's an example of a "nitpick"

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 19:12:06 GMT

In a code review, what's an example of a "nitpick"? I struggle to think of an example because most the "nitpick" level stuff is already checked via...

Why I don’t do TDD often: TDD commits me to an API before I know what API I want

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 20:26:46 GMT

Why I don’t do TDD often: TDD commits me to an API before I know what API I want. At first, I’m just iterating. Once I like the API, I add tests.

Problem: If a user experiences a client-side JavaScript error, does your...

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 14:34:14 GMT

Problem: If a user experiences a client-side JavaScript error, does your team know? Solution: Use a client-side error tracking service. (I use Trac...

Problem: You want to create a reusable React dialog that manages its own...

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 11:47:18 GMT

Problem: You want to create a reusable React dialog that manages its own visibility. Solution: Create a DialogButton component that controls the di...

Confession: I’ve been writing software for over 20 years, but I often learn...

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 11:09:19 GMT

Confession: I’ve been writing software for over 20 years, but I often learn things I feel like I should have stumbled across years ago. 🚫 I spent...

I love the simplicity of React's reuse model

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 12:08:47 GMT

I love the simplicity of React's reuse model. Repeating JSX? Create a component. Repeating logic? Create a hook. I can compose these simple buildin...

Quick story about my lucky Thanksgiving this year

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 23:12:17 GMT

Quick story about my lucky Thanksgiving this year. Thanksgiving day, my family and I take a boat ride to an uninhabited island one hour east of Pue...

Making fundamental changes on a development team is hard

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 13:31:59 GMT

Making fundamental changes on a development team is hard. How do we start testing? How do we start using types? How do we change technologies? My a...

Simple rule: The more effort I put in, the more results I get out

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 15:16:37 GMT

Simple rule: The more effort I put in, the more results I get out. Examples: The more I exercise, the better my results. The more I invest in my ca...

Problem: End-to-end tests are often slow and brittle

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 13:58:04 GMT

Problem: End-to-end tests are often slow and brittle. Solution: Test the UI and the backend separately, and use contract tests to assure our mocks...

Problem: We need to rename a DB column, but we want to avoid a breaking change

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 16:00:45 GMT

Problem: We need to rename a DB column, but we want to avoid a breaking change. Solution: 1. Add new column (Ticket 1) 2. Update all code to refere...

Coding is writing

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 16:07:13 GMT

Coding is writing. In writing, these things matter: ✅Clarity ✅Brevity ✅Spelling ✅Formatting ✅Punctuation ✅Terminology ✅Consistency ✅Grouping relate...

Problem: Our code has old patterns that we don’t want people to copy

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 15:28:08 GMT

Problem: Our code has old patterns that we don’t want people to copy. Solution: 1. Move the old code to a folder called “legacy”. 2. Tell everyone....

PSA 📢: Avoid Barrels (A barrel is a file that exports code from other...

Sat, 02 Dec 2023 16:53:28 GMT

PSA 📢: Avoid Barrels (A barrel is a file that exports code from other files) Barrel benefits: ✅ Shorter import paths ✅ Support importing many file...

Claim: “I need a barrel to specify the feature’s public API.” Reality: There...

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 14:36:42 GMT

Claim: “I need a barrel to specify the feature’s public API.” Reality: There are alternatives. 1. Use one file. Only export the public API. 2. Use...

Code review principle: If the check can be automated, it should be automated

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 16:27:19 GMT

Code review principle: If the check can be automated, it should be automated. Examples: ✅Do tests pass? ✅Does the app build? ✅Are there spelling er...

Problem: You need to switch your app’s CSS to Tailwind

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 15:10:14 GMT

Problem: You need to switch your app’s CSS to Tailwind. Solution: Use Windy. It converts CSS into Tailwind. https://usewindy.com

⚛️4 questions I ask before using useState: 1

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 16:41:54 GMT

⚛️4 questions I ask before using useState: 1. Should I store this state in the URL? 2. Can I derive the value from other state? 3. Is this state re...

Import paths tell a story

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 16:27:33 GMT

Import paths tell a story. Short import paths are a good sign - It tells me related code is colocated. 👍 Stuff that can often be located near the...

Problem: We need to fix a production bug, but the development branch...

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 14:35:31 GMT

Problem: We need to fix a production bug, but the development branch contains work that isn’t ready for prod. Solution: Only merge code to that can...

I often see HTTP requests that forget to do one or more of these: ✅ Show...

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 16:02:56 GMT

I often see HTTP requests that forget to do one or more of these: ✅ Show loading status ✅ Display a confirmation when complete ✅ Timeout the reques...

I like how React hooks centralize and encapsulate a chunk of reusable logic

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 20:06:46 GMT

I like how React hooks centralize and encapsulate a chunk of reusable logic. And I like how the hook provides a nice clear name that documents inte...

Problem: JavaScript’s .sort mutates the array

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 02:29:51 GMT

Problem: JavaScript’s .sort mutates the array. Solution: Use .toSorted instead. It returns a new sorted array.

When React launched in 2013, every component was a class

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 14:58:28 GMT

When React launched in 2013, every component was a class. When stateless function components arrived in 2015, I only used class components when I n...

In TypeScript, the narrower the type, the more safety and clarity we have

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 14:09:03 GMT

In TypeScript, the narrower the type, the more safety and clarity we have. So if a PR widens a type, that’s a code smell. When this happens, I ask:...

CSS Grid is powerful, but I honestly don't use it often because I'm more...

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 19:37:43 GMT

CSS Grid is powerful, but I honestly don't use it often because I'm more familiar with Flexbox. This post by @JoshWComeau does a wonderful job walk...

I work with many teams who use different languages and repos for their web...

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 13:38:52 GMT

I work with many teams who use different languages and repos for their web UI and the backend. Example: 1. React UI 2. C# .NET JSON API Problem: It...

Problem: URL search params are evaluated at runtime

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:25:06 GMT

Problem: URL search params are evaluated at runtime. So they aren't strongly typed, and they're a hassle in TypeScript. Solution: 1. Abstract reads...

Problem: We need to replace an old feature with a similar new feature

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 16:37:40 GMT

Problem: We need to replace an old feature with a similar new feature. Solution: Do it in phases. PR 1: Rename the old feature to “old-x” and mark...

Problem: Optional fields are overused in TypeScript

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 13:30:12 GMT

Problem: Optional fields are overused in TypeScript. Sometimes they’re applied when they’re not even necessary. Solution: In code reviews, if the o...

A recipe for tech debt: 1

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 14:48:21 GMT

A recipe for tech debt: 1. Create a giant pull request. 2. Say “It’s urgent, so I’m going to merge this now. We can fix any feedback later.”

Just bought the Apple 5K Studio display The good: ✅Super bright ✅Gorgeous...

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 16:36:36 GMT

Just bought the Apple 5K Studio display The good: ✅Super bright ✅Gorgeous color ✅Very crisp text ✅I can easily split the screen when needed. ✅Even...

Wow, I just watched @BHolmesDev implement React Server Components from...

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 18:47:31 GMT

Wow, I just watched @BHolmesDev implement React Server Components from scratch in under 20 minutes. 🤯 Phenomenal video for understanding the basic...

It's shocking how often teams "lie" to TypeScript

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 22:15:36 GMT

It's shocking how often teams "lie" to TypeScript. A needlessly wide type is a lie. Avoid: 🚩 userId: string; 🚩 isActive: number; 🚩 ages:

Problem: Code reviews delay feedback

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 15:19:01 GMT

Problem: Code reviews delay feedback. Solution: Stack pull requests. (Open a few small PRs, each based off the previous) ✅ Get feedback early and o...

This is what it looks like to colocate related code

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 16:57:59 GMT

This is what it looks like to colocate related code. Long paths like this: "../../../../" Become short paths: "./" I like diffs like this. 👍

TypeScript Problem: I want a string literal union type, but I also want to...

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 14:18:53 GMT

TypeScript Problem: I want a string literal union type, but I also want to call a function that accepts a string in a type-safe manner. (Assume I c...

Some people hate nested ternaries

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 17:47:08 GMT

Some people hate nested ternaries. Some people like 'em. If your codebase has nested ternaries, upgrade Prettier. Prettier now indents nested terna...

Problem: We need to upgrade an npm package

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 14:58:16 GMT

Problem: We need to upgrade an npm package. But upgrading in one PR will create a big, risky PR. Solution: 1. Use npm package aliases. This allows...

A home needs housekeeping or it slowly becomes a mess

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 23:36:26 GMT

A home needs housekeeping or it slowly becomes a mess. A codebase needs housekeeping too. But developers are busy. So they're often so focused on s...

I worried an EV would give me range anxiety

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 14:35:42 GMT

I worried an EV would give me range anxiety. After 4 months I realize it’s a non-issue. Here’s why: The typical American drives about 13k miles a y...

For me, coding in the early 2000’s was terrifying

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 16:09:30 GMT

For me, coding in the early 2000’s was terrifying. I had no tests. I had no types. I had no autocomplete. Runtime errors were extremely common. Our...

Just tried @tan_stack Router 1.0

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 03:40:36 GMT

Just tried @tan_stack Router 1.0. I'm impressed. A few of my favorite things so far: ✅ Type safe routes ✅ Optional file-based routes via a CLI ✅ Sl...

I spent more time with @tan_stack Router 1.0 on a long flight today

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 22:33:17 GMT

I spent more time with @tan_stack Router 1.0 on a long flight today. This is big. ✅SSR ✅Caching ✅Context ✅Data loaders ✅Error handling ✅Code splitt...

Problem: VSCode uses its built-in TypeScript version by default

Tue, 26 Dec 2023 12:22:56 GMT

Problem: VSCode uses its built-in TypeScript version by default. So if your project uses a different TypeScript version, people may experience type...

Choosing a dynamic language over a statically typed language is like...

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 12:51:07 GMT

Choosing a dynamic language over a statically typed language is like choosing to drive instead of fly. Dynamic languages save time in the short run...

Needless React props = needless complexity

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 13:51:29 GMT

Needless React props = needless complexity. Example: 1. A component is intended for one use. 2. It accepts accepts a prop that *isn't used by the p...

I run every PR as part of my code review

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 11:33:56 GMT

I run every PR as part of my code review. Why? Because often, the PR doesn't even work right. Often a PR only works on a "happy path". It ignores v...

I rarely use plain “any” in TypeScript

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 14:12:00 GMT

I rarely use plain “any” in TypeScript. Why? Because *anything* is typically too broad. Usually a more specific “any” is possible. 4 alternatives t...

Five terms I avoid when naming things: 1

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 14:54:25 GMT

Five terms I avoid when naming things: 1. data 2. info 3. item 4. object 5. entity These terms are so generic that they’re useless. I avoid using t...

In TypeScript, I often prefer to use a Record over a switch statement

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 12:59:01 GMT

In TypeScript, I often prefer to use a Record over a switch statement. ✅ It's easy to read. ✅ It's typically less code. ✅ It's safer. With a switch...

Problem: You want to know how much of your TypeScript code is type safe

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 15:56:12 GMT

Problem: You want to know how much of your TypeScript code is type safe. Solution: type-coverage This CLI tool reports the percentage of your code...

Theory: We know pair programming is effective

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 14:16:32 GMT

Theory: We know pair programming is effective. But, most developers prefer working alone. So chances are, we don't pair as often as we should. How...

Ways I share data between React components: I prefer: ✅ Read/write to the...

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 14:44:39 GMT

Ways I share data between React components: I prefer: ✅ Read/write to the URL ✅ Pass values and callback functions via props ✅ Use a library that c...

In JavaScript, a pure function relies only on args

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 11:34:02 GMT

In JavaScript, a pure function relies only on args. It references no outside state. So, it always returns the same output for a given input. Pure f...

Problem: Cache invalidation is hard

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 20:01:08 GMT

Problem: Cache invalidation is hard. Example: One of my clients uses React Query heavily. We have 100's of query keys, and many are quite complex....

“It's already bad, so who cares." Teams don't say this out loud, but it...

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 16:21:08 GMT

“It's already bad, so who cares." Teams don't say this out loud, but it quietly happens all the time. Examples: 🚩 Ignore tests 🚩 Ignore usability...

Nested ternaries aren’t good or bad

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 12:55:10 GMT

Nested ternaries aren’t good or bad. They’re contextual. A nested ternary that contains 100’s of lines of code? Yuck. 🤮 A nested ternary that cont...

Problem: Using a laptop on a flight is cramped and the screen is too low

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 19:40:03 GMT

Problem: Using a laptop on a flight is cramped and the screen is too low. Solution: Use a laptop stand. I use "The roost". I find typing this way s...

3 ways to share code in React: Problem: Two components have different logic,...

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 13:20:03 GMT

3 ways to share code in React: Problem: Two components have different logic, but nearly identical JSX. Solution: Create a reusable component that c...

Order isn’t natural

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 13:55:27 GMT

Order isn’t natural. Chaos is. So, maintaining an orderly code base is a daily struggle. I've found these practices help maintain order: ✅ Communic...

It's fascinating how many people either love or hate this take

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 14:01:01 GMT

It's fascinating how many people either love or hate this take. Some said it's "impossible to read". I don't get it. If I read the code top-down, o...

Problem: In TypeScript, developers often declare needless conditionals

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 15:10:33 GMT

Problem: In TypeScript, developers often declare needless conditionals. Why needless conditionals are a problem: 🚩 Adds noise 🚩 Hurts readability...

Naming matters

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 14:14:12 GMT

Naming matters. But it's easy to accidentally use inconsistent names in code. Examples: -tab, route, section, panel -user, customer, account Incons...

4 attributes of scary code: 🚩 Feels needlessly complex 🚩 Unclear intent 🚩...

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 15:00:52 GMT

4 attributes of scary code: 🚩 Feels needlessly complex 🚩 Unclear intent 🚩 No tests 🚩 Buggy 😬 This is a scary combo. It often means we're hesit...

Some developers are better than others

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 12:47:02 GMT

Some developers are better than others. WAY better. The difference is obvious. Some developers frequently deliver broken, confusing code that's nee...

I've taught teams React with React Router for years

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 00:29:19 GMT

I've taught teams React with React Router for years. Today I'm using @tan_stack Router instead. We're using the file-based approach. It's quite nic...

Here's what makes @tan_stack Router special: It's the first React router...

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 01:19:28 GMT

Here's what makes @tan_stack Router special: It's the first React router designed to work with TypeScript. The API feels "weird" at first. Then you...

How I start a new React app in 2024: Traditional SPA: Vite, Typescript,...

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 13:49:17 GMT

How I start a new React app in 2024: Traditional SPA: Vite, Typescript, @tan_stack file-based router. I’d add @tan_stack query if many pages use th...

Imagine you’re building a React app

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 14:09:38 GMT

Imagine you’re building a React app. How do you decide between these two options: 1. Traditional SPA 2. React Server Components (RSC) SPA benefits:...

In one of my first dev jobs, I supported activating new cell phones at...

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 14:42:26 GMT

In one of my first dev jobs, I supported activating new cell phones at Sprint (later acquired by T-Mobile). My team supported software that sent ne...

For years, I’ve said “You don’t need a React form library

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 13:45:47 GMT

For years, I’ve said “You don’t need a React form library. You need a pattern.” I still believe that. But, I’ve been using React Hook Form more lat...

One of my favorite React Hook Form features: I can use a Zod schema to...

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 15:16:00 GMT

One of my favorite React Hook Form features: I can use a Zod schema to configure form validation with a single line of code. See the highlighted li...

I like RSC

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 13:41:00 GMT

I like RSC. But it’s not perfect. Problems I’ve noticed: 1. Next.js is the only mature implementation I’ve seen so far. 2. Need a complex server co...

React’s context works great for global state that changes rarely

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:08:53 GMT

React’s context works great for global state that changes rarely. But there are many alternatives that may be preferable depending on use case: Thi...

When coding, I have at least 4 audiences: 1

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 14:06:06 GMT

When coding, I have at least 4 audiences: 1. My team 2. The compiler 3. Me in the future 4. The team in the future (who will lack our current conte...

JavaScript habit: I prefer to use a "point-free" style

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 20:47:35 GMT

JavaScript habit: I prefer to use a "point-free" style. With a point-free style, args are passed to the function automatically. Less code. Same res...

I’ve been working in TypeScript for years and I think I’ve used “ts-ignore”...

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 16:21:34 GMT

I’ve been working in TypeScript for years and I think I’ve used “ts-ignore” about twice. I’ve found it’s rarely necessary and a strong sign somethi...

Two Related Problems: 1

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:35:31 GMT

Problem: Your code base probably contains a lot of copy/pasted code, but...

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 15:41:58 GMT

Problem: Your code base probably contains a lot of copy/pasted code, but it's hard to find. Solution: jscpd jscpd is a command line tool that finds...

I’m not strict about types because I enjoy being strict

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 13:56:12 GMT

I’m not strict about types because I enjoy being strict. I’m strict about types because: ✅ Types help us code faster. ✅ Types help us read faster....

Problem: I accidentally closed a tab or a file

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 14:11:33 GMT

Problem: I accidentally closed a tab or a file. Solution: Hit Cmd+Shift+T (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+T (Win) to reopen the last closed tab. Bonus: It work...

Me, reviewing a PR: Why are doing this weird thing

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 22:13:33 GMT

Me, reviewing a PR: Why are doing this weird thing? Author: The data is messed up. This fixes it. Me: Can we fix the root cause instead? If we can'...

TypeScript Problem: I need a specific property, but I don’t know the exact type

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 13:31:53 GMT

TypeScript Problem: I need a specific property, but I don’t know the exact type. Solution: SomethingWithX. It's a better choice than “any” because...

“React has become complicated.” Don’t like RSC

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 17:39:47 GMT

“React has become complicated.” Don’t like RSC? Ignore it. I can keep building plain old SPAs in React. The new stuff is optional. In fact, React i...

DRY = Don’t repeat yourself

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:40:44 GMT

DRY = Don’t repeat yourself. It’s generally a helpful principle. But, like many principles, it can be taken too far. My concern: If you dislike DRY...

"Every time you remove duplication, you add coupling." - @ardalis So before...

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:33:07 GMT

"Every time you remove duplication, you add coupling." - @ardalis So before eliminating duplicated code, I have to ask: Is the coupling I'm about t...

There are lots of ways to draw lines between junior and senior developers

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 21:03:38 GMT

There are lots of ways to draw lines between junior and senior developers. Here's a distinction I find useful. A senior developer makes suggestions...

Using TypeScript

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 01:33:36 GMT

Using TypeScript? Here's an ESLint rule I wish was enabled from the beginning: no-type-assertion Some of my clients have 500+ type assertions in th...

A giant pull request is typically a mistake

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 14:42:37 GMT

A giant pull request is typically a mistake. Three techniques to avoid giant PRs: 1. Reduce scope. Ask, “could this ticket be any smaller?” 2. Spli...

It's surprising how often I see pull requests with these 2 attributes: 1

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 21:20:00 GMT

It's surprising how often I see pull requests with these 2 attributes: 1. Technically impressive, well-documented, and creative. 2. Needlessly comp...

Problem: React's useEffect only specifies when code should run

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 13:49:05 GMT

Problem: React's useEffect only specifies when code should run. It doesn’t document why it should run or what it should do. This makes useEffect ha...

Yesterday, I suggested naming functions passed to useEffect

Sun, 04 Feb 2024 14:03:55 GMT

Yesterday, I suggested naming functions passed to useEffect. A few people suggested just using a comment. I disagree. Here's why. Code > comment...

Zod is great, but it’s for runtime validation

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 13:33:32 GMT

Zod is great, but it’s for *runtime* validation. I've seen some teams using Zod's infer for nearly all their types. This just adds overhead and abs...

Doing a code review without running the code is like doing a quality check...

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 19:45:26 GMT

Doing a code review without running the code is like doing a quality check blindfolded. 🚩I have to use my imagination. 🚩I have to run the code in...

GitHub CoPilot + TypeScript is an awesome combo

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 16:35:18 GMT

GitHub CoPilot + TypeScript is an awesome combo. Example: I'm improving types and CoPilot was smart enough to parse the entire file and see what va...

It blows my mind that companies expect developers to work on slow virtual...

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 22:32:37 GMT

It blows my mind that companies expect developers to work on slow virtual machines, slow remote sessions, or slow, old hardware. When I have to wor...

Before creating a custom hook, I search the web

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 16:49:57 GMT

Before creating a custom hook, I search the web. Often, an open source custom hook already exists. A few favorites: useDebounce useLocalStorage use...

Security is important

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:54:17 GMT

Security is important. But some companies take it too far. “We can't because of security" is often used to block reasonable requests. Examples: You...

Needless complexity: Using multiple terms to describe the same concept

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 19:19:04 GMT

Needless complexity: Using multiple terms to describe the same concept. I often see this in code reviews. For example, code may use all these words...

Today I thought “I can do this change in one big PR

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 18:01:17 GMT

Today I thought “I can do this change in one big PR. It’ll be fine.” I was wrong. I should have known. If a PR is big, find a way to split it.

I avoid boolean function arguments

Sat, 10 Feb 2024 14:55:02 GMT

I avoid boolean function arguments. Here’s why. 🚩 They’re hard to read. 🚩 They infer the function does two different things Here's two common exa...

A common case of needless state: Dialog visibility

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 14:12:10 GMT

A common case of needless state: Dialog visibility. Example: If a dialog displays when I click on a user, I only need one piece of state, not two....

This is extremely useful, but most teams still aren’t doing it: Preview...

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 13:27:41 GMT

This is extremely useful, but most teams still aren’t doing it: Preview deployments - Automatically deploy each feature branch to a temporary envir...

Just ran no-type-assertion/no-type-assertion on a large TypeScript codebase

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 15:23:02 GMT

Just ran no-type-assertion/no-type-assertion on a large TypeScript codebase. It found 100's of things like this: 🚩 Needless, redundant type assert...

React-query problem: I fetched a list and I want to avoid needlessly...

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:44:42 GMT

React-query problem: I fetched a list and I want to avoid needlessly refetching the same data on my detail page. Solution: Use setQueryData to pre-...

React mistake: Adding specific logic into a reusable component

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 16:13:29 GMT

React mistake: Adding specific logic into a reusable component. How to spot it: Are we adding props and logic to this component for a single, speci...

When I see a type assertion like this in TypeScript: fish as Fish I read it...

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 16:02:13 GMT

When I see a type assertion like this in TypeScript: fish as Fish I read it as: fish dangerouslyAssumeThisIsA Fish Safe alternatives: 1. Create a u...

Some of my clients try to "hide" primary keys in the UI

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 19:04:17 GMT

Some of my clients try to "hide" primary keys in the UI. They consider using primary keys in the URL/links a security risk. But the primary keys ar...

I'm really enjoying the Apple Studio monitor

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 14:18:07 GMT

I'm really enjoying the Apple Studio monitor. ✅ Excellent build quality. The clean metal build looks fantastic. ✅ Text is wonderfully crisp. ✅ It’s...

Four interesting points about React Server Components: 1

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 13:50:04 GMT

Four interesting points about React Server Components: 1. All components are server-side rendered (SSR) by default, (even client components!) SSR r...

Top 10 React state libraries, sorted by downloads: 1

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 15:30:31 GMT

Top 10 React state libraries, sorted by downloads: 1. Redux (single store, typically with Redux Toolkit) 2. Apollo (for GraphQL - includes caching)...

General rule: The fewer mocks a test has, the more confidence the test provides

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 17:45:23 GMT

General rule: The fewer mocks a test has, the more confidence the test provides. A passing test with no mocks gives me the most confidence.

The risk with mocked tests: The test may not test anything

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 14:00:19 GMT

The risk with mocked tests: The test may not test anything. Example: I just reviewed a test that claimed to ensure a JSON API response was the expe...

I review a LOT of React code every day

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 01:28:21 GMT

I review a LOT of React code every day. Half my job is repeatedly saying two things: 1. "This state isn't necessary. The values can be derived from...

I'm getting tempted to use ESLint to warn on usage of useEffect

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 13:53:24 GMT

I'm getting tempted to use ESLint to warn on usage of useEffect. Something like: Please re-read "You Might Not Need useEffect" and then ask, do the...

With TypeScript, I feel comfortable making big changes that would have...

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 22:06:57 GMT

With TypeScript, I feel comfortable making big changes that would have scared me in JavaScript. I can often make large scale, type-safe changes, an...

TypeScript rule: If a function requires something, the function's type...

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 12:10:06 GMT

TypeScript rule: If a function requires something, the function's type signature should require it. This sounds obvious and reasonable, but I often...

Developers are liars

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 17:34:26 GMT

Developers are liars. We say “this can be null” when it’s actually required. We say “this property is optional” when it’s actually required. We say...

Problem: Disabled fields and buttons aren’t accessible or discoverable

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 14:19:23 GMT

Problem: Disabled fields and buttons aren’t accessible or discoverable. Here a 4 ways to avoid using "disabled". Scenario 1: The form is loading, a...

⚠️ A tooltip on a disabled button isn’t accessible

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 15:22:44 GMT

⚠️ A tooltip on a disabled button isn’t accessible. It can’t be accessed via a screen reader. It can’t be triggered by a keyboard user. And often t...

Not trying to put Ryan on blast (I like Ryan, and Remix and React Router are...

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 18:45:18 GMT

Not trying to put Ryan on blast (I like Ryan, and Remix and React Router are wonderful), but: Disabled buttons are NOT accessible. Being able to "s...

I often see filter calls that needlessly fall back to an empty array

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 14:08:28 GMT

I often see filter calls that needlessly fall back to an empty array. It's unnecessary. JavaScript's array.filter always returns an array. Even whe...

"I'll add tests in a separate PR"

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 13:30:17 GMT

"I'll add tests in a separate PR". Ouch. 5 reasons to add tests before merge: 1. Clear memory: Before merge, everything is fresh in my mind. I know...

I'm hesitant to click approve on a PR that feels highly complex

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 17:17:05 GMT

I'm hesitant to click approve on a PR that feels highly complex. Here's 2 reasons why: 1. If it feels highly complex, a simpler approach may exist....

Sometimes, we all have to cut corners

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 02:02:46 GMT

Sometimes, we all have to cut corners. But for some developers, it's their default mode. So, every PR is a landmine: ⚠️ basic typos loose types obv...

Seriously, I think @kentcdodds deserves the developer equivalent of the...

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 18:07:43 GMT

Seriously, I think @kentcdodds deserves the developer equivalent of the Nobel prize for creating @TestingLib. A huge leap forward for testing maint...

I'm recommend using JSDoc comments above each property

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 20:03:45 GMT

I'm recommend using JSDoc comments above each property. Benefits: 1. It provides enhanced autocomplete support. The comments are exposed via modern...

The longer I work in software the more enjoyable my work is

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 18:59:06 GMT

The longer I work in software the more enjoyable my work is. My skills have improved. My autonomy has grown. My tools have gotten WAY better. As a...

Habit: If a function accepts two arguments of the same type, I accept an object

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 16:36:42 GMT

Habit: If a function accepts two arguments of the same type, I accept an object. This protects from accidentally passing args in the wrong order.

React has over a dozen popular third-party state libraries

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:30:59 GMT

React has over a dozen popular third-party state libraries. React Query, Zustand, Redux, Jotai, Mobx, etc. Prediction: Third-party React state libr...

Problem: aria-labels are often implemented poorly

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 14:19:20 GMT

Problem: aria-labels are often implemented poorly. Here are 4 aria-label mistakes in one snippet: This reads as "User 1 expand button". 👎 Issues:...

When is a TypeScript union type impractical

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 15:19:59 GMT

When is a TypeScript union type impractical? If it’s just a few options that never change, a union type is a great choice. But if it’s many values...

One of the most rewarding things about doing code reviews: Seeing people...

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 15:48:01 GMT

One of the most rewarding things about doing code reviews: Seeing people quickly improve. Months ago, I reviewed someone's PR for the first time. I...

A simple wording pattern to avoid defensiveness in code reviews: Avoid: "You...

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 17:11:46 GMT

A simple wording pattern to avoid defensiveness in code reviews: Avoid: "You should do x." Prefer: "Should we do x?" Asking a question avoids assum...

Problem: You want to query your DB via TypeScript

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 15:23:48 GMT

Problem: You want to query your DB via TypeScript. Solution: Drizzle ORM. It’s like C#’s “LINQ to SQL”, but for TypeScript. Drizzle has adapters fo...

In React, needless complexity and repeated null checks can often be...

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 13:47:33 GMT

In React, needless complexity and repeated null checks can often be eliminated via one simple pattern: Return early when loading. Render *one* load...

In TypeScript, I’ve found throwing a runtime error is often a sign of poorly...

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 14:07:28 GMT

In TypeScript, I’ve found throwing a runtime error is often a sign of poorly designed types. So I strive to design types so that runtime errors are...

Why I don’t use test IDs: Adding test IDs all over my markup is a bad DX

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 14:46:56 GMT

Why I don’t use test IDs: Adding test IDs all over my markup is a bad DX. With a test ID, a test may pass when the user still doesn't see what's ex...

Warning: ⚠️ If you’re: 1

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 14:18:09 GMT

Warning: ⚠️ If you’re: 1. Using @TestingLib 2. Using getByRole 3. Testing on a page with many DOM elements… Then getByRole may be slow. Why? Becaus...

My programming style: Mostly simple pure functions, named clearly

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 18:02:43 GMT

My programming style: Mostly simple pure functions, named clearly. Keep impure functions small, and focused. Benefits: ✅ Each function is easy to u...

Using TypeScript

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 14:29:18 GMT

Using TypeScript? I suggest enabling this setting in tsconfig: noUncheckedIndexedAccess When this is enabled, TypeScript adds undefined to any un-d...

Problem: There are many React state libraries, so it’s hard to choose...

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 13:46:50 GMT

Problem: There are many React state libraries, so it’s hard to choose between them. Solution: Think in categories. Many are similar. 6 categories:...

Two ways to write software: 1

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 17:11:34 GMT

Two ways to write software: 1. Performance first. Consider performance from the start. 2. Performance last. Make it work, make it right, then make...

I typically configure @playwrightweb to run end-to-end (E2E) and mocked...

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 13:36:04 GMT

I typically configure @playwrightweb to run end-to-end (E2E) and mocked tests separately. Here’s how: 1. Put e2e and mocked tests in separate folde...

Two web app testing approaches: 1

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 17:35:41 GMT

Two web app testing approaches: 1. Emulated. (Typically via @jestjs_ or @vitest_dev with jsdom or happy-dom) 2. Real browser. (Typically via @playw...

Using Prettier and ESLint

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 12:48:41 GMT

Using Prettier and ESLint? You probably don't need these two ESLint plugins: eslint-config-prettier eslint-plugin-prettier I just removed them base...

I test web apps via 3 types of tests: 1

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 14:02:06 GMT

I test web apps via 3 types of tests: 1. End-to-end (E2E) - Goal: Smoke test each page to assure it loads successfully. Only check for static eleme...

Problem: You’re testing via @testling_lib, and you want to debug what you’re...

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 12:53:11 GMT

Problem: You’re testing via @testling_lib, and you want to debug what you’re testing in a browser. Solution: screen.logTestingPlaygroundURL() This...

A few years ago I was excited about the idea of visual regression testing

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 19:13:01 GMT

A few years ago I was excited about the idea of visual regression testing. (Visual regression tests take a picture of a component or page and then...

Problem: You want to copy a JavaScript array but use a different value for...

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 12:52:13 GMT

Problem: You want to copy a JavaScript array but use a different value for one index. Solution: Array .with Array .with copies the array instead of...

Rule: A failing automated check should break the build

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 13:17:56 GMT

Rule: A failing automated check should break the build. If we start allowing some warnings, errors, or broken tests, it creates a slippery slope. I...

I love how React hooks let me create a well-named, encapsulated, reusable logic

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 16:26:45 GMT

I love how React hooks let me create a well-named, encapsulated, reusable logic. My components are simple and easy to understand because the compli...

A developer shouldn't merely do what they're told

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 17:08:31 GMT

A developer shouldn't merely do what they're told. Why? Because it's not a developer's job to merely follow orders. We're paid to see the gaps. We'...

Common scenario: Separate backend and UI teams are building a web app together

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 20:41:36 GMT

Common scenario: Separate backend and UI teams are building a web app together. Problem: The shared development environment is unreliable because t...

"E2E tests are flaky" Yep, often true

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 12:38:32 GMT

"E2E tests are flaky" Yep, often true. But, E2E tests aren't inherently flaky. They're flaky for a *reason*: 🚩 The UI is buggy. 🚩 The backend is...

A weird mistake one of my clients is making: If an invalid/inaccessible URL...

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 15:31:06 GMT

A weird mistake one of my clients is making: If an invalid/inaccessible URL is requested, they redirect to /404. Don’t do this. If an invalid URL i...

Rule: If it's worth checking, it's worth automating

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 13:03:21 GMT

Rule: If it's worth checking, it's worth automating. But, some checks can't be automated. So, here are 9 things that I look for in code reviews: 1....

A developer's job in one word: communication

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 12:59:15 GMT

A developer's job in one word: communication. We communicate with computers *and co-workers* via code. We communicate via speech, written word, dra...

Early in my career I struggled with communication

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 14:11:34 GMT

Early in my career I struggled with communication. I found these books helpful: - How to Win Friends and Influence People - Crucial Conversations -...

I rarely experience performance problems in React

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 17:31:51 GMT

I rarely experience performance problems in React. And when I do, I find moving state “lower” is often the solution. What tricky performance proble...

Problem: You’re using msw (@ApiMocking) to mock out HTTP calls during...

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:49:07 GMT

Problem: You’re using msw (@ApiMocking) to mock out HTTP calls during development and automated testing, and you want to dynamically change the moc...

Sometimes, an Array.find is a sign of sloppy code

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 01:33:04 GMT

Sometimes, an Array.find is a sign of sloppy code. Example: Code passes around an id, and then multiple spots search an array for the full record....

Many UI teams are making a fundamental mistake: They’re not using mocks...

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:39:24 GMT

Many UI teams are making a fundamental mistake: They’re not using mocks effectively. The solution? Mock Driven Development.™️ 1. *Before* coding, l...

General HTML rule: “disabled” optimizes for DX

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:43:07 GMT

General HTML rule: “disabled” optimizes for DX. It’s simple and easy for developers. “aria-disabled” optimizes for UX. It improves accessibility an...

When testing for expected strings, I typically assert explicit strings, not...

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 12:28:16 GMT

When testing for expected strings, I typically assert explicit strings, not the result of function invocations. Example: Here’s why: - Asserting fo...

When I was a manager, some people came to me with problems

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 16:24:00 GMT

When I was a manager, some people came to me with problems. Others came to me with solutions. Guess who got promoted? Don't merely report problems....

There are infinite ways to write software poorly

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 13:24:13 GMT

There are infinite ways to write software poorly. There are few ways to write software well. We're a young industry, but we know what works: Break...

I believe the pendulum shift back to server-rendering will help many teams...

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 20:28:29 GMT

I believe the pendulum shift back to server-rendering will help many teams write better software. Why? By improving developer communication. Back i...

Problem: For accessibility and SEO, each page should have an H1 tag

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 13:00:06 GMT

Problem: For accessibility and SEO, each page should have an H1 tag. And heading tags should be in ascending order. But it’s easy to mess this up b...

Just noticed another benefit of using Zod: It draws attention to bad...

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 19:44:25 GMT

Just noticed another benefit of using Zod: It draws attention to bad endpoint designs. Example: Why is the backend returning null if there are no t...

React habit: Avoid putting things that only need to render once in a component

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 14:29:01 GMT

React habit: Avoid putting things that only need to render once in a component. Instead, I put things that only need to render once in root.render....

I often see aria-labels that look like an id: 🚩...

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 13:04:32 GMT

I often see aria-labels that look like an id: 🚩 aria-label="delete-user-button" An aria-label should have a *user-friendly* label that describes w...

Some developers, when presented with a new library, immediately say “We need...

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 12:52:05 GMT

Some developers, when presented with a new library, immediately say “We need to build an abstraction around this before we use it.” You don’t know...

How I get my PRs merged fast: 1

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 15:57:37 GMT

How I get my PRs merged fast: 1. Keep the scope small 2. Provide a clear title and test plan 3. Write tests that document the expected behavior 4....

"We don't do code reviews

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 01:14:18 GMT

"We don't do code reviews. We trust our developers". You have no idea how often I run a PR and find it's broken. It's *extremely* common. Even from...

If the team is ignoring PRs that’s a management problem

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 13:28:06 GMT

If the team is ignoring PRs that’s a management problem. Managers need to make it clear that code reviews are important. The team needs to know: 1....

Rule for choosing between a URL path and search param: Search params are...

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 21:41:16 GMT

Rule for choosing between a URL path and search param: Search params are optional. So, if it’s required to render the page make it part of the URL'...

“Deploy daily.” It’s a wonderful goal

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 13:24:20 GMT

“Deploy daily.” It’s a wonderful goal. But to safely deploy daily, you need a mature foundation: Automated build & tests No-downtime automated...

Problem: Ideally, everyone is responsible for quality

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 12:46:23 GMT

Problem: Ideally, everyone is responsible for quality. But, if everyone is responsible, no one is responsible. Solution: Establish a code owner. Th...

Disabled input fields aren't a loading strategy

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 16:26:33 GMT

Disabled input fields aren't a loading strategy. Show a loading indicator. Disabled buttons aren't a validation strategy. Show a helpful message wh...

Problem: If an endpoint returns JSON with properties I don't expect, I want...

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 21:09:15 GMT

Problem: If an endpoint returns JSON with properties I don't expect, I want to know about it. Solution: Use Zod with strict().

In TypeScript, declaring types saves me more time than it costs me: ✅Speeds...

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 14:12:29 GMT

In TypeScript, declaring types saves me more time than it costs me: ✅Speeds up my reading. ✅Catches my errors earlier. ✅Clarifies my mental model....

Folder pattern I’m enjoying: “Local” shared directories

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 13:00:40 GMT

Folder pattern I’m enjoying: “Local” shared directories. 1. First, create a shared directory at the root. This contains code shared across the enti...

Situation: A React component with 5 useEffect calls has a bug

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 02:21:15 GMT

Situation: A React component with 5 useEffect calls has a bug. Solution: Add a 6th useEffect to fix the bug. Just kidding. That's not a solution. I...

A recipe for fast, reliable end-to-end tests (no mocks): 1

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 12:36:04 GMT

A recipe for fast, reliable end-to-end tests (no mocks): 1. Create a test DB instance. 2. Create SQL scripts to populate the test DB with enough da...

An epidemic problem in software: Teams with missing skill sets

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 13:30:47 GMT

An epidemic problem in software: Teams with missing skill sets. I find teams often lack expertise in these skills: Devops Testing Security Accessib...

A surprising thing about owning a Tesla: Nearly everything is automated

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 15:15:28 GMT

A surprising thing about owning a Tesla: Nearly everything is automated. When I walk up, the doors sense my phone and unlock. When I get in, the ca...

A key debugging skill: Decomposition

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 13:20:49 GMT

A key debugging skill: Decomposition. “Thinking is all about the ability to look at complex situations and strip away things that don't count—the a...

A common coding mistake: Inconsistent terms

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 19:53:31 GMT

A common coding mistake: Inconsistent terms. Example: I'm reviewing a PR that alternates between these terms: saving pending creating submitting Us...

So much needless UI complexity stems from REST APIs that do these two...

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 23:11:48 GMT

So much needless UI complexity stems from REST APIs that do these two things: Return null or undefined instead of an empty string. Return null or u...

Problem: You want to access some React state outside of React, in plain JS/TS

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 21:06:05 GMT

Problem: You want to access some React state outside of React, in plain JS/TS. Solution: Move the state out of React. Put it in Zustand instead. Zu...

Scenario: You're mocking HTTP calls in automated tests

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 01:46:09 GMT

Scenario: You're mocking HTTP calls in automated tests. Question: Do your tests reference the mock data structure? Or do you hard-code the expected...

Just finished the book “What’s Our Problem” by @waitbutwhy

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 13:44:13 GMT

Just finished the book “What’s Our Problem” by @waitbutwhy. America’s problem isn’t the left or the right. America’s problem is “low-rung”, “us vs...

You don’t need a service provider to do feature flags

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 17:56:54 GMT

You don’t need a service provider to do feature flags. There are many simple ways to toggle a feature: -Comment out code -Hide the feature’s link -...

Problem: You want type-safe mock responses

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 12:52:10 GMT

Problem: You want type-safe mock responses. Solution: 1. Create an object literal. 2. Use keys to describe each response. 3. Narrow the type via 'a...

Accessibility mistake: Putting an aria-label on a non-interactive element

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 17:30:35 GMT

Accessibility mistake: Putting an aria-label on a non-interactive element. An aria-label is for *interactive* elements like a button or a link. So,...

Wanna speed up your TypeScript builds and improve your IDE's TypeScript...

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 20:12:07 GMT

Wanna speed up your TypeScript builds and improve your IDE's TypeScript language server performance? Replace type intersections with interfaces. He...

Early in my career, when someone would interrupt me while coding, it would...

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 19:30:57 GMT

Early in my career, when someone would interrupt me while coding, it would stress me out. I felt like I had a house of cards in my head. So it was...

Problem: You want to find copy/pasted code

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 12:57:32 GMT

Problem: You want to find copy/pasted code. Solution: jscpd. It finds copy/pasted code in over 150 languages. I just ran this command on a JS proje...

Scenario: You’re using React Server Components, so you can query the DB in a...

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 15:05:55 GMT

Scenario: You’re using React Server Components, so you can query the DB in a server component. Your app is the DB’s only consumer. Do you query the...

Challenge: Name something that a software developer should always do

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 17:12:27 GMT

Challenge: Name something that a software developer should *always* do. Is there a single practice that always applies? "Write tests". Not always w...

Problem: Fetching in useEffect is clunky, verbose, and error prone

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 14:05:20 GMT

Problem: Fetching in useEffect is clunky, verbose, and error prone. Solution: Use one of these instead: 1. React Server Components 2. Tanstack Quer...

Sometimes the divide between the backend and frontend leads to massive waste

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 19:07:20 GMT

Sometimes the divide between the backend and frontend leads to massive waste. Example: I'm looking at a web page that displays 6 numbers. Sounds si...

Problem: I want to show a spinner if any React Query mutations are in progress

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:22:56 GMT

Problem: I want to show a spinner if any React Query mutations are in progress. Solution: useIsMutating. This hook returns true if any mutations ar...

In the last 10 years I think the change that has most improved my web...

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 16:50:17 GMT

In the last 10 years I think the change that has most improved my web development experience is moving from JavaScript to TypeScript. I haven't see...

“Duplicated code is often better than wrong abstraction.” “Excessive...

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 13:47:09 GMT

“Duplicated code is often better than wrong abstraction.” “Excessive copy/paste bloats the code, hurts consistency, slows reading, increases bug ri...

Problem: “Duplication is often better than the wrong abstraction”

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 13:50:59 GMT

Problem: “Duplication is often better than the wrong abstraction”. Solution: I typically abstract via small, focused, pure functions. A pure functi...

In TypeScript apps, if something is hard to type, my design is probably wrong

Thu, 02 May 2024 14:00:25 GMT

In TypeScript apps, if something is hard to type, my design is probably wrong. Sure, reusable libraries are often hard to type. But *app* code shou...

Rushing developers creates a downward spiral of quality

Fri, 03 May 2024 14:37:21 GMT

Rushing developers creates a downward spiral of quality. When developers feel rushed, they cut corners. Stress makes us less creative too, so we ta...

Why I prefer const over let: ✅ const provides me extra cues because const is...

Fri, 03 May 2024 16:01:06 GMT

Why I prefer const over let: ✅ const provides me extra cues because const is more “narrow” than let. Just like in TypeScript, I favor narrow types...

I disagree with the majority here

Sat, 04 May 2024 01:03:29 GMT

I disagree with the majority here. There are 4 reasons to choose an anchor over a button in this scenario: 1. Semantics. If it changes the url, it’...

I'm creating the same app using a variety of third-party React state...

Mon, 06 May 2024 15:21:25 GMT

I'm creating the same app using a variety of third-party React state management libraries. The tradeoffs in PR diffs are enlightening. I'm eager to...

I see some React apps using useMemo everywhere

Tue, 07 May 2024 12:51:36 GMT

I see some React apps using useMemo everywhere. Don't. useMemo is rarely necessary. It makes code harder to read. React compiler is coming later th...

Problem: We have a flaky test that keeps breaking our CI build

Wed, 08 May 2024 15:45:08 GMT

Problem: We have a flaky test that keeps breaking our CI build. Solution: Don't repeatedly the CI build hoping a flaky test will pass. Instead: 1....

Problem: Slow pull request reviews Solutions: ✅ Pair program ✅ Open small,...

Thu, 09 May 2024 12:05:38 GMT

Problem: Slow pull request reviews Solutions: ✅ Pair program ✅ Open small, focused PRs ✅ Request a real-time review ✅ Request early feedback on dra...

Feature flag pattern: When replacing an old feature with a new feature via a...

Thu, 09 May 2024 15:57:17 GMT

Feature flag pattern: When replacing an old feature with a new feature via a feature flag, avoid changing the old code. Why? Because changing the o...

React problem: I want to use a feature flag to call one of two React hooks -...

Thu, 09 May 2024 19:41:16 GMT

React problem: I want to use a feature flag to call one of two React hooks - an old one, or a new one that will soon replace it. But, React hooks s...

A bad developer keeps adding complexity until it finally works

Fri, 10 May 2024 12:49:49 GMT

A bad developer keeps adding complexity until it finally works. A good developer keeps reducing complexity until it can't be any simpler.

Problem: Too many browser tabs

Sat, 11 May 2024 13:09:59 GMT

Problem: Too many browser tabs. They’re distracting. It’s hard to find the tab I want. Many visible tabs create stress. Two solutions: 1. Topical b...

I can’t stop thinking about this quote

Sun, 12 May 2024 15:19:49 GMT

I can’t stop thinking about this quote. “Unspoken expectations are premeditated resentments.” - Neil Strauss Succinct, powerful relationship advice...

One of my clients creates a custom hook for every React component

Mon, 13 May 2024 14:58:00 GMT

One of my clients creates a custom hook for *every* React component. So every component is only JSX. Example: User.tsx // Just JSX useUser.ts // Al...

"We create a separate hook for every React component to keep the component...

Mon, 13 May 2024 17:47:23 GMT

"We create a separate hook for every React component to keep the component file small." If the component is too big, split the component. Don't spl...

Just did a short stopover in Iceland on the way to speak in London

Tue, 14 May 2024 10:07:24 GMT

Just did a short stopover in Iceland on the way to speak in London. In one day saw geysers, mountains, craters, visible fault lines, and lagoons. S...

Wow, someone built the same site in two ways: 1

Fri, 17 May 2024 15:15:30 GMT

Wow, someone built the same site in two ways: 1. Traditional client-side React 2. React Server Components The RSC site: ~3x faster rendering 62% sm...

React's simple idea: Decompose complexity via components

Fri, 17 May 2024 19:03:55 GMT

React's simple idea: Decompose complexity via components. Every time I see diffs like this I smile. The code on the left is repetitive. Differences...

I love that the React ecosystem keeps innovating

Sat, 18 May 2024 15:43:54 GMT

I love that the React ecosystem keeps innovating. But you don’t have to use a big, opinionated framework. A plain old client-side rendered React SP...

Just watched @dan_abramov’s React Conf talk

Sun, 19 May 2024 02:21:09 GMT

Just watched @dan_abramov’s React Conf talk. Summary: RSC allows two computers to handle React instead of just one. I really enjoyed his framing. E...

Quiz: Let’s see how well we understand React Server Components

Sun, 19 May 2024 13:58:29 GMT

Quiz: Let’s see how well we understand React Server Components. Here are 12 questions. Question 1: Can a client component render a server component?

When I feel burned out, I avoid screens

Sun, 19 May 2024 20:04:14 GMT

When I feel burned out, I avoid screens. Instead I: Hang out with friends and fam. Read a paper book. Take a walk. Play sports. Take a nap. Exercis...

Problem: You want to initialize something only once in a React component

Mon, 20 May 2024 12:02:19 GMT

Problem: You want to initialize something only once in a React component. Solution: Call useState without a setter. Idea via @TkDodo

Problem: I want to use a TypeScript union type, but: The list of options is...

Mon, 20 May 2024 17:12:06 GMT

Problem: I want to use a TypeScript union type, but: The list of options is long (dozens, but less than 100) The list is in the DB, and changes occ...

Problem: If you move files via cut and paste, Git “sees” a remove and an add

Tue, 21 May 2024 16:30:22 GMT

Problem: If you move files via cut and paste, Git “sees” a remove and an add. This creates merge conflicts and breaks file commit history. Solution...

Common issue I've seen with teams that use a global state tools like Redux:...

Tue, 21 May 2024 20:46:04 GMT

Common issue I've seen with teams that use a global state tools like Redux: Overuse. If global state exists, people try to overuse it. Developers l...

React compiler is experimental, but it's safe to use...

Wed, 22 May 2024 12:39:23 GMT

React compiler is experimental, but it's safe to use eslint-plugin-react-compiler with ESLint today. The plugin reports mistakes like: 🚩 Mutating...

TypeScript problem: You need to support any string value, but you’d like...

Thu, 23 May 2024 13:06:35 GMT

TypeScript problem: You need to support any string value, but you’d like autocomplete support for common values. Solution: Create a union with "str...

Signs we should split a component: 🚩 The props are complicated and...

Thu, 23 May 2024 17:22:05 GMT

Signs we should split a component: 🚩 The props are complicated and confusing 🚩 We need different combinations of props for different use cases 🚩...

I finally switched to Arc browser a week ago

Fri, 24 May 2024 12:06:15 GMT

I finally switched to Arc browser a week ago. Wow, it’s fantastic. Spaces are awesome. I often switch between multiple client projects, and persona...

“Automated tests are like pouring concrete on code.” I disagree

Sun, 26 May 2024 14:13:56 GMT

“Automated tests are like pouring concrete on code.” I disagree. Code is malleable. Concrete isn’t. To avoid tests feeling like "pouring concrete o...

Scenario: A modal for editing a user

Thu, 30 May 2024 12:43:24 GMT

Scenario: A modal for editing a user. Modal URL: ?editUserId=1&openEditUserModal=true Problem: The openEditUserModal param is needless. Solutio...

A user doesn’t think about where state is stored

Fri, 31 May 2024 12:05:27 GMT

A user doesn’t think about where state is stored. They think “I’m gonna bookmark this” and expect to see the same thing later. They think “I’m gonn...

How do you name an array when the noun doesn't have a plural form

Fri, 31 May 2024 12:24:54 GMT

How do you name an array when the noun doesn't have a plural form? Examples: media deer fish Options: 1. Put an "s" on it anyway: "deers" 2. Suffix...

25+ ways to handle state in a React app in 2024: React: useState useReducer...

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 13:00:37 GMT

25+ ways to handle state in a React app in 2024: React: useState useReducer useRef useContext (to share useState, useReducer, etc) useOptimistic us...

Situation: You want to write automated tests for a REST API

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 11:55:36 GMT

Situation: You want to write automated tests for a REST API. How do you test it? Options: 1. Performance test the endpoints via K6 (so you know it...

Problem: It’s easy to forget to remove feature flags later

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 11:40:53 GMT

Problem: It’s easy to forget to remove feature flags later. And sometimes it’s hard to remove a flag later because there are many spots to update....

Adding an abstraction may help developers understand a complex app by...

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 12:47:26 GMT

Adding an abstraction may help developers understand a complex app by breaking the problem into small pieces. BUT: Adding too many layers of abstra...

Problem: React Query keeps a reference to everything that was in scope when...

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 16:49:16 GMT

Problem: React Query keeps a reference to everything that was in scope when the queryFn is created. This may lead to a memory leak. Solution: Creat...

Today I helped a team with a 6 year old React app

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 00:19:36 GMT

Today I helped a team with a 6 year old React app. They hadn't updated packages in years! They were on create-react-app and React 16. I switched th...

How to upgrade old create-react-app app to Vite: 1

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 00:56:44 GMT

How to upgrade old create-react-app app to Vite: 1. Create an empty Vite app. 2. Use that app as a reference. The changes: 1. Add vite.config.ts 2....

Why use Vite instead of create-react-app

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 11:16:19 GMT

Why use Vite instead of create-react-app? - Faster builds - Faster hot reloads - Plugin ecosystem - Uses modern tooling like esbuild - Actively sup...

One of my clients is using an odd React pattern: They put only JSX in components

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 12:17:39 GMT

One of my clients is using an odd React pattern: They put only JSX in components. All logic is placed in a custom hook with matching name. Example:...

Separating unrelated concerns is helpful

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 13:56:02 GMT

Today I'm working with an app that has too many layers of abstraction

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 13:22:48 GMT

Today I'm working with an app that has too many layers of abstraction. I have so many files open that I can't remember what they're all for. I can’...

A mindset I’ve found helpful for learning: Don’t expect to understand on the...

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 13:04:37 GMT

A mindset I’ve found helpful for learning: Don’t expect to understand on the first try. This reduces my anxiety. I expose myself to new ideas in mu...

React’s docs have a gap: They provide no advice for people running...

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 15:01:14 GMT

React’s docs have a gap: They provide no advice for people running create-react-app today. There’s only a “Start a new project” page, and that page...

The React 19 announcements and the existing React docs send a clear message: 1

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 15:34:27 GMT

The React 19 announcements and the existing React docs send a clear message: 1. Use a framework 2. Server render 3. Fetch in the route My concern:...

The new course is live

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 17:19:57 GMT

The new course is live! This course compares a variety of React third-party state libraries and shows how to implement four of the most popular opt...

Sometimes initial page load speed doesn’t matter

Sat, 15 Jun 2024 14:23:56 GMT

Sometimes initial page load speed doesn’t matter. Example: An internal SPA app that an employee uses to do their job. They load it once, and then u...

Quick story about humility: I recently met someone new at a conference dinner

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 13:44:23 GMT

Quick story about humility: I recently met someone new at a conference dinner. Within a few minutes, he told me about his multiple degrees, various...

Naming rule: The larger the scope, the longer the name

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 19:17:23 GMT

Naming rule: The larger the scope, the longer the name. If it's a global variable, "i" is a bad name. If it's only in scope for a loop, "i" may be...

A Zod misuse I've noticed: Validating function args

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 21:27:47 GMT

A Zod misuse I've noticed: Validating function args. Zod is for validating runtime input: - URL params - HTTP Responses - localStorage - Cookies -...

Problem: Related optional properties Why it’s a problem: - Needlessly...

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 12:51:04 GMT

“Why validate JSON responses via Zod if the app just crashes if the schema...

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 01:50:50 GMT

“Why validate JSON responses via Zod if the app just crashes if the schema validation fails?” Good question. True, there’s typically no good workar...

Just spent a couple hours reviewing the “State of JS” survey results

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 14:39:42 GMT

Just spent a couple hours reviewing the “State of JS” survey results. Some key insights: - React remains extremely popular, despite its favorable r...

PSA: A static production JS app shouldn’t need the node_modules folder

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 23:10:35 GMT

PSA: A static production JS app shouldn’t need the node_modules folder. I just helped a client significantly speed up their deployment process…by n...

I often help teams add tests to existing web apps via Playwright or Cypress

Sat, 22 Jun 2024 14:05:23 GMT

I often help teams add tests to existing web apps via Playwright or Cypress. When I do, I fix dozens of usability and accessibility problems too. P...

Problem: Declaring default React prop values inside the component

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 12:50:14 GMT

Problem: Declaring default React prop values inside the component. Why it's a problem: 🚩"Hides" the API inside the implementation 🚩Makes the comp...

I rarely use Jest or Vitest for UI testing anymore

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 13:37:30 GMT

I rarely use Jest or Vitest for UI testing anymore. Here's why: Testing in a real browser using Playwright or Cypress gives me more confidence, mor...

Problem: When a URL param changes, React Router renders components using...

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 16:10:46 GMT

Problem: When a URL param changes, React Router renders components using useSearchParams, even if the params the component reads didn't change. Exa...

"I'm not convinced Zod is helping" One of my clients said this because the...

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 12:02:40 GMT

"I'm not convinced Zod is helping" One of my clients said this because the app is occasionally throwing Zod errors when parsing API responses. My r...

Just presented “Lessons from 10 years in React” at @kc_dc

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 23:24:42 GMT

Just presented “Lessons from 10 years in React” at @kc_dc. A few key lessons: Performance issues are often simply because the component is needless...

Web app UI security in one tweet: Assume the client will -Change the URL...

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 15:00:36 GMT

Web app UI security in one tweet: Assume the client will -Change the URL params -Use devtools to manipulate the UI -Change localStorage, cookies, o...

Why code review is critical: If the code is confusing, it’s easiest to fix...

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 16:30:11 GMT

Why code review is critical: If the code is confusing, it’s easiest to fix it now while the requirements are clear, and the author is available. As...

Habit: When I'm coding alone in my home office, I often narrate my work aloud

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 17:11:54 GMT

Habit: When I'm coding alone in my home office, I often narrate my work aloud. Benefits: - Fosters creativity - Clarifies my thinking - Exposes hol...

I’m building a new React app with all the new features: React Server...

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 13:53:24 GMT

I’m building a new React app with all the new features: React Server Components Server Actions useActionState useOptimistic I can build surprisingl...

Code smell: Setting state twice in a row Example: Solution: Eliminate...

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 12:32:38 GMT

Code smell: Setting state twice in a row Example: Solution: Eliminate showDialog state. Derive state instead. If userToEdit has a value, show the d...

Problem: You need to manipulate a query result

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Problem: You need to manipulate a query result. (sort, filter, etc, because the endpoint doesn't support it) Solution: Do it in react-query’s selec...

The New York Times just upgraded from React 16 to 18

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 22:19:02 GMT

The New York Times just upgraded from React 16 to 18. Result: ~50% fewer re-renders! Why? React 18's automatic batching and concurrency features.

React's built-in state works great

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 13:08:32 GMT

React's built-in state works great. But, it has limitations, so, third-party state libraries are worth considering.

Just learned it's easy to create beautiful warnings and notes in markdown...

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 18:08:07 GMT

Just learned it's easy to create beautiful warnings and notes in markdown files: This creates a note: [!NOTE] This creates a warning: [!WARNING] Th...

Problem: Choosing a React state library is hard

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 16:07:06 GMT

Problem: Choosing a React state library is hard. Solution: Consider the tradeoffs. Here are 6 key tradeoffs, with examples: 1. General vs Specific...

I often see web apps with separate frontend and backend dev teams

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 13:14:38 GMT

I often see web apps with separate frontend and backend dev teams. This front/back developer split leads to a common problem: Frontend devs become...

React Query is an asynchronous state management tool

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 15:45:22 GMT

React Query is an asynchronous state management tool. So, most people use it to manage data fetched via HTTP. What other types of async state have...

An easy mistake to make: Needlessly “high” state

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 16:29:43 GMT

An easy mistake to make: Needlessly “high” state. Example: State that is merely passed down to a child component. Why it's a problem: Wastes resour...

How I typically handle React state today: Data fetched via HTTP: React Query

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 13:41:36 GMT

How I typically handle React state today: Data fetched via HTTP: React Query. Local state: useState or useReducer. Forms: useState or React Hook Fo...

Work gets better when you don’t need the money

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 13:04:26 GMT

Work gets better when you don’t need the money. And “don’t need the money” doesn’t mean you never need money again. It just means you don’t *immedi...

Problem: Sometimes a component is "too big"

Sat, 13 Jul 2024 14:13:06 GMT

Problem: Sometimes a component is "too big". Signs: - Lots of props - Hard to reuse - Feels unfocused - Performance problems - Hard to understand w...

Forms in React 19

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 15:15:47 GMT

React 19 has many new form-related features: Server actions – Call async functions that run on the server in a client component useActionState – Update state ba…

React 19 has many new form-related features: Server actions - Call async...

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 12:27:26 GMT

React 19 has many new form-related features: Server actions - Call async functions that run on the server in a client component useActionState - Up...

A bug I see in nearly every web app: Last in wins

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 14:02:53 GMT

A bug I see in nearly every web app: Last in wins. Bug: If two users are editing the same record, the user who clicks save last “wins”. The last sa...

Look around your team

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 14:00:16 GMT

Look around your team. Ask yourself: - Do I often work harder than my teammates? - Is my work output and quality higher? - Do I seem to care the mo...

One of the most common sources of needless complexity I see in code:...

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 18:58:52 GMT

One of the most common sources of needless complexity I see in code: Inconsistent terminology. Example: I just reviewed a PR that uses all these te...

React 19 is huge

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 13:17:45 GMT

React 19 is huge. Here's a cheat sheet. Nine new features: 1. React Server Components - Components that render at build time, or for each request....

Using fetch

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 12:49:33 GMT

Using fetch? Consider Ky. Benefits: - Simpler API - Requires about half the code - Treats non-2xx status codes as errors - Includes timeout support...

Problem: You want to quickly publish an npm package using TypeScript

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 14:07:25 GMT

Problem: You want to quickly publish an npm package using TypeScript. Solution: tsup tsup bundles your TypeScript library with no config, powered b...

Problem: With in-browser testing tools like Playwright, each page load takes...

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 16:05:57 GMT

Problem: With in-browser testing tools like Playwright, each page load takes time. So, many separate tests redundantly loading the same page slows...

I'm creating a reusable React component that I plan to publish via npm

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 19:39:32 GMT

I'm creating a reusable React component that I plan to publish via npm. I'm considering styling it via Tailwind. But I'm having a hard time finding...

Problem: It’s unclear if a test is a unit, integration, or e2e test

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 14:53:52 GMT

Problem: It’s unclear if a test is a unit, integration, or e2e test. Solutions: 1. Location: Colocate unit tests with the file under test. Store in...

Problem: You want to compare two files

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 13:34:07 GMT

Problem: You want to compare two files. Solution: Use VS Code. Here's how: 1. Right click file 1 and “Select for compare” 2. Right click file 2 and...

Storybook is useful, but the number of dependencies it drags in feels excessive

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 14:25:16 GMT

Storybook is useful, but the number of dependencies it drags in feels excessive. Look at this diff! Anyone using something lighter? I've used Ladle...

Two ways to write a test: 1

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 20:31:49 GMT

Two ways to write a test: 1. DRY: reference const that’s used in code 2. Repeat: repeat value that’s used in code Which do you prefer, and why?

Problem: React Router’s useSearchParams is clunky, and not type safe

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 16:49:46 GMT

Problem: React Router’s useSearchParams is clunky, and not type safe. Values are always returned as strings, and there’s no type-safe protection fo...

Custom DevTools are a powerful way to speed up development

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 13:31:28 GMT

Custom DevTools are a powerful way to speed up development. ✅Toggle feature flags ✅Configure mocks ✅Change users ✅Simulate slowness ✅Force errors ✅...

Just realized my React Berlin talk "Managing React State: 10 Years of...

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 17:08:52 GMT

Just realized my React Berlin talk "Managing React State: 10 Years of Lessons Learned" is published here: https://gitnation.com/contents/managing-r...

The most common needless use of `let` I see: Setting an initial value,...

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:59:24 GMT

The most common needless use of `let` I see: Setting an initial value, followed by mutations. This is hard to read because it requires the reader t...

I’m looking for a good technical book to read on vacation

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 14:52:54 GMT

I’m looking for a good technical book to read on vacation. Something that will challenge my thinking. I’ve read some classics: Code complete Design...

How do we accomplish this in software

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 18:46:08 GMT

How do we accomplish this in software? - Focus. Eliminate needless features and needless complexity. - Reuse. Create reusable components. - Delegat...

Problem: You need to check if a value matches one of many potential values

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 14:48:05 GMT

Problem: You need to check if a value matches one of many potential values. Solution: Consider array.includes. This avoids declaring a bunch of rep...

I've spent the last few weeks working on a React developer tool that I think...

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 19:29:52 GMT

I've spent the last few weeks working on a React developer tool that I think you'll enjoy. Excited to show it off at @ReactRally tomorrow!

I don’t normally do this but I coded over 12 hours yesterday and stayed up...

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 14:27:13 GMT

I don’t normally do this but I coded over 12 hours yesterday and stayed up past midnight tweaking things. If you’re using React, I think you’ll lik...

Announcement: react-switchboard Create custom dev tools for your React app

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 02:20:38 GMT

Announcement: react-switchboard Create custom dev tools for your React app. Uses: - Force errors - Configure mock APIs - Change feature toggles - L...

My philosophy: If I need an alarm or caffeine to wake up, I should go to bed...

Sat, 17 Aug 2024 16:46:09 GMT

My philosophy: If I need an alarm or caffeine to wake up, I should go to bed earlier. If I’m “too busy” to get enough sleep or exercise, my life is...

I’m looking forward to useActionState in React 19

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 13:05:41 GMT

I’m looking forward to useActionState in React 19. Here are six useActionState benefits: 1. No event.preventDefault needed. 2. Can read the form’s...

Problem: I want to require a specific format for a TypeScript string

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 14:38:34 GMT

Problem: I want to require a specific format for a TypeScript string. Solution: Template literal type. Example: In react-switchboard, each state ke...

I'm tired of bad test names

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 12:52:19 GMT

I'm tired of bad test names. Examples: 🚩Renders 🚩Form validation 🚩Submit button Good test names describe two things: 1. The scenario under test...

I care about code quality

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 20:00:58 GMT

I care about code quality. But, I also recognize it’s a tradeoff. My old boss didn’t believe in automated testing. He thought worrying about “code...

React is typically fast enough

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 12:54:12 GMT

React is typically fast enough. But here's a simple way to optimize performance: Decompose components so state changes impact a small amount of JSX...

I love being a software developer

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 13:50:21 GMT

I love being a software developer. But, I have concerns about the future of software development as a career. Four reasons: 1. AI is radically incr...

Just used Cursor to eliminate a needless useEffect in a big React component

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 20:27:33 GMT

Just used Cursor to eliminate a needless useEffect in a big React component. I simply asked "Can you eliminate this useEffect?" The explanation was...

Problem I just saw in a code review: Using useEffect to copy URL search...

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 13:04:46 GMT

Problem I just saw in a code review: Using useEffect to copy URL search params to state. Solution: Use the URL as the single source of truth. Example:

I'm ready for AI that's pushy, like a smarter linter

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:15:27 GMT

I'm ready for AI that's pushy, like a smarter linter. I want an AI that says "This variable name is misleading. Click here to rename to x." Same fo...

Problem: I want strongly typed React search params

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 17:46:44 GMT

Problem: I want strongly typed React search params. Solutions: Using React Router or Remix? Wrap useSearchParams in a custom hook and parse the par...

TypeScript problem: A subset of fields are optional, but should all be...

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 12:00:05 GMT

TypeScript problem: A subset of fields are optional, but should all be populated if one is populated. Solution: 1. Put related properties under an...

React performance mistake: Calling a function multiple times with the same args

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 15:57:32 GMT

React performance mistake: Calling a function multiple times with the same args. Solution: Call the function once above the JSX.

I had a wonderful job, but I always dreamed of being independent

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 15:19:07 GMT

I had a wonderful job, but I always dreamed of being independent. I knew it might require grinding for years to get there. So, I spent countless ni...

Great advice from “A Philosophy of Software Design”

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 20:53:10 GMT

Great advice from “A Philosophy of Software Design”. Prefer deep modules. (Yes, I’m enjoying this read on the beach! 🏖️)

“I’ll add tests in an upcoming PR.” When I hear this, I push back

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 17:02:16 GMT

“I’ll add tests in an upcoming PR.” When I hear this, I push back. Here's why. - Tests make the PR easier to review to understand. Tests are docume...

7 things I search for when I audit a TypeScript codebase: any - Use a...

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 14:52:32 GMT

7 things I search for when I audit a TypeScript codebase: any - Use a narrower type. ?. - Avoid by narrowing type. ?: - Optional properties are oft...

I’ve been happily using Vitest for quite awhile, but I just tried using Jest...

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:36:50 GMT

I’ve been happily using Vitest for quite awhile, but I just tried using Jest again. Ouch. I remember when Jest was easy to use, but I hit a number...

I occasionally see people using HTML entities like ' or "

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:41:20 GMT

I occasionally see people using HTML entities like ' or ". Now that UTF-8 is ubiquitous, there's typically no need to do so anymo...

Situation: A web app has no end-to-end (E2E) tests

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 18:13:54 GMT

Situation: A web app has no end-to-end (E2E) tests. Solution: Consider writing E2E tests in phases. Phase 1: Smoke test - Write E2E tests that mere...

React mistake: State too high

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 12:42:50 GMT

React mistake: State too high. If state is merely passed down to one child, it’s too high. It should be moved down to the child. Benefits: - Elimin...

Every developer has to balance two concerns: 1

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 14:16:24 GMT

Every developer has to balance two concerns: 1. Be tactical - Get it done as soon as possible. Cut corners if necessary. Favor delivery over qualit...

These days, many old JavaScript projects have converted to TypeScript

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 00:30:40 GMT

These days, many old JavaScript projects have converted to TypeScript. If you haven’t yet, here’s a compelling stat: A survey of six months worth o...

Somehow I overlooked this new React 19 feature until now: Problem: I want to...

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:36:23 GMT

Somehow I overlooked this new React 19 feature until now: Problem: I want to run some code when *any* caught or uncaught error occurs in my React a...

Problem: The backend returns a needlessly wide type

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 13:59:53 GMT

Problem: The backend returns a needlessly wide type. Example: The backend returns null, undefined, or an array. Solutions: (ranked by preferability...

9 ways I’ve made money as a software dev, sorted from most enjoyable to least: 1

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 14:08:23 GMT

9 ways I’ve made money as a software dev, sorted from most enjoyable to least: 1. Independent consultant and developer 2. Teaching workshops at com...

Just saw this performance mistake in a React code review

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 12:56:56 GMT

Just saw this performance mistake in a React code review. Problem: If you invoke a function in useState's default, it's called on every render. (No...

Perhaps the most common mistake I see in TypeScript code reviews: Needless...

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 19:59:40 GMT

Perhaps the most common mistake I see in TypeScript code reviews: Needless optional properties. People seem to think "I'll make this optional just...

Problem: SQL is an old, leaky abstraction

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 14:57:55 GMT

Problem: SQL is an old, leaky abstraction. It doesn’t play nice with typed languages. Just learned about an alternative called Convex. Idea: Strong...

New React framework: One Strongly typed file-based routes (like Tanstack...

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 03:16:50 GMT

New React framework: One Strongly typed file-based routes (like Tanstack router) Loaders (like Remix/React Router) SPA, RSC, SSG support, with per...

In the age of AI, code reviews are more important than ever

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 16:29:01 GMT

In the age of AI, code reviews are more important than ever. The developer may not have read the code.

Skeleton screens improve perceived load times, reduce bounce rates, and can...

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 14:11:18 GMT

Skeleton screens improve perceived load times, reduce bounce rates, and can reduce layout shift. But in practice, I've found skeleton screens are h...

Problem: The backend API returns poorly structured JSON

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 17:25:31 GMT

Problem: The backend API returns poorly structured JSON. Solution: Ideally, fix the backend. But if we can't, I reformat the data in the response h...

Goal: Calculate a value once per render

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 17:59:57 GMT

Goal: Calculate a value once per render. Mistake: Declaring a parameterless function. Why? Because then the function may be needlessly called multi...

PSA: 📢 The useId hook is stable in React 18

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:52:02 GMT

PSA: 📢 The useId hook is stable in React 18. So, you don't have to write your own logic for unique ids in reusable components. Quite handy for ass...

I don’t ask for permission to refactor

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 13:38:56 GMT

I don’t ask for permission to refactor. I don’t ask for permission to optimize performance. I don’t ask for permission to make it secure. I don’t a...

Refactoring without tests is basically this: “I changed some stuff and...

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 15:09:37 GMT

Refactoring without tests is basically this: “I changed some stuff and hopefully didn’t break anything”. Risky business.

“Code should be obvious

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 13:43:50 GMT

“Code should be obvious. If someone reading your code says it’s not obvious, then it’s not obvious, no matter how clear it may seem to you.” - John...

New React framework: One

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 16:12:38 GMT

New React framework: One. In this episode, I talk to One’s lead developer, Nate Wienert. What makes One special? - Do React and React native in the...

TypeScript problem: Related object properties should either all be provided,...

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 17:06:05 GMT

TypeScript problem: Related object properties should either all be provided, or all omitted. Two solutions: 1. Nest them under an optional object....

Two popular, but conflicting programming styles: Small functions vs deep...

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 16:40:32 GMT

I have a theory: 🌶️Some developers are letting their political views impact...

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 15:48:54 GMT

I have a theory: 🌶️Some developers are letting their political views impact how they write code. Avoid associating ideas with people. Evaluate ide...

TypeScript has a structural type system, not a nominal type system

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 18:43:22 GMT

TypeScript has a structural type system, not a nominal type system. What's that mean? When determining if a type "fits", the type's *structure* mat...

I've spent the last few weeks trying all sorts of React 19 edge cases

Sat, 02 Nov 2024 17:03:14 GMT

I've spent the last few weeks trying all sorts of React 19 edge cases. (publishing vids on this soon) Realization: I rarely need useState anymore....

One of the most unkind things you can do is disparage someone else’s passion

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 20:30:13 GMT

One of the most unkind things you can do is disparage someone else’s passion. We all enjoy different things. We all need to find a reason to get up...

In code reviews, I've learned to watch out for many related useState calls...

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 19:32:25 GMT

In code reviews, I've learned to watch out for many related useState calls in the same component - especially when they're booleans. Multiple useSt...

All these years I've been using "new Error" for nothing

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:01 GMT

All these years I've been using "new Error" for nothing!? Just learned that these are equivalent in JS: throw Error('oops') and throw new Error('oo...

If I can’t clearly explain why people vote differently than me, then I need...

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:26:19 GMT

If I can’t clearly explain why people vote differently than me, then I need to research more. It’s not love vs hate. It’s not good vs evil. It’s no...

Mistake: Needlessly wide optional field

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:54:37 GMT

Mistake: Needlessly wide optional field. What's the semantic difference between an omitted address property, a null address, an undefined address,...

Studio setup 2.0: - Closed blinds (to control the light) - New 5600K...

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 17:45:45 GMT

Studio setup 2.0: - Closed blinds (to control the light) - New 5600K keylight & backlight - Camera white balance at 5600K - New camera angle (h...

Tanstack query is awesome for fetching and caching data

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 21:19:44 GMT

Tanstack query is awesome for fetching and caching data. But, it's broader than that. It's an *async state* library. Example: Here's a custom React...

Problem: I want to test my React app's error boundaries

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 15:37:44 GMT

Problem: I want to test my React app's error boundaries. Solution: Force an error via search params. This hook throws an error when a "throwError"...

It's 2024 and I still see keys like this in React PRs

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 17:13:44 GMT

It's 2024 and I still see keys like this in React PRs. A key that changes on every render is worthless. Use something stable like a primary key, or...

React 19 RC1 is out

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 13:31:34 GMT

React 19 RC1 is out. Suspense siblings prerender! When a component suspends, React commits the fallback of the nearest Suspense boundary without wa...

Knip finds unused JS and TS code

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 15:57:19 GMT

Knip finds unused JS and TS code. It's wonderful. But here's a tip: Configure Knip to ignore your tests. This way, if you have code that's only ref...

Tanstack Query pattern: 1

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 20:53:46 GMT

Tanstack Query pattern: 1. Colocate related queries and mutations 2. Centralize queryKeys If a query sets a key, and a mutation invalidates the sam...

I often talk to developers who are thinking about going independent

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 18:32:06 GMT

I often talk to developers who are thinking about going independent. My advice: 1. Build a business while you have a full-time job. 2. Don’t quit y...

React 19 is in RC React compiler is in Beta Tanstack Start is in Beta React...

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 13:25:52 GMT

React 19 is in RC React compiler is in Beta Tanstack Start is in Beta React Router 7 is in pre release So much good stuff coming soon! 2025 is goin...

Next.js and React Router 7 (RR7) have fundamentally different approaches to...

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 14:45:08 GMT

Next.js and React Router 7 (RR7) have fundamentally different approaches to decomposition. In Next.js, you decompose via files. In React Router 7,...

The State of Frontend 2024 report is out

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 16:53:52 GMT

The State of Frontend 2024 report is out. Lots of interesting insights. Also, this year I was invited to write a summary of the automated testing r...

Problem: You want to use Node with TypeScript

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 21:49:58 GMT

Problem: You want to use Node with TypeScript. Solutions: tsc (compile, then run js via node) ts-node tsx Bun esbuild swc babel-node vite-note My f...

I'm creating a new TypeScript project using Bun

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:06:26 GMT

I'm creating a new TypeScript project using Bun. Loving it so far. Lightning fast and easy to use. Look how little code I need to create a REST API...

I’ve found the fewer environments a software team has the better

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 16:07:02 GMT

I’ve found the fewer environments a software team has the better. Every additional environment adds cost, management overhead, out of sync risk, an...

Hot take 🌶️: I’m not a fan of dedicated QA

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 18:11:12 GMT

Hot take 🌶️: I’m not a fan of dedicated QA. I prefer the dev team to be solely responsible for quality. When dedicated QA exists, 2 problems tend...

Yep

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 20:12:43 GMT

Yep. A staging environment is an architectural code smell. Prefer continuous deploy and feature flags if possible. https://t.co/uN7kjpSe5A

Wow, Supabase is 🔥

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 17:49:46 GMT

Wow, Supabase is 🔥. So far I'm enjoying: Edge functions Built-in user auth Solid docs and SDKs Granular row level security Web-based DB Admin inte...

Someone posted the V0 system prompt on GitHub

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 19:44:32 GMT

Someone posted the V0 system prompt on GitHub. This is fascinating reading. And as a V0 user, it helps me understand how to effectively interact wi...

Yesterday read through V0's 1600+ line system prompt

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 14:10:54 GMT

Yesterday read through V0's 1600+ line system prompt. It specifies that V0 should follow these best practices. This is a good general code review c...

My preferred development workflow for 2024: 1

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 14:49:51 GMT

My preferred development workflow for 2024: 1. All devs have their own DB instance so we don’t conflict with each other. The DBs run locally, and c...

Controversial opinion: 🌶️ I prefer for all quality checks to occur before...

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 18:21:52 GMT

Controversial opinion: 🌶️ I prefer for all quality checks to occur *before* merge. Here's why. Merging code that hasn't been fully quality checked...

Problem: You want to push your changes, but skip CI because you're not done...

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 19:24:52 GMT

Problem: You want to push your changes, but skip CI because you're not done yet, so running CI would be wasteful. Solution: Put this in the push co...

What I love about Tanstack start: Simplicity

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 22:37:51 GMT

What I love about Tanstack start: Simplicity. Competitors have larger, more confusing APIs because they have to support previous “mistakes”. Tansta...

Woah, I agree with v0’s state management preferences

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 16:43:03 GMT

Woah, I agree with v0’s state management preferences. This is from V0’s system prompt: PREFER: - React's built-in useState/useReducer - Server Comp...

Claim: Your app is slow because it uses React/Vue/Angular instead of plain...

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:41:13 GMT

Claim: Your app is slow because it uses React/Vue/Angular instead of plain HTML and Vanilla JS. Reality: It’s probably slow because of two things:...

In my experience, it’s rare to find someone in QA who is as good at writing...

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:37:05 GMT

In my experience, it’s rare to find someone in QA who is as good at writing automated tests as a developer. My theory on why: If you’re good at wri...

What if I take my career seriously and AI replaces me

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 13:59:17 GMT

What if I take my career seriously and AI replaces me? What if I don’t take my career seriously and a human replaces me? Thus, there are really jus...

Next.js and React Router 7 (RR7) have fundamentally different approaches to...

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 19:47:20 GMT

Next.js and React Router 7 (RR7) have fundamentally different approaches to decomposition. In Next.js, you create many small files per route (Page....

In modern TypeScript, there are at least a dozen ways to narrow types

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 22:54:50 GMT

In modern TypeScript, there are at least a dozen ways to narrow types. 1. typeof Type guards 2. Truthiness narrowing 3. Equality narrowing 4. `in`...

V0's system prompt specifies these naming and casing rules

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 14:28:28 GMT

V0's system prompt specifies these naming and casing rules. I agree with all this. For years, I used PascalCase for React components. But I now I u...

Why does coding pay well

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 18:08:09 GMT

Why does coding pay well? 4 reasons: 1. Keeping up with the syntax, patterns, best-practices, and tools is hard work. Many can’t do it, or aren’t w...

I recently joined a team that’s using V0 for rapid UI prototyping

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 21:04:51 GMT

I recently joined a team that’s using V0 for rapid UI prototyping. We’re not using Figma - V0 *is* the requirements. Here’s the process: 1. A non-t...

In TypeScript, many people argue over when to use type vs interface

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 16:55:48 GMT

In TypeScript, many people argue over when to use type vs interface. My rule? Use type when necessary. Here are 5 things only type can do. Otherwis...

Interesting

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 13:42:02 GMT

Interesting. Years ago, Jared Palmer created Formik, one of React’s most popular form libraries. Fast forward to today, and Jared is VP of AI at Ve...

In one of my client’s apps, we centralized date formats in an enum to...

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 17:00:52 GMT

In one of my client’s apps, we centralized date formats in an enum to encourage consistency. But over time, we ended up with this huge list! That s...

One of the weirdest JavaScript features: Functions can have properties

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 21:11:41 GMT

One of the weirdest JavaScript features: Functions can have properties. Why? Because JavaScript functions are objects. So, this is valid JS.

Problem: I may forget to pass an optional param in cases where it should be...

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 14:36:53 GMT

Problem: I may forget to pass an optional param in cases where it should be provided. Solution: Require the parameter, but also accept undefined. T...

Just talked to a business owner who reduced his dev staff from 18 to 3 using...

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 17:48:49 GMT

Just talked to a business owner who reduced his dev staff from 18 to 3 using generative AI. Claims he's getting the same velocity with only 3 devs....

I ❤️ TypeScript

Sat, 11 Jan 2025 19:22:11 GMT

I ❤️ TypeScript. But it contains 4 features that I avoid: 1. The "private" and "protected" keywords on classes. Largely redundant since JS has nati...

Problem: When the left and right side match, a TypeScript enum or const...

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:10:11 GMT

Problem: When the left and right side match, a TypeScript enum or const object is needlessly verbose. Solution: Use a union.

Everybody dreams of retiring early

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 13:22:16 GMT

Everybody dreams of retiring early. But it’s a mirage. Not because it’s impossible. Because it’s not as desirable as it sounds. Unlimited free time...

People complain about complex TypeScript types, but complex types are...

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 18:30:37 GMT

People complain about complex TypeScript types, but complex types are typically only necessary for libraries, not apps. Types for apps should typic...

At Codemash, a photographer saw me at lunch and asked "Is it okay if I take...

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 13:51:36 GMT

At Codemash, a photographer saw me at lunch and asked "Is it okay if I take your picture?" I jokingly said "Sure as long as you photoshop my bald s...

I've found the best way to learn is to teach

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 19:35:16 GMT

I've found the best way to learn is to teach. And the wonderful thing is, if I have no one to teach, I can pretend. So, I talk to myself - I teach...

Problem: TypeScript doesn't support specific string or numeric values (a...

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 13:51:35 GMT

Problem: TypeScript doesn't support specific string or numeric values (a positive number, negative number, a unit of measure like meter, etc). So,...

This article is an excellent overview of why sync engines / local first are...

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 02:56:21 GMT

This article is an excellent overview of why sync engines / local first are the next logical step for ultra-responsive web apps. Better UX. Better...

2025 is going to be a big year for local first web apps

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 13:09:59 GMT

2025 is going to be a big year for local first web apps. I’m especially excited for Zero, but there are many other options. If you’re new to local...

The ending of an era: Create React App is about to be officially marked as...

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 19:29:33 GMT

The ending of an era: Create React App is about to be officially marked as deprecated. See ya CRA. Long live React!

Just presented a two day React workshop

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 15:19:48 GMT

Just presented a two day React workshop. We built an app from scratch as a team. At the end of the session, one of the attendees generated the same...

Wow, just learned React Query is used about about 1 in 5 of all React apps

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 22:47:48 GMT

Wow, just learned React Query is used about about 1 in 5 of all React apps. 6 million downloads/month!

Why React Query

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 23:06:21 GMT

Why React Query? WAY less boilerplate. And this image from @TkDodo doesn't even mention all the other benefits like caching, retries, etc.

My recipe for feeling great: - Good sleep

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 14:15:41 GMT

My recipe for feeling great: - Good sleep. Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Don’t eat at least 2 hours before bed. Avoid overeating. Go to bed early (ar...

RSC is the most painful new React API in the State of React survey

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:29:44 GMT

RSC is the most painful new React API in the State of React survey. Complaints: - Hard to test. - Hard to debug. - Hard to reason about. - Confusin...

The React docs finally recommend Vite

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 00:14:31 GMT

The React docs finally recommend Vite! Great to finally see this. However, this text infers you only use Vite with React Router 7. That is unfortun...

For 25 years, I’ve specialized in frontend web development

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 11:53:13 GMT

For 25 years, I’ve specialized in frontend web development. But we’re moving into a new era: I simply tell the machine what I want. I’m increasingl...

Docs should be honest

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 14:31:55 GMT

Docs should be honest. So, here's what I think the "Sunsetting Create React App" blog post should say:

A full-time job sounds safe, but it’s not

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 18:12:12 GMT

A full-time job sounds safe, but it’s not. It puts all my eggs in *one* basket. In contrast, as an independent I’m diversified. I have many income...

I was already a big fan of Tailwind, but I'm even more bullish now that AI...

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:08:16 GMT

I was already a big fan of Tailwind, but I'm even more bullish now that AI is here. Why? Because Tailwind is more AI friendly than plain CSS. With...

Surprisingly, I'm using Bun instead of Node in my new TypeScript courses

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 20:56:34 GMT

Surprisingly, I'm using Bun instead of Node in my new TypeScript courses. Here's a short clip from the course that explains why. Excited to publish...

Years ago I was a team lead at a growing startup

Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:40:36 GMT

Years ago I was a team lead at a growing startup. My VP said “keep interviewing and hiring good developers and I’ll tell you when to stop.” So, I i...

Problem: React Query’s useSuspenseQuery displays the Suspense fallback...

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 17:24:15 GMT

Problem: React Query’s useSuspenseQuery displays the Suspense fallback anytime the query key changes. What if you want to only show the fallback th...

TypeScript rule: The stricter we are, the safer we are

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 15:06:34 GMT

TypeScript rule: The stricter we are, the safer we are. But safety is a tradeoff. It’s not free. Excessively strict typing rules may slow us down m...

Problem: You need to convert a big JavaScript project to TypeScript

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 23:35:06 GMT

Problem: You need to convert a big JavaScript project to TypeScript. Solution: ts-migrate It converts all files to .ts, and adds types where it can...

Tanstack form was announced a day ago and everyone is excited about it...

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 14:38:57 GMT

Tanstack form was announced a day ago and everyone is excited about it despite the fact that they haven’t used it yet. This is a powerful statement...

Misconception: "Separate useState is faster" Reality: When state changes,...

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 17:16:52 GMT

Misconception: "Separate useState is faster" Reality: When state changes, React renders. So, separate useState vs a single useState doesn't typical...

Theory: If you know a tech well, there are probably features you try to avoid

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 15:05:10 GMT

Theory: If you know a tech well, there are probably features you try to avoid. Thus, one of my favorite interview questions: "What features do you...

My new TypeScript: Zero to Hero courses are different than any courses I've...

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 15:09:13 GMT

My new TypeScript: Zero to Hero courses are different than any courses I've ever done. - Nearly all code. No slides. - Showing my face for narratio...

My M1 Mac is still wonderful

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 00:52:14 GMT

My M1 Mac is still wonderful. Easily the best machine I’ve ever owned. But the battery life is fading and it’s pricey to replace. Solution? Bought...

Woah

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 15:20:06 GMT

Woah! Microsoft is rewriting TypeScript in Go. Result? 10x faster performance! https://devblogs.microsoft.com/typescript/typescript-native-port/

In TypeScript, interfaces and type aliases can "extend" each another

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 15:43:57 GMT

In TypeScript, interfaces and type aliases can "extend" each another. - An interface can extend a type. - A type alias can "extend" an interface (v...

Wow, the speed impact of rewriting TypeScript in Go is wild

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 16:57:40 GMT

Wow, the speed impact of rewriting TypeScript in Go is wild. Check out these differences. 9-13 times faster?! So excited to see this. Huge win for...

I think I finally have my phone-friendly vertical video format dialed in

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:01:34 GMT

I think I finally have my phone-friendly vertical video format dialed in. I'm using an iPad with a Neewer teleprompter as my monitor so I can look...

TypeScript will soon compile 10x faster

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 20:47:35 GMT

TypeScript will soon compile 10x faster. So, using JSDoc comments to declare types for "performance reasons" will soon be even harder to justify.

TypeScript is great

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 14:22:04 GMT

TypeScript is great. But it has 3 features that you should probably avoid. Here's what I suggest using instead. Clip from "TypeScript: Getting Star...

In TypeScript, interfaces and types are often interchangeable

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 13:38:09 GMT

In TypeScript, interfaces and types are often interchangeable. But these are 6 features that only work with a type alias. Clip from "TypeScript: Ge...

Now that Node, Bun, and Deno can run TS files directly without compilation,...

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 17:12:45 GMT

Now that Node, Bun, and Deno can run TS files directly without compilation, using JSDoc syntax to declare TypeScript types is even harder to justif...

In TypeScript, there are at least 4 ways to implement immutability

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 15:17:02 GMT

In TypeScript, there are at least 4 ways to implement immutability. Here's how I choose between them.

Just read "Next.js vs Tanstack" by @gill_kyle

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:27:30 GMT

Just read "Next.js vs Tanstack" by @gill_kyle. Summary: Next is comprehensive and offers many micro-optimizations. But caching is complex, it's har...

Problem: I want to see a list of the settings I've changed in VS Code

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 16:22:21 GMT

Problem: I want to see a list of the settings I've changed in VS Code. Solution: Search for "@modified". This displays a list of modified settings....

Today I'm auditing a codebase for a client

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 16:38:11 GMT

Today I'm auditing a codebase for a client. It has over 100 warnings. That's a problem. Why? Because if there are already warnings, I won't notice...

Problem: Unused npm dependencies

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 16:30:08 GMT

Problem: Unused npm dependencies. They make package.json harder to read, bloat node_modules, waste our time updating packages we don’t use, and cre...

A codebase shouldn't feel like this, but I see it a lot

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 16:43:17 GMT

A codebase shouldn't feel like this, but I see it a lot. unused imports and packages rampant copy/paste half-written features unclear patterns comm...

Just watched "React Query API Design: Lessons Learned" by @TkDodo 7 insights: 1

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 00:06:55 GMT

Just watched "React Query API Design: Lessons Learned" by @TkDodo 7 insights: 1. Don't be excited about major versions - they're *breaking*. 2. Des...

TypeScript radically improved my frontend code

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:24:20 GMT

TypeScript radically improved my frontend code. Here are 7 reasons I use TypeScript instead of JavaScript.

Over-abstractor: A dev who immediately wants to abstract any new library...

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:40:51 GMT

Over-abstractor: A dev who immediately wants to abstract any new library we're considering. Examples: "Let's create a wrapper around React in case...

PSA 📢: This isn’t error handling

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 15:25:13 GMT

PSA 📢: This isn’t error handling. .catch((e) => console.log(e)) It's error swallowing. The user isn’t watching the console. Solution: Show the...

I've heard people say "spelling mistakes in code are harmless"

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 15:45:47 GMT

I've heard people say "spelling mistakes in code are harmless". I disagree. Spelling mistakes slow reading, create confusion, and can lead to bugs....

The biggest reason I prefer working in TypeScript over typed alternatives...

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:25:58 GMT

The biggest reason I prefer working in TypeScript over typed alternatives like C# or Java: Bare functions. In C# and Java, everything has to be a c...

React Server Components have gotten a lot of hate recently

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:44:47 GMT

React Server Components have gotten a lot of hate recently. I'm not saying they're perfect, but this short comparison shows why I still think they'...

Just generated Playwright tests for a feature that had no tests with this...

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 19:41:25 GMT

Just generated Playwright tests for a feature that had no tests with this 2-step LLM workflow: 1. ChatGPT prompt: "Create a requirements document i...

TypeScript has around 20 handy utility types - Pick, Omit, Partial, etc

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 13:10:50 GMT

TypeScript has around 20 handy utility types - Pick, Omit, Partial, etc. But there are 100's handy of third-party utility types too. Here are the t...

Problem: Manually creating TypeScript types is time-consuming, tedious, and...

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 16:56:16 GMT

Problem: Manually creating TypeScript types is time-consuming, tedious, and error prone. Solution: Generate the types if you can. Here are 4 exampl...

One of my favorite tools during a code audit is jscpd

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 17:57:58 GMT

One of my favorite tools during a code audit is jscpd. It detects copy/pasted code. In a codebase I’m currently reviewing, nearly half of the JS is...

So Dan Abramov's new giant blog post (think small book) is worth the read

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 21:44:37 GMT

So Dan Abramov's new *giant* blog post (think small book) is worth the read. I admire how Dan encourages thinking in first principles. If you haven...

Zod is TypeScript's most popular runtime validation library

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 15:35:51 GMT

Zod is TypeScript's most popular runtime validation library. But, I just tried ArkType, and it's compelling. Here's why: - Simpler, TS-like API - 1...

There are many JS runtimes - Node, Deno, Bun, etc

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 12:39:04 GMT

There are many JS runtimes - Node, Deno, Bun, etc. Just learned about a new one: Bare. Bare is unique: - Light (so can run on mobile) - No server r...

I'm reviewing a TypeScript codebase that's filled with type assertions like this

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 17:29:42 GMT

I'm reviewing a TypeScript codebase that's filled with type assertions like this. return fieldErrors as { [key: string]: { errors: string[] } } Typ...

Claim: "Those who can't do, teach"

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:53:56 GMT

Claim: "Those who can't do, teach". Reality: "To go deeper, teach." For example, I've worked successfully in TypeScript for years. But now that I'm...

I validate all my runtime inputs: -Cookies -Local storage -URL params -API...

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 13:48:05 GMT

I validate all my runtime inputs: -Cookies -Local storage -URL params -API responses -Form values -Environment variables I use Zod to validate runt...

The fact that so many apps out there blindly trust runtime inputs is the...

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 13:57:27 GMT

The fact that so many apps out there blindly trust runtime inputs is the source of countless bugs and security vulnerabilities. NEVER trust the cli...

Here's how I validate a URL param via Zod

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 13:07:40 GMT

Here's how I validate a URL param via Zod. I'm sharing more details on how I use Zod including validating APIs, localStorage, etc in "TypeScript: D...

TypeScript types can be intimidating to read

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 18:04:01 GMT

TypeScript types can be intimidating to read. My solution? Break it into pieces. This is a preview of my upcoming new course, "TypeScript: Deep Div...

Oooof

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:06:19 GMT

Oooof. This quote hits. “I think people get old when they stop talking about the future. If you want to find someone’s true age, listen to them. If...

Just converted a small test suite from Vitest to bun:test

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 20:29:05 GMT

Just converted a small test suite from Vitest to bun:test. Bun is about 2x faster. Vitest: 575ms Bun: 273ms And since bun:test syntax is similar to...

How to write bad software: Standardize nothing

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 16:47:19 GMT

How to write bad software: Standardize nothing. Let each developer pick their own conventions, patterns, languages, and libraries. Ignore quality....

Vibe coding is the modern version of copy/pasting code you don’t understand...

Thu, 08 May 2025 14:12:22 GMT

Vibe coding is the modern version of copy/pasting code you don’t understand from Stack Overflow. It seems fine at first, but at some point you need...

Vibe coding is a leaky abstraction

Thu, 08 May 2025 15:23:48 GMT

Vibe coding is a leaky abstraction. A leaky abstraction means I often have to understand the underlying implementation (in other words, the code) t...

Just realized Vitest now has built in support for testing TypeScript types

Tue, 13 May 2025 16:14:56 GMT

Just realized Vitest now has built in support for testing TypeScript types. How? It includes expect-type now by default. Handy. Example:

Four related web app problems: 1

Wed, 14 May 2025 14:45:46 GMT

Local-first web apps already have a big ecosystem

Fri, 16 May 2025 13:44:06 GMT

Local-first web apps already have a big ecosystem. Here’s what I’ve found so far. What else should I try? CRDT libraries: - Automerge - Purely clie...

Woah, @tan_stack just added Tanstack DB, a sync engine that works with...

Fri, 16 May 2025 18:17:20 GMT

Woah, @tan_stack just added Tanstack DB, a sync engine that works with Tanstack query. It adds: -Live queries -Fine grained reactivity (to minimize...

Problem: You have complex logic for narrowing a TypeScript type that you'd...

Sat, 24 May 2025 17:28:45 GMT

Problem: You have complex logic for narrowing a TypeScript type that you'd like to reuse in a few spots. Solution: Consider an assertion function.

For me, LLMs work quite well as “glorified autocomplete”

Tue, 27 May 2025 13:40:41 GMT

For me, LLMs work quite well as “glorified autocomplete”. But so far I’m skeptical about using them for agentic workflows - feels like a house of c...

Problem: I want to ensure my switch statement handles all potential cases

Wed, 28 May 2025 11:28:11 GMT

Problem: I want to ensure my switch statement handles all potential cases. Solution: Use TypeScript's never type. Here's how:

The rumors were true - Remix is coming back and it’s not using React

Wed, 28 May 2025 17:08:32 GMT

The rumors were true - Remix is coming back and it’s not using React. Instead, it’s a fork of Preact! The new Remix is aiming for lightweight, modu...

My favorite things about Europe vs the USA: 1

Thu, 29 May 2025 06:17:28 GMT

My favorite things about Europe vs the USA: 1. Better transportation infrastructure - Trains, trams, buses, rental scooters, bikes, wide sidewalks,...

Seeing these two side-by-side in my timeline really sums up the current...

Thu, 29 May 2025 12:31:25 GMT

Seeing these two side-by-side in my timeline really sums up the current schism on the upcoming impact of AI.

TypeScript syntax is often inspired by JavaScript

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 16:30:50 GMT

TypeScript syntax is often inspired by JavaScript. In some cases, TS even uses the exact same syntax as JS for a different purpose. The difference?...

In a React app, declaring an ErrorBoundary at the root is common, but rarely...

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 16:45:43 GMT

In a React app, declaring an ErrorBoundary at the root is common, but rarely sufficient. I also wrap routes and page sections in an ErrorBoundary t...

I love Tanstack Router's type safe search params

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 17:09:04 GMT

I love Tanstack Router's type safe search params. ✅Autocomplete support ✅Zod schema validates params ✅Param validation logic is centralized with th...

This post by Dan Abramov on "Progressive JSON" helped me understand how...

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 18:59:08 GMT

This post by Dan Abramov on "Progressive JSON" helped me understand how RSC's streaming works, and its over-the-wire format. It's like the differen...

I bought my M1 Max Macbook Pro in October 2021

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 18:10:53 GMT

I bought my M1 Max Macbook Pro in October 2021. After over 3.5 years of HEAVY use, the battery finally reports "Service recommended". Max capacity...

"Today's LLMs are like a junior developer"

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 21:09:04 GMT

"Today's LLMs are like a junior developer". Great, that means I can hire a junior dev to help me for just $20/month! The productivity gap between d...

This can’t be real The sign of a failing organization is when everyone knows...

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 16:54:18 GMT

This can’t be real The sign of a failing organization is when everyone knows it’s wrong but it ships anyway.

Problem: ESLint is slow on large projects with complex rules

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 23:11:50 GMT

Problem: ESLint is slow on large projects with complex rules. Solution: Use a fast Rust-based alternative. Two options: 1. Biome (which also replac...

The weird thing about 2025

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 23:46:40 GMT

The weird thing about 2025? Memorizing is rarely useful now. Sure, Google and Stackoverflow made memorization less useful many years ago. But AI ma...

Problem: You want to run a "real" DB in the browser

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 21:54:26 GMT

Problem: You want to run a "real" DB in the browser. Two solutions: 1. Run SQLite in the browser via sql.js 2. Run Postgres in the browser via PGLi...

Confession: The last year has been hard for me

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 15:52:35 GMT

Confession: The last year has been hard for me. AI has me feeling uneasy about my software development career. Part of me thinks "Why bother if an...

The local-first / sync engine ecosystem is far bigger than I realized

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 12:12:56 GMT

The local-first / sync engine ecosystem is far bigger than I realized. There are DBs / BAAS providers that provide real-time sync like Supabase, Fi...

Prediction: AI will replace most web app UIs

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 17:40:58 GMT

Prediction: AI will replace most web app UIs. Why? Because nobody wants to use your UI. They just want results. AI provides results without requiri...

Problem: Choosing technologies is hard

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 19:37:04 GMT

Problem: Choosing technologies is hard. Solution: Be honest about tradeoffs. Tell me when it's a good fit, and when it's not. Example: @livestorede...

Trend I'm seeing: AI app generators are a sales funnel

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 21:51:49 GMT

Trend I'm seeing: AI app generators are a sales funnel. -Chef uses Convex. -V0 is optimized for Vercel. -Lovable uses Supabase and Clerk. -Firebase...

Programming isn't easy

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 18:34:15 GMT

Programming isn't easy. But, it's getting easier. Innovations that made shipping software easier: 1890: Punch cards 1945: High-level languages 1958...

5 types of React state, and when I use each: 1

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:45:23 GMT

5 types of React state, and when I use each: 1. useState - For simple component-local state 2. useReducer - For complex component-local state 3. Zu...

What are people using instead of Storybook these days

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 13:19:39 GMT

What are people using instead of Storybook these days? One simple alternative I enjoy: Create a page in the app that shows reusable components. Thi...

I've never enjoyed writing CSS, but two innovations solved that: 1

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 01:15:55 GMT

I've never enjoyed writing CSS, but two innovations solved that: 1. Tailwind. No more wasting time coming up with class names. No more worries abou...

Shots fired

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 21:46:29 GMT

Shots fired. I've been a fan of Tanstack Query for years, but this post on caching by Convex has me thinking. "Periodic invalidation and stale-whil...

One of my favorite uses for rest/spread is creating a new object that omits...

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 16:03:47 GMT

One of my favorite uses for rest/spread is creating a new object that omits one or more properties. In this example, I created a vehicle object wit...

I've spent the last few weeks experimenting with different local-first /...

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 16:18:54 GMT

I've spent the last few weeks experimenting with different local-first / sync engine solutions. So far I've built the same app using: @convex_dev @...

I wish more library/framework docs had a section for “Stuff we don’t do well”

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 20:25:20 GMT

I wish more library/framework docs had a section for “Stuff we don’t do well”. Example: “Tailwind works best with a component abstraction. Without...

After 25 years of coding I've realized there is no end to learning

Sat, 05 Jul 2025 00:52:59 GMT

After 25 years of coding I've realized there is no end to learning. So go enjoy your 4th of July weekend 🇺🇸 Don't worry, work will be waiting for...

Two related, but separate ideas: 1

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 16:12:12 GMT

I've found arguing is more productive when I do 3 things: 1

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 19:55:12 GMT

I've found arguing is more productive when I do 3 things: 1. Be open to changing my mind. 2. Be curious. Why do we disagree? How do our experiences...

"Developers don't write automated tests

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 17:14:47 GMT

"Developers don't write automated tests. That's QA's job". I just had a consulting call with a dev team in this situation. I see this often, and it...

"Should my web app use a sync engine?" If your web app would benefit from...

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 18:22:39 GMT

"Should my web app use a sync engine?" If your web app would benefit from caching, live queries, retries, instantaneous UX, offline support, stream...

I'm bullish on sync engines, but I admit there's a lot of downsides to...

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 12:44:35 GMT

I'm bullish on sync engines, but I admit there's a lot of downsides to consider too. Here's 9. 1. Distributed state is a complex mental model 2. Ha...

When learning a new tech, I like to open PRs to improve the docs

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 21:26:57 GMT

When learning a new tech, I like to open PRs to improve the docs. It's easy for a maintainer to forget what it's like for a beginner to try their p...

My preferred React stack for 2025 Package manager: Bun Starter: Vite...

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 19:37:31 GMT

My preferred React stack for 2025 Package manager: Bun Starter: Vite Language: TypeScript Router: Tanstack Router Remote state: Sync engine like Co...

AI is supposed to make us faster coders, right

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 14:15:18 GMT

AI is supposed to make us faster coders, right? So, 3 questions: 1. Are your estimates lower now? 2. Has your team’ velocity increased? 3. Does you...

Just heard of a team where non-developers (such as designers and product...

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:25:57 GMT

Just heard of a team where non-developers (such as designers and product owners) are contributing code using AI. Like any other code, the dev team...

I'm curious - Who's doing development with just two environments

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 19:38:43 GMT

I'm curious - Who's doing development with just two environments? (dev and prod) Would love to hear your experience and approach. If you have more...

Theory: The fewer long-lived environments the better

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 12:01:09 GMT

Theory: The fewer long-lived environments the better. I prefer having only one long-lived environment - Production. Here's my ideal 3 step workflow...

Wild story of working with Claude I just heard from a friend: I was coding...

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 19:50:51 GMT

Wild story of working with Claude I just heard from a friend: I was coding late at night and angrily prompting Claude. Claude replied "It's late. P...

How I’d pick a router in React in 2025: 1

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 17:13:24 GMT

How I’d pick a router in React in 2025: 1. Using a framework with a built-in router like Next? Use the built-in router, but add nuqs for type safe...

I think sync engines are the future

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 16:51:26 GMT

I think sync engines are the future. These slides show why. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ofac1voz9hwj3mgrzfd6o/Local-first-web-apps.pptx?rlkey=mz...

I’m eager to see how LLM usage changes when the venture capital money dries up

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 21:31:26 GMT

I’m eager to see how LLM usage changes when the venture capital money dries up. People think it’s expensive today, but it’s actually artificially c...

If you give a junior dev a vague task, you’ll probably get bad results

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:55:21 GMT

If you give a junior dev a vague task, you’ll probably get bad results. Same story with an LLM. Vague, high-level prompts produce bad results. Be s...

How I've fetched in React over 10 years: 2014: Fetch in componentDidMount...

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 18:23:29 GMT

How I've fetched in React over 10 years: 2014: Fetch in componentDidMount 2019: Fetch in useEffect 2020: Custom useFetch hook 2021: React query 202...

Each time I open up an old JS project, I get dozens of breaking changes when...

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 21:46:39 GMT

Each time I open up an old JS project, I get dozens of breaking changes when I update npm packages. It's wonderful that all these open source proje...

I enjoy having my own an app that’s just for experiments

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 13:09:27 GMT

I enjoy having my own an app that’s just for experiments. It’s a spot where I can try new tech, ideas, patterns, and libraries. I can toy with perf...

So I'm using Tanstack Router on another new project and I gotta say it again...

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:14:20 GMT

So I'm using Tanstack Router on another new project and I gotta say it again - it's fantastic. Elegant API File or config based routing Superb type...

Claude's init command is impressive

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 21:21:27 GMT

Claude's init command is impressive. It inspected my project and generated this markdown file for future reference. I only had to make one minor tw...

Spending more time with Tanstack DB this week and it's finally clicking

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 14:16:51 GMT

Spending more time with Tanstack DB this week and it's finally clicking. Lot's of little "ah ha" moments. Here's an example. In typical React, I'd:...

"Solid is better than React." Sure

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 15:25:14 GMT

"Solid is better than React." Sure. But switching isn't worth it *for me*. I'm an independent consultant, and I enjoy working with a variety of com...

Many apps are basically Excel in the browser

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 13:18:05 GMT

Many apps are basically Excel in the browser. This is common when the app doesn't have a professional designer. Developers think "I'll display all...

Problem: LLMs may be trained on old docs and thus suggest outdated APIs

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 14:35:32 GMT

Problem: LLMs may be trained on old docs and thus suggest outdated APIs. Solution: context7. It provides the latest docs for tons of projects via M...

A portion of the React community seems to enjoy hating on Vercel

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 20:45:02 GMT

A portion of the React community seems to enjoy hating on Vercel. That’s a shame. Sure, they’ve made mistakes. But they’ve also given us so much. -...

How I routed in React over 10 years: 2014: React Router 2016: Next page...

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 13:31:12 GMT

How I routed in React over 10 years: 2014: React Router 2016: Next page router 2022: React Router with loaders 2023: Next app router 2024: Tanstack...

How I handled React state over 10 years: 2014: Class state 2016: Redux 2018:...

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 13:55:52 GMT

How I handled React state over 10 years: 2014: Class state 2016: Redux 2018: useState, useReducer, useContext 2020: React query 2021: Zustand for g...

A big difference between Tanstack Query and Tanstack DB: Tanstack Query is...

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 14:25:01 GMT

A big difference between Tanstack Query and Tanstack DB: Tanstack Query is pessimistic by default. It updates the UI *after* an async write complet...

New version of VS Code chat automatically selects the appropriate LLM model...

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 09:13:00 GMT

New version of VS Code chat automatically selects the appropriate LLM model based on your request and rate limits. It automatically chooses between...

General rule: Feature flags should default off for new features

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 15:02:34 GMT

General rule: Feature flags should default *off* for new features. This way, if we push to prod and the flag isn’t configured, the feature is safel...

Problem: Too many feature flags

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 13:58:45 GMT

Problem: Too many feature flags. We forget to clean them up when they’re no longer needed. Solution: Only allow creating flags for targeting a *sub...

Just found awesome-copilot

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 02:41:24 GMT

Just found awesome-copilot. Handy repo of instructions, prompts, and configs for enhancing GitHub Copilot. Lots of interesting examples in here hav...

Just implemented a feature using GitHub spec-kit

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 01:49:31 GMT

Just implemented a feature using GitHub spec-kit. It's an opinionated workflow for coding via an LLM. I used it with Claude Code, but it works with...

My 6-step approach to learning: 1

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 13:46:57 GMT

My 6-step approach to learning: 1. Read the docs. 2. Build an example. 3. Iterate as I make mistakes. 4. Experiment with edge cases and approaches....

I’m a fan of Tanstack and excited for Tanstack Start

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 17:41:31 GMT

I’m a fan of Tanstack and excited for Tanstack Start. I’m also a fan of Vercel and admire their continual innovation. @leerob replied courteously f...

Anyone using a Macbook Air as their dev machine

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 01:50:53 GMT

Anyone using a Macbook Air as their dev machine? I currently have a 16" M1 Max Macbook Pro with 32 GB of RAM, but I'm considering trying a 15" M4 A...

Problem: I want to learn while coding in a new tech

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:25:12 GMT

Problem: I want to learn while coding in a new tech. Solution: Set Claude Code's output style to "Learning" With this enabled, Claude explains its...

Imagine your team only had two environments: 1

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 23:58:24 GMT

Imagine your team only had two environments: 1. Your machine (where you code and test) 2. Production Could you successfully ship software this way?

Problem: Using coding with agents, it's annoying to constantly check back to...

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 14:13:19 GMT

Problem: Using coding with agents, it's annoying to constantly check back to see if it's done. Solution: Configure a hook to notify you when it's d...

In the last week both Cursor and Copilot announced a new CLI

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 18:21:41 GMT

In the last week both Cursor and Copilot announced a new CLI. The number of CLI coding assistants is growing fast: Claude Code Copilot CLI Cursor C...

"Because I said so." Early in my career, I asked my team lead why we had to...

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 15:11:42 GMT

"Because I said so." Early in my career, I asked my team lead why we had to do a process that seemed unnecessary. His gruff reply? "Because I said...

"Test in prod”

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 13:08:58 GMT

"Test in prod”. Sounds risky. But it need not be. It doesn’t mean test *only* in prod. It means test *also* in prod. Testing in prod is the only wa...

> In sprint planning > Team has 19 story points in the sprint and a...

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 18:04:56 GMT

> In sprint planning > Team has 19 story points in the sprint and a “capacity” of 20. > Scrum master searches the backlog for a 1-point ti...

People often separate React component logic via a hook

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 16:25:22 GMT

People often separate React component logic via a hook. But one hook with all the component's logic isn't ideal. So, avoid this: Modal.tsx useModal...

In TypeScript, I don't use screaming case for consts - it's needless because...

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 19:22:41 GMT

In TypeScript, I don't use screaming case for consts - it's needless because TS enforces the const via "as const". I find camelCase easier to read...

I'm watching the Remix Jam stream and this little moment is interesting

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 22:53:11 GMT

I'm watching the Remix Jam stream and this little moment is interesting. Since DOM events bubble, you can declare event handlers in parent elements...

Is Vibe coding effective

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:52:51 GMT

Is Vibe coding effective? It appears the answer is “Yes”. Just saw a talk from a team that did an experiment to prove it. They built the same app u...

Two important points: 1

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 11:30:48 GMT

Two important points: 1. The AI team was all real developers. If non-devs were Vibe coding they’d likely have significantly worse results. 2. The A...

If I’m unhappy with the code AI generates, it’s probably my fault

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 19:33:03 GMT

If I’m unhappy with the code AI generates, it’s probably my fault. My prompt is vague. My context is incorrect. My task was too high level. My requ...

Problem: People forget to remove feature flags

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 10:56:52 GMT

Problem: People forget to remove feature flags. Solution: Create "exploding" feature flags. Two techniques: 1. Don't allow flags that target 100% o...

Just visited The Netherlands for the first time to speak at Techorama

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:43:08 GMT

Just visited The Netherlands for the first time to speak at Techorama. I explored Amsterdam and Utrecht. As an American, here’s a few things I admi...

A few years ago I led a team of developers creating reusable software...

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 13:04:56 GMT

A few years ago I led a team of developers creating reusable software components for a large company. We had at least one of our developers embedde...

Custom directives are getting out of control

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 20:22:13 GMT

Custom directives are getting out of control. 'use server' 'use client' 'use cache' 'use cache:remote' 'use workflow' 'use streaming' 'use edge' 'u...

I talk money with my developer friends

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 14:41:59 GMT

I talk money with my developer friends. Here’s why. Years ago I was managing a dev team full-time and contracting on the side. My friend named Lee...

"LLMs are trained on other people's code"

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:29:35 GMT

"LLMs are trained on other people's code". Yep. And before LLM's, I used other people's code too. I copied patterns from docs, StackOverflow, forum...

Software development is simpler than it sounds

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 14:03:53 GMT

Software development is simpler than it sounds. You only need to understand a few key concepts to code: variables, conditionals, loops, assignments...

I'm reviewing a codebase with over 750 uses of optional chaining

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 20:52:09 GMT

I'm reviewing a codebase with over 750 uses of optional chaining. Example: user?.email I continue to believe adding this feature to JS was a mistak...

Problem: You want to enable a few specific VS Code settings for everybody

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:18:47 GMT

Problem: You want to enable a few specific VS Code settings for everybody. Solution: Put the settings in .vscode/settings.json and they'll automati...

I don't need stand-ups, sprints, retrospectives, or a scrum master

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 14:37:09 GMT

I don't need stand-ups, sprints, retrospectives, or a scrum master. I need good communication, frequent delivery, iteration based on feedback, and...

My biggest beef with Scrum: The sprint time box creates an arbitrary deadline

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 20:45:45 GMT

My biggest beef with Scrum: The sprint time box creates an arbitrary deadline. Arbitrary deadlines lead to rushing. Rushing leads to cutting corner...

Problem: You want to hide a component, but still preload data and remember...

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 21:44:44 GMT

Problem: You want to hide a component, but still preload data and remember it's local state while hidden. Solution: React's new co...

Problem: I want to run multiple agents at once

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 22:04:57 GMT

Problem: I want to run multiple agents at once. 4 solutions: 1. Clone the repo twice. Use 2 editor instances. 2. Use Git worktree to checkout multi...

Some people run multiple coding agents at once

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:09:24 GMT

Some people run multiple coding agents at once. But I'm skeptical - is it worth it? When coding with AI assistance, human inspection and approval i...

AI is an accelerator

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 18:05:32 GMT

AI is an accelerator. So, bad guardrails = bad code, faster. Useful guardrails: -Types -Tests -Linting -Auto-formatting -AI reviews -Clear definiti...

Problem: I want Claude to use Chrome

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 18:17:15 GMT

Problem: I want Claude to use Chrome. Solution: Here's 3 options and when I use each: 1. Playwright MCP – Use as primary cross-browser testing tool...

Problem: In Claude Code, when should I create a custom slash command vs a skill

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 23:15:39 GMT

Problem: In Claude Code, when should I create a custom slash command vs a skill? Solution: Often either works. But, create a slash command when you...

Last month I enjoyed "Advent of Claude: 31 Days of Claude Code"

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 02:48:48 GMT

Last month I enjoyed "Advent of Claude: 31 Days of Claude Code". The author just published this single blog post with all the tips in one spot: htt...

Problem: I’d like to be able to check on or work with my laptop’s Claude or...

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 22:34:11 GMT

Problem: I’d like to be able to check on or work with my laptop’s Claude or Codex instance via my phone. Solution: Happy. Jump right into an existi...

With agent instructions files like http://CLAUDE.md, it's tempting to add...

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 17:49:16 GMT

With agent instructions files like http://CLAUDE.md, it's tempting to add lots of detailed guidelines. But, I only add to the instructions file as...

Problem: “you could have AI write/maintain your traditional E2E tests, but i...

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:44:33 GMT

Problem: “you could have AI write/maintain your traditional E2E tests, but i promise they'll quickly miss CSS selectors” Solution: Don’t use CSS se...

Problem: Our team uses many different AI coding tools, so where do we put...

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:15:41 GMT

Problem: Our team uses many different AI coding tools, so where do we put our instructions? Maintaining separate Claude, Copilot, and Cursor instru...

You've probably heard of the BDD testing style, using Given, When, Then

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:34:50 GMT

You've probably heard of the BDD testing style, using Given, When, Then. Just saw a test suite using this style, but calling well-named functions p...

Woah, Vercel just released the React Best Practices skill

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:59:26 GMT

Woah, Vercel just released the React Best Practices skill. Looks super handy. Love the idea of encapsulating all this knowledge in a single skill....

Problem: You want to share a skill with people using different agents, not...

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:05:52 GMT

Problem: You want to share a skill with people using different agents, not just Claude. Solution: Use the add-skill npm package. Vercel used the ad...

Prediction: Frameworks will start shipping official skills

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:42:26 GMT

Prediction: Frameworks will start shipping official skills. Vercel is already shipping handy React skills, but they're not included in the Next.js...

I keep improving my agentic feedback loop

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:17:52 GMT

I keep improving my agentic feedback loop. A feedback loop is critical because it helps the coding agent see if it made any mistakes. My feedback l...

Problem: Generating code via AI may lead to skill atrophy and code I don't...

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:32:03 GMT

Problem: Generating code via AI may lead to skill atrophy and code I don't understand. 4 solutions: 1. Use Claude's /output and select "Explanatory...

Excellent post

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:59:32 GMT

Excellent post. Orchestrating multiple agents at once is tricky and the DX could certainly be better. But my take is, I typically don't need to run...

My big frustration with skills is they're not consistently invoked

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:17:17 GMT

My big frustration with skills is they're not consistently invoked. In this post, Vercel saw the same issue. Their solution? Put a compressed index...

Using Codex today instead of Claude Code

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 18:41:13 GMT

Using Codex today instead of Claude Code. I like how concise the output is. I can easily do diffs by just expanding next to each impacted file. And...

One of the most common reasons I leave GitHub Copilot is to try a new model...

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 21:15:52 GMT

One of the most common reasons I leave GitHub Copilot is to try a new model the moment it's announced. The Copilot team usually quickly adds new mo...

Even in the age of AI, I can do many tasks more quickly manually than via...

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 16:38:20 GMT

Even in the age of AI, I can do many tasks more quickly manually than via prompting. Entering the right prompt, granting access, waiting for respon...

Rule: If the prompt is likely to be longer than the code change, I should...

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:45 GMT

Rule: If the prompt is likely to be longer than the code change, I should probably code it myself instead of using AI.

Bun test is crazy fast, but unfortunately we just switched back to Vitest

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:22:37 GMT

Bun test is crazy fast, but unfortunately we just switched back to Vitest. Why? Because Bun has an awful mocking bug: Mocks leak. A mock in one tes...

Problem: HTTP status codes in code aren't type safe and require looking them...

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 17:02:32 GMT

Problem: HTTP status codes in code aren't type safe and require looking them up or memorizing them all. Solution: http-status-codes Now I have auto...

Y'all out there running multiple agents at once scare me

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:30:16 GMT

Y'all out there running multiple agents at once scare me. Why? Because it only saves time if I skip reading the code! And I've found human code rev...

I’ve spent 8+ hours a day building with Claude Code and Opus over the last...

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 13:51:14 GMT

I’ve spent 8+ hours a day building with Claude Code and Opus over the last few weeks and I’m going to call it: Programming is more fun than ever. I...

Just learned a team at Microsoft is doing code reviews after merge

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 20:47:57 GMT

Just learned a team at Microsoft is doing code reviews *after* merge. Why? To move faster. No more pausing work to wait for code reviews. No need f...

The problem with an immature IT org is it tends to repel the people who are...

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:09:35 GMT

The problem with an immature IT org is it tends to repel the people who are most capable of fixing it. When easy things are needlessly hard, and th...

I see many people running multiple agents simultaneously

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:28:51 GMT

I see many people running multiple agents simultaneously. I avoid it. Instead, here’s what I typically do while my *one* agent is running: - Review...

I used Windows for 20+ years

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:06:58 GMT

I used Windows for 20+ years. Then I spoke at a frontend conference in San Fran...the entire audience was laptops with Apple logos. I actually hid...

This is so slick

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 21:54:59 GMT

This is so slick. It used to be tricky to create an ESLint rule. Now I just tell Claude. Example: We want to assure all SQL queries are multi-line...

I’ve never been great at regex

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 20:36:22 GMT

I’ve never been great at regex. But now, AI generates it for me. It writes tests for each regex it generates, and quickly explains existing regexes...

4 weeks of coding by 4 developers and over 1,000 unit tests that pass in...

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:11:47 GMT

4 weeks of coding by 4 developers and over 1,000 unit tests that pass in under 10 seconds. Over 90% code coverage. How? Heavy use of Claude Code wi...

Today at a conference, I asked a room of 250 developers this question: "If...

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:55:28 GMT

Today at a conference, I asked a room of 250 developers this question: "If your child was 18, would you recommend they pursue a career in programmi...

The near future: AI generates code

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:39:02 GMT

The near future: AI generates code. AI tests code. AI commits code. AI pushes code. AI reviews code. AI deploys code. So, developers don’t write or...

I thought AI would lead to more slop

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:00:27 GMT

I thought AI would lead to more slop. I've actually found it's leading to the best code I've written. Here's why: I can fix anti-patterns quickly....

Been building a new Next.js app over the last few weeks and I'm happy to say...

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:10 GMT

Been building a new Next.js app over the last few weeks and I'm happy to say Next has been stable, fast, and all around enjoyable. RSC works great....

Ya know how in a job interview you can tell if someone is a good candidate...

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 14:16:11 GMT

Ya know how in a job interview you can tell if someone is a good candidate in the first 5 minutes? I’ve found the same thing with dev teams. You ca...

Dev team red flags 🚩 “We do Scrum” “We do Git flow” “We use
Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:52:31 GMT
Dev team red flags 🚩 “We do Scrum” “We do Git flow” “We use ” “We have a change approval board” “We rarely deploy...

Problem: AI generates code that doesn't match our formatting and linting...

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 12:45:37 GMT

Problem: AI generates code that doesn't match our formatting and linting standards. Solution: Create a stop hook that runs Prettier and ESLint afte...

Pet peeve: Projects where many files are named index

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:53:38 GMT

Pet peeve: Projects where many files are named index. Result? Every tab in my editor is named index. Every file in my diff is named index. So I hav...

The acceleration from AI is unbelievable

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:58:09 GMT

The acceleration from AI is unbelievable. After *only 5 weeks* of development on a new project with 4 devs, we have over 4,000 tests. That's ~200 t...

Wild realization: AI means I shouldn't write any code anymore

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:14:26 GMT

Wild realization: AI means I shouldn't write *any* code anymore. Why? Because AI is better than me. 1. AI sees more than me. It sees *all* the conn...

Teammate wanted to try Claude's new expensive ultrareview but didn't have access

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 19:05:45 GMT

Teammate wanted to try Claude's new expensive ultrareview but didn't have access. So he told Claude "just do what ultrareview does"... Result? It s...

In 2026, many dev teams still fail to get the basics right

Sat, 02 May 2026 12:29:50 GMT

In 2026, many dev teams still fail to get the basics right. Click ops No CI server No feature flags No automated tests Long-lived branches Big, amb...

Problem: How do I quickly tell AI exactly which elements I want to change

Thu, 07 May 2026 21:44:04 GMT

Problem: How do I quickly tell AI exactly which elements I want to change? Solution: Agentation This npm package displays a toolbar in your app so...

Hot take: 🌶️ An agent should be generating nearly all code today

Fri, 08 May 2026 15:34:50 GMT

Hot take: 🌶️ An agent should be generating nearly all code today. If the agent fails, the focus should be on improving instructions, prompts, arch...

My personal site has been on Wordpress for 14 years

Sat, 23 May 2026 22:13:49 GMT

My personal site has been on Wordpress for 14 years. Just found out the DB is corrupted and I have no recent backup. Solution: I told Claude "Use d...

I thought AI would lead to worse code

Sun, 24 May 2026 21:11:40 GMT

I thought AI would lead to worse code. I was wrong. My code is better than ever because I'm more willing to refactor when AI does it for me. I'm mo...