From the team
Notes on building software properly.
Process, engineering judgment, and honest takes on things founders ask us about, not case studies, not marketing copy.
We write about
- Image Tools
- Product
- Data Engineering
- Architecture
- Database
- IoT
- Infrastructure
- Legacy Systems
- API Design
- Testing
- Performance
- Security
- Mobile
Everything else we've written.
Image Tools·Oct 18, 2026·5 min read
How to Remove GPS and EXIF Data From Photos Before Sharing
GPS and EXIF data can reveal exactly where a photo was taken. Here's how to check what's embedded and strip it on Windows, macOS, and Linux before you share an image.
Image Tools·Oct 16, 2026·4 min read
How to Combine Multiple Images Into One PDF Without Uploading Them
No need to upload your photos to a website to combine them into one PDF. Here's how to do it offline on Windows and Linux, plus what each native method actually gets you.
Image Tools·Oct 14, 2026·5 min read
How to Convert JPG or PNG to WebP or AVIF on Windows and Linux
WebP and AVIF produce meaningfully smaller files than JPEG at the same quality. Here's how to actually convert into those formats on Windows and Linux, not just view them.
Product·Oct 6, 2026·6 min read
How to Deprecate a Software Feature Without Losing Customer Trust
Learn how to deprecate a software feature: review usage, confirm who depends on it, and give customers 60 days' notice and a clear alternative.
Data Engineering·Sep 9, 2026·4 min read
ETL vs ELT: a practical way to decide
ETL vs ELT explained in plain terms: what each one is, why ELT became the common default on modern cloud warehouses, and when ETL still earns its place.
Architecture·Sep 1, 2026·4 min read
One codebase or two: when to split your frontend from your API
A full-stack framework is simpler on day one. Learn when splitting your frontend from your API actually pays for itself, and what the split costs you.
Product·Aug 26, 2026·5 min read
The UX research step most MVPs skip, and what it costs later
Skipping user research can be the right call for a fast, time-boxed MVP. Learn the cheap step most teams skip entirely, and what it quietly costs you later on.
Database·Aug 18, 2026·4 min read
The Postgres indexing mistake that quietly kills API latency
Postgres doesn't index foreign keys automatically. Learn how to spot a missing index, build a composite index that matches your query, and avoid over-indexing.
IoT·Aug 12, 2026·4 min read
MQTT vs HTTP for IoT telemetry: what actually matters
HTTP works fine for IoT telemetry until your device count grows into the hundreds. Learn exactly what breaks at scale, and why MQTT was built to solve it.
Infrastructure·Aug 5, 2026·4 min read
Docker Compose is enough, until it isn't
Most early-stage products don't need Kubernetes yet. Learn the specific, measurable signals that mean Docker Compose has actually stopped being enough.
Legacy Systems·Jul 29, 2026·4 min read
Migrating a legacy system without a full rewrite
A full rewrite sounds clean, but it's the riskiest way to modernize a system still running a real business. Here's the safer, more reliable alternative.
API Design·Jul 22, 2026·4 min read
REST vs GraphQL: how to actually decide
GraphQL solves a real, specific problem. Learn exactly what it solves, its real ongoing cost, and whether your product actually has that problem yet today.
Testing·Jul 15, 2026·4 min read
What automated tests catch that manual testing doesn't
Manual testing feels thorough, but it's actually the least reliable way to catch the bugs that matter most. Here's what automated tests catch instead.
Performance·Jul 8, 2026·4 min read
What actually breaks when a web app meets real traffic
A demo works fine on localhost, with one user and a warm cache. Learn the three common assumptions that quietly break once real traffic shows up at scale.
Security·Jul 1, 2026·4 min read
Sessions vs JWTs: picking the right auth model for a web app
JWTs got popular for reasons that don't apply to most web apps. Learn when a plain, secure server-side session is still the better, simpler call to make.
Mobile·Jun 24, 2026·4 min read
React Native vs Flutter: how to actually choose
Both React Native and Flutter can ship a solid production app. Learn the two practical questions that actually decide which one is the right fit for you.
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