Longer thoughts on engineering leadership, building for the web, and the practical edges of AI-assisted work.
Two months ago I wrote about building Coding Fundamentals, my portable pack of Cursor rules and skills. This is the follow-up I did not expect to write so soon: I am shutting it down, and the reason is a good one. The person whose talk inspired the project built the same thing—better.
Twenty years of developer instincts, a year of scattered AI rules, and one Matt Pocock talk finally converged into a project. Here's how I built Coding Fundamentals—a portable Cursor pack that keeps my AI sessions grounded in what actually matters.
I entered a hackathon contest from Twilio... and I WON!!
Hand-coding every line is no longer how I work—and I'm not going back. After 20 years of repeating the same patterns, I use AI as a force multiplier while maintaining full ownership and accountability for the code I deliver.
Vague hints in code reviews slow growth. Clear, specific feedback helps developers learn faster, avoid repeat mistakes, and build confidence. Don’t just lead them to water—show them how to drink.
Refactoring to Next.js 14 revealed performance issues with Emotion CSS and server-side rendering. Switching to Pigment-CSS boosted my PageSpeed score but brought new challenges with TypeScript. Here's how I optimized performance and handled the migration.
Creating a "Team Values and Norms" document sets clear expectations and fosters collaboration. By gathering input, you align the team on shared principles, making work smoother—and more enjoyable. Here's how to create it.
Leading a team is more about cultivating success in individuals than being the smartest person in the room. When your team wins, you win—and so does the organization. Empower, trust, and grow your team, and watch the success follow.
Docker streamlines development with consistency and quick deployments across environments. We explore its benefits, challenges, and how to leverage it effectively, transforming your workflow and overcoming common issues like environment-specific bugs.
I appreciate Bezos' 4 points on earning trust and reputation. From my experience: do hard things, follow through on commitments, take controversial stances sparingly, and always seek clarity. The real challenge? Staying uncomfortable.
The 3D web is here, with VR/AR transforming flat sites into immersive experiences. Developers: Learn frameworks like Three.js. Designers: Rethink UI. Marketers: Tap into this growing niche. The web is evolving—get ready to embrace the Z-axis!