Exponential Backoff in Modern JavaScript
Stop hammering a sick API. Exponential backoff—with jitter and caps—turns retries into resilience. I show how to wire it in React/Next.js (client + Route Handlers) and Fastify, when to retry vs bail, and how to keep users happy in 2025.
React 19’s New Hooks: Practical Relief or Added Complexity?
React 19: use() for async data, form actions with useFormStatus/useActionState, useOptimistic for snappy updates, and async transitions. Fewer effects and form libs—cleaner patterns for forms, fetching, and UX.
Scarcity: The Rule of the Few
When access shrinks, desire swells. We chase the last house, the final ticket, the cookie from the near empty jar. Scarcity makes ordinary things glow and blurs judgment. Pause and ask: do I want the thing, or only the thrill of almost losing it?
When Shiny Apps Still Suck
A sleek UI can mask deep flaws. The aesthetic-usability effect means pretty products get the benefit of the doubt, but looks don’t equal quality. Real value comes from speed, clarity, and reliability. Shiny exteriors fade fast if the engine underneath is slow, brittle, or confusing.
Vibe Coding Is the New Spaghetti Code
Vibe coding feels like magic: talk and code appears. But the first draft often hides spaghetti. Use it for prototypes, not production. Treat AI like a junior dev. Review, refactor, test, and own the architecture. Speed wins nothing if maintenance loses.
Why Fundamentals Matter More Than Ever in the AI Era
AI can write features fast, but speed without understanding is a trap. Never merge code you cannot explain. Treat AI like a junior: good for drafts, not decisions. Review, test, and refactor. Fundamentals turn quick wins into systems that stand up under load.
Herd Morality in Tech
Teams go quiet not from lack of ideas, but fear of being seen as wrong. Herd morality rewards optics over truth. Real strength invites discomfort: the first honest voice, the hard question, the unpopular note. Say it. If the room can’t handle it, you’ve learned enough.
The Cult of the 10x Developer
Talent is table stakes. The real 10x comes from teams that argue well, write clearly, and ship from shared context. Hire for chemistry, not capes.
Authority: Why We Obey First and Think Later
Authority holds a powerful, often hidden sway over our decisions. From childhood, we’re conditioned to respect parents, teachers, and other
Are React Server Components Improving Your Apps?
React Server Components (RSCs) can deliver real performance wins. One team rebuilt their Next.js site with RSCs and achieved a 62 % drop in JavaScript bundle size and a 63 % boost in Google’s Speed Index. Less client‑side React logic means faster first paints.
You’re NOT Big Tech
You’re not Netflix. Nor Amazon, Facebook, or Google—and yet many developers build systems as if you are. We spin up microservices, multi-region setups, and abstraction layers for users who don’t exist. We solve imaginary problems while missing the real ones.
Why Continuous Integration Is Killing Your Productivity Instead of Helping
Continuous Integration promised faster feedback and fewer integration headaches. But when misapplied, it turns into a grind—slow, flaky pipelines that stall your flow and leave you staring at progress bars or midnight build failures. The very tool meant to help can end up draining your productivity.
