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Software Development is very subjective
Most of you are familiar with the feeling of joining a new company and have that urge to rewrite everything. Seeing the blasphemy that your new team members committed a few years ago makes your eyes...
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The silent majority
The “silent majority” was used by President Richard Nixon during his presidency and his campaign. In this usage, it referred to those Americans who did not join in the large demonstrations against the...
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Things they didn’t teach you about Software Engineering
As always, a disclaimer before we start, this is purely subjective. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting out in the field, I hope these insights will provide valuable perspective....
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The Dark Side of Remote Work: Interview Scam Epidemic
Once the pandemic hit and employers started to embrace remote work more openly, a new phenomenon gained momentum — Interviews-as-a-service. I’m not talking about the ones where you get people to help...
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Contracts you should never sign
When it comes to software engineering and the IT industry in general, contracts are a necessary part of doing business. Here and there, you sign NDAs — as an employee, contractor, or company — which...
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Build vs Buy: age old dilemma
The age-old dilemma that technical co-founders get confronted with: should I build it from scratch or buy some off-the-shelf solution? I’ve asked myself this question many times over the last years...
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Product Owner vs Project Managers
During my career as a software developer, I’ve met many different managers. Some were the kind of “I tell — you do”, others more open and “show me what’s possible” kind, which is most of the time the...
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Bullsh*t Jobs
Doing meaningless work is not a new concept. After automation started to get wider adoption in the second part of the 20th century, people were eagerly waiting to work for only 15 hours a week. What...
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Rules of Thumb for Software Development Estimations
First, I planned on calling this article “Mastering the Art of Estimations: A Definitive Guide for Developers”, but then who am I to tell you how to estimate projects? I can only give you some...
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The Surprising Power of Documentation
I’m a big fan of documentation. I think it’s my favorite boring thing to do after coding. It brings the business so much long-term value that every hour invested into documentation by anyone saves...
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Being a good mentor – a developers guide
Let’s talk about the process where the experienced welcome the inexperienced under their wing and illuminate the path ahead. I’ve worn many hats over the years — mentor and mentee are one of them....
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What does a CTO actually do?
In 2017, I found myself stepping into the shoes of a CTO for the first time. I joined a small startup as a senior developer, and before I knew it, I was handed the reins of the tech team. Having the...
View ArticleHow do I tell my cofounder I need to quit?
First of all, I’m sorry you ended up in such a situation. Running in overdrive for so long is a recipe for disaster.I remember a time when I was in a similar situation, standing at the precipice of a...
View ArticleHow dangerous is over-engineering for a start up?
Hey there, I appreciate your question—it’s a complex one that many startups, including those I’ve consulted with, grapple with. I remember, there was a time when we were building a product for the...
View ArticleIs it a bad idea if I build the MVP of my startup on my company’s pc?
Short Answer: DON’T DO IT. Long Answer: It’s a common problem. As you’re building a business you need to take risks and investing into your venture. So buying a separate notebook and investing your...
View ArticleHow to stop thinking like an engineer and think like a businessman?
Uff, this is a tough one. I can say for sure — it’s possible, everything can be learned. I do get it, though. You’ve spent years honing your skills as an engineer, diving into the nitty-gritty of...
View ArticleShould I quit my well-paid job to start a startup?
Short answer: Do it in your spare time. Dip your toes into the startup world without going full crazy. Test out the waters, see if it makes you happy. Long answer: Ah, the age-old question: to leap...
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Is 150K USD a reasonable rate to build a mobile app?
So, you’ve been quoted a cool 50K for designs and 150K for your mobile app development. That’s a hefty sum, and it’s only natural to wonder if it’s worth it. Short answer: it depends. It depends on a...
View ArticleAs a non-technical founder what should I be doing while the product is...
First of all, congrats on starting this journey. So, you’re a non-technical co-founder in the process of product development, feeling a bit like a fifth wheel while your CTO and tech team are in the...
View ArticleIs coding bootcamp better than university?
Thanks for the question. Navigating the crossroads of your budding tech career is no small feat, and the decision between diving into a coding bootcamp or committing to a university degree is a...
View ArticleIs development the right career for me?
Hello dear reader, first off all, I want to acknowledge the weight of the question you’re grappling with. It’s one that many in our field, including myself, have wrestled with at various points in our...
View ArticleCan an offshore dev agency steal your code?
Congrats on becoming a CTO and on immediately thinking of dipping your toes into the world of offshore development agencies. Smart move. And, like any savvy entrepreneur, you’re wondering, “Can these...
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Managing difficult software engineers
Hello dear reader, I will be improving this article based on the feedback that I received. I don’t see myself as an expert, more like ever-learning amateur, so if you point out something, I will try...
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Aging Code
In a quaint bar on the outskirts of Catania (Italy), as whiskey glasses clinked and muted conversations blended into a harmonic background hum, an old-timer once told me, “The best drink isn’t the...
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Asking questions the right way
In the software development realm, asking questions isn’t just a right—it’s a downright necessity. Let’s cut the crap and dive straight in: if you’re not asking questions, you’re doing a disservice to...
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Database Migrations
I consider database migrations one of the most annoying problems to deal with during a software engineer’s life. Not only that, if it goes wrong, as it often does, people tend to develop anxiety...
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Networking as an introvert CTO
There I was, standing in the middle of a buzzing tech event that our company organized, feeling like a fish out of water. The room was filled with chatter, but not just any chatter – Swiss-German...
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Habits of great software engineers
The role of a software developer often gets distilled down to a singular activity: coding. While coding is undeniably the heartbeat of the profession, defining a developer by this act alone is akin to...
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Every software is messy and has skeletons
You need to accept one truth – every shop is messy and every app has its skeletons. Period. Welcome to the backstage of the software world, where the glamour of tech giants meets the gritty reality of...
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Software Development and Postmortems
On August 1, 2012, Knight Capital Group suffered a severe trading loss due to a software error. A technician’s failure to update one of the eight servers with new code led to the unintended activation...
View ArticleHow to determine app idea is technically feasible as a non-technical founder?
Congratulations on finding an idea worth pursuing. So let’s talk about feasibility and understanding if it’s at all possible to do. First things first — Reaching out to app development companies is a...
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Handling Process Debt in IT
I’m sure you’ve worked at companies where you felt that they were moving slowly and it was not even worth putting your best in, and I’m also sure you’ve worked at companies where you felt excited...
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Security at Startup
In my opinion, security is one of the most forgotten aspects of software engineering. It rarely gets focused on until it’s too late. Even though at least one incident lands on HackerNews every week...
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Healthy Code Reviews
Let me tell you a story. I worked with a client in the early days of my career. It was a social media sentiment analysis platform when Twitter was still called Twitter, but that’s irrelevant to the...
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Startup Infrastructure: Scaling from Zero to Enterprise
Back when I was coding in 2007, my stack was straightforward. I had a shared hosting provider that cost me about 2 dollars per month (which I paid for a year in advance via Western Union from my local...
View ArticleHow to better handle stress in a startup?
Dear Reader, First off, let me commend you on the courage and determination you’ve already shown on your journey. The achievements you’ve shared, from your academic success to joining a startup as a...
View ArticleWhat to expect from the dev agency after MVP is done?
Dear JK, Congratulations on reaching this pivotal moment with your MVP. It’s an exciting time, but I understand it’s also filled with questions and uncertainties about the next steps. Your concerns...
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How to learn coding without a degree?
Hey there, I’m always happy when someone new decides to join the software engineering field. If you’re used to browsing reddit it might seem that there are a lot of developers, but to be honest, we’re...
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Do some people just not have the talent for Software Engineering?
Dear Friend, Your openness in sharing your experiences and concerns resonates deeply with me. I understand how you feel. I felt the same way a few times, though maybe not at the same level as you did....
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How to get programming experience when you can’t find a job?
Hello Torb, So I’ve seen this question pop out several times, and I understand the frustration of not being considered even for junior positions. The sense of being at a crossroads that you’re...
View ArticleHow do you know when to use which programming language?
Hello Alex, Congrats on graduating. So the question you’re asking is very vague, but I’d like to help you out as some have helped me out before when I was in your place. Remember, every great...
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Falsehoods Junior Developers believe about becoming Senior
These are mostly my thoughts about what I was expecting as a junior and how I perceived senior developers. To be honest, I was romanticizing them quite a bit — senior developers were the people who...
View ArticleMy coworker rewrote all my code, what should I do?
Dear Robert, The short answer is — stop getting attached to your code. Now lets continue to a more detailed explanation. I understand that coming back to find your codebase entirely rewritten has been...
View ArticleWhat is your unethical CS career’s advice?
Hey there, First off, kudos to you for having the courage to ask the tough questions that many think but seldom voice. Before we start talking about all the unethical stuff, I’d like to tell you — any...
View ArticleWhy software projects fail
Question: Answer: The post Why software projects fail appeared first on Vadim Kravcenko.
View ArticleMental Health in Software Engineering
Question: Answer: The post Mental Health in Software Engineering appeared first on Vadim Kravcenko.
View ArticleI have a very poor work-life balance. How can I escape the grind?
Question: Hey Vadim, Here's the situation: from the moment my alarm clock interrupts my sleep, until I finally come home late at night, my life is essentially a never-ending cycle of sitting in front...
View ArticleI’m finishing university, scared about future career prospects
Question: Hey, my name's Kalesh, I'm 22 and about to finish my bachelor's in August. Planning to be a software engineer. But, I keep hearing the job market's tough. Been reading online that lots of...
View ArticleHow can you tell if you’re a good developer?
Question: Hey Vadim, So, I've been coding for money for about 5 years now. I've jumped around a lot — Java, Javascript, Python, NodeJS — you name it. The job market's been great, making it super easy...
View Article10x Engineers
Question: Answer: The post 10x Engineers appeared first on Vadim Kravcenko.
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