In this episode of Maintainable, Robby speaks with Gulcin Yildirim Jelinek, a Staff Database Engineer at Xata. Joining from Prague, Czech Republic, Gulcin discusses her experiences working with legacy databases, the evolution of Postgres, and her passion for building accessible tech communities.

Gulcin shares practical insights into modern database management, including the rise of automation tools like YAML and Pgroll, as well as how extensions like pgvector are unlocking new possibilities for Postgres users. Her work with the Prague PostgreSQL Meetup and Diva Conference highlights her dedication to fostering inclusive and welcoming tech communities.

Episode Highlights

• [00:05:32] What Makes Databases Maintainable? Gulcin reflects on documentation, onboarding, and usability.
• [00:15:10] From Legacy to Modern: Challenges with legacy systems in hospitals and banks and the transition to Postgres.
• [00:22:18] Pgvector and Vector Search: Introducing Postgres extensions to enable vector-based queries.
• [00:28:12] Scaling Automation with YAML: How YAML transformed database management and DevOps workflows.
• [00:33:00] Fostering Community and Accessibility: Gulcin’s work with Postgres Europe and Diva Conference.
• [00:36:15] Mythology with a Twist: Book recommendations featuring Circe and Elektra.

Key Takeaways

• Documentation Matters: A well-documented system ensures effective onboarding for both developers and end-users.
• Automation is Key: Tools like YAML and Pgroll streamline database operations, minimizing downtime and manual intervention.
• Inclusivity in Tech: Conferences and communities should prioritize accessibility, from catering to translation services.
• Vector Databases in Postgres: Pgvector is making Postgres a viable option for AI-driven workloads, eliminating the need for separate systems.

Resources Mentioned

• Xata Blog
• Pgroll
• Prague PostgreSQL Meetup
• Diva: Dive into AI Conference
• Kadin Yazilimci (Women Developers of Turkey)
• Circe by Madeline Miller
• Elektra by Jennifer Saint

Connect with Gulcin

• LinkedIn
• Prague PostgreSQL Meetup
• Diva Conference

Book Recommendations:

• Circe
• Elektra

Links:

• Kadin Yazilimci (Women Developers of Turkey)
• Diva: Dive into AI Conference
• Prague PostgreSQL Meetup
• On X
• Xata Blog
• Pgroll

Thanks to Our Sponsor!

Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.

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Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! 

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Robby sits down with Justine Gehring, an AI Research Engineer at Moderne, to explore how AI tools are transforming code maintenance and scalability. They dive into the unique ways AI can support refactoring for massive and legacy codebases, from retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to lossless semantic trees, and discuss how developers can benefit from AI-assisted planning and refactoring.

Justine shares her background transitioning from academia to industry and reflects on the essential role of reproducibility in AI, why maintainable code is often overlooked in research, and the challenges of balancing innovation with real-world reliability in software projects.

Topics Discussed

• What Makes Software Maintainable: Justine’s take on good documentation, reusable code, and ensuring new team members can quickly navigate a codebase. [00:00:42]
• Academia vs. Industry in Code Maintainability: Why reproducibility and code maintenance often diverge in research settings, and how industry standards address this gap. [00:01:14]
• From Academia to AI Engineering: Justine shares her journey and how her background in machine learning led to a career in AI-focused software maintenance. [00:04:48]
• Scaling Refactoring with OpenRewrite: An introduction to OpenRewrite, the open-source tool that facilitates large-scale code transformations, developed by Moderne. [00:12:15]
• Lossless Semantic Trees: The benefits of LSTs for detailed code analysis, retaining essential syntax and type information critical for reliable AI refactoring. [00:20:24]
• Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): Justine explains RAG’s significance in allowing AI models to provide context-specific responses without heavy re-training. [00:26:00]
• Trust and Validation in AI-Generated Code: The importance of robust test cases and human oversight when leveraging AI-generated code to avoid cascading errors. [00:31:36]
• AI as a Planning Tool for Refactoring Projects: Justine’s insights on using AI as a collaborative coding assistant, offering developers suggestions for planning refactoring and maintenance tasks. [00:35:24]
• Real-World Example of Scaling Refactoring: Justine recounts a case study where Moderne used OpenRewrite to facilitate large-scale code migration involving multiple frameworks. [00:42:00]
• Advocating for AI Tools in Code Maintenance: Tips for developers interested in introducing AI tools and approaches within their teams or organizations. [00:42:31]

Key Takeaways

• AI Supports Reproducibility and Reliability: Ensuring reproducibility in AI-driven tools can enhance both credibility and usability for complex codebases.
• Prioritize Planning Before Refactoring: Understanding code dependencies and structure is key to successful refactoring; AI tools like OpenRewrite can automate targeted changes.
• Human Expertise Remains Essential: AI can be an effective coding assistant, but human oversight is necessary to ensure accuracy and quality.
• Experiment and Scale: Start with small, impactful AI-assisted refactoring recipes and scale up once the process is reliable, saving significant development hours over time.

Resources

• Moderne
• Justine Gehring’s LinkedIn
• OpenRewrite Documentation
• Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury

Thanks to Our Sponsor!

Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.

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As a product advocate at Nx, Katerina Skroumpelou combines her engineering skills with a knack for connecting with clients. In this episode, she shares how clear documentation, scalable architectures, and a collaborative culture can transform software development for the better.

Key Takeaways

[00:01:25] Katerina’s Background: Robby and Katerina discuss her career journey, starting in engineering and recently moving into product advocacy.
[00:02:29] Characteristics of Well-Maintained Software: Katerina highlights key aspects of maintainable software—readability, scalability, and reliability.
[00:04:39] Product Advocacy at Nx: Katerina describes her unique role, bridging technical support and customer outreach to ensure clients make the most of Nx tools.
[00:07:01] White Glove Approach: The “white glove” service approach allows Katerina to dive deep into clients' codebases, offering a hands-on approach to using Nx effectively.
[00:09:52] Scalable Documentation Practices: Balancing clarity and detail, Katerina provides tips on structuring code comments and READMEs to be concise yet thorough.
[00:12:09] Managing Technical Debt: Robby and Katerina discuss the importance of keeping code up-to-date and scalable, especially in large systems with high demands.
[00:16:00] The Importance of Collaboration: Moving from solo work to team-based code reviews taught Katerina the value of a collaborative approach to maintainable code.
[00:19:15] Nx’s Monorepo Solution: How Nx provides cache and build tools to optimize mono-repo performance, boosting both speed and organization within projects.
[00:22:12] Nx Cloud and CI: Katerina discusses Nx Cloud’s role in enhancing CI workflows by allowing parallel tasks and cache sharing across teams.
[00:24:07] When to Consider Monorepos: Katerina explains the benefits of monorepos for organizing codebases and improving scalability.
[00:26:37] AI Tools in Development: Katerina shares her enthusiasm for new AI tools like StackBlitz’s Bolt and their potential to streamline app development.
[00:29:00] Finding Motivation at Work: Advice for developers who feel stuck or unmotivated in their current roles and ways to reconnect with the work they enjoy.

Resources Mentioned

• Nx Dev
• StackBlitz Bolt.new

Books:

• The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
• Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
• Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Katerina's social profiles:

LinkedIn
Twitter
Bluesky

Thanks to Our Sponsor!

Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.

It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.

Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! 

Use the code maintainable to get a 10% discount for your first year. Check them out!

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Welcome to another engaging episode of the Maintainable Software Podcast! In this episode, Robby sits down with Moriel Schottlender, Principal Software Engineer at the Wikimedia Foundation, to explore the complex journey of modernizing MediaWiki, the software behind Wikipedia. Moriel shares her insights on what it takes to keep an enormous monolithic codebase maintainable while supporting an ever-growing and diverse set of global users. She highlights the importance of modularization, ownership, and the delicate balance between flexibility and stability in open-source software.

Key Takeaways

[00:00:51] Characteristics of Well-Maintained Software: Moriel discusses the three crucial characteristics of well-maintained software: ownership, modularization, and documentation.

[00:01:09] Ownership and Rules for Contribution: Ownership goes beyond just fixing bugs—it involves understanding the architectural purpose and maintaining consistency even as teams change.

[00:03:35] Product Vision's Role in Maintainability: Why a clear product vision is essential for maintaining software, even in the face of organic growth.

[00:07:14] Balancing Experimentation and Long-Term Planning: Moriel shares insights into how Wikimedia balances rapid experimentation with careful, long-term architectural planning.

[00:07:32] The Evolution of MediaWiki: MediaWiki's growth from a small project to the backbone of Wikipedia, now supporting over 900 wikis, and the challenges that come with scaling.

[00:14:18] Modernizing a 23-Year-Old Monolith: Robby and Moriel dive into the challenges of modernizing MediaWiki’s architecture, including the difficulties of updating a monolithic structure.

[00:17:15]Wikitext vs. Markdown: Moriel explains why MediaWiki uses its own Wikitext language instead of Markdown and the unique challenges it presents.

[00:22:25] Architectural Flexibility for the Future: The importance of having a flexible architecture that can adapt to the evolving needs of users and technologies.

[00:26:04] Technical Debt and Modularization: How Wikimedia approaches technical debt in MediaWiki and prioritizes architectural interventions to improve modularity and maintainability.

[00:39:00] Community Contributions to MediaWiki: Strategies for increasing developer contributions and how Wikimedia empowers volunteers while maintaining software quality.

[00:41:59] Advice for Aspiring Open Source Contributors: Moriel shares encouraging words for anyone looking to contribute to open-source projects, emphasizing that everyone can make a meaningful impact.

[00:35:44] The Role of Documentation: Moriel discusses Wikimedia's efforts to improve documentation and ensure it's useful for both developers and end-users, leveraging the strengths of wiki-based contributions.

[00:30:29] Celebrating Small Wins: Moriel talks about how Wikimedia celebrates small victories to keep team morale high in the face of big challenges.

Resources Mentioned

• Moriel's Website
• Moriel on Mastodon
• MediaWiki Documentation

Book Recommendation:

• Year Zero by Rob Reid

Connect with Moriel

• Moriel on LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter
• GitHub
• Mastodon

Thanks to Our Sponsor!

Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.

It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.

Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! 

Use the code maintainable to get a 10% discount for your first year. Check them out!

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Welcome to another engaging episode of Maintainable! Robby sits down with Kate Holterhoff, Ph.D., a Senior Analyst at RedMonk and former front-end engineer, to explore the intricate world of software maintenance, documentation, and the future of developer roles. Kate brings her unique perspective from her time as a practitioner at a digital marketing agency, her academic background, and her current role in developer advocacy.

Topics Explored

[00:00:00] Introduction to Kate's Background: Robby and Kate discuss her journey from academia to front-end engineering and now to being a Senior Analyst at RedMonk. Kate shares how her experiences have shaped her perspective on software maintenance.

[00:04:00] Well-Maintained Software: Kate dives into her definition of well-maintained software, emphasizing modularity, semantic readability, and the importance of considering future developers who will interact with the code.

[00:11:30] The Challenges of Agency Work: Kate reflects on her time at a digital marketing agency, where she often worked on projects that had passed through many hands. She discusses the importance of balancing quick deliverables with maintainability.

[00:20:45] The Role of Documentation: Kate shares insights on the value of documentation for distributed teams, highlighting her experience organizing documentation sessions ("documentation paloozas") to capture team knowledge and ensure maintainability.

[00:30:00] RedMonk and Developer Advocacy: Kate explains her role at RedMonk and how the firm differs from traditional analyst firms like Gartner. She discusses RedMonk's focus on developers as key decision-makers in the tech landscape.

[00:39:15] Front-End Developers as Kingmakers: Robby and Kate explore how front-end engineers are increasingly influencing the adoption of tools and technologies within organizations. Kate describes this trend as front-end developers becoming "kingmakers" in the industry.

[00:49:50] AI and Developer Tools: Kate discusses the integration of AI into developer tools, the potential benefits, and challenges for junior developers. She emphasizes the importance of understanding how to read code in an AI-assisted world.

Key Takeaways:

• Emphasize modularity and semantic readability to ensure code can be easily maintained by future developers.
• Documentation is crucial for maintainability, especially in distributed and contractor-heavy teams.
• Front-end developers are becoming key decision-makers, influencing tool and technology adoption.
• AI is increasingly integrated into developer workflows, making it essential for developers to focus on reading and understanding code.
• The definition of a 'developer' is evolving, with more abstracted tools and AI playing a larger role in development processes.

Resources Mentioned:

• RedMonk
• Kate Holterhoff on LinkedIn
• Kate Holterhoff on Twitter
• Darwin's The Origin of Species

Episode Highlights:

[00:00:00] Introduction to Kate's Background

[00:04:00] Characteristics of Well-Maintained Software

[00:20:45] The Importance of Documentation

[00:30:00] What Does a Senior Analyst at RedMonk Do?

[00:39:15] Front-End Developers as Kingmakers

[00:49:50] The Role of AI in Developer Tools

Thanks to Our Sponsor!

Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.

It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.

Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! 

Use the code maintainable to get a 10% discount for your first year. Check them out!

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Alan Ridlehoover: Building Robust Systems Through Behavior-Centric Testing

In this episode of Maintainable, Robby speaks with Alan Ridlehoover, Senior Engineering Manager at Cisco Meraki. Alan shares his perspective on building well-maintained software by focusing on behavior-centric testing, clear code ownership, and thoughtful technical decisions that stand the test of time.

Alan discusses his experience working in both startup environments and large-scale engineering teams, including how he navigates the unique challenges of each. He provides practical advice on managing conditional logic in code, scaling with third-party dependencies, and ensuring that testing strategies remain effective as systems grow in complexity.

Key Takeaways:

• The characteristics of well-maintained software: behavior-centric testing, solid code principles, and ownership boundaries.
• Balancing the needs of startups vs. large enterprises when it comes to software maintenance.
• Alan’s approach to handling conditional logic with a technique called "rehydration" to simplify complex code.
• Why focusing on behavior, not implementation, is critical for scalable, maintainable tests.
• The importance of interfaces and facades for managing third-party dependencies and future scalability.
• How to approach technical debt as a conscious trade-off, not an inevitable burden.
• Best practices for addressing flaky tests, including managing non-determinism, order dependencies, and race conditions.
• How to set up effective monitoring and alerting systems to maintain a healthy software environment.
• The role of team structure and product ownership in delivering sustainable, high-quality software.

Episode Highlights:

• [00:05:32] Introduction to the Guest's Background: Robby and Alan discuss Alan's work at Cisco Meraki and his approach to well-maintained software.
• [00:15:10] The Importance of Behavior-Centric Testing: Alan explains why focusing on behavior, not implementation, helps in both startups and large-scale environments.
• [00:24:30] Rehydration: A Strategy for Managing Conditional Logic in Code: Alan shares his method for simplifying code with many conditionals.
• [00:35:00] Navigating Technical Debt: Alan offers advice on how to strategically manage technical debt without slowing down business needs.
• [00:45:18] Monitoring and Alerting: Alan’s tips on keeping systems healthy and avoiding customer-facing issues through smart monitoring setups.

Resources Mentioned:

• Radical Candor by Kim Scott
• The Code Gardener

Connect with Alan Ridlehoover:

• LinkedIn
• The Code Gardener Blog

Thanks to Our Sponsor!

Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.

It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.

Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! 

Use the code maintainable to get a 10% discount for your first year. Check them out!

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In this episode of Maintainable, Robby speaks with April Wensel, Founder and Owner of Compassionate Coding. April shares her journey in the software industry and how she came to embrace compassion as a core value in coding and team dynamics. She explains why empathy is critical when working with legacy code, mentoring junior developers, and addressing technical debt.

Episode Highlights

• [00:05:32] Introduction to Compassionate Coding: April discusses the mission behind Compassionate Coding and why human-centered development is essential.
• [00:13:36] Compassion and Technical Debt: How fostering a compassionate mindset helps teams navigate the challenges of maintaining legacy code and tackling technical debt.
• [00:20:10] Empathy in Code Reviews: April talks about the role of compassion in creating healthy, constructive code review cultures.
• [00:26:30] Onboarding with Compassion: The importance of pairing and empathy in onboarding new engineers, whether junior or senior.
• [00:31:55] The Refactor vs. Rewrite Debate: April explains why she usually sides with refactoring over rewriting code, and how compassion can inform that decision.
• [00:41:20] The Role of Leadership in Code Quality: How leaders can set the tone for compassionate coding by prioritizing better documentation and creating a supportive team environment.
• [00:44:56] Community Service and Building Empathy: April shares how volunteering outside of tech has helped her develop empathy that translates into better teamwork and communication in the workplace.

Key Takeaways:

• Compassion in coding isn’t just about clean code; it's about how we treat ourselves and others in the process of writing and maintaining software.
• Legacy code doesn’t have to be a source of frustration; by embracing empathy and self-compassion, teams can tackle it with a positive mindset.
• Pairing and mentorship are powerful tools in onboarding, helping to bring new team members into a supportive, inclusive environment.
• Effective communication with stakeholders about technical debt requires empathy and understanding of their priorities.
• Compassionate coding also extends beyond the development team, influencing interactions with non-engineers, users, and the broader community.

Resources:

• Compassionate Coding
• April's Twitter
• 12 Steps to a Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong

Follow April Wensel:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Website

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Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.

It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.

Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! 

Use the code maintainable to get a 10% discount for your first year. Check them out!

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In this episode of the Maintainable Software Podcast, Robby sits down with Saron Yitbarek, founder and CEO of DiscoLink, to explore the challenges of maintaining early-stage software while balancing multiple streams of income. Saron shares her journey from being a solo developer to hiring her first teammate and the lessons learned along the way about code maintainability and business logic.

Episode Highlights

• [00:05:32] Introduction to Saron's Background: Robby and Saron discuss her startup, DiscoLink, and the initial development of its MVP.
• [00:10:50] The Importance of Context in Code: Saron emphasizes why understanding the business decisions behind code is crucial for maintainability.
• [00:15:10] Onboarding a New Developer: Saron shares her experience hiring her first developer and how it changed her approach to software maintenance.
• [00:20:32] Multiple Streams of Income: Saron explains her motivation behind building DiscoLink to help professionals manage different revenue streams.
• [00:25:40] Transparency Around Money: A candid conversation about developers’ fears around charging for their work and how to overcome them.
• [00:30:45] Ethics and Side Projects: Robby and Saron discuss ethical considerations when working on side projects while employed full-time.
• [00:35:12] How Podcasting Shaped Saron's Career: Saron talks about how being a podcast host impacted her career growth and networking.

Key Takeaways

• Maintainability Beyond Code: Saron highlights the importance of documenting not just the code but also the business rationale behind decisions.
• Onboarding Challenges: Bringing a new developer into a solo-built project requires strong communication, context sharing, and flexible documentation practices.
• The Power of Multiple Income Streams: Saron’s vision with DiscoLink focuses on helping tech professionals build financial security through various revenue channels.
• Confronting Money Anxiety: Many developers struggle with charging for their work, but transparency and community conversations help break down those barriers.
• Ethical Side Projects: It's important to consider the ethical implications of using work-learned skills for personal projects.

Resources

• Saron Yitbarek on LinkedIn
• Saron Yitbarek on Twitter
• DiscoLink Website
• Book Recommendation: Formerly Known as Food by Kristin Lawless

Links:

• My newsletter: https://themultihyphenate.ck.page/newsletter

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Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.

It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.

Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! 

Use the code maintainable to get a 10% discount for your first year. Check them out!

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Introduction

In this episode of Maintainable, Robby speaks with Lutz Hühnken, Head of Engineering Excellence at Upvest, about the transformative power of event-driven architecture in software development. Lutz brings his extensive experience to the table, discussing how breaking down complex systems into manageable modules and leveraging event-driven design can lead to more resilient and maintainable software.

Topics Discussed

• [00:05:32] Introduction to Well-Maintained Software: Lutz shares his thoughts on the key characteristics of maintainable software, emphasizing modularity and simplicity.
• [00:10:24] Challenges with "Magic" in Code: The pitfalls of relying too much on frameworks and ORMs, including examples from Lutz’s experience with Hibernate.
• [00:11:16] Understanding Event-Driven Architecture: Lutz explains the fundamentals of event-driven architecture and its advantages over traditional command-driven approaches.
• [00:13:50] The Role of Promises in Event-Driven Systems: How clear design-time responsibilities ensure reliability in event-driven communication.
• [00:15:43] Choreography vs. Orchestration: The debate between these two approaches to managing workflows and why Lutz favors choreography for most systems.
• [00:17:57] Onboarding Developers in Event-Driven Systems: Tips for effectively integrating new team members into an event-driven architecture.
• [00:26:52] The Role of Engineering Excellence at Upvest: Lutz discusses his new role and the importance of systems thinking in guiding architectural decisions.
• [00:34:55] Managing Technical Debt: Lutz offers insights into balancing feature development with addressing technical debt, emphasizing the importance of a healthy investment distribution.

Key Takeaways

• Breaking down large systems into smaller modules with clear boundaries can significantly enhance maintainability.
• Event-driven architecture offers a powerful way to decouple system components, making them more resilient and scalable.
• Developers should be cautious of "magic" in code, such as heavy reliance on ORMs, which can obscure underlying complexities and hinder maintainability.
• Choreography often provides a more scalable and maintainable approach than orchestration in managing complex workflows.
• Technical debt should be managed proactively, with regular investments in refactoring and productivity enhancements to maintain long-term software health.

Resources Mentioned

• Lutz Hühnken's Blog
• Event-Driven Architecture by Martin Fowler
• The Open Society and Its Enemies by Karl Popper
• Event-Driven Architecture Reading List

Connect with Lutz Hühnken

• LinkedIn
• Mastodon
• Bluesky

Thanks to Our Sponsor!

Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.

It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.

Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! 

Use the code maintainable to get a 10% discount for your first year. Check them out!

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In this episode of the Maintainable Software Podcast, Robby is joined by Noel Rappin, Staff Engineer at Chime Financial, and the mind behind the latest edition of the classic Programming Ruby book, affectionately known as the "Pickaxe." Noel delves into the intricate process of modernizing a legacy technical book and the lessons learned along the way.

Episode Highlights

• [00:05:32] A Legacy Revisited: Noel Rappin reflects on the process of updating the Programming Ruby book, navigating the balance between preserving its legacy and making it relevant for today’s Ruby community.
• [00:10:17] The Challenges of Modernizing: Noel discusses the complexities of working on a legacy book, including maintaining a consistent tone, updating technical content, and making strategic decisions about what to include or omit.
• [00:16:12] Parallels with Legacy Code: Noel shares his insights on the similarities between updating a legacy book and maintaining legacy software, emphasizing the importance of understanding past decisions before making changes.
• [00:21:00] Curating Ruby's Evolution: How Noel approached the task of deciding which Ruby features and practices to highlight in the new edition, considering the evolution of the Ruby community since the book's last update.
• [00:27:00] The Ruby Ecosystem as a Legacy System: Exploring the idea that the entire Ruby ecosystem can be seen as a legacy system, shaped by past decisions and community standards.
• [00:33:47] Advice for Aspiring Technical Authors: Noel offers practical tips for those interested in contributing to or updating legacy technical books, including how to pitch ideas to publishers and navigate the challenges of working on established projects.
• [00:40:00] Maintaining Relevance: Strategies for keeping both software and technical books up-to-date, including Noel's thoughts on the importance of documentation and regular updates.

Key Takeaways

• Updating a legacy technical book requires a deep understanding of the community's current needs and the ability to balance respect for the original work with the necessity of modern relevance.
• The process of modernizing a book like Programming Ruby shares many similarities with maintaining legacy software, including the importance of understanding past decisions and the challenges of working with outdated practices.
• Community standards play a crucial role in both software maintenance and technical writing, guiding the evolution of both fields.
• Noel emphasizes the importance of documentation in legacy projects, whether in software or publishing, as a tool for preserving context and aiding future contributors.

Resources Mentioned

• Programming Ruby 3.3 (5th Edition) - The latest "Pickaxe" book, authored by Noel Rappin. Use promo code maintainablefm2024 to get 35% off the ebook.
• Chime Financial
• Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells
• Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers
• Rubular - Ruby Regular Expression Editor
• Noel Rappin's Website
• Noel Rappin on LinkedIn
• Noel Rappin on Twitter

For more episodes like this, be sure to subscribe to the Maintainable Software Podcast.

Thanks to Our Sponsor!

Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.

It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.

Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! 

Use the code maintainable to get a 10% discount for your first year. Check them out!

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In this episode of the Maintainable Software Podcast, Robby sits down with Cassidy Williams, Developer Advocate at GitHub, to explore the dynamic nature of a tech career, the delicate balance between clever code and maintainability, and the evolving trends in software development.

Cassidy begins by discussing what makes software truly maintainable—starting with the ease of onboarding for new developers. She emphasizes the importance of clear documentation and warns against the pitfalls of writing overly clever code that might be difficult to maintain in the future.

They then delve into the challenges of joining an existing codebase and managing technical debt. Cassidy shares her experiences, noting how codebases often start pristine but become more cumbersome as projects evolve and pivot.

The Importance of Onboarding: Cassidy explains how fast someone can jump in and start working on code as a key indicator of well-maintained software.

[00:10:21] Balancing Cleverness and Maintainability: Cassidy elaborates on why writing clever code can be a double-edged sword when it comes to long-term maintainability.

[00:16:00] Navigating Career Pivots: Cassidy reflects on her own career journey, likening it to a "career jungle gym" where paths are non-linear and require thoughtful decision-making.

[00:18:36] Working at Netlify: Cassidy shares her experience with upgrading a router within an existing codebase, highlighting the importance of collaboration and bringing in external expertise.

[00:24:00] Local-First Software: Robby and Cassidy explore the trend of local-first software, emphasizing the benefits of data ownership and the ability to work offline.

[00:26:30] Developer Wishlists: Cassidy suggests creating personal and communal wishlists for addressing technical debt, fostering a collaborative approach to maintaining software.

[00:31:50] Jumbile - Cassidy's Side Project: Cassidy introduces her word game, Jumbile, detailing its development process and the unique challenges she faced.

Cassidy also discusses her love for Brandon Sanderson's books, specifically the Mistborn trilogy, and the importance of owning your data in today’s digital landscape.

Key Takeaways:

• Maintainable software allows new developers to quickly contribute, thanks to clear documentation and readable code.
• Clever code can be a joy to write but may lead to maintenance challenges down the line.
• A career in tech often resembles a jungle gym, requiring flexibility and thoughtful navigation.
• Involving open-source maintainers in large codebase changes can provide invaluable insights and streamline the process.
• Local-first software is gaining traction, offering benefits in data ownership and offline functionality.

Resources Mentioned:

• Cassidy's Website
• Cassidy on LinkedIn
• Cassidy on Twitter
• Jumbile - Word Game
• React Router
• Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

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