Reader Question
31 articles · all categories
January 2026
Place good startup bets
You can't win every bet. Your goal is to be a little more right than wrong and keep playing
September 2025
Should you join an AI startup right now?
Beyond income there's 2 reasons to take any specific job: Invest in yourself or invest in the company. Both is best.
July 2025
A few more thoughts on mentoring
Wanted to share a few more thoughts on my mentoring philosophy and answer questions that readers asked
May 2025
How do you find time for cleanup work
A reader asks how do you find time for technical cleanup work. If OKRs and bugs take priority, when will you make improvements?
February 2025
How *do* you break down a large project? INVEST
Going from Big Vision to Series of Executable Steps is a key skill for senior+ engineers. PMs can help but they don't know everything.
October 2024
Yes, AI will "take" your job. No, you won't mind
Is the job to get things done or to memorize trivia and solve cute coding puzzles?
August 2024
Why SQL is Forever followup
Yes SQL is super flexible. That is its strenght and its weakness
May 2024
Why useSuspenseQuery works
A reader asked 'Wtf why does this work?'
March 2024
The answer to 5 soloists in a trench coat
Team dysfunction where everyone's a soloist? Try this fix: Force the team to work on ONE story at a time.
February 2024
Why you need a regular retro
Agile is something you are, not something you do.
January 2024
When to stay at a company
Cap your down-side and think like an investor. Look for key metrics that can shape your career growth.
November 2023
How to go from Senior to Lead
Transitioning from Senior to Lead Engineer isn't just about technical prowess, but strategic thinking, soft skills, and going beyond your role. And remember, strong individual contributions matter!
October 2023
TypeScript runtime vs types at run-time
Understanding the nuances of TypeScript: it adds static types to JavaScript, reducing bugs by checking code validity pre-run. But imagine if we had types at run-time too - validating inputs, enhancing error messages. A dream, but a nice one.
August 2023
Why write
Regular writing is a secret superpower! Sharpens your thoughts, boosts your career, and helps you become an authority in your field. Don't pretend to be an expert, just share your experiences. Your insights are gold
Followup answers to Forget complicated code, focus on the system
Why are utility files bad? How do you recognize architectural complexity? What the hell is a transitive dependency?
July 2023
Update state during render, better explained
A few readers wrote in to say that the React Can Update State During Render email last week made no sense. Here's a better explanation.
June 2023
When to throw away your code
Delete code when it stops providing value 💡 All code is a liability; context matters. Keep what solves problems, toss the rest.
May 2023
How one sentence guides your career
Unlock the secret to guiding your career with a powerful positioning statement. Learn to stand out in the job market and attract opportunities that align with your expertise and values.
March 2023
Software engineers, exercise, health, and productivity
Don't worry about the hype, just get some sun, some rest, and remember to hydrate.
Done means Shipped
Don't overthink, just ship
"If you're so good, why aren't you making 600k at BigTech?"
Swiz shares why he's not making the big bucks at a tech giant, from the soul-crushing grind of corporate to the funny money of tech compensation.
January 2023
Squash merge? Really!?
Learn why squash merging is your friend - from hating it to loving it! Squash merging helps you keep moving and focus on the work instead of recording the work.
Reader question: How to grow 10+ years into your career?
For those wanting to stay hands-on, we recommend solving bigger better challenges with higher stakes and new problems.
November 2022
Can you stay a senior engineer forever?
Here's an idea that can take the pressure off your career: Yes, you can stay a senior software engineer forever. But how?
Reader question: useReducer or XState?
Following up from my article about XState and Stately.ai, fellow reader S. asked if `useReducer` could ever be relevant when using state machines in React code. Yes! Here's how
October 2022
Reader question: Work at a big international or a local studio?
Fellow reader Frank writes in with a question about career moves and I thought my answer could help you too
September 2022
Reader question: Should you learn the latest hotness?
Great question. Common concern. *What if I get stuck in a technology that isn't hot??* Or worse, burn out re-learning every new thing 😱
August 2022
Reader Question: What do collaborative teams look like?
New members on our team invariably say 2 things: 1. Wow I've never seen a team move this fast 2. This approach feels weird. I'm uncomfortable Teams like this are not common.
Reader question: So about that perfect burndown chart ...
If your approach works so well, why isn't every team doing this?
July 2022
Reader question: Feeling guilt as a tech lead
Keep getting the guilt, that I'm not able to code, just running around for discussions and solving other issues, managing people. Any idea to manage all the fronts and get rid of this guilt?