Insights on software engineering, system architecture, technical leadership, and building software that lasts.
A raw look at 25 years of entrepreneurial struggle—the failures, small wins, daily doubts, and how AI became an incredible multiplier. From 15 products in 2 years to automated podcasts and StoryFlow.
After 25 years in software and publishing a book the hard way, I built StoryFlow to transform how stories are written. Here's my journey from struggling author to building an AI-powered writing tool.
Today, I'm launching FamilyGPT on Product Hunt—the first AI assistant built specifically for children with powerful parental controls, customizable values teaching, and complete transparency. Learn why I built it and how you can support the launch.
Insights from David Heinemeier Hansson on programming, philosophy, and building software that lasts.
Matz designed Ruby with one radical idea: programmer happiness as the primary goal. Learn why this philosophy produces better code, happier teams, and more sustainable projects than languages designed around machine efficiency or corporate control.
DHH refuses TypeScript in Rails projects. Here's his argument: dynamic typing enables metaprogramming, reduces repetition, and tests catch what TypeScript promises to prevent. A deep dive into the typing wars.
Why does `5.days.ago` feel so satisfying? DHH explains how Ruby's philosophy of removing 'line noise' creates code that reads like natural language. An exploration of beauty in programming.
DHH failed with Amstrad 464, EasyAMOS, and assembly. Then HTML changed everything: 'I can make text blink!' The power of immediate feedback in learning to code, and lessons for teaching programming today.
The era of constant framework churn, build tool complexity, and 'npm install' becoming a full-time job. How React, Webpack, and tooling fatigue burned out a generation of developers—and how we're finally escaping.
Why the '90s deployment model (FTP, instant updates) was actually ideal. How browser improvements finally enabled ditching build tools, and what import maps mean for the future of web development.
PHP, jQuery, SQLite powering million-dollar businesses. Why 'boring' technology wins, and what solo developer success stories teach us about the myth that you need modern frameworks to build real products.
Basecamp's origin story and why 15 specialized roles at Facebook created unnecessary complexity. The economics of simplicity vs. the politics of headcount, and how to structure teams for actual output.
Create, Read, Update, Delete—the honest foundation most developers ignore. Why we over-complicate to avoid existential dread about mundane work, and how embracing simplicity is professional maturity.
The 'three times rule' before forcing version control adoption. How to introduce new tools without creating resistance, when to be patient vs. when to mandate change, and building technical empathy across disciplines.
GDPR's noble goals vs. its catastrophic implementation. Why we can't get rid of cookie popups after a decade, and what this case study in regulatory failure teaches us about tech legislation.
Chrome won through quality, not unfair practices. Why the open web needs billion-dollar champions, the risks of browser monoculture vs. breaking up Chrome, and unintended consequences of tech regulation.
Running a bulletin board system at 14 with three phone lines in Copenhagen. Gaming website reviews as a gateway to web development, and how piracy culture in Europe shaped a generation of programmers.
Lugging CRT monitors to parties at age 14. Why physical co-location created lasting connections, the culture of creative constraints (64KB demos), and what modern developers can learn from demo parties.
Linux beating Minix despite being 'inferior.' Why intentionally releasing slightly broken projects invites collaboration, perfection is the enemy of adoption, and when to polish vs. when to ship.
Java's sandbox approach vs. Ruby's sharp knives philosophy. Why treating developers like adults produces better code, the hidden costs of 'protecting' programmers from themselves, and building a culture of responsibility.
DHH's passion for motorsport and the 'balance of danger and skill' at adhesion limits. Operating at the edge as a metaphor for engineering, when to push boundaries vs. play it safe, and the intoxication of managed risk.
Why consultants and tool vendors love complicated architectures. The career incentives that promote unnecessary complexity, how to resist the pressure to overcomplicate, and simplicity as a competitive advantage.
'If the human doesn't need additional characters, we're not putting them in because it'd be nicer to parse for the computer.' DHH's philosophy on code design and why human readability trumps machine convenience.
Dave Thomas & Martin Fowler articles as the gateway. The moment Ruby's beauty clicked, and why 20+ years later the love affair continues. A personal reflection on finding your programming language.
Facebook's organizational fragmentation created frameworks for their problems, not yours. Why you probably don't need what big tech is selling, and how to escape the complexity trap.
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