Engineering decisions6 min read
When does Scala make sense over Java?
Sometimes Scala earns its keep. Sometimes Java is the more honest choice.
Read articleInsights
Knowledge and insights.
Technical articles on languages, databases, serverless platforms and the awkward realities of keeping systems moving.
Showing 37–45 of 49 articles
Engineering practice11 min read
Code reviews that find engineering problems
A practical method for reviewing behaviour, types, failure paths, tests, compatibility and production impact without turning every pull request into a style debate.
Read articleTechnical debt7 min read
How to tackle technical debt without rewriting everything
You probably don’t need a rewrite. You do need a better reason than “the code is messy.”
Read articleJava5 min read
Approaching Java and JDK upgrades safely
A JDK upgrade should be ordinary maintenance. Here’s how to stop it becoming an event.
Read articleBackend maintainability16 min read
Why backend services become difficult to change
A technical guide to the boundaries, hidden effects, data compatibility, tests, builds and production feedback that determine whether a backend change is safe or expensive.
Read articleTypeScript5 min read
Where TypeScript backends start to get complicated
TypeScript makes a backend approachable. That does not guarantee it will stay simple as the system grows.
Read articlePython5 min read
Keeping a Python service easy to operate
A Python service can be quick to build. The real test is whether another engineer can run and change it safely.
Read articleSQL6 min read
When a slow API is really a database problem
The endpoint gets blamed first. Often the useful evidence is in the query plan, connection pool or data model.
Read articleNoSQL5 min read
Choosing NoSQL does not remove the need for a data model
A flexible store changes the modelling trade-offs. It does not make those trade-offs disappear.
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