Coding Life
Shorter, more personal pieces, mostly from 2021 to 2024. Some are about working with people: running meetings, communicating, toxic workplaces, workaholism and women in IT. Others are about habits in code: keeping it simple, being honest about risks, testing on production, storing dates. A few are updates on the Marten open-source project.
36 articles
![Keeping our overachieving freak on a leash]()
Keeping our overachieving freak on a leash
Being busy is not something we strive for; it’s an axiom. Social media are not helping; our whole lives are on the plate. And we’re chefs…
![A few notes on migrating storage library]()
A few notes on migrating storage library
I’m feeling like a surgeon in recent days. Who knew that changing the connection management in storage library would be a delicate thing to…
![Are you Marten or Wolverine user? Tell us more!]()
Are you Marten or Wolverine user? Tell us more!
I’m always saying that the Marten community is one of the things that keeps me doing Open Source and staying in the .NET community. It’s…
![We introduced support plans for Marten]()
We introduced support plans for Marten
We just introduced support plans for Marten, and here’s why. We’re really committed to providing tools that are accessible, safe and bug…
![Women in IT]()
Women in IT
I used to play football. I wasn’t talented, but still, I loved it. Football is a team sport, and playing is not the only essential part of…
![Architecture Weekly became the Substack Bestseller!]()
Architecture Weekly became the Substack Bestseller!
Boom, I got this week such a nice picture from the Substack. My Architecture Weekly newsletter appears to have become the Substack…
![A few words on communication]()
A few words on communication
I got a surprising question during my workshop this week: It seems that communication with the business is critical to make Event Sourcing…
![A few notes on running open source project after Marten v6 release]()
A few notes on running open source project after Marten v6 release
Last week we released the next major Marten release, and I’d like to share some of my lessons learned and insights with you. And by “you”, I…
![ChatGPT, revolution or not?]()
ChatGPT, revolution or not?
I started my career when StackOverflow didn’t exist. That’s how I quite often introduce myself. I’m that old. That’s, of course, nothing…
![Explicit validation in C# just got simpler!]()
Explicit validation in C# just got simpler!
Validation is a thriving concept. It enables incredible creativity in developers implementing it in various ways. I explained my general…
![Stacking the bricks in the software development process]()
Stacking the bricks in the software development process
We, developers, are searching for Holy Grail, one pattern to rule them all. There’s no such. In his excellent book “Atomic Habits”, James…
![Don't be like Ebenezer Scrooge. A few words about workaholism]()
Don't be like Ebenezer Scrooge. A few words about workaholism
There is a cult of workaholism in our industry. Just like the guys from the gym brag about how much they pulled on the chest or did in the…
![Dive a bit deeper, look a bit wider]()
Dive a bit deeper, look a bit wider
We live in a time of information overload. We are constantly stimulated. Our focus skills are similar to a goldfish. Seemingly our life is…
![It doesn't have to be toxic at work]()
It doesn't have to be toxic at work
We work in an industry that’s full of passionate people. Doing what you like and getting paid for it is a privilege and a curse. We’re…
![How playing on guitar can help you to be a better developer?]()
How playing on guitar can help you to be a better developer?
The first time I did not become a musician was when my grandma tried to sign me to music school. During rehearsal, I stubbornly said I would…
![Is keeping dates in UTC really the best solution?]()
Is keeping dates in UTC really the best solution?
In many projects, the approach to dates is quite nonchalant. People do as they want. When on-premise systems were king, the common problem…
![Should you generate the client code from the API?]()
Should you generate the client code from the API?
I’m often told that dull, repetitive tasks should be automated. However, there are times when it is better not to do this. I regularly see…
![Why I'm leaving Event Store and getting ready for the next episode]()
Why I'm leaving Event Store and getting ready for the next episode
I’ve got some news today. Here comes the boom: I’m leaving the Event Store, which means I just became unemployed! How come? I am a pragmatic…
![Power of ignorance, or how to write simple code]()
Power of ignorance, or how to write simple code
I was asked to compile various statistics from our Event Store GitHub community some time ago. We wanted to analyze our public repositories…
![What onion has to do with Clean Code?]()
What onion has to do with Clean Code?
I quite often make fun of Clean Code and Clean Architecture. I’m calling it an Onion Architecture. Not least because it has layers but also…
![The risk of ignoring risks]()
The risk of ignoring risks
Do you like playing poker? I used to play Texas Holdem with my friends regularly. We took it easy; each person put 5 PLN into the pool, and…
![Twelve things I learned about Java during my last code review]()
Twelve things I learned about Java during my last code review
As I have mentioned to you many times, I like to test different approaches, technologies and solutions. I may not have told you yet that I…
![Small rant about the Software Design]()
Small rant about the Software Design
Some time ago, I listened to an enlightening episode of Scott Hanselman’s podcast on how to teach computer science. The guest was Maria…
![“I'm not interested in politics” is not actual anymore]()
“I'm not interested in politics” is not actual anymore
War. War never changes… In IT, we’re living in a bubble. Compared to others we have good working conditions. We learned to complain about…
![15 tips on how to run meetings effectively]()
15 tips on how to run meetings effectively
It’s always worth talking things through! But is it worth meeting? During my career, I have seen many projects and companies where the…
![I tested it on production and I'm not ashamed of it]()
I tested it on production and I'm not ashamed of it
Testing on production usually appears in ridiculous stories. They may be only annoyances like getting questions from customers why they see…
![Should a programmer's creativity be shown in code formatting?]()
Should a programmer's creativity be shown in code formatting?
Each of us has at least a dose of creativity. I have always liked drawing. I wanted to make effective plays in football. Today, I play the…
![No, it can never happen!]()
No, it can never happen!
“No, it can never happen!”. Have you heard this sentence before? For example, a user with the same e-mail address may not register, or the…
![Tell, don't ask! Or, how to keep an eye on boiling milk]()
Tell, don't ask! Or, how to keep an eye on boiling milk
Some time ago, I thought about writing a cookbook for guys, a set of essential tips on surviving in the kitchen. I thought of starting with…
![What does Mr Bean opening the car have to do with programming?]()
What does Mr Bean opening the car have to do with programming?
Before reading the article, please watch the video below: Mr Bean wants to add a new business feature to the project. First, the entity…
![What does a construction failure have to do with our authorities?]()
What does a construction failure have to do with our authorities?
Through my window, I see the result of good plans but poor execution. Opposite my flat, there is a partially completed construction place…
![10 notes on the 10th blogging anniversary]()
10 notes on the 10th blogging anniversary
Yesterday, precisely ten years passed since I released my first blog post. It’s still available in the original place (in Polish) at…
![In what language are programmers writing?]()
In what language are programmers writing?
Wikipedia states that there are around 700 programming languages. Some are more popular. Some are less. But what language do programmers…
![Form a wall! And other concerns about security]()
Form a wall! And other concerns about security
There were 0.3 seconds left till the end of the NBA match. Detroit Pistons were leading by a single point against San Antonio Spurs. The…
![Let's take care of ourselves! Thoughts on compatibility]()
Let's take care of ourselves! Thoughts on compatibility
In the last year, the word responsibility is used in all possible ways. Responsibility for us, for others. We can be heroes wearing masks…
![Why are senior devs afraid to code?]()
Why are senior devs afraid to code?
The job interview is a stressful situation, usually for both parties. Some time ago, I had to recruit senior developers. I had the idea to…
