Blog

Ode to VSCode Snippets

May 24, 20227 min read

Snippets are powerful. This one little tool can reduce toil and make it easier to follow your team's style conventions. They're also fun to play with. Work smarter not harder!

Value of team estimates

April 19, 20223 min read

I see teams choose to forgo estimates when they find them challenging and don't see value in them. But there's a ton of value in team estimates!

Updating dependencies in a frontend project

March 28, 20224 min read

I loathe loathe loathe dependency management. Updating dependencies sounds simple but it's something we're not usually taught. This is the post I wish I had when I was learning how to do this.

How to ask for help

March 22, 20223 min read

Asking for help is a skill like anything else. The better you get at how you ask questions, the better your team and senior engineers will be able to support you–and the more quickly you will level up.

The art of estimation

March 15, 202211 min read

Estimating is HARD but it's a skill that you can hone like any other, such as coding or professional communication.

What to include in a PR description

March 08, 20224 min read

When I'm working with a new team, a question that comes up often is "What info should I include in my PR description?" A good PR description can open doors to quicker and more productive PR reviews.

How I review pull requests

February 28, 20226 min read

Code review is an integral part of most teams' workflows. But knowing exactly what to look at while you're reviewing a team member's code or how to organize your thoughts can be hard.

When is the Right Time to Pay Down Tech Debt?

March 09, 20214 min read

Technical debt in software projects is unavoidable. It’s the cost of doing business. The key to maintaining a healthy codebase is proactive debt management.

Telling your story with Git

October 14, 20206 min read

I love "green", atomic commits. But I'm human and my brain doesn't work linearly. Here are some of my favorite commands for rewriting local Git history.

Jest Mocking Strategies

July 12, 202013 min read

I've been spending too much time wrestling with uncooperative mocks. This post breaks down what to consider when mocking with Jest and a variety of strategies for structuring your mock implementations.