Ilija
@efti.mov
Shipping software, changing diapers, sleep deprived. Engineering Manager @ Stripe.
https://stratechgist.com | https://ieftimov.com
https://stratechgist.com | https://ieftimov.com
Code reviews are essential, but dogmatic adherence to rigid processes can slow you down during a crunch. Not all changes carry the same risk. 1/4
May 22, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Code reviews are essential, but dogmatic adherence to rigid processes can slow you down during a crunch. Not all changes carry the same risk. 1/4
When the clock is ticking and you're taking on debt, you can't afford to waste time on unfocused testing or chasing arbitrary coverage numbers. You need a pragmatic, risk-based testing strategy. 1/4
May 20, 2025 at 10:02 AM
When the clock is ticking and you're taking on debt, you can't afford to waste time on unfocused testing or chasing arbitrary coverage numbers. You need a pragmatic, risk-based testing strategy. 1/4
Launching code you know contains shortcuts and deferred fixes can be nerve-wracking. How do you sleep at night? By building a safety net: robust operational readiness. If you're leaving debt in, you absolutely must instrument everything around it. 1/4
May 15, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Launching code you know contains shortcuts and deferred fixes can be nerve-wracking. How do you sleep at night? By building a safety net: robust operational readiness. If you're leaving debt in, you absolutely must instrument everything around it. 1/4
Okay, you're consciously deferring fixes and taking shortcuts based on your risk assessment. How do you stop this deferred work from vanishing into the ether? You create an "IOU List." 1/4
May 13, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Okay, you're consciously deferring fixes and taking shortcuts based on your risk assessment. How do you stop this deferred work from vanishing into the ether? You create an "IOU List." 1/4
You're deep in the codebase, working on the new feature, and you stumble upon a class that's just... awful. A tangled mess doing way too much. The urge to refactor it, to clean it up right now, is overwhelming. It calls to you like a siren song. Resist! 1/4
May 8, 2025 at 12:31 PM
You're deep in the codebase, working on the new feature, and you stumble upon a class that's just... awful. A tangled mess doing way too much. The urge to refactor it, to clean it up right now, is overwhelming. It calls to you like a siren song. Resist! 1/4
"Tech debt" is too broad a term. Shoving everything into one bucket leads to panic or paralysis. Some debt is trivial, some is a ticking time bomb. When you're moving fast and deliberately cutting corners, you need a way to differentiate and prioritize. 1/3
May 6, 2025 at 12:57 PM
"Tech debt" is too broad a term. Shoving everything into one bucket leads to panic or paralysis. Some debt is trivial, some is a ticking time bomb. When you're moving fast and deliberately cutting corners, you need a way to differentiate and prioritize. 1/3
Your business partners are excited. Big users are waiting, new revenue streams are beckoning, and they're ready to "move mountains" for you. 1/4
May 1, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Your business partners are excited. Big users are waiting, new revenue streams are beckoning, and they're ready to "move mountains" for you. 1/4
As a leader, it's tempting to downplay the tech debt you're asking your team to take on. "It won't be that bad," you tell yourself. 1/4
April 29, 2025 at 12:57 PM
As a leader, it's tempting to downplay the tech debt you're asking your team to take on. "It won't be that bad," you tell yourself. 1/4
I've been back to publishing writeups on my newsletter, after a hiatus since September last year. Pivoting my writing to more tangible and hands-on pieces, sharing lessons from my day-to-day work.
Check out my latest writeup here:
open.substack.com/pub/quadrati...
Check out my latest writeup here:
open.substack.com/pub/quadrati...
Fix it, Flag it or Forget it? A Practical Technical Debt & Bug Triage Framework
A hands-on framework for engineering leaders for classification and prioritization of bugs and issues
open.substack.com
April 23, 2025 at 2:00 AM
I've been back to publishing writeups on my newsletter, after a hiatus since September last year. Pivoting my writing to more tangible and hands-on pieces, sharing lessons from my day-to-day work.
Check out my latest writeup here:
open.substack.com/pub/quadrati...
Check out my latest writeup here:
open.substack.com/pub/quadrati...
Every one-on-one I had as a junior engineer followed the same useless pattern: status updates I'd already written in Jira, vague suggestions to "keep up the good work," and maybe a rushed question about career goals in the final 30 seconds.
I left feeling nothing had changed. 1/3
I left feeling nothing had changed. 1/3
April 22, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Every one-on-one I had as a junior engineer followed the same useless pattern: status updates I'd already written in Jira, vague suggestions to "keep up the good work," and maybe a rushed question about career goals in the final 30 seconds.
I left feeling nothing had changed. 1/3
I left feeling nothing had changed. 1/3
I used to treat feedback as something my manager gave to me, not something I requested specifically. This passive approach meant I received generic input that rarely helped me improve in targeted ways. 1/3
April 17, 2025 at 12:31 PM
I used to treat feedback as something my manager gave to me, not something I requested specifically. This passive approach meant I received generic input that rarely helped me improve in targeted ways. 1/3
Let's be real: that perfect balance between shipping fast and maintaining pristine code? It's mostly a myth, especially when the pressure's on for a big launch.
We all face that moment where the deadline is looming, the opportunity is hot, but the codebase feels... well, creaky. 1/4
We all face that moment where the deadline is looming, the opportunity is hot, but the codebase feels... well, creaky. 1/4
April 15, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Let's be real: that perfect balance between shipping fast and maintaining pristine code? It's mostly a myth, especially when the pressure's on for a big launch.
We all face that moment where the deadline is looming, the opportunity is hot, but the codebase feels... well, creaky. 1/4
We all face that moment where the deadline is looming, the opportunity is hot, but the codebase feels... well, creaky. 1/4
Reposted by Ilija
No it doesn’t. Being an asshole isn’t ideological diversity, it’s just edgelording. Wanting livable wages, healthcare, peace, kindness-those are all supposed to be 99% agreeable stuff. Folks just want to live their lives and occasionally get Friday’s off work. These don’t require a devils advocate.
Bluesky needs more ideological diversity, a thread:
1/8: I think the question of why commentators like Matt Yglesias, Lakshya Jain, Noah Smith, Nate Silver and Richard Hanania don’t post more, or at all on Bluesky is important.
This would be a better platform if they did.
1/8: I think the question of why commentators like Matt Yglesias, Lakshya Jain, Noah Smith, Nate Silver and Richard Hanania don’t post more, or at all on Bluesky is important.
This would be a better platform if they did.
I like posting on BlueSky because I think I’m the most right-wing person who uses this service.
April 13, 2025 at 6:40 PM
No it doesn’t. Being an asshole isn’t ideological diversity, it’s just edgelording. Wanting livable wages, healthcare, peace, kindness-those are all supposed to be 99% agreeable stuff. Folks just want to live their lives and occasionally get Friday’s off work. These don’t require a devils advocate.
Reposted by Ilija
The "bluesky is an echo chamber" think pieces that keep popping up really tickle me because they show how certain people genuinely believe social media should be for debating and arguing and not talking about the things that make you happy and sharing art with the world.
November 22, 2024 at 12:57 PM
The "bluesky is an echo chamber" think pieces that keep popping up really tickle me because they show how certain people genuinely believe social media should be for debating and arguing and not talking about the things that make you happy and sharing art with the world.
Reposted by Ilija
AI is taking your job
kentcdodds.com/blog/ai-is-t...
kentcdodds.com/blog/ai-is-t...
AI is taking your job
AI is changing how hiring works, and that makes in person connections even more important.
kentcdodds.com
November 21, 2024 at 4:03 PM
AI is taking your job
kentcdodds.com/blog/ai-is-t...
kentcdodds.com/blog/ai-is-t...
Protip: if you are testing out your new #Corne split keyboard, like while you’re erratically trying to find on which layer the backspace was, do not put your coffee cup in the desk area between your arms. 🤦
November 11, 2024 at 9:30 AM
Protip: if you are testing out your new #Corne split keyboard, like while you’re erratically trying to find on which layer the backspace was, do not put your coffee cup in the desk area between your arms. 🤦
Reposted by Ilija
Looking for people to follow? Here’s a directory of 4,500 starter packs which you can search by keyword! blueskydirectory.com/starter-pack...
All - Bluesky Directory
A curated collection of all things relating to the Blue Sky social media platform.
blueskydirectory.com
November 10, 2024 at 4:41 PM
Looking for people to follow? Here’s a directory of 4,500 starter packs which you can search by keyword! blueskydirectory.com/starter-pack...
Just realized my 3yo was telling his grandfather that what appeared to be a cartoon on YouTube was in fact an ad. Grandpa still fell for it.
November 10, 2024 at 6:00 PM
Just realized my 3yo was telling his grandfather that what appeared to be a cartoon on YouTube was in fact an ad. Grandpa still fell for it.