Should I be writing more unit tests? Integration Tests? End to End tests? I can’t answer this completely, but I can give you one tip to help you decide 80% of the time. (more…)
All entries of my technical and business blog.
PHP Class Constant Visibility
Since PHP 7.1, visibility has been supported on PHP class constants. Here’s a quick video about how these work and why you might want to use different visibilities. (more…)
Homebridge Homekit Notify if Garage Open Too Long
With a combination of Homebridge, a plugin, Pushover, and a Homekit compatible garage door opener, I can now receive notifications if my garage door was left open too long. Let’s dive into how… (more…)
An Argument for Larger Dev Scopes
Conventional wisdom says to scope down your initiatives and make small tasks for your team members. It’s best if each can easily work on a single task in a silo, so they can get the project done with the least overlap and delay. But, what are we losing with this methodology? (more…)
The Importance of ToDo Tests
I’m not a huge fan of todo comments in code because I think they’re mainly forgotten. However, I don’t have the same opinion for PHPUnit tests. Let’s talk about why - and how to easily add them in your code. (more…)
What I Learned From Giving a Few Interactive Code Review Interviews
Never one to be afraid of pointing out my flaws, I think it’s time to share what I learned from doing a few interactive code review interviews. It may still be a great idea, but it’s much more difficult than I thought. (more…)
Ansible Reboot Only If Required
This quick tip will help you issue a reboot command during your Ansible playbook if a reboot is required. (more…)
3 Reasons to Stop Calling Your Dev Team a Family
If you find yourself about to say “we’re a family” to a new recruit joining your dev team, this entry is for you. Managers, you should stop considering or calling your team a family. Here’s three simple reasons why. (more…)
Illustrating Why Fillable and Validated Matter in Laravel
When given a choice of methods and ways to do something, it might not be clear which way is the best. As programmers, we tend to pick the easiest, then. However, the easiest can have security implications. Let me illustrate why we should use more stringent controls in a Laravel project. (more…)
Understanding Company Productivity, High Performers and Amoebas
I’ve seen a lot of high-performers enter slow-moving companies, make great progress, but then get upset. They can’t seem to move the company along anymore. What’s going on? Is it ok to move on? I’ve got a theory about all of this. (more…)