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Random thoughts on software engineering.

Cover Image for Eating the Elephant: Choosing a Modular approach to software development

There is an old Christmas cracker joke: Q: How do you eat an elephant? A: One bite at a time

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Cover Image for Reasons JavaScript projects become unmaintainable – problems and solutions.

Reasons JavaScript projects become unmaintainable – problems and solutions.

Software doesn't wear out – it tends to collapse under the weight of its own tech debt. Years, or even just months, of ad hoc revisions, delivery prioritised above engineering, team changes, lack of clear structure and documentation contribute to codebases which become increasingly difficult to comprehend and maintain.

Cover Image for AI: The rise of the machines (sort of)

AI: The rise of the machines (sort of)

I’ve given myself over totally to AI. For two weeks(ish), I’m sacrificing my years of experience on the altar of Artificial Intelligence – I will at every opportunity ask Chat GPT (3.5 in my case) and GitHub CoPilot to guide my every decision.

Cover Image for Breaking out of the Black Box – Refactoring Verbose Functions

Breaking out of the Black Box – Refactoring Verbose Functions

Refactoring strategies for bloated functions.