Have a personal project to test & learn

Don't just read docs. Build something real that's yours.
Break it, fix it, ship it. That's how you actually learn.

Heavy on interaction? Start with the interface

Think thoroughly about the UX first.
Use Google Stitch to prototype fast.

Heavy on logic? Start with tests

Write the tests first. Let them guide your design.
CI is important. automate from day one.

RAGs are good, but maybe wikis are better

Not everything needs vector search.
Sometimes a well-organized wiki gives you more signal, less noise.

Local models are still not great

Phi-4 was underwhelming…
But Gemma 4 might have changed the game. Keep testing.

Voice generation

React has won by being the default

But don't let that close your eyes to alternatives.
Svelte, Solid, HTMX... find what works best for you.

Curate your repo of base apps

Build a collection of starter templates.
Then use agents to build on top.

Telegram is awesome

Bots provide an amazing interface for chats
it's the most developer-friendly messaging platform out there.

Don't worry, let it cook: MCP

If it's not pretty or elegant, don't touch it. Wait for something better
Give it time.

Linux is easier than AWS… and cheaper

A $5 VPS can do a lot.
Knowing Linux is cool again

Context is everything

Obsessively collect and document.

• Memos: capture thoughts instantly
• Emacs org mode: integrate with your workflow