More haste less speed, the road to software purgatory
Jon Ayre Think code quality doesn't matter anymore now AI agents are here? Think all that early speed is sustainable? You're in for a nasty surprise.
Software
To document, or not to document, that is the prompt
If your code is clean, your documentation doesn't need to describe it. Anyone who needs to understand the code should read it directly. Anyone who can't read it won't need…
Don’t be Chicken Licken – The sky is not falling
If you're just starting out in software development, or you're busy studying computer science at school or university and planning a career in IT, all you'll be hearing right now…
In defence of clean code – the engineer’s perspective
This is the story of a major system refactor completed in just one day. 54 files affected. Over 1000 lines of code changed. All tests passed first time. Pushed to…
Understanding neural networks – Part 3: Teaching the machine
Creating an artificial neural network is one thing; teaching it is where the real work begins. In this third part of my series on neural networks, I introduce the two…
Understanding neural networks – Part 2: Hidden neurons, troublesome feedback
There are many different ways you can connect artificial neurons together to create a working neural network. In part 2 of this guide I’ll explain the more common approaches and…
Understanding neural networks – Part 1: The artificial neuron
So, you want to know about artificial neural networks? Here’s my attempt at explaining what they are and how they work without resorting to too much complicated jargon or maths.…
Stop building IT systems upside down!
We build IT systems like we build houses - user facing stuff on top and all the plumbing underneath. But when you look at a house properly there’s very little…
The legend of the ten-times developer
There's a lot of talk in technology of the ten-times developer. That person who somehow achieves things in a fraction of the time that others can. Many will say the…
The real value isn’t in the code
It takes time and a lot of skill to write great code, so surely that code is valuable, right? Wrong. You might love it and nurture it, protecting it from…