Afleveringen
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It’s officially the holidays at the Bike Shed! Defrag your hard drives and take a break with Joël and Stephanie as they breakdown different ways to manage your focus during the day.
The pair discuss separating coding time from thinking time when working, the pros and cons of blocking out time for different tasks and clever ways to move seamlessly from one project to the next without losing momentum.
Joël has some more timezone facts to share, while Stephanie reveals her worst enemy when it comes to productivity.
—
Try out the Pomodoro system (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique) in your workflow and let us know if it works for you!
Your hosts for this episode have been thoughtbot’s own Stephanie Minn and Joël Quenneville (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/).
If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com).
Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: [email protected]
This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast.
Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbot/)
© 2024 thoughtbot, inc. -
Joël and Stephanie go back to fundamentals as they pick apart some recent conversations they’ve been having around the office.
Together they discuss the advantages of GraphQL over a REST API, how they utilise JSONB over a regular column or table, and the use-cases for and against a frontend framework like React.
But what’s the theme that ties all these conversations together?
—
The article mentioned in this episode was Why I’m over GraphQL (https://bessey.dev/blog/2024/05/24/why-im-over-graphql/)
Your hosts for this episode have been thoughtbot’s own Stephanie Minn and Joël Quenneville (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/).
If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com).
Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: [email protected]
This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast.
Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbot/)
© 2024 thoughtbot, inc. -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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One of the most challenging things about starting out as a developer is how much you need to master all at once. And with so much to learn, it can be difficult for experts to guide fresh developers and advise them on where to focus first. Luckily, some skills will always be useful, no matter what language you’re coding in. In today’s episode, Stephanie and Joël tackle this topic by unpacking several key evergreen skills that will always be valuable, from reading error messages to deciphering a stack trace. They break down how new-ish developers can start acquiring these skills, key obstacles they’re likely to encounter, and how to ask for help when you hit a block. Their conversation covers the ins and outs of debugging, how to feel comfortable in your editor as a new developer, the art of asking for help, and much more. They also share plenty of valuable tips to help you on your journey – including one that will help you commit more frequently. Tune in now to hear it all!
Key Points From This Episode:
Stephanie’s time at the Ruby Conference in Chicago.
The challenges of advising new-ish developers as an expert.
Broad evergreen skills that are always valuable to learn.
Tips on mastering debugging as a core skill.
How to improve your ability to read error messages.
Our approach to resolving errors and isolating what is wrong.
Advice for learning to read a stack trace (even though it’s intimidating).
Strategies for fixing different types of bugs.
The value of editor mastery and version history.
Tips on how to commit more frequently as a new developer.
Learning to ask for help when you hit a block.
The art of structuring your questions when asking for help.
Breaking down large tasks into smaller sections.
Learning to find focus as a new developer.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
What technologies should I learn? (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/what-technologies-should-i-learn)
Debugging blog post series (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/tags/debugging-series-2021)
Asking about solutions rather than problems (https://xyproblem.info/)
The Bike Shed (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/)
Joël Quenneville on X (https://x.com/joelquen)
Support The Bike Shed (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot)
Mailtrap (https://l.rw.rw/the_bike_shed)
WorkOS (workos.com/) -
How can tests serve beyond just catching bugs in code? In this episode, Stephanie and Joël dive into the various roles that tests can play in a developer's toolkit. Covering all the fundamentals, from aiding knowledge transfer and documentation to ensuring accountability in code reviews, they explore the unexpected ways that tests support developer workflows. They also explain the balance between writing detailed tests for documentation and managing complex code, and how effective testing practices can help developers become more confident and informed in their work. Gain insights about the impact of test suites on team collaboration, code readability, and project handoffs, and discover how tests can provide a “living specification” that evolves with your application. Join us to learn how to make the most of your tests and unlock new ways to elevate your development process. Tune in now!
How test suites can act as living documentation that changes with the codebase.
Using tests to document complex code before handing off a project.
How backfilling tests can reveal critical edge cases in legacy code.
The benefits of tests for developers working with complex code areas.
Why a balance between comprehensive coverage and “good enough” testing is essential.
Challenges associated with reading tests as documentation in certain codebases.
Techniques for improving the readability of test suites for documentation.
Advantages of using tests as a tool for accountability in code reviews.
The concept of test-first code reviews to improve understanding of pull requests.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Mailtrap (https://l.rw.rw/the_bike_shed)
'Unlock the value of tests in understanding your codebase' (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/unlock-the-value-of-tests-in-understanding-your-codebase)
Good Enough Testing (https://goodenoughtesting.com/)
'RailsConf 2024: So writing tests feels painful. What now? by Stephanie Minn' (https://youtu.be/t5MnS20adG4)
'Algorithms we develop software by' (https://grantslatton.com/software-pathfinding#algorithms-we-develop-software-by)
Exercism (exercism.io)
WorkOS (https://workos.com/)
The Bike Shed (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/)
Joël Quenneville on X (https://x.com/joelquen)
Support The Bike Shed (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot) -
For developers, impersonation can be a powerful tool, but with great power comes great responsibility. In today’s episode, hosts Stephanie and Joël explore the complexities of implementing impersonation features in software development, giving you the ability to take over someone’s account and act as the user. They delve into the pros and cons of impersonation, from how it can help with debugging and customer support to its prime drawbacks regarding security and auditing issues. Discover why the need for impersonation is often a sign of poor admin tooling, alternative solutions to true impersonation, and the scenarios where impersonation might be the most pragmatic approach. You’ll also learn why they advocate for understanding the root problem and considering alternative solutions before implementing impersonation. Tune in today for a deep dive into impersonation and the best ways to use it (or not use it)!
Key Points From This Episode:
What’s new in Stephanie’s world: how Notion Calendar is helping her manage her schedule.
Joël’s quest to find a health plan: how he used a spreadsheet to compare his options.
A client request to build an impersonation feature, and why Joël has mixed feelings about it.
What an impersonation tool does: it allows you to take over someone’s account.
When it’s useful to use implementation as a feature, like for debugging and support.
Potential risks and responsibilities associated with impersonation.
Why the need for impersonation often indicates poor admin tooling.
Technical and security implications of impersonation.
Solutions for logging the audit trail when you’re doing impersonation.
Differentiating between the logged-in user and the user you’re rendering views for.
Building an app that isn’t as tightly coupled to the “current user.”
Suggested alternatives to true impersonation.
The value of cross-functional teams and collaborative problem-solving.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Mailtrap (https://l.rw.rw/the_bike_shed)
Notion Calendar (https://www.notion.com/product/calendar)
'Implementing Impersonation' (https://jamie.ideasasylum.com/2018/09/29/implementing-impersonation)
Sustainable Web Development with Ruby on Rails (https://sustainable-rails.com/)
The Bike Shed (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/)
Joël Quenneville on X (https://x.com/joelquen)
Support The Bike Shed (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot)
WorkOS (https://workos.com/) -
When is it time for a rewrite? How do you justify it? If you’re tasked with one, how do you approach it? In today’s episode of The Bike Shed, we dive into the tough question of software rewrites, sharing firsthand experiences that reveal why these projects are often more complicated and risky than they first appear. We unpack critical factors that make or break a rewrite, from balancing developer satisfaction with business value to managing stakeholder expectations when costs and timelines stretch unexpectedly. You’ll hear about real-world rewrite pitfalls like downtime and reintroducing bugs, as well as strategies for achieving similar improvements through incremental changes or refactoring instead. If you’re a developer or team lead considering a rewrite, this conversation offers a pragmatic perspective that could save your team time, effort, and potential setbacks. Tune in to learn how to make the best call for your codebase and find out when a rewrite might actually be necessary!
Key Points From This Episode:
Accessible selectors versus test IDs: best practices in Capybara and React Testing Library.
Balancing test coverage with pragmatism and risk tolerance with Good Enough Testing.
Software rewrites and the tough questions around deciding when they're necessary.
The importance of prioritizing business value over frustrations with the current codebase.
Drawbacks of rewrites, such as downtime, data loss, and reintroducing past bugs.
Risks of “grass is greener” thinking and using mocked data in demos.
Unrealistic expectations of full feature parity and why an MVP approach is better.
How incremental refactoring can achieve similar goals to a complete rewrite.
The appeal and hubris of a “fresh start” and why it’s much more complex than that.
Balancing innovation with practicality: ways to introduce new elements without rewriting.
An example that illustrates when a rewrite might actually be necessary.
Reasons that early prototypes and test builds are the best candidates for rewrites.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Mailtrap (https://l.rw.rw/the_bike_shed)
WorkOS (http://workos.com/)
Matt Brictson: ‘Simplify your Capybara selectors’ (https://mattbrictson.com/blog/simplify-capybara-selectors)
React Testing Library Guidelines (https://testing-library.com/docs/queries/about/#priority)
Capybara Accessibility Selectors (https://github.com/citizensadvice/capybara_accessible_selectors)
Good Enough Testing (https://goodenoughtesting.com/)
‘RailsConf 2023: The Math Every Programmer Needs by Joël Quenneville’ (https://youtu.be/fMetBx77vKY)
‘Testing Your Edge Cases’ (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/testing-your-edge-cases)
'Working Iteratively' (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/working-iteratively)
'Technical Considerations to Help Scale Your Product' (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/technical-considerations-when-scaling-your-application)
Dan McKinley: ‘Choose Boring Technology' (https://mcfunley.com/choose-boring-technology)
The Bike Shed (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/)
Joël Quenneville on X (https://x.com/joelquen)
Support The Bike Shed (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot) -
Does having smaller, more frequent iterations help to ease your cognitive load? During this episode, we discuss the benefits and challenges of working iteratively and whether or not it can prevent costly errors. You’ll hear about juggling individual pieces effectively, factors that incentivize and de-incentivize working iteratively, and how Joël gauges whether or not a project should be broken up into smaller tasks. It can be hard to adopt small iterations, and this conversation also touches on the idea of ‘good enough code’ and discusses how agility can reduce the cost of making changes. Tuning in, you’ll hear about some of the challenges of keeping up with changes as they evolve and why it is beneficial to do so. You will also be equipped with a thought experiment involving elephant carpaccio to build your understanding of working iteratively, explore the challenge of keeping up with evolving changes, and more. Thanks for listening.
Key Points From This Episode:
Stephanie shares a recent mishap that happened at work and what she learned from it.
Unpacking pressures and other aspects that may have contributed to the error.
Joël’s recent travels and his fresh appreciation for fall.
The cost of an incident occurring, how this increases, and the role of code review.
Benefits and pitfalls of more regular code review.
Why working with smaller chunks of work is helpful for Joël’s focus.
Juggling individual pieces effectively.
Factors that de-incentivize working iteratively such as waiting on 24-hour quality control processes.
How working iteratively can facilitate better communication.
Why Joël feels that work that spans a few days should be broken up into smaller chunks.
The idea of ‘good enough code’.
How agility can reduce the cost of making changes.
Using the elephant carpaccio exercise to bolster your understanding of working iteratively.
The challenge of keeping up with changes as they evolve and why it is beneficial to do so.
Involvement from the team and the capacity to change course.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
WorkOS (http://workos.com/)
Working Incrementally (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/361)
Working Iteratively (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/working-iteratively)
Elephant Carpaccio Exercise (https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/1TCuuu-8Mm14oxsOnlk8DqfZAA1cvtYu9WGv67Yj_sSk/pub)
The Bike Shed (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/)
Joël Quenneville on X (https://x.com/joelquen)
Support The Bike Shed (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot) -
What’s the difference between solving problems and recognizing patterns, and why does it matter for developers? In this episode, Stephanie and Joël discuss transitioning from collecting solutions to identifying patterns applicable to broader contexts in software development. They explore the role of heuristics, common misconceptions among junior and intermediate developers, and strategies for leveling up from a solution-focused mindset to thinking in patterns. They also discuss their experiences of moving through this transition during their careers and share advice for upcoming software developers to navigate it successfully. They explore how learning abstraction, engaging in code reviews, and developing a strong intuition for code quality help developers grow. Uncover the issue of over-applying patterns and gain insights into the benefits of broader, reusable approaches in code development. Join us to discover how to build your own set of coding heuristics, the pitfalls of pattern misuse, and how to become a more thoughtful developer. Tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
Stephanie unpacks the differences between patterns and solutions.
The role of software development experience in recognizing patterns.
Why transitioning from solving problems to recognizing patterns is crucial.
Joël and Stephanie talk about the challenges of learning abstraction.
Hear pragmatic strategies for implementing patterns effectively.
How junior developers can build their own set of heuristics for code quality.
Discover valuable tools and techniques to identify patterns in your work.
Find out about approaches to documenting, learning, and sharing patterns.
Gain insights into the process of refactoring a solution into a pattern.
Outlining the common mistakes developers make and the pitfalls to avoid.
Steps for navigating disagreements and feedback in a team environment.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
WorkOS (http://workos.com/)
RubyConf 2021 - The Intro to Abstraction I Wish I'd Received (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0dC5RmxcFk)
'Ruby Science' (https://thoughtbot.com/ruby-science/introduction.html)
Refactoring.Guru (https://refactoring.guru/)
Thoughtbot code review guide (https://github.com/thoughtbot/guides/blob/main/code-review/README.md)
The Bike Shed (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/)
Joël Quenneville on X (https://x.com/joelquen)
Support The Bike Shed (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot) -
Learning from other developers is an important ingredient to your success. During this episode, Joël Quenneville is joined by Stefanni Brasil, Senior Developer at Thoughtbot, and core maintainer of faker-ruby. To open our conversation, she shares the details of her experience at the Rails World conference in Toronto and the projects she enjoyed seeing most. Next, we explore the challenge of Mac versus Windows and how these programs interact with Ruby on Rails and dive into Stefanni’s involvement in Open Source for Thoughtbot and beyond; what she loves about it, and how she is working to educate others and expand the current limitations that people experience. This episode is also dedicated to the upcoming Open Source Summit that Stefanni is planning on 25 October 2024, what to expect, and how you can get involved. Thanks for listening!
Key Points From This Episode:
Introducing and catching up with Thoughtbot Senior Developer and maintainer of faker-ruby, Stefanni Brasil.
Her experience at the Rails World conference in Toronto and the projects she found most inspiring.
Why accessibility remains a key topic.
How Ruby on Rails translates on Mac and Windows.
Stefanni’s involvement in Open Source and why she enjoys it.
Her experience as core maintainer at faker-ruby.
Ideas she is exploring around Jeremy Evans’ book Polished Ruby Programming and the direction of Faker.
Involvement in Thoughtbot’s Open Source and how it drew her in initially.
The coaching series on Open Source that she participated in earlier this year.
What motivated her to create a public Google doc on Open Source maintenance.
An upcoming event: the Open Source Summit.
The time commitment expected from attendees.
How Stefanni intends to interact with guests and the talk that she will give at the event.
Why everyone is welcome to engage at any level they are comfortable with.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Stefanni Brasil (https://www.stefannibrasil.me/)
Stefanni Brasil on X (https://x.com/stefannibrasil)
Thoughtbot Open Summit (https://thoughtbot.com/events/open-summit)
Open Source Issues doc (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zok6snap6T6f4Z1H7mP9JomNczAvPEEqCEnIg42dkU4/edit#heading=h.rq72izdz9oh6)
Open Source at Thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/open-source)
Polished Ruby Programming (https://www.packtpub.com/en-us/product/polished-ruby-programming-9781801072724)
Faker Gem (https://github.com/faker-ruby/faker)
Rails World (https://rubyonrails.org/world/)
The Bike Shed (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/) -
What is a program? Your answer to this question will determine the paradigm through which you view programming. During this episode, you’ll come to understand how things change once you develop an awareness of your paradigm, and what. To kick off this episode, Stephanie shares key insights she took from Planet Argon’s 2024 Ruby on Rails survey and dives deeper into her history with Ruby on Rails. Next, we dive into the definition of a paradigm and unpack three different paradigms you might hold as a developer: procedural, object-oriented, and functional. Considering how each of these impacts the way that you might approach your work as a developer, and what you can learn from the ones that are less familiar to you. Joël describes his scripting style and evaluates the concept of pure functions and their place in development, and we close by digging deeper into how your paradigm might impact the code that you write. Tune in to hear all this and more.
Key Points From This Episode:
The EPI feature that Joël has started to build out for his client.
Why Stephanie is excited about the results of Planet Argon’s 2024 Ruby on Rails community survey.
What a procedural program is: programming envisions a program as a series of instructions to a computer.
Defining an object-oriented paradigm: programming envisions a program as the behavior that emerges from objects talking to each other.
How a functional paradigm envisions a program as a series of data transformations.
Alan Turing and Alonzo Church’s approach to understanding this.
How a lot of the foundations of computer science came to be built before we had computers.
Using Ruby to make judgments and assessing whether or not this is a procedural habit.
Why Joël describes his scripting style as being very procedural.
Unpacking the meaning of functional programming.
Evaluating the concept of pure functions.
Considering how your paradigm may impact the Ruby code that you write.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
2024 Ruby on Rails Community Survey (https://railsdeveloper.com/survey/2024/)
Church-Turing Thesis (https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/24-242-logic-ii-spring-2004/489f7e42fb619645158d7c21a8fb83ad_chuh_trng_thesis.pdf)
Dynamic type systems are not inherently more open (https://lexi-lambda.github.io/blog/2020/01/19/no-dynamic-type-systems-are-not-inherently-more-open/)
What is Functional Programming? (http://blog.jenkster.com/2015/12/what-is-functional-programming.html)
Blocks as an abstraction vs for loops (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/special-cases)
Functional core imperative shell (https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/screencasts/catalog/functional-core-imperative-shell)
Testing objects with a functional mindset (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/functional-viewpoints-on-testing-objectoriented-code)
The Bike Shed (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/)
Support The Bike Shed (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot) -
For a long time, Programming Ruby was the authority in the developing world. Now, a much-needed update has been published. During this conversation, we are joined by Noel Rappin, who shares how his frustration at the idea of static type in Ruby motivated him to investigate why he felt this way, as he published his findings in The Pickaxe Book. We discuss how this book differs from previous material he has published, explore a recent blog post series that explored the idea of failing fast, and address the widespread opinion that developers should take a simpler approach that is more accessible. Noel also explores the responsibility of understanding how readers consume material and the importance of providing thorough context as an author, how Programming Ruby became the most significant programming reference, and the surprising journey that led Noel to realize he was able to provide an updated version of the theory in it. Next, we dive into some of the more opinionated blog posts Noel has posted and the harshest feedback he has received in response to them. You’ll also hear about his research and learning during the act of writing the book. Join us today to hear all this and more.
Key Points From This Episode:
Noel Rappin’s recently published work, The Pickaxe Book, on current versions of Ruby.
The inception of the book during discussions about the collision of Sorbet and Ruby.
How his background made him comfortable with the idea that there are no static types.
A recent blog post series and how it answered a question about failing fast.
Considering whether developers pursue simpler things that are more accessible to a wider range of coders.
The problem of thoroughness and longevity in writing instructional material.
Developing awareness of how readers consume and contextualize theory and opinion.
How Programming Ruby became the most significant programming reference.
Noel’s updated version of this material in his latest book.
His blog posts on real-life applications of Ruby and the feedback he receives.
How he goes about framing blog posts as opinion or instruction.
Determining what community consensus is.
The bewilderment that often accompanies onboarding sessions.
Research and learning leading up to writing and publishing the book.
Feedback and reviews on the book.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Noel Rappin (https://noelrappin.com/)
Noel Rappin on X (https://x.com/noelrap)
Programming Ruby (https://pragprog.com/titles/ruby5/programming-ruby-3-3-5th-edition/)
How Not to Use Static Typing in Ruby (https://noelrappin.com/blog/2024/09/how-not-to-use-static-typing-in-ruby/)
David Copeland Talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unpJ9qRjdMw)
Better Know a Ruby Thing (https://noelrappin.com/tags/better_know/)
How To Manage Duplicate Test Setup, Or Can I Interest You in Weird RSpec? (https://noelrappin.com/blog/2023/12/how-to-manage-duplicate-test-setup-or-can-i-interest-you-in-weird-rspec/)
Better Know a Ruby Thing: On The Use of Private Methods (https://noelrappin.com/blog/2024/06/better-know-access-control-part-2/)
Standardrb (https://github.com/standardrb/standard)
Rails Test Prescriptions (https://www.amazon.com/Rails-Test-Prescriptions-Pragmatic-Programmers/dp/1934356646)
Programming Ruby: A Pragmatic Programmer’s Guide (https://amazon.com/Programming-Ruby-Pragmatic-Programmers-Guide/dp/0201710897)
The Bike Shed (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/)
Support The Bike Shed (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot) -
When does it make sense to step away from Rails conventions? What are the limits of convention over configuration? While Rails conventions provide a solid foundation, there are times when customization is necessary to meet specific project needs. In this episode, Joël and Stephanie dive into the tradeoffs of breaking away from Rails defaults. They explore the limits of convention over configuration and share their experiences with customizing beyond the typical Rails setup. Joël offers insights from a recent project where the client opted for all dry-rb objects, and they unpack the benefits and potential challenges of this approach. Stephanie talks about why people tend to shy away from certain Ruby features and her lessons regarding leveraging callbacks for code development. Explore different testing frameworks, the situations when following Ruby defaults is better, the benefits of the ActiveModel ecosystem, and more! Whether you are a Rails purist or looking to bend the rules, this episode will help you understand the pros and cons of stepping outside the Ruby on Rails box. Don’t miss it!
Key Points From This Episode:
Joël shares details about a large-scale refactoring initiative he has been working on.
Stephanie’s recent legacy-code production problem and lessons from her experience.
What Joël would have done differently when building his refactoring initiative.
The problems of renaming background applications during code development.
Why the open-close principle is valuable for making class changes to a system.
Reasons that a migration strategy is vital for navigating new and legacy code.
Explore approaches for overcoming synchronization issues between systems.
Learn about the concept of connascence for coupling systems together.
Considerations for using asynchronous tools with a connascence approach.
Practical ways to maintain naming consistency during code development.
The importance of differentiating between web and business-logic layers.
Situations where relying on callbacks for connascence becomes problematic.
Other issues that callback problems can reveal during code development.
Joël unpacks the scenarios where he deviates from the Ruby on Rails standard.
Frameworks for testing code and final takeaways from Joël and Stephanie.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
'Refactoring Legacy Code with the Strangler Fig Pattern' (https://shopify.engineering/refactoring-legacy-code-strangler-fig-pattern)
Connascence of Name (CoN) (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/connascence-as-a-vocabulary-to-discuss-coupling#connascence-of-name-con)
ActiveModel docs (https://guides.rubyonrails.org/active_model_basics.html)
GitHub | activemodel (https://github.com/rails/rails/tree/main/activemodel)
'Vanilla Rails is plenty' (https://dev.37signals.com/vanilla-rails-is-plenty/)
GitHub | minitest (https://github.com/seattlerb/minitest)
GitHub | test-unit (https://github.com/test-unit/test-unit)
Episode 435: Cohesive Code with Jared Norman (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/435)
Ruby on Rails The Bike Shed (https://rubyonrails.org)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/)
Support The Bike Shed (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot) -
How can asynchronous programming transform your Ruby on Rails applications? Today, Stephanie sits down with Hello Weather co-creator Trevor Turk to unpack asynchronous programming in Ruby on Rails. Trevor Turk is a seasoned software developer known for his work on Hello Weather, a minimalist weather app that delivers essential weather data quickly and precisely. He’s also the creator of Weather Machine, an advanced weather data platform designed to serve reliable and highly accurate forecasts via API. With a background that includes work at innovative tech companies, Trevor brings years of experience in developing intuitive, user-friendly digital tools. Trevor talks about the focus of his API work, the complexity of web-based apps, and what makes Hello Weather unique. He explains the fundamentals of asynchronous programming within the Ruby on Rails framework and why it is an approach all programmers should consider. Explore the nuances of programming for different data sources, how he leverages fibers and threads for the Hello Weather platform, and why asynchronous programming is not a silver bullet for application development. Discover how to start using asynchronous methods, the various asynchronous tools available in Ruby, and why experimenting with concurrent programming is essential. Join us to gain insights into why including asynchronous tools is vital for the Ruby on Rails ecosystem, improving platforms through open-source development, how to help improve the adoption of asynchronous tools in Ruby, and more. Tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
Introduction to Turk and his background in Ruby on Rails.
Details about his companies Hello Weather and Weather Machine.
The innovative features that the Hello Weather platform offers.
Hear how Hello Weather transitioned from a web-based to an application.
Why he needed to alter his programming approach to scale the company.
How he came across the concept of asynchronous programming.
Discover how using fibers is different from using threads in Ruby.
Find out about the different use cases of asynchronous programming.
Learn about the benefits of implementing concurrent programming.
Trevor shares the challenges of working with different versions of Ruby.
His role in enhancing asynchronous methods within the Ruby framework.
Common misconceptions of working with Ruby on Rails.
Final takeaways for those interested in asynchronous programming.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Trevor Turk on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorturk/)
Trevor Turk on X (https://x.com/trevorturk)
Trevor Turk on Threads (https://www.threads.net/@trevorturk)
Hello Weather (https://helloweather.com/)
Weather Machine (https://weathermachine.io)
GitHub | async gem (https://github.com/socketry/async)
GitHub | falcon gem (https://github.com/socketry/falcon)
'Async Ruby on Rails' (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/async-ruby-on-rails)
load_async (https://api.rubyonrails.org/classes/ActiveRecord/Relation.html#method-i-load_async)
Episode 437: Contributing to Open Source in the Midst of Daily Work with Steve Polito (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/437)
GitHub | Action Cable server adapter (https://github.com/rails/rails/pull/50979)
ActiveRecord connection checkout caching (https://github.com/rails/rails/pull/50793)
Ruby on Rails The Bike Shed (https://rubyonrails.org/)
The Bike Shed (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/)
Support The Bike Shed (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot) -
Writing abstractions in tests can be surprisingly similar to storytelling. The most masterful stories are those where the author has stripped away all of the extra information, and given you just enough knowledge to be immersed and aware of what is going on. But striking that balance can be tricky, both in storytelling and abstractions in tests. Too much information and you risk overwhelming the reader. Too little and they won’t understand why things are operating the way they are. Today, Stephanie and Joël get into some of the more controversial practices around testing, why people use them, and how to strike the right balance with your information. They discuss the most common motivations for introducing abstractions, from improved readability to simplifying the test’s purpose and the types of tests where they are most likely to introduce abstractions. Our hosts also reflect on how they feel about different abstractions in tests – like custom matchers and shared examples – outlining when they reach for them, and the tradeoffs and benefits that come with each. To learn more about how to find the perfect level of abstraction, be sure to tune in!
Key Points From This Episode:
What’s new in Joël’s world; mocking out screens for processes or a new bit of UI.
The new tool Stephanie’s using for reading on the web: Reader by Readwise.
Today’s topic: controversial practices around testing.
How Stephanie and Joël feel about looping through arrays and having IT blocks for each.
The most common motivations for introducing abstractions or helper methods into your tests.
Pros and cons of factories as abstractions in testing.
Types of tests where Joël and Stephanie are more likely to introduce abstractions.
Using page objects in system tests to improve user experience.
Finding the balance between too little and too much information with abstraction in testing.
Why Stephanie has been enjoying fancier matchers like RSpecs.
Top uses of custom matchers, especially for specialized error messaging.
Why Stephanie prefers custom matchers over shared examples.
Using helper methods as a lighter version of abstraction.
Differences and similarities between abstractions in tests versus application code.
A reminder to keep your goals in mind when using abstraction.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Reader by Readwise (https://readwise.io/read)
Why factories (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/why-factories)
Why not factories (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/speed-up-tests-by-selectively-avoiding-factory-bot)
Capybara at a single level of abstraction (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/acceptance-tests-at-a-single-level-of-abstraction)
Writing custom RSpec matchers (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/acceptance-tests-at-a-single-level-of-abstraction)
Value objects shared examples (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/value-object-semantics-in-ruby)
'DRY is about knowledge' (https://verraes.net/2014/08/dry-is-about-knowledge/)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/) -
Are you passionate about open source but struggling to find time amidst your daily work? Today on the podcast, Joël Quenneville sits down with Steve Polito to discuss practical strategies for making meaningful contributions to the open-source community, even when your schedule is packed. Steve is a developer with extensive experience in the open-source world seamlessly. He’s known for his ability to integrate open-source contributions into his daily workflow, all while maintaining high productivity in his professional role. In our conversation, we explore balancing professional responsibilities with open-source contributions. Steve walks us through his process, from the importance of keeping notes to leveraging Rails issue templates. Discover strategies for contributing to open-source work during work hours, the benefits of utilizing existing processes, and why extending the success of your work to the larger developer community is essential. Join us to hear recommendations for handling pull requests with Ruby on Rails, tips for using reproduction scripts, why you should release reports early and often, and much more. Tune in and learn how to seamlessly integrate open-source contributions into your daily workflow with Steve Polito!
Key Points From This Episode:
Joël and Steve catch up and share what they are currently working on.
Transitioning synchronous processing in a web request to the background.
An update on Steve’s “building in public” approach and its reception at thoughtbot.
How Steve chooses to document and track his development process.
Find out how he uses templates to enhance and increase productivity.
Why open-source work does not need to be done during your free time.
Ways you can contribute to open-source projects during normal work hours.
The benefits of sharing troubleshooting solutions with the open-source community.
Pull request lessons from his time working with Ruby on Rails.
Reasons why issues have a lower barrier to entry with Ruby on Rails.
His unique approach of using issues, pull requests, and suspenders.
Identifying aspects of everyday work that are suitable for open-source projects.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Steve Polito (https://stevepolito.design/)
Steve Polito on X (https://x.com/stevepolitodsgn)
Episode 351: Learning in Public (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/351)
Rails issue templates (https://guides.rubyonrails.org/contributing_to_ruby_on_rails.html#create-an-executable-test-case)
Suspenders (https://github.com/thoughtbot/suspenders)
Mermaid (https://mermaid.js.org/)
Ruby on Rails (https://rubyonrails.org/)
WorkOS (https://workos.com/)
thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com)
Joel Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/) -
How can we optimize our time and environment to do our best work as developers? In today’s episode, we are joined by Stephanie Viccari, former co-host of The Bike Shed and Senior Developer at thoughtbot, to unpack the steps for creating work conditions that enhance productivity. In this conversation, we delve into her unique communication style and approach to optimizing productivity within a team. She explains why she decided to hang up her consulting hat and join the product team at Cisco Meraki, her new role there, and how her consulting skills benefit her new position. Tuning in, you’ll discover the key to empathetic communication, how to unblock yourself, tips to help you navigate different communication styles, and why you should advocate for your needs. Stephanie also shares strategies for effective communication and recommendations for managing ‘deep work’ when your time is limited. Gain valuable insights into how to uncover what makes your skillset unique, why it takes a team to manage complex software, benchmarking performance, keeping motivated during stressful times, and more. To learn how to create the conditions for your best work and unlock your full potential as a developer, don’t miss this episode with Stephanie Viccari!
Key Points From This Episode:
Catch up with Stephanie: what she’s been up to since leaving thoughtbot.
How she mastered optimizing workflows and enhancing productivity.
Similarities and differences between working as a consultant versus on a product team.
Ways Stephanie’s mindset shifted from individual thinking to team-oriented strategies.
Nuances of advocating for changes as a consultant versus within a product team.
What software developers need to achieve their best work.
The role of trust between managers and developers in effective problem-solving.
Tips and recommendations for identifying and delivering your best work.
Practical advice for doing your best work, even when you feel demotivated.
Why it's important not to steal from tomorrow's productivity.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Stephanie Viccari (https://sviccari.github.io/)
Stephanie Viccari on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sviccari/)
Stephanie Viccari on X (https://x.com/sviccari)
Stephanie Viccari on GitHub (https://github.com/sviccari)
Cisco Meraki (https://meraki.cisco.com/)
thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/)
Stephanie Viccari’s The Bike Shed’s Episodes (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/hosts/steph-viccari)
‘Generative AI is not going to build your engineering team for you’ (https://stackoverflow.blog/2024/06/10/generative-ai-is-not-going-to-build-your-engineering-team-for-you/)
Joel Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/) -
How easy is it for a layperson to understand your systems? Jared Norman is a software consultant, speaker, and host of the Dead Code Podcast who specializes in building e-commerce applications in Ruby on Rails. This episode follows two recent talks at RailsConf and covers a theme that emerged from both of them: coupling and cohesion. Tuning in, you’ll gain insights on how to create more cohesive components to allow for change and improve your understanding of value objects, systems, and more. You’ll also hear about navigating the complexity of domain-driven design and learn how to gauge if your code is easy to understand through a simple rule of thumb. We discuss what it might look like to improve the cohesion of individual objects, identify your systems’ seams to create simplicity, and the liminal space between inheritance and composition and the role of decorators in moving through it. Join us today to hear all this and more!
Key Points From This Episode:
Introducing Jared Norman recent speaker at RailsConf and Ruby on Rails specialist.
Jared’s interests outside of coding: cycling.
Themes that emerged from Jared and Stephanie’s talks: coupling and cohesion.
A rule of thumb for achieving high cohesion.
How value objects tie into the idea of cohesion.
Creating more cohesive components in order to have code and systems that are easier to change.
The relationships between objects in increasing cohesion and how complex nestings of objects can hinder this.
Rearranging systems in order to find seams and create cohesion.
Simplifying code in order to facilitate it working independently to support functionality.
Improving systems by identifying opportunities for decoupling and other relationships.
Inheritance, composition, and decorators and the liminal space between.
The complexity of domain-driven design.
A rule that indicates when a system is easy to understand.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jared Norman (https://jardo.dev/)
Jared Norman on X (https://x.com/jardonamron)
The Most Useful Design Pattern (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bQVH2IM0Ao)
Dead Code (https://shows.acast.com/dead-code)
So Writing Tests Feel Painful. What Now? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5MnS20adG4)
Dungeons & Dragons & Rails by Joël Quenneville (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7GdshXgQZE)
Building Reusable Object-Oriented Systems: Composition (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/reusable-oo-composition)
Debugging at the Boundaries (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/debugging-at-the-boundaries)
Working Effectively with Legacy Code (https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/working-effectively-with/0131177052/)
Growing Object-Oriented Software Guided by Tests (http://www.growing-object-oriented-software.com/)
What’s in a Name (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOQYxgLu5ys)
Joel Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/) -
It's Calls for Proposals (CFP) season, and in the process of helping our friends and colleagues flesh out their CFPs, we came up with a few questions to help them frame their proposals for success. After learning about the importance of finding your audience and angle of approach for your CFP, we dive into today's main topic – our Git and GitHub workflows. Joel and Stephanie walk us through their current workflows before exploring the differences between main branch and future branch commits. Then, we explore commits editing and why it's okay to make mistakes, commit messages versus GitHub pull requests (PR), what you need to know if you're new to Git, and what you need to understand about PR sizes and Git merge strategies. To end, Joel shares the commit messages that satisfy him the most, and we discover how to make one's life easier when reviewing PRs.
Key Points From This Episode:
Our CFP framework of questions to help you build a winning proposal.
Why it's important to understand who your audience is and who you're speaking to.
Ascertaining your angle of approach - how will you tell your story?
The ins and outs of Stephanie's current work life.
How discipline and particularly, self-discipline relate to our Git and GitHub workflows.
Understanding Joel and Stephanie's workflows - how they're similar and how they differ.
The differences between main branch and future branch commits.
Editing commits and editing commits history, and why it's okay to make mistakes.
Commit messages versus GitHub pull requests (PR).
Some advice and strategies for those who are new to Git.
Discussing Git merge strategies, PR sizes, and online changes.
Joel details the types of commit messages that he finds most satisfying.
How to make your life easier when reviewing PRs.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
RubyConf Rubric
'Working Iteratively’
Good Commit Messages
Shotgun Surgery
'Episode 401: Making the Right Thing Easy’
Joel Quenneville on X
Joel Quenneville on LinkedIn
Support The Bike Shed -
Have you ever wondered how improvisation can revolutionize coding? In today’s episode, Stephanie sits down with Kasper Timm Hansen to discuss his innovative “riffing” approach to code development. Kasper is a long-time Ruby developer and former member of the Rails core team. He focuses on Ruby and domain modeling, developing various Ruby gems, and providing consulting services in the developer space. He has become renowned for his approach of “riffing” to software development, particularly in the Ruby on Rails framework. In our conversation, we delve into his unique approach to coding, how it differs from traditional methods, and the benefits of improvisation to code development. Discover the “feeling” part of riffing, the steps to uncovering relationships between models, and why it is okay not to know how to do something. Explore how riffing enhances collaboration, improves communication with and between teams, identifies alternative code, why “clever code” does not make for good solutions, and much more! Tune in to learn how to take your coding skills to the next level and uncover the magic of riffing with Kasper Timm Hansen!
Key Points From This Episode:
Introduction to Kasper, his background in Ruby, and experience as a consultant.
An overview of his RailsConf 2024 presentation on domain modeling.
His motivation behind his presentation and the overall reception of the concept.
Unpack the concept of “riffing” with code as a developer.
Insights into his methodology and how it differs from traditional approaches.
Examples of “riffing" and how it benefits the development process.
How he determines the best code to implement during his process.
Kasper shares how he frames problems and builds solutions.
Ways riffing highlights gaps in skillsets early in the development process.
Hear about the various ways riffing fosters and improves collaboration.
Unpack how riffing can help developers communicate more effectively.
Balancing the demands of code review with the riffing approach.
Final takeaways for listeners and how to contact Kasper to begin riffing!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Kasper on Github (https://github.com/kaspth), Mastodon (https://ruby.social/@kaspth), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasper-timm-hansen-33b151314/), and X (https://twitter.com/kaspth)
Riffing on Rails RailsConf talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH-mNygyXs0) and slides (https://speakerdeck.com/kaspth/railsconf-2024-riffing-on-rails-sketch-your-way-to-better-designed-code)
Riffing on Spotify’s generated mixes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1MM2EOniPg) with Jeremy Smith
Modeling a Kanban board with riffing (https://buttondown.email/kaspth/archive/how-to-approach-modelling-a-kanban-board-in-rails/)
Some of Kasper's open source work:
* ActiveRecord Associated Object (https://github.com/kaspth/active_record-associated_object)
* ActiveJob Performs (https://github.com/kaspth/active_job-performs)
* Oaken (https://github.com/kaspth/oaken) -
The term ‘nil’ refers to the absence of value, but we often imbue it with much more meaning than just that. Today, hosts Joël and Stephanie discuss the various ways we tend to project extra semantics onto nil and the implications of this before unpacking potential alternatives and trade-offs.
Joël and Stephanie highlight some of the key ways programmers project additional meaning onto nil (and why), like when it’s used to create a guest session, and how this can lead to bugs, confusion, and poor user experiences. They discuss solutions to this problem, like introducing objects for improved readability, before taking a closer look at the implications of excessive guard clauses in code.
Our hosts also explore the three-state Boolean problem, illustrating the pitfalls of using nullable Booleans, and why you should use default values in your database. Joël then shares insights from the Elm community and how it encourages rigorous checks and structured data modeling to manage nil values effectively. They advocate for using nil only to represent truly optional data, cautioning against overloading nil with additional meanings that can compromise code clarity and reliability. Joël also shares a fun example of modeling a card deck, explaining why you might be tempted to add extra semantics onto nil, and why the joker always inevitably ends up causing chaos!
Key Points From This Episode
The project Joël is working on and why he’s concerned about bugs and readability.
Potential solutions for a confusing constant definition in a nested module.
A client work update from Stephanie: cleaning up code and removing dead dependencies.
How she used Figjam to discover dependencies and navigate her work.
Today’s topic: how programmers project extra semantics onto nil.
What makes nil really tricky to use, like forcing you to go down a default path.
How nil sweeps the cases you don’t want to think too hard about under the rug.
Extra semantics that accompany nil (that you might not know about) like a guest session.
Examples of how these semantics mean different things in different contexts.
How these can lead to bugs, hard-to-find knowledge, confusion, and poor user experiences.
Introducing objects to replace extra nil semantics, improve readability, and other solutions.
Some of the reasons why programmers tend to project extra semantics onto nil.
How to notice that nil has additional meanings, and when to model it differently.
The implications of excessive guard clauses in code.
An overview of the three-state Boolean problem with nullable Booleans.
Connecting with the Elm community: how it can help you conduct more rigorous checks.
Some of the good reasons to have nil as a value in your database.
The benefits of using nil only to represent truly optional data.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode
Figjam (https://www.figma.com/figjam/)
Miro (https://miro.com/)
'Working Iteratively' blog post (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/working-iteratively)
Mermaid.js (https://mermaid.js.org/)
Draw.io (https://draw.io/)
Check your return values (web) (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/check-return-values-web)
Check your return values (API) (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/check-return-values-api)
Primitive obsession (https://wiki.c2.com/?PrimitiveObsession)
'Avoid the Three-state Boolean Problem' (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/avoid-the-threestate-boolean-problem)
Elm Community (https://elm-lang.org/community)
'The Shape of Data': Modeling a deck of cards (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/modeling-with-union-types#the-shape-of-data)
The Bike Shed (https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/)
Joël Quenneville on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-quenneville-96b18b58/) - Laat meer zien
