Building a Blog with MDX and React Router v7
Setting up MDX-powered blog articles in React Router v7: benefits, trade-offs, and implementation details.Christof ZirklerDecember 29, 2024
Engineering Blog
Insights from the heart of CI Pipeline.Idempotent APIs
The importance of idempotency keys and idempotent APIs in building robust and reliable distributed systems.Christof ZirklerMay 18, 2024
The Misleading Nature of Averages
The reality is that the average rental price, often cited in discussions about Berlin's housing market, is practically a mythological figure.Christof ZirklerApril 6, 2024
When Technological Advancement Feels Intimidating
It's understandable to feel overwhelmed by the rapid pace of technological advancements. As technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented rate, it's common for people to experience a range of emotions, including excitement, fear, and anxiety. The feelings of fear of missing out (FOMO) and anxiety you're experiencing are valid and more common than you might think. Here are a few thoughts on how to manage these feelings.Christof ZirklerFebruary 24, 2024
Adjust MacOS Menu Bar App Icon Spacing
NSStatusItemSelectionPadding & NSStatusItemSpacing let's us adjust the spacing of MacOS menu bar app icons.Christof ZirklerFebruary 12, 2024
The Evolution of Engineering Leadership: The Shift from Managerial to Hands-on Roles
In recent years, the technology sector has witnessed a significant transformation in the role of Engineering Leaders. Traditionally, individuals in these positions aspired to climb the managerial ladder, focusing more on leadership and less on direct engagement with the codebase.Christof ZirklerJanuary 30, 2024
HTTP Redirects: 301 vs 302
301 and 302 redirects are widely used but often misunderstood or incorrectly implemented. This blog post aims to delve into the technical aspects of these redirects, highlighting their differences, use cases, and implications on server-side tracking and browser caching.Christof ZirklerJanuary 22, 2024
OLTP vs OLAP: Use Cases and Technologies
In this article, we will delve into the realms of OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) and OLAP (Online Analytical Processing), and explore the role of PostgreSQL and other DBMS in these contextsChristof ZirklerJanuary 16, 2024
Postgres Architectures for High Availability
An overview of Postgres architectures for high availability database setups.Christof ZirklerJanuary 5, 2024
Macro Factors Influencing Software Engineering Salaries
An in-depth exploration of organizational dynamics and their impact on software engineering compensationChristof ZirklerJanuary 4, 2024
Postgres with Docker in 30s
A docker-compose.yml file allowing to spin up a Postgres database quickly.Christof ZirklerDecember 5, 2023
Emulator vs Simulator: Understanding the Difference
Emulators offer a high-fidelity replication of both hardware and software, while simulators provide a high-level abstraction of the software environment.Christof ZirklerNovember 24, 2023
Disabling the GUI on Ubuntu
This guide provides steps to disable the graphical user interface on an Ubuntu system, particularly useful when the system is primarily accessed via SSH.Christof ZirklerNovember 21, 2023
How to Conduct Developer Experience Surveys
Conducting developer experience surveys is a valuable practice for startups and scaleups. It helps you understand your team's needs, make informed improvements, and create a more productive and enjoyable development environment.Christof ZirklerOctober 17, 2023
Full-Height Flexbox Layouts with TailwindCSS
Flexbox is a versatile CSS layout module that empowers developers to effortlessly create flexible and responsive web layouts. However, it's natural to occasionally forget its semantics. To address this, I've compiled a couple of examples in this blog for future referenceChristof ZirklerJuly 17, 2023
Why Engineering Teams Need Easy Time
In the pursuit of excellence, engineering teams must find a balance between challenging tasks and "easy" time. Similar to training for a marathon, where most training occurs in the "easy" zone, engineering teams thrive when they prioritize foundational work, skill development, innovation, and collaboration.Christof ZirklerJuly 1, 2023
The Consistent Hashing Algorithm: Balancing Load Efficiently in Distributed Systems
We discuss the challenges of load distribution and the need for rebalancing as client numbers and server loads fluctuate. Discover how Consistent Hashing minimizes re-allocations, ensuring a balanced load across servers while reducing disruptions.Christof ZirklerMay 26, 2023
SQL vs. NoSQL: Choosing the Right Database for Your Application
In this article, we'll delve into the key differences between SQL and NoSQL databases and explore when it's appropriate to use each one.Christof ZirklerApril 10, 2023
Why Prime Numbers Are Important for Encryption
Prime numbers are fascinating mathematical entities that play a vital role in various fields, including cryptography and computer science.Christof ZirklerMarch 19, 2023
Technical Debt Management Strategies
Technical debt is a common challenge in software development that, if left unaddressed, can hinder productivity and long-term success.Christof ZirklerFebruary 25, 2023
Understanding Peer Dependencies in React and Node.js
Beginner programmers often encounter a concept called "peer dependencies" that can be perplexing and cause unexpected issues. In this article, we will unravel the mystery of peer dependencies, explaining their purpose, common pitfalls, and best practices.Christof ZirklerDecember 5, 2022
Growing Software Engineers into Leaders
In the dynamic and fast-paced world of software engineering, the demand for effective leaders continues to rise. However, true leadership is not something that can be acquired overnight.Christof ZirklerSeptember 5, 2022