I've learned that managing technical debt in an agile company is a delicate balancing act. It involves making conscious decisions about when to accrue debt and when to pay it down, always with an eye on the long-term health of the codebase. It's about understanding that technical debt is not inherently bad, but rather a tool that can be used to achieve business objectives faster. However, it's also about recognizing that unchecked technical debt can lead to a complex, hard-to-maintain codebas...| Vadim Kravcenko
During the last 6 weeks, I’ve been building my side project during the evenings and on the weekends and I finally reached $1K MRR a week ago. My first| Vadim Kravcenko
... I built another tool. Sorry dear readers, no essay this time. As a CTO you rarely have time to build something with your own hands, though you're| Vadim Kravcenko
Let’s talk about something nobody in the startup Slack channels wants to admit out loud: Sometimes, the CTO is just... there. They’re taking up space,| Vadim Kravcenko
Thanks for reaching out. It's great to hear from you, and I'm thrilled that you’re considering a path towards becoming a CTO. Having spent a good part of| Vadim Kravcenko
I've been reflecting on our engineers’ diverse impact on our projects and the true meaning behind labels like "10x engineer". Over the years, many| Vadim Kravcenko
I want to talk about something we don't discuss enough in our field: the mental health of software engineers, especially those of us who've taken on the| Vadim Kravcenko
These are mostly my thoughts about what I was expecting as a junior and how I perceived senior developers. To be honest, I was romanticizing them quite a| Vadim Kravcenko
Dear JK, Congratulations on reaching this pivotal moment with your MVP. It's an exciting time, but I understand it's also filled with questions and| Vadim Kravcenko
I worked with a client in the early days of my career building social media sentiment analysis platform when Twitter was still called Twitter. We were a| Vadim Kravcenko
In my opinion, security is one of the most forgotten aspects of software engineering. It rarely gets focused on until it’s too late. Even though at least| Vadim Kravcenko
I’m sure you’ve worked at companies where you felt that they were moving slowly and it was not even worth putting your best in, and I’m also sure you’ve| Vadim Kravcenko
On August 1, 2012, Knight Capital Group suffered a severe trading loss due to a software error. A technician's failure to update one of the eight servers| Vadim Kravcenko
The role of a software developer often gets distilled down to a singular activity: coding. While coding is undeniably the heartbeat of the profession,| Vadim Kravcenko
Engineers at all levels are encouraged to embrace curiosity, showcasing that asking questions, can pave the way for innovation and deeper understanding. Remember, the right question at the right time can be the catalyst for groundbreaking advancements in technology.| Vadim Kravcenko
Aging your code isn't about resisting progress; it's about ensuring that when progress happens, it's built on a rock-solid foundation.| Vadim Kravcenko
Effectively managing difficult employees in a software engineering context hinges on three core principles: fostering trust by empowering autonomy, promoting growth through challenges and constructive feedback, and ensuring a comfortable work environment with streamlined processes and minimal disruptions.| Vadim Kravcenko
So what does the daily life of a CTO look like? What tasks are we doing? From hands-on technical work in small startups to strategic decision-making in large companies.| Vadim Kravcenko
A good mentor is not just a teacher, but a guide who helps you navigate your career path. They provide valuable feedback, challenge you to grow, and inspire you to achieve your goals. They're a role model who lead by example, demonstrating the importance of continuous learning. The best mentors are those who genuinely care about your success.| Vadim Kravcenko
Project estimates are a crucial part of project management, helping to predict the time and resources needed for successful completion. Accurate estimates can be achieved through experience, understanding the project's complexity, and using the right estimation techniques. Overestimation can lead to wasted resources, while underestimation can result in missed deadlines and increased costs. Estimates should be regularly reviewed and adjusted as the project progresses, to account for unforeseen...| Vadim Kravcenko
I delve into the distinct roles of Product Owners and Project Managers in a company's structure. As a Product Owner, you're the visionary, crafting the roadmap and prioritizing tasks to bring the product to life. You're the miniature CEO, making the product cool for users and profitable in the end. As a Project Manager, you're the bridge between vision and execution, translating ideas into actionable tasks with feasible deadlines. You manage the project budget, oversee the quality of work, an...| Vadim Kravcenko
It's a term coined to describe work that is meaningless or unnecessary. These jobs have become prevalent in the modern work environment, particularly in the corporate world and the software industry. Such jobs thrive in rigid corporate cultures, 'zombie projects' that continue without adding value, and the pursuit of the 'next big thing' in technology. I also touch upon the negative impact of these jobs on employee motivation and productivity. While I don't propose a solution to eliminate the...| Vadim Kravcenko
As a seasoned software engineer, I've discovered that there's so much more to the field than what's taught in school. From the importance of understanding business needs and the value of soft skills, to the necessity of continuous learning and the reality of dealing with legacy code, my journey has been filled with lessons that textbooks don't cover. I've learned that software engineering isn't just about writing code; it's about solving problems and making a difference. It's about teamwork, ...| Vadim Kravcenko
Most startup founders are great at creating something, but to exit a business, you need to focus on the right numbers, the right people, and the right time. I have seen the entire drama unfolding from close quarters and what stands out for me each time is the number of things that can go wrong.| Vadim Kravcenko
Real change doesn't come from making a single big decision. It's the result of hundreds or even thousands of small choices that add up over time.| Vadim Kravcenko
Complete guide on how to launch your product on Product Hunt. Product launches give you the first taste of real users.| Vadim Kravcenko
This article is part of the series called Founders Guide which I’m writing currently to help early-stage founders tackle the problems they face during the| Vadim Kravcenko
Over the past decade, I’ve seen founders fall short not because they don’t have a great business idea, but due to shortcomings in business basics.| Vadim Kravcenko
An MVP is not a flagship product, it's no superstar. In fact, it's the bare bones, the least feature-packed version of what a fully developed product could look like. It's not going to go out in the world and make everyone take notice, but it's going to help you get a foot inside the door.| Vadim Kravcenko