
Latest
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Vibe coding brought back my love for programming
When so much of the media is steeped in anti-vibe coding rhetoric, it can be easy to forget the joy found in programming this way.
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“Vibe hacking” signals seismic shift for engineering leaders
Blackhat hackers have an addition to their armoury. Here’s how engineering leaders can safeguard their systems and stay on high alert.
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Where staff+ engineers can move the needle
As you become more senior in your role, the pressure to expand your impact grows. Here are some ways to get the ball rolling.
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AI coding trackers are here. Proceed with caution
Companies are finally starting to track AI usage within their engineering orgs. Should we be worried or remain cautiously optimistic?
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4 ways to manage the lows of leadership
Any well-seasoned leader will know that it’s not always an easy journey. The key is to tackle the low moments with the right approach.
Editor’s picks
What is a staff engineer? Technical leaders who aren’t managers
Staff engineers are technical leaders who have deep domain knowledge, walking the line between tech and the business.
Essential reading
Who are staff, principal, and distinguished engineers?
Understand the differences between staff, principal, and distinguished engineers. Job description and salaries included.
On our StaffPlus playlist

How to master the four Staff archetypes and elevate your impact
While the specifics of the job can vary widely, Will Larson has famously categorized the Staff+ experience into four archetypes: Tech Lead, Architect, Solver, and the Right Hand.

Understanding the role as a Staff engineer
How to define, develop and deliver in your role on the technical track.

How to balance technical direction and leadership work
But as is often the case in business, priorities constantly shift and where you focus your efforts will too. So how do you strike the right balance between working on the technical direction of the business and those tasks that require you to put your leadership hat on?

Start with an exit in mind: How to be effective by being selfish as a staff engineer
Staff engineers often get overwhelmed by long-term ownership of critical projects. This talk explores how to avoid burnout by starting every project with an exit strategy—whether transferring ownership, pausing or bootstrapping a team.
More for Staff engineers
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5 AI agent frameworks for developer teams
If you’re thinking of dipping your toes into the agentic pool, here are some frameworks you could explore.
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Your go-to professional growth model
When you’re an engineering leader, finding the time to upskill is almost impossible. Following the S-curve model might keep you on track.
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The unions are (finally) coming for big tech
After decades of taking a back seat, the rise of AI, layoffs, and industry-wide burnout has led to a call for more prominent tech unions.
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Tech CEOs reckon with the impact of AI on junior developers
CEOs are concerned that the rise of AI tools like Copilot and GPT is causing junior developers to lose touch with core coding skills.
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The secret behind Java’s success at 30-years-old
The three ingredients behind the programming language’s extraordinary staying power.
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AI-first hiring is everywhere and it’s not slowing down
Engineers might start being penalized for not using AI in technical interviews.
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Why untested AI-generated code is a crisis waiting to happen
Here’s why the sector should embrace the principle of more haste, less speed.
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MCP and the future of AI tools
What is the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and how does it simplify data access, enhance AI reliability, and accelerate development?
Videos for Staff engineers
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The million dollar bug: Quality leadership lessons from costly failures
CrowdStrike lost $5.4B, Sonos stumbled into a $500M crisis – and they’re not alone. Learn battle-tested leadership strategies to protect your organization from quality catastrophes that can shake your business to its core.
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Optimization of mobile development strategy for maximum business impact
Learn how to optimize mobile strategy—tech choices, team structure, and processes—for faster delivery, scalability, and measurable business results
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Tracking repository health at scale
Discover how data-driven repository health tracking improves visibility, drives behavior change, and aligns engineering efforts with long-term business goals.
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How Monzo tolerates full cloud outages
Learn how Monzo built a fully independent backup bank to ensure 24/7 reliability—even during full cloud outages
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Becoming AI engineers
Discover how to build reliable, high-impact AI features—tools, patterns, and team practices that make AI integration truly transformative
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Monolith-ifying perfectly good microservices
Learn why consolidating microservices into a Rails monolith boosted performance, reduced complexity, and helped Intercom scale more efficiently
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How to make the perfect decision
Master decision-making in software architecture with frameworks that drive alignment, reduce risk, and deliver meaningful, context-aware outcomes
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In partnership with Vercel
How to maintain a codebase – when everyone can code
Learn how to maintain platform performance with machine-first observability, enabling AI agents to monitor and repair production systems.
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Navigating LLM Deployment: Tips, tricks, and techniques
Unlock best practices for deploying self-hosted LLMs—optimize performance, ensure reliability, and tackle real-world challenges in critical industries
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Organizational evolution: From products to user needs
A practical guide to evolving an engineering organization from functional to product-based to user-centric – rooted in real experiences at Flo Health.
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One does not simply… rebuild a product
Get hard-won insights from Culture Amp’s bold rebuild—reviving legacy systems while elevating engineering standards and enabling future growth
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Everything you always wanted to know about game engines
Learn how to leverage game engines like Unity and Unreal to accelerate innovation in AI, robotics, simulation, and beyond