Taking the first byte
I created this space to share ideas and, hopefully, encourage others to explore software development “the old-fashioned way”: by learning and then doing on our own.
I will focus on ideas through the lens of Apple’s ecosystem, but the underlying concepts would generally be transferrable to other platforms and technologies. No large ecosystem exists in a vacuum. Ideas, especially the good ones, often cross the boundaries of individual companies and their platforms.
Throughout my career, I have always documented my projects. I recorded what I did and why - and it all came in handy, sooner or later. When I wanted to take new challenges, I used my documentation to ramp up my replacements, so my managers and teams found it easier to support me. When I needed to explain why I designed a software system the way I did, I used my documents to show my process and gain trust. And when I needed to know why I didn’t apply one pattern over another, I had my documents to tell me why… I still document everything I do, some 18 years later - though now it’s also a more prevalent part of my day job. It is, therefore, only natural for me to continue to write, as I walk the journey of Prudent Leap Software, in my free time.
I don’t claim to know how technology will evolve and where it’s headed, but I believe accurate, structured information will always matter. As tools evolve, understanding the concepts, models and patterns behind modern software architecture will still remain just as important, if not more so. Although Large Language Models may change how we find information and even how we build production, enterprise applications, context (pun intended) does and will still matter. In a system where the inputs are words, sentences and paragraphs, often framed as questions, knowing what words to use and what questions to ask still feels foundational. I am not so sure that AI will fully replace software developers, or even that developers who use AI would. But I am convinced well trained, knowledgeable developers will replace those who are not, with or without AI.
Some posts will be full excerpts from the books I am or had been working on. Others will represent ideas I found interesting enough to explore, but did not really fit in a book (yet). I am not looking to cover every new feature Apple releases for their frameworks, nor every new evolution initiative in the Swift community. There already many creators who do - and I try to follow all of them, as my time permits. But, it I feel I can add to the conversation in some way, I will.
As for you, my dear reader, I hope you’ll enjoy your time here - and that you will allow others to enjoy their time here, as well. Be decent. Be humble. If you can, teach others. If you know you’re right, defend your point of view, with arguments and examples. Don’t be disrespectful. Become better every day, bit by bit. And in doing so, improve those around you, so we can all grow, together.