The Engineering Notebook — page 21 of 32
Notes on building with AI, agents & the modern stack.
Deep dives on AI/ML, RAG systems, agent engineering, and senior-engineer architecture decisions — a new post every week.
Technology Vibe Coding Tech Debt Audit: Refactor AI Code [2026]
AI-generated code ships fast but rots your codebase slowly. Here's a concrete audit checklist and refactoring playbook to catch vibe coding debt before it compounds into a crisis.
Technology pgBackRest vs Barman vs WAL-G Compared [2026]
pgBackRest nearly died in April 2026 when its sole sponsor pulled out. Here's what happened, who rescued it, and how it compares to Barman and WAL-G for production PostgreSQL backups.
Technology Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Developer Review: Toolchain Caught Up [2026]
A developer-first audit of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Noble Numbat — toolchain versions, kernel 6.8, container stack, AI/ML compatibility, and the 2026 upgrade decision with 26.04 now available.
Technology HaleHound CYD Review: $15 Pwnagotchi Alternative Tested [2026]
HaleHound CYD packs 40+ attack modules across WiFi, Bluetooth, SubGHz, and NFC onto a $7–$15 ESP32 touchscreen board — here's an honest breakdown of what it does, how it compares to Pwnagotchi, and whether it's worth building in 2026.
Technology Linux Mint vs Ubuntu for Developers [2026 Compared]
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS just shipped, Mint 23 lands in December — the old 'Mint is for beginners' advice is dead. Here's the developer-first verdict for 2026.
Frontend and Mobile TanStack Start vs Next.js: The Server Components Showdown That Actually Matters [2026]
TanStack Start and Next.js both support React Server Components, but their philosophies couldn't be more different. Here's which one to pick for your next project.
AI and Machine Learning Photonic NPU Chips: The Light-Based Tech That Could Make NVIDIA GPUs Obsolete [2026]
Germany just funded a photonic AI chip that uses light instead of electrons. It could be 10x more efficient than NVIDIA GPUs. Here's what engineers need to know.
AI and Machine Learning Run Gemma 3 Locally on Windows: The VRAM Guide Nobody Gave You [2026]
I break down exactly how much VRAM you need for every Gemma 3 model size, the Ollama setup on Windows with NVIDIA GPUs, and the performance tweaks that actually matter.
Cybersecurity Reset Windows Admin Password with Linux USB: The Developer's Guide to Offline Recovery [2026]
Locked out of your Windows machine? A bootable Linux USB and the chntpw utility can reset any local admin password in minutes. Here's exactly how it works, why it works, and how to defend against it.
AI and Machine Learning I Bought 5 AI Gadgets from Amazon and Tested Them for Two Weeks — Here's What's Actually Worth Your Money [2026]
I spent ~$1,400 on five AI-powered gadgets from Amazon — a voice recorder, a bird feeder, a translator, smart glasses, and a projector. Two were genuinely useful. The rest taught me something important about where AI hardware is heading.
Technology AI-Generated Code Quality Is Collapsing: The Silent Crisis Nobody Wants to Talk About [2026]
AI coding tools produce code that looks clean but silently destroys your architecture. I've watched teams celebrate velocity while building a mountain of debt they'll spend years unwinding.
Technology Tech Job Market in 2026: The Great Bifurcation Is Here and Most Engineers Aren't Ready
The tech job market isn't crashing — it's splitting in two. One side pays $500K+, the other is stagnating. Here's how to end up on the right side of the divide.