Modern software development gives us an extraordinary range of possibilities. We can add animations, dashboards, artificial intelligence, real-time notifications, advanced filters, personalized recommendations, multiple configuration screens, and integrations with almost any service imaginable. The technical question is often straightforward: Can we build it? In many cases, the answer is yes. The more important question is: […]

Complex software can be impressive. It can include sophisticated architecture, extensive automation, numerous integrations, and layers of abstraction designed to address every imaginable requirement. None of those qualities necessarily make it good software. The more meaningful test is whether the software continues to work, remains understandable, and can adapt as the organization changes. Good engineering […]

Businesses rarely decide they need new software because they want more technology. They need invoices processed more reliably. They need information to stop disappearing between emails. They need staff to spend less time copying the same details into multiple documents. They need forms that are easier for customers to complete, records that are easier to […]

Software has a tendency to become more complicated over time. A client asks for one more option. A developer adds another setting. A plugin introduces a new integration. A workflow that once required three steps now requires seven because the system has been designed to handle every situation someone could imagine. Each addition may seem […]

Most developers have heard the saying: Good. Fast. Cheap. Pick any two. It has survived for decades because it’s true. Every software project has constraints. Budgets. Deadlines. Resources. Technology. Business priorities. No project has unlimited time or unlimited money, and no development team has unlimited capacity. Every project is a balancing act between what is […]

One of the biggest mistakes developers make is believing that adding a feature is free. It isn’t. Every feature has a cost. Sometimes that cost is obvious. Sometimes it isn’t. As developers, it’s our responsibility to understand both. Software Isn’t Free Every line of code you write costs something. It might consume more memory. It […]

One of the most important skills a software developer can develop isn’t writing code. It’s analysis. Before writing a single line of code, we should be asking questions. Software is constantly evolving. Today’s “final requirement” often becomes tomorrow’s change request. Planning Without Over-Engineering Years ago, I was working on a project when a product manager […]

In my previous article, Highland Principle #6: Code Is Read Far More Often Than It’s Written, I discussed an important truth of software development: you’re not writing code for the compiler, you’re writing it for the next developer. That “next developer” might be a teammate. It might be someone who joins the company years from […]

“Good software should never depend on the original developer being available to explain it.” Several years ago I accepted a contract to replace a developer who was leaving a company. The website was built on Drupal. At least… that’s what everyone thought. What I actually inherited wasn’t really Drupal at all. The login system had […]

“The best websites aren’t designed for the average user. They’re designed so everyone has the opportunity to become one.” When accessibility comes up in web development, the conversation usually starts in the same place. WCAG. ADA. AODA. Government regulations. Compliance audits. Legal requirements. Those things are important, and if you’re building websites professionally, understanding them […]