Why Code Reviews are Often a Waste of Time (And What to Do Instead)

Why Code Reviews are Often a Waste of Time (And What to Do Instead)

Let me start with a controversial statement that’ll probably ruffle some feathers: code reviews, as practiced by most teams, are a colossal waste of time. Before you sharpen your pitchforks and light your torches, hear me out. I’ve been on both sides of this fence – as a reviewer drowning in diffs and as a developer waiting for approval while my brilliant code grows stale. The uncomfortable truth is that we’ve turned code reviews into a cargo cult practice....

September 22, 2025 · 9 min · 1778 words · Maxim Zhirnov
Implementing GitOps with ArgoCD in Kubernetes Clusters: Your Git Repository as the Single Source of Truth

Implementing GitOps with ArgoCD in Kubernetes Clusters: Your Git Repository as the Single Source of Truth

Picture this: you’re managing a Kubernetes cluster, and every deployment feels like playing Russian roulette with YAML files. One misplaced indent, and suddenly your production environment is having an existential crisis. Sound familiar? Well, grab your favorite caffeinated beverage because we’re about to dive into the world of GitOps with ArgoCD – where your Git repository becomes the ultimate puppet master of your Kubernetes destiny. What Exactly is GitOps, and Why Should You Care?...

September 21, 2025 · 10 min · 2017 words · Maxim Zhirnov
Why Your Code Style Guide is Probably Too Strict

Why Your Code Style Guide is Probably Too Strict

Your code style guide might be the reason your team dreads Monday morning code reviews. If every pull request turns into a battlefield over semicolons and indentation, you’ve probably crossed the line from helpful guidance into micromanagement territory. Don’t get me wrong – style guides are essential. They’re the difference between a codebase that feels like a well-orchestrated symphony and one that sounds like a middle school band tuning their instruments....

September 21, 2025 · 8 min · 1667 words · Maxim Zhirnov
.NET Core Performance Optimization: Profiling and Memory Optimization

.NET Core Performance Optimization: Profiling and Memory Optimization

Picture this: your .NET Core application is running slower than a sloth on a lazy Sunday, your users are abandoning ship faster than rats from the Titanic, and your server is consuming memory like a black hole consumes light. Sound familiar? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there! Today, we’re going to transform your sluggish application into a lean, mean, performance machine. Performance optimization isn’t just about making things faster—it’s about making your application sustainable, scalable, and user-friendly....

September 20, 2025 · 11 min · 2221 words · Maxim Zhirnov
The Benefits of Writing Code That Only You Understand

The Benefits of Writing Code That Only You Understand

Let me start with a confession that might ruffle some feathers: I actually enjoy writing code that looks like it was written by a caffeinated alien having a bad day. Before you grab your pitchforks and start chanting “clean code mantras,” hear me out. There’s a time and place for beautiful, self-documenting code that reads like poetry. But there’s also a time when you want your code to be as readable as ancient hieroglyphs to anyone who isn’t you....

September 20, 2025 · 10 min · 1919 words · Maxim Zhirnov