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My name is Max. I’m a software engineer and a writer. I love building things and sharing my knowledge with others.
Canary Releases: How to Deploy Code Without Blowing Up Your Production

Canary Releases: How to Deploy Code Without Blowing Up Your Production

Let’s face it - deploying code to production often feels like defusing a bomb while blindfolded. Enter canary releases, the DevOps equivalent of sending a tiny yellow bird into the coal mine before risking human lives. In this guide, we’ll turn you into a deployment ninja who can ship features with the confidence of a barista serving decaf to programmers (they’ll never notice). Why Your Deployment Needs Feathers Canary releases work like biological early warning systems - you deploy new code to a small subset of users/servers first, just like miners used canaries to detect toxic gas....

May 16, 2025 · 1 min · 118 words · Maxim Zhirnov
Taming the Storm: Mastering Controlled Chaos in Modern Software Development

Taming the Storm: Mastering Controlled Chaos in Modern Software Development

Picture this: You’re juggling chainsaws while riding a unicycle through a minefield. Your product manager wants new features yesterday, your CI pipeline looks like abstract art, and that one legacy service keeps resurrecting like a zombie in a B-movie. Welcome to software development - the only industry where controlled chaos isn’t an oxymoron, but a survival skill. The Chaos Mindset (Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Glitches) Great software isn’t built - it’s grown through a series of controlled explosions....

May 16, 2025 · 3 min · 561 words · Maxim Zhirnov
The Importance of Idiomatic Code: Writing Python Like a Pythonista (or JavaScript Like a JS Pro)

The Importance of Idiomatic Code: Writing Python Like a Pythonista (or JavaScript Like a JS Pro)

Ah, idiomatic code - the difference between writing software and crafting digital poetry. Imagine ordering “a liquid essence of roasted Coffea arabica beans served in cylindrical thermally insulated container” when you could just say “coffee to go.” Let’s explore why writing code that smells like its programming language matters more than you think. Why Idiomatic Code Matters (Beyond Just Showing Off) Idiomatic code is like a well-tailored suit: Maintainable (future-you will send thank-you notes) Performant (sneaks in optimizations you didn’t know existed) Communal (speaks the team’s secret handshake language) Consider this Python face-off: Cringe-worthy def process_data(input_data): output = [] for i in range(len(input_data)): if i % 2 == 0: output....

May 15, 2025 · 3 min · 556 words · Maxim Zhirnov
The Myth of 'The Perfect User Experience': Why Trade-offs Matter

The Myth of 'The Perfect User Experience': Why Trade-offs Matter

Picture this: you’re trying to build a login system that’s as secure as Fort Knox, faster than a caffeine-fueled cheetah, and so intuitive your grandma could use it blindfolded. Spoiler alert - you’re about to become the Icarus of interaction design. Let’s debug this myth of perfection and embrace the beautiful art of strategic compromise. Why Perfect UX is a Unicorn (And You’re Not a Unicorn Wrangler) Every feature we add creates ripples:...

May 15, 2025 · 3 min · 469 words · Maxim Zhirnov
Webpack Wizardry: Squeezing Every Byte From Your JavaScript Like a Pro

Webpack Wizardry: Squeezing Every Byte From Your JavaScript Like a Pro

Ah, Webpack - the digital equivalent of a burrito wrapper that somehow contains your entire fridge. We’ve all been there: you start with a simple index.js, and before you know it, you’re shipping a 5MB bundle to display “Hello World.” Let’s roll up our sleeves and transform your bloated bundle into a lean, mean, JavaScript machine. The Art of Bundle Feng Shui Tree Shaking: Not Just for Bonsai Anymore Modern Webpack (v5+) comes with built-in tree shaking, but it’s about as subtle as a chainsaw in a library....

May 14, 2025 · 3 min · 559 words · Maxim Zhirnov