Embedded software engineer and robotics hobbyist. Spent years building firmware for industrial systems before switching to maker education; now writes about the gap between pure software and the physical world.
Artificial Intelligence
Software Development
Plan Mode vs Letting the Agent Edit Immediately
Derek Chen
September 30, 2026
Software Architecture
Software Development
Why assembly still matters in 2026 — and the jobs where I’d actually write it
Derek Chen
September 18, 2026
Software Engineering & Development
The Case Against Over-Engineering Your Side Project From the Start
Derek Chen
July 7, 2026
Software Engineering & Development
Why Software Estimation Is So Hard and What Makes It Less Wrong
Derek Chen
July 7, 2026
Software Engineering & Development
Web Development & Design
The Difference Between Learning a Framework and Understanding the Underlying Platform
Derek Chen
July 7, 2026
Software Engineering & Development
What Makes a Good Code Review—And What Most Teams Get Wrong
Derek Chen
July 7, 2026
Software Engineering & Development
Why API Versioning Is Harder Than It Looks in Practice
Derek Chen
July 7, 2026
Software Engineering & Development
How Monorepos Work and When They're Worth the Complexity
Derek Chen
July 7, 2026
Software Engineering & Development
Web Development & Design
Why TypeScript Adoption Keeps Growing Even as JavaScript Improves
Derek Chen
July 7, 2026
Artificial Intelligence
Science & Engineering
Why AI in Robotics Is Moving Faster Than Self-Driving Cars
Derek Chen
March 7, 2026
DIY & Maker Culture
Software Development
Why Every Developer Should Try Building a Simple Robot
Derek Chen
March 7, 2026