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.
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