Kevin Avignon is a software engineer and writer embracing the focused generalist mindset, sharing thoughtful insights on engineering, developer productivity, performance, system design, and the human side of building software through in-depth articles and essays.
34 articles from this blog
A developer automates their Advent of Code setup using Elixir and AI tools to improve their development experience and solve challenges efficiently.
A software engineer reflects on the human challenges of tech work, including burnout, team attrition, and the pressure to refactor legacy systems.
A developer's story about using git-bisect to diagnose a performance regression and the importance of proactive performance testing in software development.
A blog series for engineers on practical software development, focusing on real-world tradeoffs, judgment, and avoiding burnout over perfection.
Explains how dev containers in VS Code can streamline developer onboarding by creating consistent, pre-configured development environments.
Introducing an open-source Elixir project template to streamline setup with dev containers, CI, and best practices for faster development.
A developer explains why switching from Git GUIs to command line with custom aliases improves productivity and workflow efficiency.
A hands-on guide that teaches distributed systems concepts by building a fantasy-themed text-based MUD game using Elixir, Phoenix, and LiveView.
A senior engineer shares notes and strategies for tackling system design interviews, focusing on clarifying requirements and core concepts.
A guide for software developers on improving soft skills like communication, influence, and pitching ideas effectively in a tech workplace.
A senior software engineer shares practical tips for succeeding in a new job, focusing on kindness, work attitude, and code quality.
A developer automates the F# Software Foundation's mentorship pairing process, detailing the creation of a schedule planner to reduce manual work.
First part of a guide on improving software design skills using .NET and C#, focusing on design principles over data structures.
Introduces a new open-source Roslyn analyzer library for .NET that helps developers identify performance issues with System.Collections and LINQ usage.
A developer explains the motivation and technical challenges behind building a text-adventure game as a full-stack learning project.
A software developer shares the start of a passion project to build a text-adventure game as a web app using F# and React/TypeScript.
Explores using resilient randomized tests to improve software system robustness and prevent regressions during maintenance and change.
A software developer reflects on the need for continuous learning and shares a personal 'brag document' strategy to track accomplishments in the tech field.
A developer shares their experience leading a new web project using F# and recommends key books for software development and team management.
Explores handling missing data in .NET, comparing C# 8.0's Nullable Reference Types with F#'s safer Option type for robust code.
