David from Kodaps

What do you think, are there any more that are worth mentioning and focusing on?

TDA - Tell don't Ask (a.k.a Separation of Concerns) Business logic should be in one place. "Bits" of code should do one thing only. Keep things separate.

YAGNI - You Ain't Gonna Need it. User needs and software specifications are fluid. Don't optimise too early. Don't away abstract concepts on the off chance another similar use case might arise one day.

DRY - Don't repeat yourself Copy-pasting is a sure sign that things have gone wrong somewhere.

KISS - Keep it simple : You will not recognise your own code six months from now. Keep it simple, keep it readable. Keep it clear. Don't be clever. Your future self will thank you.

Here are 4 principles of good code to help your code shine.
- KISS
- DRY
- YAGNI
- TDA
Here's a breakdown of each and why they exist. A thread

I think it'll be a while before I come to any sort of solid conclusion.
(But if you have a clear answer to this question, I'd love to hear from you!)

To solve this question, I'm :
* building up a writing habit via the Ship30 course,
* repurposing the "atomic essay" kind of format to a short-form video.

3 - Short form has more reach since it requires less commitment from the viewer, and I'm not using it yet. Can I use it to test ideas, or is the format too different?

2 - I often don't know which video ideas will perform well (or not).

Packaging & the hook play a big role, too, but the subject matter is key.

But how much of a role does the subject matter (the core idea) play in short-form video? Or is it all hook & curiosity loops?

1 - Scripting & Editing a longer-length video is time-consuming.
(And I mean very time-consuming if you want to create an engaging video.) Although... some data points favour authentic vs edited

In Ship30for30, we learn to apply this to writing.

But I've been asking myself:

How can I apply the Lean Methodology to tech educational video content?

For three reasons:

I've been spending a lot of my time thinking about the Lean Methodology - how you test a low(er) effort version of an idea before pushing it into the wild.
But it has raised some questions. 🧵

So next step: I'm building an MDX import / export to be able to edit my content in Payload and use my existing (MD/MDX) content.

Payload allows you to create items containing a collection of blocks, each with its own type. For example a page with different section.

BUT surely that means my content is locked in to which ever database I'm using?

Payload has good internationalisation (i18n) support out of the box
But more importantly...

Payload is open-source and NextJS native. So no SaaS lock in.
It provides an administration UI for your content, but you define your content types in code (TypeScript).

Why I'm Trying Payload :
* It's NextJS native
* It supports i18n
* It supports heterogenous blocks in a collection within an item
Allow me to explain

I tried MDX

It is an interesting concept to augment Markdown.
It allows you to add React components to your Markdown content.

BUT if you want any substantial content, you're basically writing code in a text editor. I've not found a good way to write MDX content in Notion.

BUT Markdown is basically only good for rich text. It's great for blog posts, but not for anything more complex on page.

And I use Contentlayer to compile the content and convert the front matter to Typescript.

It allows me to access the front matter directly in my code.

For now I use Markdown

I don't want my content to be locked in to a provider, e.g. a SaaS.

Markdown is portable and can be tracked with git.

So for now I use @notion.com to store my content and export it to Markdown. This allows me to have a custom front matter database.

I've decided to switch my (non-static) NextJS projects to PayloadCMS. Because there are three things the solution does well. Here's why I'm making the switch.

Follow me for more insights on communication and leadership, and news from the frontlines of software development:
https://gradient-ascent.beehiiv.com/

Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReRcHdeUG9Y

Deep down, we're still cavemen.

We're hardwired to survive together. Our chemicals evolved to make us cooperative, not competitive.

True success comes from supporting each other, not just individual achievement.

And from our leaders eating last.

Oxytocin increases our ability to solve problems & our creativity.

And it is built by leaders taking the brunt of the danger and building a circle of trust.

Oxytocin is the feeling of love & trust & friendship.
It's the reason we like to spend time with our friends.
Oxytocin is an intense feeling of safety.
Oxytocin inhibits addiction, boosts your immune system and makes you healthier.

Leadership/serotonin comes at a cost.

We expect the person who's stronger & better fed to run towards the danger. To protect the tribe.

This is what it means to be a leader.
This is what builds trust.

Serotonin is the leadership chemical.

It's what the "alpha male" and "alpha female" of a pack have.

It defines the social structure of the tribe.

It drives self-confidence.

But what is it for?
The group is not giving all that away for free.