Coding practices at MAANG companies versus startups

Coding practices at MAANG companies versus startups

Author: Michaela Greiler December 20, 2022 Duration: 53:28
Michael Lynch shares what he learned by writing code at Microsoft and Google, and how that differs from the software practices that he embraces in his own software company. We also talk about: - what is the root cause when code reviews are evil - how to establish a great code review practice - software engineering practices at Google and Microsoft, - how to balance code quality, time to market, and paying back technical debt - writing software as a bootstrapped business - his lessons learned building tiny pilot, including scaling customer support, software testing.

Ever wondered what really happens inside the engineering teams at the world's most interesting tech companies? Software Engineering Unlocked pulls back the curtain on the craft, culture, and careers that define modern software development. Host Michaela Greiler sits down with a diverse range of engineering leaders, from seasoned architects at household names to innovative founders shaping new tools, for conversations that go far beyond code. They dig into the nuanced realities of building systems at scale-the collaborative decisions, the trade-offs, and the occasional missteps that every team faces. You’ll hear specific stories about technical challenges, but also about fostering effective teams, navigating career growth, and the human side of creating products that users genuinely connect with. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a grounded look at the strategies and mindsets that lead to better engineering outcomes. If you're a developer, manager, or simply curious about how great software gets made, this podcast offers a rare, candid glimpse into the practices that matter. Each episode feels like a direct, personal conversation, providing actionable insights you can apply to your own work and professional journey. Tune in for thoughtful discussions that are as much about the art of engineering as they are about the science.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 78

Software Engineering Unlocked
Podcast Episodes
Running a developer community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:26
In this episode, I talk to Bekah Weigel, who runs the virtual coffee community about community building. Bekah graduated from a Bootcamp in 2019 and quickly created a striving and very special developer community in just…
Entrepreneurship as a developer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:07
Daniel Vassallo left his cushy job at Amazon, where he made over half a million per year, to start his own business. We talk about: - anxiety when start-up attempts do not work out as planned - how he overcame failure -…
Make money with open source software [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:25
Alvaro Trigo is a web developer who could quit his full-time job due to his popular open-source software FullPage.js. We talk about: - how to use open source to make a living - how long it took him to build software peop…
Are happy developers more productive? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:58
Let’s look at some research studies together to see whether “happy developers are more productive”. I will let you know my take on it, and how it relates to the study I did on developer experience. We talk about: - wheth…
How to write tests that find bugs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:26
Dr. Mauricio Aniche explains how developers can write tests that find bugs. Writing effective test cases that bring confidence is not that easy. Many developers are familiar with testing frameworks and regularly write au…
Building a strong engineering culture through engineering values [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:04
Learn how crystal clear engineering values can help you and your team to build a strong engineering culture. We deep dive into why well-defined, explicit engineering values are a competitive advantage for your engineer t…
Measure developer productivity using the SPACE framework [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:30
Dr. Storey explains how to best use the SPACE framework to measure the productivity of software engineering teams. Dr. Storey is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Victoria and a distinguished expert in…
Do not measure developer productivity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:31
In this special episode (50th) I’ll tell you a bit about the research on developer experience and developer productivity that kept me so busy this year. You will learn about: - some history of productivity-focused thinki…
Content creation as a career path for developers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:20
In this episode, I talk to Florin Pop. Florin is a web developer that started building websites in 2013 and worked many years as a successful freelancer. I know Florin from his super-popular YouTube channel and his funny…
Driving innovation and engineering practices with Dr. Holly Cummins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:19
In this episode, I talk to Dr. Holly Cummins. Holly was the development practice lead for IBM Garage for Cloud, before becoming an innovation leader in IBM’s corporate strategy team. She drives innovation for companies i…