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Illustration of two remote code editors connected by network lines on a purple background

Pair Programming in the Time of Covid

Pair programming is a way to develop software. It used to involve two software developers sitting down at one workstation and writing code together.
Blog
Laptop keyboard with JavaScript code projected on the screen in a dark setting

Beyond a JPEG: NFT as a Primary Key

We most often see NFTs used to record ownership of artwork, but the technology has far broader potential. This post explores how NFTs can function as primary keys for ownership across industries — from real estate and music to in-game items.
Blog
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Testing Interactions with Other Smart Contracts

Two approaches to testing smart contract interactions with external protocols on the blockchain: forking mainnet and mocking contract interfaces.
Blog
Aerial panoramic view of the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan at dusk

How Focused Labs Builds Inclusive Teams

At Focused Labs, inclusion starts with the people. We interview for empathy, embrace diverse perspectives, and create environments where everyone feels they belong — because collaboration works best when every voice is heard.
Blog
Newborn baby with dark hair lying on a blanket looking at the camera

How Coming Off Maternity Leave Has Given Me a "Newborn" Appreciation for Pairing

Late-night feedings and diaper changes, the 3-4 month sleep regression, teething, and a growth spurt all mean I'm getting less sleep.
Blog
Close-up of a smartphone lying on a dark surface with soft bokeh lighting

What Can a Hackathon Do For Your Technical Organization?

Passionate people focused on the craft of delivering business outcomes while getting you to the cloud.
Blog
Aerial view of Chicago skyline with skyscrapers and the Chicago River at sunset

[Video] How Queer Eye Helped Me Be a Better Consultant

Passionate people focused on the craft of delivering business outcomes while getting you to the cloud.
Blog
Close-up of JavaScript source code on a dark screen showing a highlight function

Spring Boot Validation in Kotlin with @field

When validating fields in a Spring Boot controller written in Kotlin, the key is using @field annotations in data classes. Without it, Kotlin applies validation to constructor parameters by default.
Blog

Pro Tip: cd for macOS Finder

Need to jump to a specific directory in macOS Finder? Use the keyboard shortcut ⌘+⇧+G to open Go To Folder and type your path directly.
Blog
Two developers reviewing code together on a monitor with lines of code reflected in their glasses

Debugging Spring Security

Spring Security is notoriously hard to debug and test. One simple trick — adding debug = true to the @EnableWebSecurity annotation — gives you significantly better log output. Just don't use it in production.
Blog
Reading glasses resting on an open notebook next to a laptop and pen on a desk

Don't Get Stuck With Out of Date Dependencies!

Outdated dependencies are a common source of bugs and security issues. Here are quick tools to keep your Gradle projects (Use Latest Versions Plugin) and Node.js projects (updtr) current with minimal effort.
Blog
Developer working at a multi-monitor setup with code and analytics dashboards on screen

How to Quickly Delete Multiple Jobs in Kubernetes

Kube jobs running wild? Here are quick kubectl one-liners to delete successful jobs, failed or long-running jobs, or nuke them all at once.
Blog
Close-up of hands typing on a smartphone with an on-screen keyboard

Cancelling a Stripe Subscription On 'Period End'

Stripe's documentation on cancelling a subscription at period end isn't entirely current. Instead of the documented approach, you need to update the subscription schedule phases and set end_behavior to cancel. Here's the workaround.
Blog
Two developers collaborating at a desk with multiple monitors showing code

TIL: the Git -p Flag!

The git -p flag enables interactive patch mode, letting you selectively stage, checkout, or commit specific hunks of changes. Once you learn it, you'll want to use it everywhere.
Blog
Hand holding a pen writing on paper at a desk with a coffee mug and tablet nearby

Blog Golf: Smallest Post Wins

At Focused Labs, our Editorial Board came up with a fun way to encourage blogging: Blog Golf. Like code golf, the smallest post wins. Write in 15 minutes or less, and the most concise post takes the prize.
Blog
Laptop screen showing a VS Code editor with a dark theme extension page and a coffee mug nearby

Faster .NET CI/CD Pipelines With Test Filters

Sluggish CI/CD pipelines leave developers vulnerable to distraction. If your unit and integration tests live in one .csproj, use dotnet test filters to run only unit tests in CI and integration tests in CD.
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