Writing software for 10+ years. Eschew hype; focus on performance.

Living in Switzerland 🇨🇭 since 2017.

Eduardo Lavaque's Blog

    2025
  1. Productivity: the basics get you 80%

    Productivity is often overcomplicated, it doesn't have to be.

  2. Multiple screens is worse than one screen

    Is the idea of having multiple screens propaganda from big monitor?

  3. Premature optimization is the root of all evil, is bunk

    Talking about how far the pendulum swung in Knuth's direction.

  4. Learning framework for dummies

    You don't need a textbook or a roadmap or a teacher, you need a framework and a mindset.

  5. Your hedge against AI as a programmer

    I see there's three primary paths to not be made obsolete by AI.

  6. I reviewed my code from my first job in 2015

    The good, the bad, and the ugly. Reviewing my first professional code, from 10 years ago.

  7. 2024
  8. Soft-wrapping a Piece Table to draw with Raylib, in Odin

    How to implement a Piece Table with text wrapping, in order to turn an array of memory into a softly-wrapped text.

  9. Straightforward Programming (by Hasen Judi)

    Quick thoughts on the Straightforward Programming Manifesto by Hasen Judi.

  10. The Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) pattern for LLMs

    A full conceptual guide explaining what RAG is, how it's useful, and how to implement it without frameworks.

  11. A workable definition of simple for programming

    Many definitions of "simple" are thrown around, but can they be applied to programming to produce better code?

  12. Clean Code(tm), SOLID, OOP, and Gangs of Four are not simple, by definition

    By definition all these concepts in the OOP world from the 90s and early 2000s are more complex than simple.

  13. Essential and Accidental complexity, and performance

    The two different kinds of complexity, Essential and Accidental, a fundamental part of becoming a better programmer.

  14. Learnings from Gadget Software

    I left Gadget Software, a bespoke software agency I contributed to for 2 years, I write down my learnings.

  15. Drawing text on a window with Odin - Part 1: GLFW

    How to open a window with GLFW in Odin.

  16. The pleasure of writing Clean OOP code /s

    A sarcastic write-up on how wonderful OOP code is. I was just venting OK? I was frustrated at work.

  17. I've removed AI from my workflow

    Using AI made me dumber, and doesn't make me proud of the output.

  18. My largest regret

    "I worked too much" is a common regret on elder's deathbeds, but what about "I worked too little"?

  19. The only way forward for developers

    Can you deliver pure value, no fluff, producing real business value? Innovating solutions that AI hasn't heard of?

  20. 2023
  21. Python project setup

    Using pip-tools and makefiles to optimize my Python flow.

  22. Using pyenv on DigitalOcean Ubuntu 22.04

  23. Basic security in Python Litestar projects (bonus HTMX CSRF config)

    Getting CSRF, CORS, and allowed hosts working with Python Litestar projects, plus CSRF setup for HTMX.

  24. Shallow thoughts are cheaper for experts

  25. Throw early for programmer errors

  26. Svelte v4 in Django using Webpack

  27. Twitter 3-legged OAuth with Django using Tweepy, for Twitter bots

  28. HTMX kills most single page applications

  29. Book Summary: Don't Make Me Think Revisited A Common Sense Approach to Web and Mobile Usability by Steve Krug

  30. 2022
  31. Adding TailwindCSS to Svelte components in a Django app

  32. Using Svelte components in a Django app

  33. Managing sync state

  34. Tailwind, using grid-cols-12 instead of mx-auto

  35. Generating a Swagger file with ASP.Net Core and generating API code for Angular

  36. Kubernetes RabbitMQ Certificate Revocation List

  37. 2021
  38. Devilboxを使ってローカルのWordPressサイトの最初のセットアップしよ

  39. 2018
  40. Exiting early, cognitive load

  41. Assigning variables, cognitive load

  42. Git config

  43. On Adblockers

  44. New website

  45. 2016
  46. How to run a Promises array in a series

  47. File navigation in Vim (my way)

  48. 2015
  49. Two months of OpenBSD

  50. Experience upgrading OpenBSD to 5.7

  51. Indentation and hooks in Emacs

  52. My switch to OpenBSD, first impressions

  53. December 2014 to April 2015

  54. 2014
  55. Respect, for respect is acknowledgement, and acknowledgement is a right

  56. Figuring out when you installed Arch Linux

  57. Minimal amount of fonts in Arch Linux

  58. Get it together Linux users/devs!

  59. The bleeding terminal background inside Vim + Tmux problem

  60. Getting used to software updates

  61. Barebones file navigation in Vim

  62. Navigating in the dark

  63. Knowing something but not registering it

  64. A week with Emacs

  65. A small project is not the same as a big project

  66. A projects page!

  67. Several VLC interfaces

  68. Enable `pass` auto-completion in Zsh

  69. Acknowledgements in communication

  70. Arch Linux font tip(s)

  71. My slow switch to Emacs

  72. New blog!

  73. My take on Vim vs. Emacs

  74. You need to understand JavaScript callbacks

  75. Neat trick for Vim keybindings

  76. Just switch to UTC

  77. My experience with the BSPWM and Sxhkd

  78. Write down the day ahead of you

  79. What the gut feeling is for me

  80. A technique to remember small stuff

  81. Out of sight is not out of mind

  82. Installing Arch Linux on a Dell Vostro 1500

  83. Text editor categories

  84. My experience with SolydXK (X)

  85. Disconnecting from the DocPad community

  86. Read stuff you have read before

  87. Real science, not bullshit

  88. My explanation of The Zone

  89. The world of Window Managers

  90. My trip to Switzerland, part 1, getting there

  91. 2013
  92. A love letter to Arch Linux

  93. Switching from Zsh to fish

  94. Light Table, the new Emacs

  95. Open source games without going poor