Trends come and go, but certain principles stand the test of time. One such enduring principle is that of the 'unified system'. Have you ever been frustrated by a tool that just wouldn't fit into your ecosystem of tools? Or discovered software you love, only to find it standing alone, incapable of integration within your established setup? Such experiences remind us of unified systems' pivotal role in delivering a seamless and satisfying user experience.

Take a moment to think of your most-loved software system. What makes it so appealing? Chances are, its ability to integrate effortlessly into your existing ecosystem is a major part of its appeal. That's the beauty of unified systems. In this blog, we'll explore what unified systems are, their roots, the significance of Non-Functional Requirements (NFRs) in these systems, their evolution, and the future of such systems in modern software development.

APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, are the bedrock of today's digital economy. They form the communication conduits between diverse software systems, facilitating seamless interaction. With AI becoming a game changer in reshaping businesses across sectors, an API-first approach is emerging as a non-negotiable strategy. In this article, we take a deep dive into the API-first approach, particularly in the era of AI, demystifying its core prerequisites and exploring its game-changing impacts.

The Emergence of Generative AI and Large Language Models​

The world has witnessed a meteoric rise in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies over the past few years, with generative AI and large language models (LLMs) standing at the forefront. Generative AI, which includes the likes of LLMs, can generate creative and unique content, ranging from artwork to complex textual narratives. The idea of AI systems autonomously producing human-like content has transformed the AI landscape, opening up a plethora of possibilities.

The debates from 2015 are back.

Microservices v/s Monolith.
Server v/s serverless.
Stateless v/s Stateful
No-SQL v/s SQL
Screwdriver v/s Hammer
Bread v/s Cake

These arguments have become the equivalent of a wrestling match in the software engineering world, where the last man standing gets the privilege to write code his way. And, of course, we all know that the only way to code is their way, right?

While we're engrossed in these seemingly infinite debates, guess what we're not doing? You've nailed it. We're not paying attention to the real craftsmanship of software engineering. Who cares about creating effective, sustainable, and scalable software solutions when we can spend our time arguing about whether or not to use microservices?

Have you ever encountered a situation where a leader uses Socratic questioning on the wrong audience? For example, asking a PHP developer why users are complaining about high cloud bills or questioning a backend engineer about a low website score on search engines. In the realm of software engineering, it's important to understand the distinctions between software engineers and software developers.

While there may not be a concrete difference, tech leaders should be aware of the nuances between these roles, especially when engaging in Socratic questioning. In this article, we will delve into their primary differences, explore situations where one role may not efficiently perform the other's responsibilities, and discuss the importance of organizations differentiating these roles and aligning them with platform and feature development.

As a technology leader, you know that keeping the lights on is essential. But if you're too focused on KTLO, you could set your organization up for failure.

KTLO, or "keep the lights on," is the tendency of organizations to focus on maintaining existing systems and processes at the expense of new initiatives. This can lead to digital inertia, the tendency of organizations to resist change in their digital systems and processes.

Digital inertia, or the reluctance to embrace new technologies and processes, can significantly impact your organization's digital core. In this post, we'll explore how digital inertia can introduce hidden costs and hinder your organization's ability to stay competitive in the digital age.