The Archive
Site Update, 2025
I like to change things up with my site on an annual basis. This usually means transparent things, such as moving platforms, but this time it's a bit more intense.
· Rob Conery
🤭 Let's try it and see if it sucks
One of the fun things you can do with AI is to "just try it", rather than think about it for days or do endless investigation. Let's see how that works.
· Rob Conery
Site Update, 2025
I like to change things up with my site on an annual basis. This usually means transparent things, such as moving platforms, but this time it's a bit more intense.
· Rob Conery
🤭 Let's try it and see if it sucks
One of the fun things you can do with AI is to "just try it", rather than think about it for days or do endless investigation. Let's see how that works.
· Rob Conery
Creating an MCP Server Using Node
I gave two in-person workshops recently at NDC Porto where we built out an MCP server for Claude... using Claude. Here's a recap.
· Rob Conery
Actual, tangible steps to get over Imposter Syndrome
· Rob Conery
Walking the Walk
One of my favorite quotes is from James Clear: "Action breeds motivation". It also scares the crap out of me sometimes.
· Rob Conery
In the Land of the Blind...
AI backlash is inevitable, but it doesn't help things if you spout nonsense and shout at clouds. In fact, it actually hurts.
· Rob Conery
The Incremental Tutorial
Using Claude Sonnet to learn something new is a ton of fun, especially if you focus on moving one small step at a time and asking a lot of questions.
· Rob Conery
When You Stop Loving What You Do
· Rob Conery
Checking Your Docs with Claude
I did a short stint at a startup over the last month and one of the things they asked me to do was verify the steps on one of their quick start pages. Super exciting stuff 🙄 but that's exactly the kind of thing Claude is good for.
· Rob Conery
How Did You Learn AI Tools?
I can't go for more than a few hours without reading someone's "horror story" about using AI for coding. I've had sessions which surely aren't fun, but I've never had a complete disaster like some people are having.
· Rob Conery
Online Courses are Toast
It'll take a few years, but it's going to happen: interactive learning with AI is here, and it's going to replace horrible, boring video courses (and the good ones too).
· Rob Conery
The AI Genie in the Bottle
I went to a startup pitch night a few days ago, and it was quite interesting. Every deck featured some form of AI integration, but a few actually centered their entire business model on the idea that AI will carry out the core operation of their business. Is this a good idea?
· Rob Conery
🦋 Following the Fun
Note: this post is a bit old and I've folded this venture back into this here site because... well just because...
· Rob Conery
Creating a Markdown Compiler
One of the most powerful things that AI can do for you is to create a script that does a thing you don't want to do. Mind-numbing, boring tasks, like compiling markdown documents into a format for a documentation site, or, in my case, a course template.
· Rob Conery
Using Gemini CLI to Learn Something New
Another week, another groovy tool to play with. This time it's Gemini CLI from Google, and it's impressive.
· Rob Conery
Initial Thoughts: Claude Code 2025
I've been using Claude Code for a solid 2 weeks now, completely replacing all tasks that I used to do in Copilot. I love this thing, but there are a few changes I don't love.
· Rob Conery
Using Claude Code to Learn Something New
Using an LLM to learn something new is a fun process that comes with a few caveats, such as "how can I trust what I'm seeing isn't complete crap?" I'll address all of this in today's video.
· Rob Conery
Turning a Markdown Spec Into a Database - With Test Data!
Working with AI coding tools takes repetition, and sometimes have a simple task to perform will unlock the process in your mind, and you'll start seeing patterns you never thought possible. Here's a fun task that will hopefully do just that.
· Rob Conery
How To Write a Prompt
AI is a simple tool that our code editors are mangling into an over-engineered mess. Underneath all of the confusion is a simple way of thinking which I'll get into here.
· Rob Conery
How To Not Lose Your Job to AI Tools
The people who are complaining loudly about AI are the same ones who are quickly and silently learning it behind the scenes. Our industry is changing, like it does, just be sure you're changing too.
· Rob Conery
🫡 The Best Job, The Worst Job
· Rob Conery
🥷🏽 Self Sabotage: The Good Parts
Personal growth books claim self-sabotage holds us back. Business hustle books frame it as a necessary thing. Which is it?
· Rob Conery
👼🏼 Divine Code Reviews
Reviewing someone else's code can be frustrating, but also a learning experience for everyone. Let's see how Stephen King might help us.
· Rob Conery
The Subtle Arts of Logging and Testing
I'm a big fan of testing, but I get lazy sometimes and it ends up costing me money, directly.
· Rob Conery
Test-driven Development In Action
TDD is one of those things that people talk about, argue about, and think is interesting. I'm one of those people, so I asked Brad Wilson to clear it all up for me.
· Rob Conery
Meet Playwright
Curious about Playwright, the frontend testing framework? Well hang out for the next hour and I'll show it to you!
· Rob Conery
🤖 Does Functional Programming Matter To You?
Learning Elixir changed me as a programmer, and learning functional concepts changed the way I think about writing software. How about you? Is functional proogramming a useful thing to learn?
· Rob Conery
👻 Hacking Ghost for Fun and Profit
I've been using Ghost for many years and recently I decided to see just how far I could push it.
· Rob Conery
Surviving the Structured Interview
The tech industry is slowly changing over to structured interviews, but most people don't know what they are and that they have a formula!
· Rob Conery
Explain It Like I'm 5 - Why Are Hashes Irreversible?
How to explain hashing algorithms to 5-year olds? Well... I'll do my best in this post, which comes with a video too!
· Rob Conery