Overcommitted

overcommitted.dev
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A handful of overcommitted software engineers talking about our commits and our commitments.

  1. Ep. 39 | Lifting as you Climb: Cassidy Williams on DevRel, Mentorship, and Building for Developers

    1D AGO

    Ep. 39 | Lifting as you Climb: Cassidy Williams on DevRel, Mentorship, and Building for Developers

    Summary In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Bethany, Brittany, and Erika are joined by Cassidy Williams, Senior Director of Developer Advocacy at GitHub. They discuss Cassidy's journey in the Developer Relations (DevRel) space, her philosophy of lifting others as she climbs, and the evolution of DevRel in the tech industry. Cassidy shares insights on content creation, the importance of community, and her personal experiences with mentorship. The conversation also touches on the challenges and changes in the DevRel landscape, as well as Cassidy's passion for keyboards and her dream typing experience. Takeaways Feedback, even when rough, is a valuable gift for growth.DevRel is evolving, adapting to new technologies and community needs.Companies should prioritize understanding the developer mindset over follower counts.Listening to developers is crucial for effective advocacy and content creation.Human problems in tech are often more complex than coding challenges.Cassidy's journey showcases the blend of engineering and advocacy roles.Mentorship plays a significant role in career development and guidance. Links Cassidy’s website: https://cassidoo.co/Microjournal Blog Post: https://cassidoo.co/post/micro-journal/Keycaps: https://drop.com/buy/drop-dsa-astrolokeys-keycaps-by-sailorhg-and-cassidoo?defaultSelectionIds=966968Cassidy’s mechanical keyboard recs: https://github.com/cassidoo/ama?tab=readme-ov-file#what-mechanical-keyboard-should-i-buy Hosts Overcommitted: https://overcommitted.devBethany Janos: https://github.com/bethanyj28Brittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.comEggyhead: https://github.com/eggyhead

    39 min
  2. Ep. 38 | Writing for Developers with Piotr Sarna

    DEC 16

    Ep. 38 | Writing for Developers with Piotr Sarna

    Summary In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Brittany, Bethany, and Erika engage in a deep conversation with Piotr Sarna, co-author of 'Writing for Developers.' They explore the journey of co-authoring a book, the importance of writing in engineering, and the challenges and joys of technical writing. The discussion also touches on the significance of blogging as a continuation of learning and sharing knowledge, as well as the role of writing culture in engineering teams. The crew kicks off the next book club, where the Overcommitted engineers will be reading Writing for Developers together over the next 2 months! Takeaways Writing a book can be seen as a series of extended blog posts.There is a gap in resources for writing engaging blog posts for developers.Good writing in tech should have an educational aspect.Writing culture in engineering teams enhances clarity and collaboration.The book 'Writing for Developers' fills a niche in technical writing resources.Embracing cringe-worthy writing experiences is part of the learning process. Links Piotr Sarna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarna-dev/Cynthia Dunlop on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiadunlop/Piotr and Cynthia's first book: Database performance at scale: https://bookshop.org/p/books/database-performance-at-scale-a-practical-guide-cynthia-dunlop/f384c1f0d973803c?ean=9781484297100&next=t Writing for Developers book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/writing-for-developers-blogs-that-get-read-cynthia-dunlop/af343340c60cd806?ean=9781633436282&next=tWrite that blog!: https://writethat.blog/Writing for Developers GitHub Repo: https://github.com/scynthiadunlop/WritingForDevelopersBookDiscord community for Overcommitted: https://discord.gg/fxvEjs7f Hosts Overcommitted: https://overcommitted.devBethany Janos: https://github.com/bethanyj28Brittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.comEggyhead: https://github.com/eggyhead

    26 min
  3. Ep. 37 | Being Unreasonable with Jason Lengstorf

    DEC 9

    Ep. 37 | Being Unreasonable with Jason Lengstorf

    Summary In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Bethany, Brittany, and Erika engage in a deep conversation with Jason Lengstorf about the concept of being unreasonable in the tech industry. Jason shares his journey of embracing unreasonableness to pursue big ideas, the importance of community and networking, and how to navigate risks in career decisions. They discuss the value of non-traditional backgrounds in tech, the process of learning and consolidating information, and the creative approaches that can lead to innovative projects. The conversation wraps up with Jason sharing his future projects and reflections on the tech landscape. Takeaways Being unreasonable and having big audacious goals can lead to unexpected opportunities.Surround yourself with ambitious people that can inspire growth.Recognize when to pivot in your career.Networking is often more valuable than formal education.Learning is an active process, not just passive consumption.Creative coding can lead to innovative solutions.Take (calculated) risks. It can help you achieve your goals.Community support is crucial in navigating career changes.Being slow to adopt new technologies might not be a bad thing.Links Jason Lengstorf: https://jason.energyCodeTV: https://codetv.devAll things open talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goVNPN6fVwQBytes.dev: https://bytes.devChar Stiles: https://www.instagram.com/charstilesBuiltin: https://builtin.comHosts Overcommitted: https://overcommitted.devBethany Janos: https://github.com/bethanyj28Brittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.comEggyhead: https://github.com/eggyhead

    47 min
  4. Ep. 36 | Navigating the future of AI agent security with Dan Moore

    DEC 2

    Ep. 36 | Navigating the future of AI agent security with Dan Moore

    Summary In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, Erika and Brittany discuss the evolving landscape of AI agents and their implications for security and identity management. Joined by expert Dan Moore, they explore the challenges posed by non-deterministic agents, the importance of granular permissions, and the need for developers to be aware of security practices as AI technology advances. The conversation also touches on industry standards, the role of developers in navigating these changes, and personal reflections on the future of AI. Takeaways AI agents are changing the landscape of software development.Non-deterministic agents present new security challenges.Granular permissions are essential for securing AI agents.Developers must be aware of security practices in AI.Industry standards for AI security are still evolving.Separation of concerns can enhance security for agents.The role of identity and authorization is critical in AI.Business implications of AI agents are significant.Developers should stay close to business needs and problem-solving.The future of AI will require new skills and awareness. Links Dan Moore on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mooreds/ Dan Moore on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mooreds.comSimon Willison - The Lethal Trifecta: https://simonwillison.net/2025/Jun/16/the-lethal-trifecta/ FusionAuth: https://fusionauth.io/ AGNTCY: https://agntcy.org/Amazon Bedrock AgentCore: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/agentcore/ FusionAuth Guide to OAuth: https://fusionauth.io/articles/oauth/modern-guide-to-oauth MCP and OAuth: https://aaronparecki.com/2025/04/03/15/oauth-for-model-context-protocol MCP Specification: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-06-18/basic/authorization Hosts Overcommitted: https://overcommitted.devBrittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.com Eggyhead: https://github.com/eggyhead

    33 min
  5. Ep. 35 | Decoding Developer Trends: Inside the Life of a Developer-Focused Analyst with Kate Holterhoff

    NOV 25

    Ep. 35 | Decoding Developer Trends: Inside the Life of a Developer-Focused Analyst with Kate Holterhoff

    Summary Join us for a conversation with Kate Holterhoff, an industry analyst at Redmonk who tracks developer trends from Reddit threads to conference halls. Kate shares her unique journey from earning a PhD in Victorian literature to becoming a self-taught developer and analyst, and discusses Redmonk's "new kingmakers" philosophy that recognizes developers as key decision-makers in tech adoption. We explore current industry trends including JavaScript bundlers, the real story behind AI and developer jobs, why communication skills matter as much as technical expertise, and her experiments with vibe coding across different IDEs. Takeaways Developer-led adoption is the future - Redmonk's "new kingmakers" philosophy recognizes that developers, not executives, are increasingly making purchasing decisions for development tools and platforms.AI tools are becoming standard practice - Most developers now use AI code assistants and agentic IDEs, forcing organizations to adapt with proper guardrails and company plans rather than fighting adoption.AI isn't taking jobs (yet) - Current tech layoffs are more attributable to post-ZIRP (zero-interest-rate phenomenon) economics and offshoring than AI displacement, though AI has become a convenient scapegoat.JavaScript is getting massive - The recent explosion of bundlers like TurboPack, Vite, RS Pack, and Rolldown signals that JavaScript packages have grown significantly since Webpack's creation 10 years ago.Industry analysts live in developer watering holes - Understanding real developer sentiment means spending time where developers actually talk: Reddit, Hacker News, Bluesky, conferences, and podcasts.Communication skills are as critical as technical skills - Engineers who can bridge technical expertise with business communication and customer interaction have significant advantages in their careers.Alternative paths into tech are valuable - Kate's journey from Victorian literature PhD to developer analyst shows how diverse backgrounds bring unique perspectives to understanding technology and its cultural impact.Teaching can make coding accessible - Using engaging content like comic books, steampunk, and Victorian literature can make technical concepts more approachable and help students see connections across disciplines.Vibe coding is promising but unpredictable - AI-powered development tools show incredible potential but remain inconsistent, with success depending on unclear factors like IDE choice, prompting technique, and model capabilities.We need more casual learning communities - The tech industry would benefit from more informal, non-commercial spaces for developers to share experiences, especially around emerging technologies like vibe coding. Links The Monkcast: https://redmonk.com/blog/2023/12/07/the-monkcast/Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateholterhoff/Kate on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kateholterhoff.comDwarkesh podcast with Andrej Karpathy: https://www.dwarkesh.com/p/andrej-karpathy Hosts: Bethany Janos: https://github.com/bethanyj28Brittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.com

    41 min
  6. Ep. 34 | The Art of Storytelling in Leadership with Matt Sinclair

    NOV 18

    Ep. 34 | The Art of Storytelling in Leadership with Matt Sinclair

    Summary In this episode, Matt Sinclair, former partner and VP of Engineering at BCG Digital Ventures, explores the critical role of storytelling in effective leadership and shares his journey from building high-performance payment systems to coaching the next generation of engineering leaders. The conversation covers Matt's passion for Elixir as "the most future-proof and AI-aligned language," diving deep into functional programming, immutable data structures, and how modern coding assistants like Claude Code are revolutionizing developer productivity. Matt emphasizes that the first job of leadership is to tell a compelling story that inspires smart people to collaborate, while the art of good management lies in getting out of the way and letting talented engineers solve problems their own way. Takeaways Leadership starts with storytelling: The primary job of leadership is explaining why smart people should get out of bed and contribute to your mission, because without a good story, people will create their own narrativesFunctional programming improves code quality: Immutable data structures and pure functions eliminate approximately 50% of common bugs and make code easier to test and reason aboutElixir offers comprehensive out-of-the-box solutions: Unlike other tech stacks requiring multiple tools (Kubernetes, Redis), Elixir provides a complete ecosystem that reduces decision fatigue and technical complexityAI-assisted coding amplifies productivity: Using Claude Code with Elixir can make a single developer feel like they have a team of five engineers, especially when working with functional programming's predictable patternsManagement should focus on "what," not "how": Leaders should collaborate with their teams to determine objectives, then trust smart people to figure out implementation details on their ownProgramming language choice impacts team quality: There's a strong correlation between functional programming adoption and high-quality software engineers, possibly due to the steeper learning curve and problem-solving mindset requiredDeveloper joy matters for sustainability: Working with languages that feel elegant and "just click" reduces exhaustion and maintains long-term passion for coding throughout a careerFunctional code is LLM-friendly: Pure functions with no side effects make it dramatically easier for AI coding assistants to reason about, refactor, and improve code automaticallyUpfront design time pays dividends: Modern AI-assisted development enables more thorough design discussions and rubber duck debugging sessions that lead to better architecture before implementation beginsCombat surveillance capitalism through decentralization: The future of the web should return to RSS feeds, web rings, and federated networks of special interest communities rather than algorithm-driven data monopolies. Links Matt's Website: https://matthewsinclair.com/Matt Sinclair on Medium: https://matthewsinclair.medium.com/ Intent: https://github.com/matthewsinclair/intentI'm a software engineer - What next? podcast: https://whatnext.dev/An elegant puzzle by Will Larson: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6872433.Will_LarsonElixir: https://elixir-lang.org/Laksa: https://laksa.io/ Hosts: Bethany Janos: https://github.com/bethanyj28Brittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.comEggyhead: https://github.com/eggyhead

    39 min
  7. Ep. 33 | Looks Good to Me with Adrienne Braganza

    NOV 11

    Ep. 33 | Looks Good to Me with Adrienne Braganza

    Summary In this episode of Overcommitted, hosts Erika and Brittany interview Adrienne Braganza, the author of the book Looks Good to Me. The conversation delves into the critical role of communication in code reviews, emphasizing that misunderstandings often lead to issues. It highlights the importance of understanding the purpose behind code reviews rather than just focusing on tools and speed. Takeaways Misunderstandings are at the heart of code reviews. It's important to understand the purpose of code reviews. Focusing on tools can distract from the main goals. Collaboration is key in software development. Clear communication can prevent many issues. Taking time to reflect on processes is valuable. Agreeing on objectives enhances team alignment. Code reviews should foster learning and improvement. Understanding each other's perspectives is crucial. Effective communication leads to better outcomes.Links Adrienne’s Website: https://adrienne.io/ Adrienne on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/abt.bsky.social Adrienne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriennetacke/ Book: Looks Good to Me: https://www.manning.com/books/looks-good-to-me Hosts Overcommitted Website: https://overcommitted.devBrittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.comEggyhead: https://github.com/eggyhead

    39 min
  8. Ep. 32 | Navigating the Startup Landscape with Rick Turoczy

    NOV 4

    Ep. 32 | Navigating the Startup Landscape with Rick Turoczy

    Summary In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, host Bethany and co-hosts Erika and Brittany welcome Rick Turoczy, a veteran in the Portland tech startup scene. They discuss Rick's journey from a hobbyist developer to a key supporter of startup founders, the unique culture of Portland's tech community, and the importance of mental health for founders. Rick shares insights on the challenges of being a founder, the evolution of startup culture, and the role of PIE in supporting startups. The conversation also touches on local recommendations and the vibrant community in Portland. Takeaways - Learning how to learn is a crucial skill for navigating the startup world. - Portland's tech scene is characterized by a unique culture of humility and creativity. - Founders often face significant mental health challenges and need support systems. - The PIE initiative aims to foster collaboration between startups and established organizations. - Mistakes are a part of the learning process for founders, and experimentation is key. - The startup landscape has evolved, making it easier to build products but harder to sell them. - The challenges of being a founder are often underestimated, leading to burnout. - Understanding the difference between wanting to build a product and wanting to build a company is crucial for founders. Links Rick's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/turoczy/Rick's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/turoczy.bsky.socialRick's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@turoczy_PIE Cookbook: https://github.com/piepdx/pie-cookbook/blob/master/docs/pie-cookbook-0.9.md Powell’s City of Books: https://www.powells.com/bookstore/powells-city-of-books?srsltid=AfmBOoqCGKjvdY5g6DowX0ReNqRlLARxeI5WKwGyc8P0Pq3O8j9Fd0NQ Deadstock Coffee: https://deadstockcoffee.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopNiNhvGUigNJxASlm97jUCcSb6l36xCJ6sZF6mRIkyIseejJQy Podcast recommendation from Erika ​​https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/237-mistake-it-till-you-make-it-learn-faster-and-fail-smarter/id1494989268?i=1000732814742Hosts Bethany Janos: https://github.com/bethanyj28Brittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.comEggyhead: https://github.com/eggyhead

    43 min
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A handful of overcommitted software engineers talking about our commits and our commitments.

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    overcommitted.dev
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  • Episodes
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