Maintainable

Mike Bowers, Chief Architect at FairCom , has spent decades navigating the evolution of database technology. In this conversation, he and Robby explore the challenges of maintaining a 40+ year-old codebase, balancing legacy constraints with forward-thinking design, and the realities of technical debt. Mike shares how FairCom transitioned from ISAM-based databases to modern JSON-driven APIs, the tr...

Join Robby as he chats with Lorna Mitchell , open source advocate and technical writer, about the art of creating documentation that doesn’t gather dust. Lorna shares her experiences as a maintainer of the open source project RST2PDF, the value of API governance, and how documentation bridges gaps in developer experience. Highlights: What Makes Software Maintainable: Characteristics like great doc...

Episode Summary In this episode of Maintainable, Robby sits down with Carola Lilienthal , Software Architect and Managing Director at WPS . Together, they explore the intersection of cognitive science and software architecture, strategies for tackling technical debt, and why simplicity, modularity, and domain knowledge are crucial for maintainability. Carola shares her approach to improving legacy...

Topics Discussed The importance of changeability as a core characteristic of well-maintained software. How GitHub has approached accessibility as a business and legal imperative. The evolution of GitHub’s frontend system, spanning over 2,000 pages, and the concept of "frontend vintages." Primer: GitHub’s design system and the paradox of its success—consistency vs. changeability. The disproportiona...

Austin Story, Senior Engineering Director at Doximity, joins Robby to explore the intricacies of building maintainable systems, fostering team accountability, and enabling faster iteration without sacrificing quality. Austin shares how his team approached migrating from a monolithic GraphQL architecture to a federated model, why simplicity matters for long-term success, and how guiding principles...

Topics Covered Characteristics of Maintainable Software Dan emphasizes the importance of internal consistency in codebases, automated tests, and proper documentation to preserve decision-making context. [00:05:32] Internal consistency: Why it matters. [00:08:09] Lessons from maintaining legacy codebases. Working with Legacy Systems Dan shares stories of upgrading ORM frameworks, introducing cachin...

In this episode of Maintainable, Robby speaks with Tom Johnson , Co-Founder and CEO of Multiplayer . Tom shares his perspectives on the evolving landscape of distributed systems, the challenges of maintaining legacy software, and how innovative tools are transforming the way teams collaborate. Topics Discussed Characteristics of well-maintained software, from system-level documentation to effectiv...

In this episode of Maintainable , Robby speaks with Gulcin Yildirim Jelinek , a Staff Database Engineer at Xata . Joining from Prague, Czech Republic, Gulcin discusses her experiences working with legacy databases, the evolution of Postgres, and her passion for building accessible tech communities. Gulcin shares practical insights into modern database management, including the rise of automation t...

Robby sits down with Justine Gehring , an AI Research Engineer at Moderne , to explore how AI tools are transforming code maintenance and scalability. They dive into the unique ways AI can support refactoring for massive and legacy codebases, from retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to lossless semantic trees, and discuss how developers can benefit from AI-assisted planning and refactoring. Justi...

As a product advocate at Nx , Katerina Skroumpelou combines her engineering skills with a knack for connecting with clients. In this episode, she shares how clear documentation, scalable architectures, and a collaborative culture can transform software development for the better. Key Takeaways [00:01:25] Katerina’s Background: Robby and Katerina discuss her career journey, starting in engineering...

Welcome to another engaging episode of the Maintainable Software Podcast! In this episode, Robby sits down with Moriel Schottlender, Principal Software Engineer at the Wikimedia Foundation , to explore the complex journey of modernizing MediaWiki , the software behind Wikipedia . Moriel shares her insights on what it takes to keep an enormous monolithic codebase maintainable while supporting an ev...

Welcome to another engaging episode of Maintainable! Robby sits down with Kate Holterhoff, Ph. D., a Senior Analyst at RedMonk and former front-end engineer, to explore the intricate world of software maintenance, documentation, and the future of developer roles. Kate brings her unique perspective from her time as a practitioner at a digital marketing agency, her academic background, and her curre...

Alan Ridlehoover: Building Robust Systems Through Behavior-Centric Testing In this episode of Maintainable, Robby speaks with Alan Ridlehoover , Senior Engineering Manager at Cisco Meraki . Alan shares his perspective on building well-maintained software by focusing on behavior-centric testing, clear code ownership, and thoughtful technical decisions that stand the test of time. Alan discusses his...

In this episode of Maintainable , Robby speaks with April Wensel , Founder and Owner of Compassionate Coding . April shares her journey in the software industry and how she came to embrace compassion as a core value in coding and team dynamics. She explains why empathy is critical when working with legacy code, mentoring junior developers, and addressing technical debt. Episode Highlights [00:05:3...

In this episode of the Maintainable Software Podcast, Robby sits down with Saron Yitbarek , founder and CEO of DiscoLink , to explore the challenges of maintaining early-stage software while balancing multiple streams of income. Saron shares her journey from being a solo developer to hiring her first teammate and the lessons learned along the way about code maintainability and business logic. Epis...

Introduction In this episode of Maintainable, Robby speaks with Lutz Hühnken , Head of Engineering Excellence at Upvest , about the transformative power of event-driven architecture in software development. Lutz brings his extensive experience to the table, discussing how breaking down complex systems into manageable modules and leveraging event-driven design can lead to more resilient and maintai...

In this episode of the Maintainable Software Podcast, Robby is joined by Noel Rappin , Staff Engineer at Chime Financial , and the mind behind the latest edition of the classic Programming Ruby book, affectionately known as the "Pickaxe." Noel delves into the intricate process of modernizing a legacy technical book and the lessons learned along the way. Episode Highlights [00:05:32] A Legacy Revis...

In this episode of the Maintainable Software Podcast, Robby sits down with Cassidy Williams , Developer Advocate at GitHub, to explore the dynamic nature of a tech career, the delicate balance between clever code and maintainability, and the evolving trends in software development. Cassidy begins by discussing what makes software truly maintainable—starting with the ease of onboarding for new deve...

In this episode of the Maintainable Software Podcast, Robby speaks with Obie Fernandez , Chief Scientist at Olympia , about the integration of AI into modern software development. Obie shares his unique perspective on leveraging AI to enhance the maintainability and functionality of software applications, particularly in the Ruby on Rails ecosystem. Episode Highlights [00:01:00] Characteristics of...

Topics Discussed Characteristics of Well-Maintained Software : Tekin emphasizes the importance of software that is easy to change and tailored to the team's needs. Balancing Complexity and Team Size : Tekin discusses how his small team manages complexity and features to maintain sustainable work practices without overburdening the developers. GovUK Project Insights : Tekin shares his experiences w...

Ryosuke shares his insights on: Ownership in Software Maintenance: The role of single-threaded ownership and dedicated teams in maintaining software and shared libraries. Technical Debt: How his definition of technical debt has evolved over the years and strategies to manage it effectively. Monitoring and Alarming: The importance of comprehensive monitoring and alarming systems in handling legacy...

Welcome to the Maintainable Software Podcast! In this episode, Robby speaks with Julia Ferraioli, an Open Source AI/ML Strategist at AWS and co-founder of Open Source Stories. Julia joins us from Seattle, Washington, and shares her insights into the world of open source, AI, and software maintainability. Key Topics: Well-Maintained Software: Julia shares her thoughts on the characteristics of well...

In this episode of Maintainable, Robby Russell sits down with Tanmai Gopal, the CEO and co-founder of Hasura . Tanmai shares his insights into the characteristics of well-maintained software and the importance of a codebase that no team member fears. He emphasizes the need for accessibility and understandability in code, making it easier for developers to work with and iterate upon. Tanmai dives d...

In this episode of the Maintainable Software Podcast, Robby Russell sits down with James Socol, a Staff Engineer at Fastly, to discuss the art of maintaining legacy code and the nuances of technical debt versus technical depreciation. Key Topics Discussed: Characteristics of Well-Maintained Code: James shares his insights on what defines well-maintained code, emphasizing the importance of continuo...

In this episode of Maintainable, Robby chats with Paola Ducolin, Staff Engineer at Datadog . Paola shares her insights on the characteristics of well-maintained software, the common struggles teams face, and effective strategies for working with stakeholders to prioritize refactoring. Key Topics Discussed: Characteristics of Maintainable Software : Paola explains the importance of well-documented...