The Hidden Complexity of Name Matching
Why a simple string comparison becomes a difficult engineering problem when names cross languages, cultures, and systems.
Engineering15 min read
- Java
- Unicode
- Data Quality
- Identity Matching
Writing
Software engineering, everyday notes, and things I find worth writing about.
Making Time for Coffee
I already had a coffee machine. Then I tried making coffee by hand, and found that I enjoyed the extra steps.
Life3 min read
- Personal
- Coffee
- Pour-over
I Didn't Need a New TV. I Needed Less Google TV.
How I used an AI coding agent and ADB to simplify Google TV, replace the home screen, measure the result, and clean up SDR picture processing without root or destructive changes.
Engineering10 min read
- AI
- Google TV
- ADB
Idempotency in Java: Making Retries Safe Across Multiple Instances
A production-minded approach to idempotent APIs with Java, MySQL, and Hazelcast—without pretending a distributed cache can replace a database constraint.
Engineering15 min read
- Java
- Distributed Systems
- MySQL
- Hazelcast
- Architecture
When Did “The Tests Pass” Become Enough?
AI can write the implementation, generate the tests, and review the diff. When all three agree, it feels reassuring. But agreement is not the same as independent evidence.
Engineering9 min read
- AI
- Testing
- Code Review
Java 27 Is Here. What Actually Matters?
Java 27 is not a release I would migrate to for syntax. Its interesting changes are lower down: object layout, concurrency, TLS, JFR, and a JVM that keeps tightening its guarantees.
Engineering12 min read
- Java
- JVM
- Production
Spring Annotations Are Not Magic
Understanding what actually happens behind @Service, @Transactional, @Configuration and the annotations we use every day.
Engineering8 min read
- Spring
- Spring Boot
- Java
- Architecture
Nothing Is Ever Done
Work, family, learning, and the discipline of always coming back.
Notes8 min read
- Personal
- Family
- Learning
Software Engineering Needs Its Own Literature Review
Before we decide how to solve a problem, we need to know how others have already approached it. Reading repositories, tools, and real systems is part of becoming a better engineer.
Engineering6 min read
- Software Engineering
- Learning
- Open Source
- Engineering Practice
More Than a Workspace
My office looks simple at first glance, but it holds much more than a desk. It is where I write software, restore old Macintosh computers, and keep a few objects that still tell part of my technology story.
Life6 min read
- Personal
- Workspace
- Vintage Computing
- Apple
- Technology
The Small Automation That Stopped Dependency Updates from Becoming Jira Work
How a recurring version-update problem led me from Git hooks to a Maven plugin, and eventually to a CI check that puts dependency updates directly in front of pull-request reviewers.
Engineering6 min read
- Maven
- Git
- CI/CD
AI Can Write the Code. But Who Will Become the Next Senior Engineer?
AI can generate code faster than ever, but the work it removes was also how junior developers learned to become senior engineers. What happens to engineering judgment when the learning path disappears?
Engineering7 min read
- AI
- Career
- Production
When Minimal Became Too Minimal
I wanted a minimal website, but removing colours and cards took away some of its character. A personal note on finding a balance that felt like me.
Notes2 min read
- Design
- Minimalism
- Personal Website
Java Experience Beyond the Code
Eight production situations where better questions matter more than quick fixes, from slow APIs and connection pools to retries and duplicate messages.
Engineering7 min read
- Java
- Production
- Architecture
From Istanbul to a New Home
Why we moved from Istanbul to the Netherlands, what we still miss, and how becoming parents changed the way we think about that decision.
Life2 min read
- Netherlands
- Moving Abroad
- Family
Kafka Consumer Lag: When Should You Worry?
Consumer-group lag is usually an offset gap, not a delay in seconds — what matters is whether it drains, how long it stays up, and whether the delay fits what the service promises.
Engineering3 min read
- Kafka
- Consumers
- Operations