I Built a SaaS Company in a Weekend After Disliking the Price - Here's What It Took

Links

• I didn’t like the price so I built a SaaS company over a weekend. Here is what it took.

  Goto Tools, a virtual SaaS company, offers an affordable alternative to expensive URL-sharing tools used by companies like Google. Founded by former Google employees, Goto Tools provides a cost-effective solution for creating memorable go links. With a fully automated system built in just three days, the company serves impressive clients, despite not yet implementing billing. The operational stack includes tools like Google Workspace, Quickbooks, and GitHub, keeping fixed costs at $79/month. Goto Tools plans to expand its offerings and explore a virtual sales staff model in the future.

• Are you getting too old for software engineering?

  The article discusses ageism in the workplace and the challenges faced by older software engineers. The author emphasizes that staying relevant in the industry depends on continuously learning new technologies and gaining complex experience. Factors such as fluctuating daily IQ, reduced time and energy, outdated knowledge, and risk aversion can affect older engineers' productivity. However, the author argues that experience compensates for the decline in brain horsepower, enabling more efficient decision-making and the development of soft skills. The article concludes by highlighting the presence of ageism in the tech industry and the need for younger engineers to recognize its existence.

• Latest Trends in Software Architecture

  The article discusses various aspects of software architecture and delivery processes. It emphasizes the importance of high velocity in software delivery without compromising existing functionality. The author suggests using code analysis, unit testing, and automation tools like SonarQube and Docker to speed up the delivery process. Microservices are explored as a solution, but their complexity, monitoring, and performance issues are highlighted. The article also introduces architecture patterns such as Domain Oriented Microservices (DOMA), Event Driven Architecture (EDA), Serverless Architecture, Command Publish Consume Query (CPC), and Micro Front End. The concept of Evolutionary Architecture, architectural fitness functions, and emerging trends like AI/ML, edge computing, and quantum computing are mentioned.

• The age of Agile must end

  The article discusses the flaws of Agile development and its incompatibility with UX research, design, and scalable development. It highlights the importance of creating a new operational standard and emphasizes that efficiency should be a way of working, not determined by headcount. The author traces the origins of Lean practices and their application in manufacturing, pointing out the limitations when applied to software development. The article criticizes Scrum and Agile methodologies for their lack of emphasis on research and strategy. It suggests a shift towards a long-term strategy while releasing products incrementally and iteratively, prioritizing strategy, research, design, and operational efficiency.

Github repositories

• goauthentik/authentik

  Authentik is an open-source Identity Provider designed for flexibility and versatility. It can seamlessly integrate into existing environments, supporting new protocols. It offers a convenient solution for implementing sign-up, recovery, and similar features in applications, eliminating the need for additional development. For installation, Docker Compose is recommended for small/test setups, while a Helm Chart is available for larger setups.