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Atomic Spin

Atomic Object’s blog on everything we find fascinating.

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2 Methods for Implementing Multi-Year Data

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/20

Recently, my software team and I were faced with a need to add historical data to our database. Additionally, we also needed to be efficient with our time when it came to implementation. As a result our team came up with two options for implementing multi-year data – one that could get the job done […] The post 2 Methods for Implementing Multi-Year Data appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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It’s Not About the Code — It’s About the Relationship

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/19

A few months into a project, my team had to deliver news no one likes to hear: our early estimates were wrong. The work was taking longer than expected, and we needed to adjust scope and timeline. I remember the moment before that meeting, that familiar pit in my stomach, and then realizing something was […] The post It’s Not About the Code — It’s About the Relationship appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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100 Ways to Reclaim Your Commute

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/18

I commute to the office three days a week and typically spend 45-60 minutes each way, via bus or train. I’ve found ways to make it as palatable as possible, but it’s still a consistent chore. When my bus route was recently detoured widely around major construction, which is expected to last until December 2026, […]The post 100 Ways to Reclaim Your Commute appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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Switching Industries: How to Thrive Through Career...

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/17

Lately, a question keeps coming up in my conversations: what does it really feel like to jump industries, and do you have any advice? Career shake-ups seem to be everywhere right now. Some of it may be the times we’re in, and some of it may be the reality of mid-career, when many of us […] The post Switching Industries: How to Thrive Through Career Change appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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Tips for Junior Developers to Land a Job

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/16

The job market is tough right now. It’s especially challenging for junior software developers. Recent statistics show that computer science and engineering graduates are facing unemployment rates above 6%. That’s a tough pill to swallow, considering people often choose this field because of its reputation for job security. I’ve talked with multiple new grads and […] The post Tips for Junior Developers to Land a Job appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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Delete Your Code!

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/15

A key skill while growing as a developer is identifying when to take a torch to your code. When I first started as a software developer, a senior pair gave me advice that I still remember when I’m feeling in over my head. He told me it’s okay — good even — to delete your […] The post Delete Your Code! appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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Tips for Frontend Work in an Environment with No Tests

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/14

At Atomic Object, TDD, Test Driven Development, and automated tests are part of the culture. Be it unit tests, integration tests, or UI tests, there’s almost always a test. Almost. What if you don’t have budget for tests? Or, say the app is an experiment and tests are impractical when the app’s lifespan is TBD. […] The post Tips for Frontend Work in an Environment with No Tests appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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3 Lessons From Nearly Blowing Up a Production Database

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/13

Recently, I learned how important it is to regularly check database utilization in production environments. I often connect to our production database with TablePlus to pull up data for debugging, but I never thought to check storage space usage. But a few weeks ago, our client flagged a steady increase in utilization and asked us […] The post 3 Lessons From Nearly Blowing Up a Production Database appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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PottyMon: Keeping the Bathroom Monitor Tradition Alive

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/12

Our Grand Rapids office has had bathroom monitors for longer than I’ve been working here (the kind of monitors that let you know when a bathroom is free; not the kind that tell the boss how you spend your time!) What started as a hobby project has become an integral part of the office culture: […] The post PottyMon: Keeping the Bathroom Monitor Tradition Alive appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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You Should Be Doing Project Retrospectives

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/11

After finishing a consulting project, my instinct is always to dive straight into the next one. There’s usually another client waiting, deadlines approaching, and the completed project feels like yesterday’s news. But over the years, I’ve learned that taking time to reflect on what just happened is one of the most valuable things I can […] The post You Should Be Doing Project Retrospectives appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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Here’s How Software Makers Can Stay in the Game Even...

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/10

Fall is my favorite time of the year. The cool, crisp air and leaves turning into a quilt of colors bring me joy. But there’s another reason that generates the most excitement – the start of another football season! I join many fans who look forward to being in the stands, settling in to watch […] The post Here’s How Software Makers Can Stay in the Game Even While on the Bench appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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Apply Iterative Development Practices to Legacy...

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/09

One of the most important practices when building software is iterative development. It is key to delivering successful projects on schedule and an invaluable part of running an effective Scrum process. The idea is associated with building out new products, but it is equally important when rebuilding existing ones that you may encounter during legacy […] The post Apply Iterative Development Practices to Legacy Modernization Projects appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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4 Core Truths of a Great Software Partner

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/04

Recently, I shared a post on 4 Things You Should Expect From Your Software Partner. As I’ve continued sharing these ideas in conversation, it’s become clear that this way of working is surprisingly rare coming from an external partner. Atomic Object has built its reputation on being both thoughtful consultants and capable doers. Atoms (our […]The post 4 Core Truths of a Great Software Partner appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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How I Know When It’s Time to Add Lightweight QA on a...

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/03

In startup projects, I often see speed take priority over everything else. Teams are running experiments, shipping features, and chasing new ideas as quickly as they can. In the earliest days, that is a fine approach. The priority is momentum, not polish. If the project doesn’t get cancelled, then there will certainly come a point […] The post How I Know When It’s Time to Add Lightweight QA on a Startup Project appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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3 Trends in Conversational Web Interfaces

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/02

It’s an exciting time for AI research and development, as it starts to affect all areas of our lives. One interesting use for AI that I feel doesn’t get enough coverage is how it’s about to change the way we design the user interfaces (UIs) for our web applications. A lot of common features we’ve […] The post 3 Trends in Conversational Web Interfaces appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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Maintenance: Your Software Isn’t Something You Can Be...

Atomic Spin ·

2025/10/01

I’ve recently helped a few clients out with codebases in need of love and attention. The usual reason folks become aware that the software they’ve come to rely on needs attention is that one of the service providers they’ve been relying on has been sending them increasingly urgent emails. In some more dire cases, the […] The post Maintenance: Your Software Isn’t Something You Can Be Done With appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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3 Tips to Get More Out of Postman

Atomic Spin ·

2025/09/30

When you’re building or testing APIs, debugging can take forever. It usually means sending off requests, inspecting big JSON blobs, and repeating the same setup steps over and over. That’s where Postman shines. It’s not just for sending requests—it’s a powerful debugging tool. Three features in particular have made my workflow faster and less painful: Visualizer, […] The post 3 Tips to Get More Out of Postman appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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Here’s How I Built a Virtual Pet App in Flutter

Atomic Spin ·

2025/09/29

Building a reliable app in Flutter starts with managing state. What better way to practice than by building a cute, virtual pet? In this post, we’ll build a simple virtual cat companion that eats, plays, and remembers you. Under the hood, it’s really a lesson in state management: how to represent state, update it over […] The post Here’s How I Built a Virtual Pet App in Flutter appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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Here’s What Made My Scratch Games Go Viral

Atomic Spin ·

2025/09/28

Scratch is a block-based programming language/editor created by the MIT Media Lab in 2007 with the goal of teaching kids to code. It is a widely popular tool and has been used by millions of people. It was also my introduction to the world of computer science, and it is a huge reason why I’m […]The post Here’s What Made My Scratch Games Go Viral appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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Stakeholder Communication Strategies for Successful...

Atomic Spin ·

2025/09/27

In software consulting, effective stakeholder engagement is just as important for project success as the excellent technology we deliver. As consultants, we want alignment, clarity, and support from our client stakeholders who oversee and ultimately champion our work. Our client stakeholders, in turn, want progress and value, but not all stakeholders are the same. When […] The post Stakeholder Communication Strategies for Successful Software Projects appeared first on Atomic Spin.

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494 results