Writing archive

A tutor-style walkthrough of what a distributed database control plane actually is, why metadata is the crown jewel, where Raft fits in, and how to follow one request end-to-end to remember the whole design.

A reference index of the 30 recurring system design building blocks: what each one is, what problem it solves, and what it costs. Notes collected while studying distributed systems.

Internal AI tools touch real company data, real permissions, and sometimes real actions. Here is how to build one that is actually secure without adding unnecessary complexity.

Most startups that say they want an AI agent should not start with an agent. Here is how to choose between RAG, workflow automation, and agents — and what to build first.

Workflow automation sits between a simple chatbot and a full AI agent — and it is often where the most real business value lives. Here is what it means and when to use it.