Carola Lilienthal: Tackling Technical Debt with Patterns and Domain Knowledge

More from Maintainable All episodes →

1. 

   E201 · 11 Mar 2025 · 42 min

   Noémi Ványi: Only Fix Problems That Are Actually Problems

   Not every messy piece of code needs a refactor. Noémi Ványi joins Robby to discuss how to decide when technical debt is worth paying down, why developer autonomy matters, and how intuition plays a key role in software sustainability.

2. 

   E200 · 25 Feb 2025 · 51 min

   Julia López: Code Tells a Story—Even the White Spaces

   What can legacy code tell us—beyond just functionality? Julia Lopez shares how even white spaces and variable names reveal a system’s history. She and Robby dive into mentoring, refactoring, and the realities of rewriting Harvest’s billing system.

3. 

   E199 · 18 Feb 2025 · 53 min

   Marty Haught: Rethinking Technical Debt—Is It Really Just Drift?

   Is "technical debt" really the best metaphor for aging software? Marty Haught suggests a better one—drift. He joins Robby to discuss how software naturally diverges from its original intent, the challenge of sustaining open-source projects, and what companies can do to support critical infrastructure like RubyGems.

4. 

   E198 · 11 Feb 2025 · 45 min

   Mike Bowers - From ISAM to JSON—Navigating 40+ Years of Database Evolution

   For over 40 years, FairCom has evolved its database technology from ISAM to high-performance JSON APIs. Mike Bowers, Chief Architect at FairCom, joins Robby to discuss the complexities of maintaining a legacy codebase while innovating for the future. What does it take to modernize without breaking everything?

5. 

   E197 · 28 Jan 2025 · 43 min

   Lorna Mitchell: Writing Documentation Engineers Will Actually Read

   Why is documentation often overlooked but so critical to success? Lorna Mitchell shares practical strategies for writing documentation engineers will actually read and explains how thoughtful API design and open source stewardship create more maintainable software.

6. 

   E195 · 14 Jan 2025 · 46 min

   Joel Hawksley: The Hidden Costs of Frontend Complexity

   Joel Hawksley, Staff Software Engineer at GitHub, joins Robby to discuss the challenges of scaling frontend systems and ensuring accessibility across a massive platform. With over six years of experience at GitHub, Joel reflects on the evolution of their design system, Primer, the importance of changeability in software, and strategies for addressing the complexities of frontend maintenance.

7. 

   E194 · 10 Dec 2024 · 47 min

   Austin Story: Making Software Easier to Change, Remove, and Evolve

   What makes software maintainable and easy to evolve? Austin Story shares his approach to simplifying systems, migrating architectures, and fostering a culture of intentional development.

8. 

   E193 · 3 Dec 2024 · 49 min

   Dan Moore: Building Developer-Friendly Authentication Solutions

   What makes software maintainable in the long run? Robby chats with Dan Moore, Principal Product Engineer at FusionAuth, about legacy systems, developer empathy, and the balance between SaaS and self-hosted solutions. Dan Moore, Principal Product Engineer at FusionAuth, shares his journey through legacy systems, building authentication tools, and fostering developer empathy. With 25 years of experience, Dan sheds light on improving software maintainability and the evolving challenges in the industry.

9. 

   E192 · 26 Nov 2024 · 43 min

   Tom Johnson: From Auto-Documentation to Better Collaboration

   Tom Johnson shares his journey of tackling complex distributed systems, the challenges of managing technical debt, and how tools like Multiplayer are revolutionizing auto-documentation and debugging.

10. 

    E191 · 19 Nov 2024 · 38 min

    Gulcin Yildirim Jelinek: Maintaining Postgres for Modern Workloads

    What makes a database truly maintainable? Gulcin Yildirim Jelinek shares her journey from legacy database struggles to Postgres innovation, revealing how automation and accessibility can redefine modern database practices. Dive into this conversation about evolving technology and inclusive community building.