Painless Tech

Software Engineering, simplified.

Software Engineering is like cooking.

It’s hard to cook gourmet meals. 

But a weekday dinner doesn’t need to be a strain.

Similarly, there are gourmet software projects that require years of work.

But most products can be built in a month.

It wasn’t always this way— software and cooking used to be invariably hard. But today they both benefit from powerful tools and convenient premade components.  

Cloud Databases and Microwave Ovens. Github and boxed baking mixes. Amazon AWS and Uber Eats. 

Of course, most chefs prefer to make meals from scratch and engineers are no different. Our job is meaningful when the work is challenging and the results are beautiful.

But the reality is, there are microwave dinners that are tastier than anything I cook.

The creators of this blog have built applications for companies around the world. We’ve worked with small startups and large enterprises. Most of the time we’re simply guiding clients on when to go gourmet, and when to pick up something premade.

This blog is intended to replace us. It is for investors, leaders, managers, or even engineers themselves, who want to be able to have conversations like this: 

Chef/Engineer: “Tonight’s dinner is a Fresh De Lasinis with aged Parmigiano Reggiano, whole wheat fettuccine and goat cream”

You: “Wow, sounds delicious! However, it seems similar to Macaroni and Cheese. How much time and money would we save if we made that instead?.”

This blog won’t help non-engineers build products themselves— it won’t make you into a chef. However, you will understand the simple ingredients and tools that are used to make most applications.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to tour some commercial kitchens. I observed how many delicious meals were prepared quickly and easily using pre-chopped vegetables, bagged sauces and spice mixes. We hope we can open up the engineering kitchen, in the same way.