Melchor Tatlonghari articles

Dev Logs

Dev Log No. 31

"3 Mistakes I Made Learning The Software Engineering Skillset And How To Avoid Them"

"Originally posted on McKinsey Digital: https://medium.com/digital-mckinsey/3-mistakes-i-made-learning-the-software-engineering-skillset-and-how-to-avoid-them-8e194ff09b01Trying to learn about Software Engineering can sometimes feel like attempting to dig a bottomless pit; there are never ending face..."

Dev Log No. 30

"I Built (and Launched) a Product in 2 weeks"

"There is undoubtedly an AI boom in the tech industry today and I wanted to see how complex it would be to build an application from scratch. The scope was fairly simple: a user uploads a PDF document, the AI reads the document and provides a set of results. Simple… Right?The value proposition was to..."

Dev Log No. 29

"AI Will Replace Coders, Not Software Engineers"

"If you’re a programmer who has been using OpenAI, you have likely experienced the boundaries of what it can and cannot do. At this point, I am making a bold statement that it cannot replace software engineers.# Asking AI To Build An ApplicationIf you ask an AI to build a simple web application, it w..."

Dev Log No. 28

"Beyond Compounding Interest"

"In the quest for financial freedom, many of us have been led to believe that index funds and compounding interest are the ultimate solutions. While these investment vehicles do offer stability and long-term growth, they are certainly not the quickest path to building wealth. Have you ever heard of a..."

Dev Log No. 27

"Unleashing the Power of Black Swan Events: A $30,000 Bet"

"Let me begin by explaining the concept of a Black Swan, and I’m not referring to the movie in which Natalie Portman starred. The term “Black Swan” was coined by Nassim Taleb in one of his books on robustness and fragility. It is used to describe phenomena that we believe to be entirely impossible un..."

Dev Log No. 26

"Bootcamp vs. CS Degree: Which One Should You Choose?"

"As technology advances at lightning speed, the demand for software engineers continues to rise. However, there is a debate on whether a CS degree or a bootcamp is the better option for aspiring software engineers. In this article, we will explore the differences between these two paths and help you ..."

Dev Log No. 25

"Crafting Words, Building Brands"

"Aside from the potential to generate passive income, there are many unexpected benefits that come along with writing a book. With the rise of various tools and platforms that make publishing easier than ever, now is the best time to create a book. In this article, we will explore some of the perks t..."

Dev Log No. 24

"Cracking the Youtube Algorithm"

"# The Double Blind TestIn the field of science, a double blind test is used to validate a newly created medicine. In this method, the doctors conducting the test are unaware of which pills are placebos and which patients receive them. Similarly, the patients themselves do not know if they are taking..."

Dev Log No. 23

"Destination Paradise: Choosing the Right Country for Your Golden Visa"

"# Top Countries Offering Golden Visa ProgramsAs the allure of Golden Visas continues to captivate individuals seeking a blend of global mobility and residency, choosing the right country becomes a pivotal decision. The world presents a myriad of options, each with its unique set of benefits and requ..."

Dev Log No. 22

"Do Not Read This If You Want To Stay The Same"

"“There’s no turning back,” I told myself as I saw my first $100 income from a side hustle I built. Deep down, I knew this was the start of my journey into entrepreneurship, and I had no intention of returning to a regular 9–5 job. No more meetings that could’ve been an email, no more stand-ups to ex..."

Dev Log No. 21

"Bridging the Gap: From Engineer to Entrepreneur"

"Software engineers possess immense technical prowess, but their journey toward becoming successful entrepreneurs often encounters roadblocks due to the lack of certain crucial skills.This article explores the challenges engineers face and sheds light on the benefits of acquiring these essential non-..."

Dev Log No. 20

"Engineering used to be fun"

"It used to be about building cool things, solving complex problems, and pushing boundaries. But now, it feels like there’s a never-ending wave of new web frameworks, each with its own set of abstractions. Being an engineer today means being a jack of all trades, constantly learning new programming l..."

Dev Log No. 19

"Golden Visa for Digital Nomads: Balancing Work and Global Citizenship"

"# Integrating a Golden Visa into the Digital Nomad LifestyleThe intersection of a Golden Visa and the digital nomad lifestyle offers a unique opportunity for individuals seeking a harmonious blend of work and global citizenship. Integrating a Golden Visa into the nomadic journey requires a strategic..."

Dev Log No. 18

"Golden Visas: The Backdoor to Extraordinary Opportunities"

"When I was younger, I had zero knowledge of golden visas and what it meant. It sounded like a lottery, or a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.# The Golden Visa ConceptGolden visas are visas from certain countries that grant you instant citizenship or the right to stay in the country, ..."

Dev Log No. 17

"The Hidden Costs of Certifications: Is It Worth the Price Tag?"

"Let's discuss the significance of certifications in Software Engineering. I have six certifications from various organizations, including AWS, Linux Foundation, Microsoft, and Oracle, for different technologies. However, does having these certifications truly make a difference in the grand scheme of..."

Dev Log No. 16

"When Opportunity Knocks: Why Joining a Startup Pays Off"

"In a decade of software engineering, I’ve been fortunate enough to join 3 startups in my career. Unfortunately, none of them became unicorns, but there were invaluable lessons learned along the way. I’ve heard some companies with around 100 employees call themselves startups, but what I’ll be discus..."

Dev Log No. 15

"Journey to Fully Serverless Architecture"

"Below are my own personal experimentations on different tech stacks for deploying my own web application. I have taken the time to learn about different technologies outside of my normal work in order to gain a deeper understanding of them. As I discuss the different technologies and their processes..."

Dev Log No. 14

"Lessons Learned as a Nomad Entrepreneur"

"In today’s digital age, the concept of being a nomad entrepreneur has gained popularity. As a book author, I have had the privilege of speaking to both software engineers and non-technical individuals, all while embracing the life of a digital nomad. Through my journey, I have learned valuable lesso..."

Dev Log No. 13

"Using Micro Frontends with AWS Amplify: A Cost-Effective Approach to Creating Startups"

"I’ve built and manage multiple micro-frontend web applications by using a single domain and routing them into multiple subdomains using Route 53 and AWS Amplify.# Domains are ExpensiveUnfortunately, the expense of domain names is something that cannot be avoided, especially if you want a good name t..."

Dev Log No. 12

"Navigating Burnout in the Software Engineering World: Strategies for Success"

"Burnout is an affliction in the software engineering world that not everyone is comfortable speaking about. The hustle culture we are currently in has implied that engineers should always be passionately building a side project that could be the next Google or Amazon. Add globalization into the mix,..."

Dev Log No. 11

"The New Definition of Full-Stack Engineer"

"A full stack engineer is now someone who not only understands how to build web applications from the ground up (including frontend, backend, DevSecOps and cloud), but also has a deep understanding of each layer. This means that they are able to work across all parts of the stack and understand how e..."

Dev Log No. 10

"The Reality of Being a Nomad Entrepreneur"

"When I wrote this book, Golden Visa, I was at the starting line of my journey as an entrepreneur. While I had experienced a lot of travel, I was still new to the world of entrepreneurship. The purpose of this book was to provide a collection of things I wish I had known before embarking on this noma..."

Dev Log No. 9

"OpenAI is getting dumber"

"We are simply experiencing the limitations of the current model’s capabilities. Each model can only do so much based on its boundaries, which is why Open AI has been continuously evolving from GPT-1 to GPT-4. As a black box, nobody fully understands what each model is capable of, which naturally lea..."

Dev Log No. 8

"I Built a Second Brain with OpenAI"

"# What is a Second Brain?I first heard of the term “second brain” from Ali Abdaal, which turns out was first coined by Tiago Forte. Tiago Forte’s book “Building a Second Brain” is about how to increase productivity and reduce psychological baggage through the use of technology and effective self-man..."

Dev Log No. 7

"How a StackOverflow account can secure you a seat at the recognised developer table"

"I have never met a developer who hasn't heard of StackOverflow. This is where most of us mere mortals go when we are stuck trying to solve a programming problem. Sometimes the problem is just pure lack of documentation from an open source software we are implementing.But from my years of experience,..."

Dev Log No. 6

"Stop Following Tech Trends!"

"In today’s rapidly-evolving tech landscape, it’s tempting to dive head-first into the latest trends and technologies. However, following these trends indiscriminately can lead to wasted time and energy. In this article, we’ll explore the dangers of blindly jumping on the bandwagon and discuss the be..."

Dev Log No. 5

"Golden Visa and Tax Benefits: A Financial Win-Win"

"# Tax Advantages of Holding a Golden VisaThe allure of a Golden Visa extends beyond the realm of residency, offering a financial win-win with significant tax advantages. One of the primary attractions for investors and digital nomads alike is the favorable tax treatment that often accompanies holdin..."

Dev Log No. 4

"The Wicked Problem of Processing Terabytes of Videos"

"What is a Wicked Problem? In Software Engineering, it is when you are required to solve the problem multiple times, creating incremental solutions to the problem, but there’s nothing that tells you that you’ve found the correct and final solution.# Wicked Problem: How to convert 2 TB of raw video fo..."

Dev Log No. 3

"Unlocking Opportunities: The Ultimate Golden Visa Guide"

"# What is a Golden Visa and How Does it Work?Embarking on a journey to explore new horizons often comes with the need for a secure and flexible residency solution. Enter the Golden Visa – a gateway to unparalleled opportunities for those seeking to unlock the doors of international mobility. But wha..."

Dev Log No. 2

"Unraveling the Digital Nomad Lifestyle: A Comprehensive Guide"

"# Understanding the Essence of Being a Digital NomadIn the ever-evolving landscape of work, the concept of a digital nomad has gained substantial traction, offering individuals the freedom to work remotely while traversing the globe. Being a digital nomad is not merely a career choice; it's a lifest..."

Dev Log No. 1

"Whiteboard Coding Proficiency"

"As a full-stack engineer with years of experience in the industry, it’s disheartening to see how much disconnected the traditional technical interview process is from the actual job. Throughout a decade of my career, I have worked with principal engineers, senior engineers, and tech leads in various..."