I came across this article the other day and saw this quote:
QUOTE
“Our tools shape our work, and if the tools you use are poor, don’t be surprised when the work itself reflects that.” – James Reggio, Brex CTO
I couldn’t agree more. With the right tools, you can do much more, much faster, and much better. But it seems that not everyone realizes this.
I think at this point in time, you can build anything you want. There are very few limitations left, especially after AI became a thing.
It’s just a matter of being open, curious, and willing to try new things. Exploring what is out there, and see how you can leverage it.
Being open to change
In our line of work, being adaptable is a survival skill. Sometimes you can get away without it, like those specialists who have a very niche legacy skillset that is still being used somewhere, but that’s not the norm.
I personally hate the idea of doing the same thing the same way over and over again, so that’s my motivation to keep improving my workflow and expanding my toolkit.
That’s why I love learning about new tools, trying them out, and see what I can get out of it. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn’t, but I always learn something new.
Even if you’re happy doing things as you’ve always done them, I’d still encourage you to try something new. You might be surprised by what you find and never look back.
TIP
Pick one task you do often, or perhaps something you need to do from scratch, and try approaching it from a different way using a new tool.
Challenges to be aware of
I think there is one trap you can fall into when trying new tools, and that is the hype. You shouldn’t adopt a tool just because it’s the new shiny thing, or because everyone is using it. You should evaluate if:
- Improves your workflow
- Solves a problem you have
- Won’t create more problems than it solves
- Has a good community and support
- Aligns with the strategy
If you can answer yes to most of these questions, then it’s worth giving it a try.
Another challenge is getting buy-in from others. People might resist the change—sometimes quite rightly—but if you show them the benefits listed above, you might be able to get them on board. Just be careful not to introduce any technical debt or unnecessary complexity.
NOTE
This applies beyond just tools. Take microservices—many adopted them because of hype, not need, creating unnecessary complexity.
Tools should fit you, not the other way around.
Exploring new tools
The best way to find new tools is to follow the right people, companies, and communities. Here are a few resources I find useful:
GitHub: I follow people who are doing interesting work and check what tools they’re using or which repositories they’re starring.
Engineering blogs: I read well-maintained blogs from companies I admire, such as Nubank and Spotify.
Newsletters and social media: These are great for staying current. I recommend:
- Hacker News
- YouTube channels like Fireship
- Newsletters like Pragmatic Engineer or ByteByteGo
Conferences: Consider attending conferences or at least watching talks online to learn from experts and real-world use cases.
I also check the Technology Radar from time to time, it’s a good resource to keep up with the latest trends.