--- title: Best Substack posts — August 2024 | daily.dev description: The most upvoted Substack posts from August 2024, curated by the daily.dev community. canonical: https://daily.dev/sources/substack/best-of/2024/08 twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:site: @dailydotdev og:url: https://daily.dev/sources/substack/best-of/2024/08 og:type: website og:site_name: daily.dev og:title: Best Substack posts — August 2024 | daily.dev og:description: The most upvoted Substack posts from August 2024, curated by the daily.dev community. og:image: https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/s--VAY5ToZt--/f_auto/v1724209435/public/daily.dev%20-%20open%20graph --- # Best of Substack — August 2024 1. 1 [](https://daily.dev/posts/ask-first-code-later-the-single-most-important-question-3oqgaqgc0 "Ask First, Code Later: The single, most important question") Article Substack · 2y Ask First, Code Later: The single, most important question Developers should question project requirements rather than blindly implementing them. By asking 'why' and engaging in early discussions, they can uncover the true reasons behind requests, thereby leading to better solutions. Collaborative conversations during the requirement phase help address corner cases and find optimal solutions. It's a reminder that questioning and peer-reviewing requirements can lead to more efficient and effective outcomes. 429 15 2. 2 [](https://daily.dev/posts/design-a-url-shortener---system-design-interview-8xj6uyeju "Design a URL Shortener - System Design Interview") Article Substack · 2y Design a URL Shortener - System Design Interview A URL shortener service converts long URLs into shorter, unique aliases that redirect to the original URLs, useful for cleaner links on social media. The design involves high availability, low latency, scalability for millions of requests, and security measures. Key components include load balancers, application servers, a URL generation service, a redirection service, and a database. Capacity and storage estimations outline the service’s infrastructure needs. Various strategies for URL generation, custom aliasing, link expiration, and analytics tracking are discussed. Important considerations for scalability, availability, edge cases, and security are addressed. 316 3. 3 [](https://daily.dev/posts/use-boring-sign-up-screens-nqwjxvgnc "👵 Use boring sign-up screens") Article Substack · 2y 👵 Use boring sign-up screens Functional sign-up screens, which emphasize practicality and usability, outperform delightful designs that aim for emotional engagement. Experiments with companies like Ring, Alltrails, Nextdoor, and Spotify show that simplistic designs lead to higher user sign-ups. Distracting elements like videos and illustrations can reduce effectiveness by diverting attention from CTAs and increasing app download sizes in regions with slower internet speeds. 156 10 4. 4 [](https://daily.dev/posts/the-best-way-to-save-links-e19jzwfo2 "👨🏻‍💻The best way to save links") Article Substack · 2y 👨🏻‍💻The best way to save links Raindrop is a versatile and free tool for organizing and sharing bookmarks across multiple platforms. It offers features like tagging, creating collections, AI assistance for organization, and syncing with other services. Users can access their bookmarks from browsers, desktop, and mobile devices, and the free plan provides ample functionality for most needs, while a Pro version adds advanced features. Alternatives like Readwise, Instapaper, and MyMind are also discussed. 139 9 5. 5 [](https://daily.dev/posts/what-a-home-designer-turned-software-architect-can-teach-you-about-software-design-huyfkvvxz "What a Home Designer turned Software Architect can teach you about Software Design") Article Substack · 2y What a Home Designer turned Software Architect can teach you about Software Design Mike Thornton shares valuable lessons from his background in home design and how they apply to software architecture. Key points include understanding customer needs to determine what to design, dealing with unclear requirements by asking 'why,' and providing just enough detail in designs to allow flexibility during implementation. Engaging with customer proxies and focusing on big-picture outcomes rather than internal details are emphasized for effective design. 40 1 6. 6 [](https://daily.dev/posts/how-to-say-no-and-win-back-your-time-as-a-software-engineer-wkmzo7fsa "How to say "No" and win back your time as a software engineer") Article Substack · 2y How to say "No" and win back your time as a software engineer Sidwyn Koh, a Staff Engineer at Meta, shares strategies on how software engineers can politely say 'no' to save time and focus on their most impactful work. He outlines four approaches: Direct, Redirect, Change Their Perspective, and Stonewall. Additional tips include communicating boundaries, involving managers when overwhelmed, setting focus blocks, documenting knowledge, and balancing when to say 'no' and 'yes.' These tactics help manage responsibilities and maintain a healthy work-life balance. 28 1 7. 7 [](https://daily.dev/posts/letter-to-a-friend-who-is-thinking-of-starting-something-new-hpui5u403 "letter to a friend who is thinking of starting something new") Article Substack · 2y letter to a friend who is thinking of starting something new If you're thinking of leaving your job to start a company or passion project, consider the psychological and financial challenges. Important questions include whether you will grow from the experience, how to avoid insecurity work, and if you can enjoy the process itself. Focus on being original in your field, quiet your ego to understand reality, and have clarity on the financial value you aim to create. Patience, resilience, and aligning your work with your values are key to thriving. 25 1 8. 8 [](https://daily.dev/posts/lessons-i-m-still-learning-k4a2jbvhn "Lessons I'm still learning") Article Substack · 2y Lessons I'm still learning Building Sublime has been a journey full of lessons, including embracing the time things take and avoiding harmful comparisons. The founder reflects on creating a sustainable, niche business and combining utility with a unique spirit. Key themes include aligning business goals with personal values, the power of clear positioning, and the benefits of fostering a calm, intentional work environment. Sublime aims to inspire and intellectually nourish its users while committing to a decade-long vision for success. 23 3 9. 9 [](https://daily.dev/posts/good-managers-are-hard-to-find-and-once-you-have-them-they-should-be-appreciated-ospnyyipo "Good managers are hard to find and once you have them, they should be appreciated") Article Substack · 2y Good managers are hard to find and once you have them, they should be appreciated Good managers are crucial for a thriving organizational culture and employee retention. They have a significant impact on assigning responsibilities, coaching, and mentoring. The post highlights the qualities of good managers, such as leadership, team playing, providing constructive feedback, and fostering growth. Managers face many challenges, including multitasking, stakeholder communication, and ensuring team success. Appreciation for good managers is essential for maintaining a high-performing organization. 16 1 10. 10 [](https://daily.dev/posts/how-to-propose-an-impactful-improvement-to-the-codebase-and-own-the-implementation-0cdscllam "How to propose an impactful improvement to the codebase and own the implementation") Article Substack · 2y How to propose an impactful improvement to the codebase and own the implementation Standing out as an engineer involves proactively finding and implementing impactful improvements to the codebase. This demonstrates proactive behavior, leadership, and the ability to handle ambiguous situations—qualities that are highly regarded by managers for promotions. By solving recurring issues, collaborating across departments, and understanding business challenges, engineers can significantly contribute to their team's and organization's success. Taking ownership of such initiatives not only helps in learning and growing but also enhances one's reputation and career prospects. 15 11. 11 [](https://daily.dev/posts/you-guys-have-no-idea-just-how-much-people-hate-generative-ai-judn01r3l "You Guys Have No Idea Just How Much People Hate Generative AI") Article Substack · 2y You Guys Have No Idea Just How Much People Hate Generative AI The post explores the mixed feelings people have about technology, highlighting both its transformative benefits and the frustrations caused by how it's often implemented. It delves deeply into the public disdain for generative AI, discussing how influential tech figures exacerbate this sentiment by prioritizing profit over societal welfare. The post suggests that AI, despite its potential, is undergoing a severe public image crisis, similar to other once-promising technologies like blockchain and cryptocurrency. 13 6 [See all Substack archives](/sources/substack/best-of) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/dailydotdev","https://github.com/dailydotdev","https://www.linkedin.com/company/daily-dev-ltd"]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://daily.dev/#website","url":"https://daily.dev","name":"daily.dev","publisher":{"@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization"},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://daily.dev/search?q={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"CollectionPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/sources/substack/best-of/2024/08#page","url":"https://daily.dev/sources/substack/best-of/2024/08","name":"Best Substack Posts — August 2024","description":"The most upvoted Substack posts from August 2024, curated by the daily.dev community.","isPartOf":{"@type":"WebSite","url":"https://daily.dev"}},{"@type":"ItemList","@id":"https://daily.dev/sources/substack/best-of/2024/08#items","numberOfItems":11,"itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"url":"https://daily.dev/posts/ask-first-code-later-the-single-most-important-question-3oqgaqgc0","name":"Ask First, Code Later: The single, most important question"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"url":"https://daily.dev/posts/design-a-url-shortener---system-design-interview-8xj6uyeju","name":"Design a URL Shortener - System Design Interview"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"url":"https://daily.dev/posts/use-boring-sign-up-screens-nqwjxvgnc","name":"👵 Use boring sign-up screens"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"url":"https://daily.dev/posts/the-best-way-to-save-links-e19jzwfo2","name":"👨🏻‍💻The best way to save links"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"url":"https://daily.dev/posts/what-a-home-designer-turned-software-architect-can-teach-you-about-software-design-huyfkvvxz","name":"What a Home Designer turned Software Architect can teach you about Software Design"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":6,"url":"https://daily.dev/posts/how-to-say-no-and-win-back-your-time-as-a-software-engineer-wkmzo7fsa","name":"How to say \"No\" and win back your time as a software engineer"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":7,"url":"https://daily.dev/posts/letter-to-a-friend-who-is-thinking-of-starting-something-new-hpui5u403","name":"letter to a friend who is thinking of starting something new"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":8,"url":"https://daily.dev/posts/lessons-i-m-still-learning-k4a2jbvhn","name":"Lessons I'm still learning"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":9,"url":"https://daily.dev/posts/good-managers-are-hard-to-find-and-once-you-have-them-they-should-be-appreciated-ospnyyipo","name":"Good managers are hard to find and once you have them, they should be appreciated"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":10,"url":"https://daily.dev/posts/how-to-propose-an-impactful-improvement-to-the-codebase-and-own-the-implementation-0cdscllam","name":"How to propose an impactful improvement to the codebase and own the implementation"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":11,"url":"https://daily.dev/posts/you-guys-have-no-idea-just-how-much-people-hate-generative-ai-judn01r3l","name":"You Guys Have No Idea Just How Much People Hate Generative AI"}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://daily.dev"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Sources","item":"https://daily.dev/sources"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Substack","item":"https://daily.dev/sources/substack"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Best of","item":"https://daily.dev/sources/substack/best-of"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"name":"August 2024"}]}]} ```