Link Dump #201

Best starter kit for Friday: sun, warm coffee, and articles worth reading. 

1. #BookOfTheMonth
   Prompt Engineering for Generative AI
   
   
2. Software Architecture
   1. From Event Storming to Microservices: A Living Repository #PickOfTheWeek
      After a year of work, I’m excited to share a repository that brings together many of the architectural and development practices I rely on: CQRS, Event Sourcing, Sagas, Outbox, DDD, Event Storming, EDA, Ports & Adapters, CI, AI usage—and more.
   2. Observability 2.0: Much more than the Three Pillars
      In a world where software programs define business success, having a comprehensive, proactive and intelligent understanding of your system is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity. Observability 2.0 is crucial for unlocking that expertise, empowering teams to transition from reactive firefighting to proactive trouble-solving.
   3. Authentication and authorization in a microservice architecture: Part 3 - implementing authorization using JWT-based access tokens #PickOfTheWeek
      Navigating authorization in microservices can be complex, especially with distributed data. This article dives deep into implementing authorization using JWT-based access tokens. Discover how to manage built-in, local, and remote authorization data to ensure secure interactions across your services.
   4. It is always about Trade-Offs
      The author explains why building 'perfect' systems is an impossible feat. Discover the inherent trade-offs in software engineering and why a crucial part of an engineer's job is to 'min-max' various factors, acknowledging that every decision has consequences.
   5. Debugging Distributed Flight Search: What Logs Alone Won’t Tell You
      Logs aren’t enough. Learn how tracing, metrics, and correlation IDs help debug fare mismatches in distributed flight search systems.
3. Software Development
   1. Lock-Free Programming: From Primitives to Working Structures
      Locking is not the only way to deal with concurrency. Lock-free programming approaches are on the opposite side. Let's dive into them.
   2. After the Big Picture: Turning Insights into Action #PickOfTheWeek
      Now that you have a clear and meaningful timeline from Big Picture Event Storming, the question is: what’s next? This article dives into how to assess project risks, define precise system boundaries, and decide which domain processes deserve deeper exploration. If you want to leverage your Big Picture outcomes to build better software and make smarter decisions, I encourage you to read it.
4. Testing
   1. Why 90% of Microservices Still Ship Like Monoliths #PickOfTheWeek
      This article explains how lightweight, isolated environments can transform your release process, enabling shift-left testing and eliminating staging bottlenecks. Learn how modern tooling makes individual code changes testable against real dependencies quickly and efficiently.
5. Leadership
   1. But, I Know the Answer
      This article challenges the traditional view of expertise, arguing that true leadership shifts from simply providing answers to fostering a learning environment.
   2. Guiding the unknown: A compass on how to navigate complex strategic initiatives #PickOfTheWeek
      This article emphasizes why leaders and teams must build collective understanding, surface misaligned priorities, and identify blind spots among stakeholders. Learn how to foster alignment for success and prevent stalled projects.
   3. Building software teams that manage mistakes rather than rejecting them
      The software industry shares a pervasive assumption that expert developers don’t make mistakes. Developers are only human. They will make mistakes. Ignoring that means any mistake can lead to a high intensity event. There’s a better way. Invest in systems to manage inevitable mistakes.
6. Communication
1. 10 ways to talk while listening
   This article reveals 10 powerful ways to 'talk while listening,' including clarifying, paraphrasing, and expressing genuine curiosity. Discover how these techniques deepen understanding and make others feel truly heard.