About This Blog
I’m an engineering lead working on data infrastructure at a mid-size tech company. I started this blog because I kept having the same conversations with other tech leads about which AI tools are actually useful versus which ones just demo well.
Most of what I write comes from my day-to-day: managing a team, reviewing code, writing RFCs, and trying to get more done without burning out. I test a lot of tools and only write about the ones that stick around in my workflow for more than a week.
I keep this anonymous because I write candidly about tools and workflows, and I’d rather the writing stand on its own than be tied to my employer.
Background
So you know I’m not making this up:
- 10+ years in software engineering, mostly backend and data infrastructure
- Currently leading a team of 7 engineers and data scientists processing real-time data at scale (think millions of events per day)
- Previously worked at both startups and mid-size companies across fintech and data platforms
- Day-to-day stack: Python, Java, AWS, Kubernetes, PostgreSQL
- I review 15-20 PRs per week and run 7 weekly 1:1s — the numbers I cite in articles are from my actual workflow
I don’t share my name or employer, but the technical details and workflows in my posts are real.
What I Write About
AI tools for working developers — not comprehensive reviews, just honest notes on what works in practice. I’m biased toward tools that fit into a terminal-heavy workflow, but I try to be fair.
Engineering leadership — the parts of being a tech lead that nobody warns you about. Planning, communication, 1:1s, and the constant translation between technical and non-technical audiences.
Free Resources
📦 AI Code Review Prompt Pack — 10 battle-tested prompts I use for PR reviews. Grab them free, no signup required.
Newsletter
I send a short weekly email: one AI workflow or tool that actually saved me time that week. Subscribers also get templates and prompt packs I don’t publish on the blog.
Contact
You can reach me at zidanewu26 [at] gmail.com. I read everything, and I usually reply within a day or two.