Daniel S. Billing

Blog A collection of my thoughts and writings.

Hiring the Person, Not Just the Code: A Perspective from a Backend Lead

As the Backend Lead in our dynamic tech industry, I've had the privilege of being involved in the hiring process for new Backend Developers. Over time, I've come to realize that it's not just about finding someone who can write code proficiently, but rather, finding someone who can bring more to the table. In today's tech landscape, it's become increasingly common for companies to rely heavily on technical tests during hiring. While these tests can certainly assess a candidate's ability to pe...

1 minute read · 3.5k views · 13 likes

Why Your GitHub Profile Matters More Than Your CV

In my journey through the tech industry, I've donned several hats, from being a junior and senior developer to my current role as a backend lead. My diverse experience has given me a unique perspective on the hiring process. Having also gained insights into the hiring practices of frontend and app development teams, I want to share my perspective on the significance of a well-maintained GitHub profile when evaluating backend developer candidates. Traditional Resumes When I first emb...

3 minute read · 908 views · 3 likes

Adding Giscus and Getting Back on Track

I recently integrated giscus into my website and blog. For those unfamiliar, giscus is a comment system fueled by GitHub discussions. It's a neat tool that turns the comments section into a more engaging platform, allowing all of you to share your insights directly on the blog posts. Setting up giscus on my site was relatively straightforward – a bit of code here, some adjustments there, and voila. But behind this simplicity is a powerful mechanism that brings a whole new level of interactivi...

1 minute read · 402 views · 4 likes

Reflecting on My Goals for 2022

It's already the end of the year, and it's time to reflect on my goals for 2022. Here are the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year: Release my blog Learn to read faster and type faster Create an active open-source project Create a SAAS Grow my presence online Get rid of "projects" I do not have time for Learn more about PestPHP, TALL stack, and databases This was mentioned in this tweet....

2 minute read · 344 views · 4 likes

Balancing Work and Vacation on Your Birthday

Even though I'm on vacation and celebrating my birthday with my family at the cabin, I also have to be available for work as I'm on call. It can be a bit stressful to always be ready in case of an emergency, but I understand that being on call is a necessary part of my job and it's important for me to fulfill my responsibilities. To strike a balance between enjoying my vacation and being available for work, I've set boundaries for myself. I designated certain times of the day when I'm availab...

1 minute read · 506 views · 6 likes

Exploring the Different Git Workflows: Feature Branch, Gitflow, and Fork and Pull

Git is a version control system that allows developers to track changes to their codebase and collaborate with others on projects. There are several types of workflow within Git, including the feature branch workflow, the Gitflow workflow, and the fork and pull workflow. The feature branch workflow involves creating a new branch for each new feature or piece of work, while the Gitflow workflow involves creating long-lived branches for active development and stable, release-ready code. The for...

41 minute read · 1.2k views · 14 likes

Review: '21 Tesla Model 3 after 10k km

For reference I drive a Tesla Model 3 2021 Long Range Dual Motor with Enchanced Autopilot, and I previously owned a 2014 Tesla Model S 85, non-AP but with OP (OpenPilot) from 2017 until 2020. If you're considering purchasing a Tesla, one of the questions you may have is about the vehicle's durability and performance after driving for a significant distance. After all, 10,000 km is a lot of mileage for just owning it for a couple of months, and you want to be sure that your investment will hol...

3 minute read · 265 views · 6 likes

Merging Two GitHub Accounts

There is unfortunately no easy way to merge two accounts into one on GitHub. Since I was doing so myself a while back and now a few people have asked me how to do it, I thought that I could just write up a quick guide on how to do it. Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for the changes, you will be 100% responsible for the changes you make to your account(s). TL;DR? Jump down to "Your Most Priced Possessions"-section! Ok, so let's start with what you can expect t...

4 minute read · 1.8k views · 17 likes

I swapped my username

I have for the past ~15 years had the username RTRD and I do still have it on Steam. But in the past seven or eight, I have added "Daniel" to the front of it because no one knew how to say it. And this has been stuck with me for a long time. Now that I have changed my workplace and other life-changing stuff has happened I have come to the realization that I should swap my username. Back in the day, everyone had to "hide" behind a username to protect their identity, but in this day and age i...

1 minute read · 523 views · 7 likes

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