Cheat Codes for Junior Engineers with Kat Excellence

Postgres has quietly become the world’s favorite database...running startups, governments, and global clouds alike. Scott talks with Claire Giordano, long-time Postgres advocate and technologist, about the database’s unlikely rise from academic roots to modern dominance. They explore its design philosophy, the open-source community that fuels it, and why Postgres keeps winning even in the age of AI and hyperscale data."Talking Postgres" podcast: https://talkingpostgres.comhttps://www.postgresql.org/

Scott talks with Stephen Jones of the new Interim Computing Museum, about the craft of bringing old computers back to life. From wire-wrapped boards to tape drives and terminals, this episode dives into why running the old systems — not just displaying them — matters for understanding how modern computing came to be.Support, Visit, and Donate to the ICM at http://icm.museum 

This week Scott talks to Kat who shares her tactical wisdom from her blog Katexcellence.io, where she decodes the early-career engineering experience with clarity and wit. From learning to build without motivation, to balancing depth and velocity, to navigating layoffs and early‑career uncertainty, Kat distills lessons from her own journey through Big Tech and beyond. She offers practical strategies for making an impact early, staying resilient, and turning challenging experiences into growth opportunities.https://katexcellence.io/

On this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman talks with cloud migration and app modernization expert Mike Rousos about the challenges and opportunities of bringing decades-old applications into the modern era. They discuss practical strategies for app modernization, how AI and GitHub Copilot are reshaping developer workflows, and what it takes to transform legacy software into systems ready for the future.

On this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott talks with Bobby Lockhart, game designer and coauthor of The Game Designer’s Workbook. They explore the craft of game design, from turning ideas into playable experiences to balancing creativity with structure, and discuss how the principles in the workbook can help both aspiring and seasoned designers build better, more engaging games.https://www.gamedesignersworkbook.com

On this special episode of Hanselminutes, Scott reunites with .NET Principal Engineer Safia Abdalla, nearly 500 episodes and a decade after her first appearance on the show. They reflect on the arc of her career and the evolution of the developer landscape, discussing how building competence fuels confidence, how anxieties can compound in high-pressure environments, and what strategies help engineers sustain both technical excellence and personal growth over time.

On this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman sits down with Netlify CEO Mathias Biilmann, who coined the term Jamstack, to talk about the future of web development in the age of AI. Recorded shortly before the announcement at Netlify Deploy, the conversation explores Netlify’s new AI Workflow, how it connects to the Jamstack philosophy, what it means for developers building modern applications, and how AI-powered automation can streamline shipping dynamic, performant sites at scale.https://www.netlify.com/deploy

In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman talks with Tuple engineer Johnny Marler about the craft and culture of pair programming. They explore how intentional collaboration can sharpen problem-solving, reduce context switching, and build trust between teammates—especially in remote environments. Johnny shares lessons from developing Tuple, developing with native code on Windows, insights from the Zig community, and why pairing remains one of the most underrated tools in a developer’s toolkit.https://tuple.app/hanselminutes

In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman sits down with Adam Jacob, co-founder of SystemInit and creator of Chef, to explore the provocative question: Can AI save DevOps? Together, they unpack the growing complexity of modern infrastructure, the limits of human-scale operations, and how AI-driven systems might reshape the way we build, deploy, and maintain software. From declarative intent to autonomous remediation, Adam shares his vision for a future where DevOps isn't just automated—it’s intelligent.https://systeminit.com

In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott sits down with Noel Berry, co-creator of Celeste, to explore his philosophy and process for making games in 2025, without relying on big commercial engines. Noel shares why he prefers building lightweight, custom tools over heavyweight platforms like Unity or Unreal, how modern C#, SDL3, and open‑source libraries empower small teams, and the creative freedom that comes from owning every layer of the stack. From crafting bespoke level editors to ensuring long‑term portability, Noel offers a candid look at the technical choices and personal values shaping his latest projects, including City of None.https://noelberry.ca/posts/making_games_in_2025/