The Builder's Log
Devlogs, technical deep-dives, and lessons learned from building software and running Ball Lightning AB.
What a Day of Dependabot PRs Taught Me About Hidden State, Codex Sandboxes, and Avoiding User-Specific Installs
A day that started with routine dependency PRs turned into a workflow audit: lockfile repair, sandbox debugging, MCP memory migration, and a stronger rule to avoid user-specific installs and hidden local state.
How I reviewed my AI skill library, archived the overlap, refreshed the keepers, and standardized rules and workflows between Windsurf and Codex.
Connecting the Dots: How I Built the Technologies Page and Tightened Performance
How I shipped the new Technologies page, wired services → technologies → portfolio links, and folded in the latest performance audit fixes for Ball Lightning.
Shipping Faster, Loading Faster: How I Expanded the Portfolio and Improved Mobile Performance
How I launched six portfolio case studies, refined typography, and cut mobile LCP without breaking SSR or fonts.
Debugging TanStack Store: When Your React App Crashes Before It Renders
A TanStack Store implementation that looked correct, compiled without errors, and crashed spectacularly in the browser. The story of fixing `atom?.get is not a function` and learning to read documentation carefully.
The Client Quest: Facebook Posts, Cloudflare Redirects, and a Bash Script That Learned From Its Mistakes
A freelance client engagement told as an RPG quest — from planning in the tavern, to grabbing tools from the merchant, to a multi-day adventure of content, automation, and debugging. Plus: how this becomes a Chronomation workflow.
Designing Agent Skills Updater: Why Skill Management Matters for Small Teams
Why AI skill management matters for indie makers and small teams — the design thinking behind Agent Skills Updater and its place in Chronomation.
From PowerShell Script to PyPI: Building My First Open-Source Tool
How a PowerShell script for managing AI skills became a Python CLI on PyPI in two days — my first open-source release from Ball Lightning AB.
Building in Public: Three blog posts, four social posts and an article - Socials in early 2026 using AI as a co-writer and editor
Even with AI, doing content well is still hard. Here's my actual workflow for creating and distributing content across platforms, the formatting challenges I encountered, and why this matters for Chronomation.
Documentation: The Unsung Hero of Modern Software Development
Why clear documentation matters MORE in the age of AI-assisted development, not less. Drawing from Systems Design and IT Project Management experience to build better documentation for both humans and AI agents.
Restructuring Documentation for a Multi-Brand Ecosystem
How I refactored scattered documentation into a cohesive brand system repository to prepare for rebuilding my company site while maintaining consistency across three brands.
Level Up Your TypeScript: Consistent Code Quality with Biome and Agentic Coding
My routine for maintaining code quality with AI assistance: using Biome and Ultracite to ensure consistent TypeScript patterns in my agentic development workflow.
The Memory Bank: Theory, Practice, and Agentic Pair Programming
A practical spec system for working with AI coding agents: why I built a memory-bank, how it works day-to-day, and why The Builder Coil version is the template moving forward.
Building a Shared Typography and Layout System for Three Brands
How I’m designing a shared typography and layout system that unifies The Builder Coil, Chronomation and Ball Lightning—starting from body text, a modular scale, and consistent vertical rhythm.
Designing Media Hosting for The Builder Coil
How I’m designing media hosting for The Builder Coil and Chronomation: from simple file-based images to multi-tenant media for future clients.
Chronomation: Key Architecture Decisions
A deep dive into the architecture decisions behind Chronomation – our multi-tenant content engine. Why we chose Neon, Drizzle, and a tenant-first data model.
Building with TanStack Start: First Impressions
My experience setting up The Builder Coil with TanStack Start, TanStack Router, and the modern React 19 stack. What I learned and what surprised me.