Hi there 👋 welcome to Syntax Sunsets 🌄

A blog about software engineering and spending time outdoors.
A man in a suit fixing his tie

An alternative to Leetcode style interviewing

“Leetcode style” interviewing has been the standard method of assessing software engineers for some time. This style of interviewing can be described as a one on one session where the candidate is given a coding problem to solve on a whiteboard while explaining their thought process along the way. This form of interviewing has long been criticized by candidates as an unfair assessment of the skills they need to perform the role they are being hired for....

October 28, 2024 Â· 4 min
Cracked basketball court with with trees in the background

What is a nit comment in a code review?

When you are hired by a software engineering company for the first time it won’t take long for you to create your first pull request. Once you have shared this with your peers you will get your first taste of the code review process. It’s almost guaranteed that as you learn the ropes you will receive comments on your proposed changes ranging from implementation feedback to requests to add automated tests to cover your changes....

October 3, 2024 Â· 2 min
Laptop displaying software code on desk

Is Software Engineering a Good Career?

Over the past two decades, the rapid growth of big tech companies has made software engineering one of the most sought-after careers in the modern job market. But is it the right choice for everyone? Whether you’re just starting or considering a major career change, let’s explore the factors that make software engineering an attractive, or challenging, career path. What makes software engineering a good career I have worked professionally as a software engineer for 7 years now and in my experience software engineering is a great career....

August 10, 2024 Â· 6 min
A pair of running shoes

How I got back into running after 10 years

As a teenager, running was my sport. I ran 3 nights a week for training, with a race every weekend. Most of the races were cross-country, giving me a weekly hit of the beautiful Irish countryside and lungfuls of fresh air. I fondly recall the community that was built around these racing events. Even in races with as few as 3 participants, supporters would hang around and cheer on each individual....

May 13, 2024 Â· 8 min
Silhouette of woman running across rocks at sunrise

Why run after a day of building software

Software engineering is cognitively taxing work. Each day is spent in many hours of deep focus. Over the years you refine the capacity to enter and stay in this deeply focused state. This enables you to work on complex tasks for long periods. It comes at a cost though. I like to view the mind as a large ship. It takes some time to bring it up to speed and get into that deep state of focus....

May 6, 2024 Â· 4 min