Blog
Notes from production.
Designing a HIPAA Audit Trail in Firestore: Six-Year Retention Without a Runaway Bill
HIPAA says retain six years, not how. A Firestore schema for PHI access logging that stays queryable under pressure and doesn't outcost the product.
Astro's View Transitions Silently Broke My Booking Widget — and My Analytics Hid It
How data-astro-exec stops identical inline scripts from re-running, how that broke an embed, a mobile menu, and GA4 page views, and the one-attribute fix.
RBAC for Healthcare Apps with Firebase Custom Claims: Roles, Tenants, and the 1,000-Byte Limit
Enforce role-based access over PHI with Firebase custom claims and Firestore rules, including the token size limit, propagation delay, and a leaky failure mode.
Can You Send PHI to OpenAI or Anthropic? A Working Decision Framework
BAAs, zero-retention endpoints, and why a HIPAA-eligible vendor doesn't make your use compliant, plus an architecture that keeps AI inference in scope.
I Spent $80K on a Dev Shop and Got Unusable Code. Here's What I Wish I'd Done Instead.
A playbook for non-technical founders burned by a development agency: how to assess the damage, what to salvage, and how to avoid it next time.
How to Build an App in 2026 — A Founder's Guide
The complete guide for non-technical founders: from idea validation to launch. What it costs, how long it takes, and how to avoid common mistakes.
Fractional CTO vs. Technical Co-Founder — Which Does Your Startup Need?
A practical comparison of fractional CTOs and technical co-founders. When each makes sense, what they cost, and how to decide for your startup.
How to Validate Your App Idea Before Spending a Dollar on Development
5 proven methods to test whether your app idea has real demand — before you write a single line of code or hire a developer.
How Much Does It Cost to Build an MVP in 2026?
A no-BS breakdown of 2026 MVP costs: real price ranges by product type, what drives the number up, and the questions that stop you getting ripped off.
Do I Need a Technical Co-Founder?
An honest decision framework for non-technical founders: what a technical co-founder really costs in equity, and three alternatives that keep your cap table.
AI Integration for Startups — What's Actually Worth Building
Not everything needs AI. Here's how to figure out what's hype and what will actually help your product.
SaaS MVP Checklist — What to Build First
The essential features every SaaS MVP needs on day one — and what can wait until you have paying users.
How to Hire a Software Development Studio (Without Getting Burned)
Red flags, green flags, the questions to ask, and the contract terms that matter: a practical guide to choosing a development studio before you sign.