What Actually Matters for Developers This Year

Another year, another flood of tools, frameworks, and hot takes.

So instead of predictions or trends, I want to do something more useful for the first newsletter of the year:

Filter the noise.

Here’s what I believe actually matters for developers this year.

1. Shipping & Planning

Ideas don’t compound. Shipped work does.

Small projects. Public repos. Imperfect releases.
The devs who win aren’t the smartest, they’re the ones who ship consistently.

2. AI as a Multiplier, Not a Product

AI won’t replace developers.

But developers who use AI well will replace those who don’t.

Use it to:

• write faster
• explore ideas
• automate boring parts

Don’t build “AI wrappers” unless they solve a real problem.

3. Distribution Is a Skill (Not a Bonus)

Great code with no audience is invisible.

Owning distribution matters more than ever:

• email
• writing
• open-source
• sharing what you build while building it

You don’t need millions of followers. You need consistency.

4. Depth Beats Framework Hopping

New tools are fun. Mastery is valuable.

Understanding fundamentals:

• performance
• debugging
• architecture
• DX

will outlive any framework released this year.

5. Writing Is a Force Multiplier

Clear thinking → clear writing → better opportunities.

Docs, blog posts, READMEs, tweets, it all compounds.
Writing makes your work legible to humans.

Things I’m Personally Ignoring

• hype without adoption
• “AI will kill dev jobs” content
• perfection before publishing

This year, I’m doubling down on:
shipping useful things and sharing the process.

What are you doubling down on this year? Let me know on LinkedIn.