🎙️ Señors @ Scale
Deep conversations with senior developers about scaling applications, teams, and careers
🎧 Latest Episodes
Open Source at Scale with Erik Rasmussen
In this episode of Señors @ Scale, Eric Rasmussen — creator of Redux Form and React Final Form, now Principal Product Engineer at Attio — joins Dan to talk about building open source at scale, developer experience, and the lessons learned from two decades of shipping frontend software.Eric shares his journey from early experiments with BASIC and FoxPro to designing Attio’s secure SDK ecosystem, which enables third-party developers to extend a next-generation CRM. Along the way, he opens up about the pitfalls of feature creep in open source, the evolution from Redux Form to React Final Form, and how AI is already reshaping documentation.We dive into why developer ergonomics matter more than ever, how strict design systems preserve product quality, and what it really takes to manage breaking changes when your code runs in thousands of apps. Eric also offers practical advice for juniors looking to break into open source, as well as insights on testing strategies, state machines, and the libraries he can’t live without.🎯 Whether you’re maintaining a popular open source library, building SDKs for other developers, or just curious about the hidden costs of “yes” in software design, this conversation is full of hard-won lessons from the trenches.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Eric Rasmussen and His Journey05:34 Early Programming Experiences and First Job08:01 Transition to Principal Engineer at Atio10:37 Understanding Atio's CRM and Its Market Position13:08 Developer Experience and Building for Other Developers15:29 The Role of Documentation in Developer Tools18:03 SDK Development and Framework Choices20:30 Building a Secure and Custom Runtime22:54 Managing Breaking Changes and Developer Feedback25:28 The Creation of Redux Form and Its Impact27:59 Testing Strategies for SDKs and Components33:48 Building a Design System35:27 React Final Form: Evolution and Insights41:11 The Journey from Redux to React Final Form46:08 Choosing State Management Solutions48:10 Overused Libraries and Tools54:25 Advice for Junior Developers59:32 Book Recommendations and Closing Thoughts01:04:25 OutroFollow & Subscribe:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/senorsatscale/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neciudev🎙 Podcast URL: https://neciudan.dev/senors-at-scale📬 Newsletter: https://neciudan.dev/subscribe💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neciudan💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/se%C3%B1ors-scale/#opensource #reduxform #reactfinalform #frontend #developerexperience #sdk #documentation #designsystems #softwareengineering #señorsatscale #techtalks #webdevelopmentDon’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more engineering stories from the front lines. What’s your favorite open source library — and how has it shaped your work? Share below 👇Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more engineering stories from the front lines.
Mentorship at Scale with Eduardo Aparicio Cardenas
In this episode of Señors @ Scale, Front-End Engineer and ADPList Top 100 Mentor Eduardo Aparicio-Cardenas joins Dan to talk about mentorship, career growth, and leadership at scale — from debugging real-world performance issues to guiding engineers through promotions and burnout.Eduardo shares lessons from 15+ years building web products, why perception often matters more than output for promotions, and how curiosity and frustration can be powerful motivators for learning. He breaks down what makes a strong tech lead, how to run compelling mock interviews, and why knowledge sharing is the ultimate multiplier for both mentor and mentee.They also discuss system design interviews (and why front-end design is often overlooked), strategies for breaking down problems, and what it truly means to grow from senior to staff to principal engineer.🎯 Whether you're mentoring juniors, preparing for a promotion, or just trying to be a better communicator on your team, this episode is packed with practical advice for engineers navigating their careers.Get in touch with Eduardo here https://eduardo-aparicio-cardenes.website, https://medium.com/@byeduardoac and if you are looking for a mentor: https://adplist.org/mentors/eduardo-dev or https://eduardo-aparicio-cardenes.website/mentor-profileChapters00:00 Journey to Front-End Engineering11:11 Transitioning to Happening and Current Projects18:51 Becoming a Mentor and Sharing Knowledge19:14 The Journey of Mentorship23:37 Understanding Mentee Needs28:18 The Importance of Sharing Knowledge31:43 Personal Growth and Agency36:13 Navigating Promotions and Perception39:16 Navigating Project Expectations in Tech Companies41:56 The Role of a Tech Lead44:39 Effective Communication in Tech47:18 Interview Strategies for Success49:54 System Design Insights52:22 Handling Burnout and Career Growth54:48 Recommended Reads for ProfessionalsFollow & Subscribe:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/senorsatscale/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neciudev🎙 Podcast URL: https://neciudan.dev/senors-at-scale📬 Newsletter: https://neciudan.dev/subscribe💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neciudan💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/se%C3%B1ors-scale/#softwareengineering #mentorship #frontend #career #promotion #systemdesign #burnout #staffengineer #leadership #señorsatscale #techtalks #webdevelopmentDon’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more engineering stories from the front lines. Have you had a mentor who changed the course of your career? Share your story below 👇
React at Scale with Matheus Albuquerque
In this episode of Señors @ Scale, Staff Frontend Engineer Matheus Albuquerque joins Dan to talk all things React, rendering, and real-world performance at scale.They dive into React scheduling and fibers, why rendering strategies always “depend,” and how to make performance decisions when millions of users are at stake. Mateusz shares war stories about dropdowns with 16,000 options, migrating a stable React app to SSR (and regretting it), and what happens when browsers you’ve never heard of load your app in production.They also unpack how feature flags and ring deployments help ship safely, why junior devs struggle when they learn frameworks before fundamentals, and how mentorship + RFC-driven development can keep teams moving in the right direction.🎯 Whether you’re debugging hydration issues, experimenting with performance APIs, or mentoring new frontend engineers, this one is full of sharp lessons from the trenches of large-scale React.*Chapters*00:00 Introduction to Mateusz Albuquerque04:19 The Journey to Programming06:57 Diving into Frontend Development09:33 Understanding React Scheduling12:21 Rendering Strategies in React15:01 Web Performance Challenges and Solutions17:30 Techniques for Optimizing Performance20:01 Common Challenges for New Developers32:13 The Importance of Foundational Knowledge33:56 The Value of RFC-Driven Development35:42 Proud Achievements in Software Development39:57 Challenges and Bugs in Large Scale Applications46:11 Best Practices for Frontend Development49:40 Recommended Reading for Developers54:22 Personal Interests and Relaxation TechniquesFollow & Subscribe:📸 Instagram: [ / senorsatscale ]( / senorsatscale )📸 Instagram: [ / neciudev ]( / neciudev )🎙 Podcast URL: [https://neciudan.dev/senors-at-scale](https://neciudan.dev/senors-at-scale)📬 Newsletter: [https://neciudan.dev/subscribe](https://neciudan.dev/subscribe)💼 LinkedIn: [ / neciudan ]( / neciudan )💼 LinkedIn: [ / se%c3%b1ors-scale ]( / se%c3%b1ors-scale )Keywords:Mateusz Albuquerque, React, frontend development, web performance, programming challenges, mentorship, feature flags, deployment strategies, tech conferences, performance optimizationDon’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more engineering stories from the front lines. Have you ever been burned by performance issues in production React apps? Share your story below 👇
Refactoring at Scale with Jose Calderon
In this engaging conversation, Jose Calderon, a lead software engineer at JP Morgan Chase, shares his journey into software engineering, his passion for Java and the Spring ecosystem, and the importance of documentation and decision-making in software architecture. He discusses the evolving role of AI in coding, offers tips for learning Java, and emphasizes the significance of mentoring future engineers. The conversation also touches on crafting engaging conference talks, testing strategies for enterprise software, and the balance between refactoring and rewriting code. Jose concludes with book recommendations and insights into the gaming world as a form of relaxation.TakeawaysJose's journey into software engineering began with a passion for fixing computers and playing games.Java's ecosystem is robust, with a strong community and rapid evolution.Documentation of architectural decisions is crucial for future reference and understanding.AI tools can enhance productivity but should not replace fundamental coding skills.Unit tests should serve as documentation for code behavior.The choice between refactoring and rewriting code depends on the stability and control of the existing system.Chaos engineering helps teams prepare for unexpected failures in production environments.Mentoring future engineers is essential for fostering a strong tech community.Crafting engaging conference talks involves storytelling and relatable analogies.Gaming can serve as a form of relaxation and mental recharge for developers.Sound Bites"You can build whatever you want and play around.""The world is your oyster with Java.""You can simplify and still be effective."Keywordssoftware engineering, Java, Spring, coding, technology, software architecture, mentoring, conference talks, decision making, testing strategies, chaos engineering, AI in coding, book recommendations, gaming
Hosted by Neciu Dan
Tech Lead, Co-Founder, Speaker
What is Señors @ Scale?
Señors @ Scale features in-depth conversations with senior developers, tech leads, and software architects who share real-world experiences of scaling applications, teams, and their careers. Each episode unpacks the hard-earned lessons from industry veterans who have been in the trenches.
From scaling applications to millions of users, to growing teams from 5 to 500+ engineers, to navigating complex distributed systems - this podcast delivers practical wisdom you can apply immediately in your work.
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What You'll Learn
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Microservices vs monolith trade-offs - Database scaling strategies
- Performance optimization techniques
👥 Scaling Teams
- Technical leadership strategies
- Building effective engineering culture
- Mentoring and career development
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🎵 Latest Episode
Open Source at Scale with Erik Rasmussen
In this episode of Señors @ Scale, Eric Rasmussen — creator of Redux Form and React Final Form, now Principal Product Engineer at Attio — joins Dan to talk about building open source at scale, developer experience, and the lessons learned from two decades of shipping frontend software.Eric shares his journey from early experiments with BASIC and FoxPro to designing Attio’s secure SDK ecosystem, which enables third-party developers to extend a next-generation CRM. Along the way, he opens up about the pitfalls of feature creep in open source, the evolution from Redux Form to React Final Form, and how AI is already reshaping documentation.We dive into why developer ergonomics matter more than ever, how strict design systems preserve product quality, and what it really takes to manage breaking changes when your code runs in thousands of apps. Eric also offers practical advice for juniors looking to break into open source, as well as insights on testing strategies, state machines, and the libraries he can’t live without.🎯 Whether you’re maintaining a popular open source library, building SDKs for other developers, or just curious about the hidden costs of “yes” in software design, this conversation is full of hard-won lessons from the trenches.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Eric Rasmussen and His Journey05:34 Early Programming Experiences and First Job08:01 Transition to Principal Engineer at Atio10:37 Understanding Atio's CRM and Its Market Position13:08 Developer Experience and Building for Other Developers15:29 The Role of Documentation in Developer Tools18:03 SDK Development and Framework Choices20:30 Building a Secure and Custom Runtime22:54 Managing Breaking Changes and Developer Feedback25:28 The Creation of Redux Form and Its Impact27:59 Testing Strategies for SDKs and Components33:48 Building a Design System35:27 React Final Form: Evolution and Insights41:11 The Journey from Redux to React Final Form46:08 Choosing State Management Solutions48:10 Overused Libraries and Tools54:25 Advice for Junior Developers59:32 Book Recommendations and Closing Thoughts01:04:25 OutroFollow & Subscribe:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/senorsatscale/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neciudev🎙 Podcast URL: https://neciudan.dev/senors-at-scale📬 Newsletter: https://neciudan.dev/subscribe💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neciudan💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/se%C3%B1ors-scale/#opensource #reduxform #reactfinalform #frontend #developerexperience #sdk #documentation #designsystems #softwareengineering #señorsatscale #techtalks #webdevelopmentDon’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more engineering stories from the front lines. What’s your favorite open source library — and how has it shaped your work? Share below 👇Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more engineering stories from the front lines.
Episode Description:
In this episode of Señors @ Scale, Eric Rasmussen — creator of Redux Form and React Final Form, now Principal Product Engineer at Attio — joins Dan to talk about building open source at scale, developer experience, and the lessons learned from two decades of shipping frontend software.Eric shares his journey from early experiments with BASIC and FoxPro to designing Attio’s secure SDK ecosystem, which enables third-party developers to extend a next-generation CRM. Along the way, he opens up about the pitfalls of feature creep in open source, the evolution from Redux Form to React Final Form, and how AI is already reshaping documentation.We dive into why developer ergonomics matter more than ever, how strict design systems preserve product quality, and what it really takes to manage breaking changes when your code runs in thousands of apps. Eric also offers practical advice for juniors looking to break into open source, as well as insights on testing strategies, state machines, and the libraries he can’t live without.🎯 Whether you’re maintaining a popular open source library, building SDKs for other developers, or just curious about the hidden costs of “yes” in software design, this conversation is full of hard-won lessons from the trenches.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Eric Rasmussen and His Journey05:34 Early Programming Experiences and First Job08:01 Transition to Principal Engineer at Atio10:37 Understanding Atio's CRM and Its Market Position13:08 Developer Experience and Building for Other Developers15:29 The Role of Documentation in Developer Tools18:03 SDK Development and Framework Choices20:30 Building a Secure and Custom Runtime22:54 Managing Breaking Changes and Developer Feedback25:28 The Creation of Redux Form and Its Impact27:59 Testing Strategies for SDKs and Components33:48 Building a Design System35:27 React Final Form: Evolution and Insights41:11 The Journey from Redux to React Final Form46:08 Choosing State Management Solutions48:10 Overused Libraries and Tools54:25 Advice for Junior Developers59:32 Book Recommendations and Closing Thoughts01:04:25 OutroFollow & Subscribe:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/senorsatscale/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neciudev🎙 Podcast URL: https://neciudan.dev/senors-at-scale📬 Newsletter: https://neciudan.dev/subscribe💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neciudan💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/se%C3%B1ors-scale/#opensource #reduxform #reactfinalform #frontend #developerexperience #sdk #documentation #designsystems #softwareengineering #señorsatscale #techtalks #webdevelopmentDon’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more engineering stories from the front lines. What’s your favorite open source library — and how has it shaped your work? Share below 👇Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more engineering stories from the front lines.
"Deep conversations with senior developers about scaling applications, teams, and careers — real insights from industry veterans."
Why Señors @ Scale?
- Real-world scaling stories from senior engineers and architects
- Deep technical discussions about architecture patterns and trade-offs
- Career insights for developers transitioning to senior roles
- War stories from scaling applications to millions of users
- Leadership and team building strategies for tech leads
- Latest trends in software architecture and system design
- Practical advice you can apply immediately in your work
🎤 Meet Your Host
Neciu Dan
Tech Lead, Co-Founder, Speaker with experience scaling applications to millions of users. Dan has worked with teams ranging from startups to enterprise, and is passionate about sharing the hard-earned lessons from the trenches.
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