9.5% of Engineers Do Nothing (and What It Costs)

Hello!

Today, we’re investigating who are the costly ghost engineers and how Uber managed to migrate billions of trips with zero downtime.

We’ll also read about Microsoft’s new approach to cybersecurity, Amazon’s investment in OpenAI’s biggest rival and explore practical tips on keeping your website fast and reliable with smarter load balancing.

Grab your coffee, get comfortable, and enjoy this week’s Frictionless!

Also in the Queue

• Zoom Rebrands into AI-First Company

• Strategies for Getting More Headcount

• Does Productivity Have to Be Fast?

• Next.js vs Gatsby - Which to Choose?

• React US Summit 2024

Reduce Friction

~9.5% of Software Engineers Do Virtually Nothing: Ghost Engineers

Data gathered by a Standford researcher on the performance of over 50k engineers shows that 14% of software engineers working remotely slack off, compared to 9% in hybrid roles and 6% in the office. The costs this amounts to can be counted in billions of dollars yearly.

How to Get More Headcount

Strong teams are the foundation of innovation and the success of new projects, but getting approval for new hires can be a tough hurdle. Instead of getting frustrated with leadership decisions, focus on making a compelling case that shows how additional team members will directly contribute to the company’s goals.

AI Is Taking Your Job

Kent C. Dodds, the legendary software engineer and educator, takes a candid look at how AI is changing the way we work, addressing the common fear that it’s out to take our jobs. Instead of resisting the shift, he shows how embracing AI as a productivity tool can open new opportunities and help you stay relevant in a tech-driven world.

Productivity Isn’t Always Fast 

When we think of productivity, we tie it to speed, but is faster always better? Shifting the focus to quality, team health, and sustainable practices might actually drive better outcomes for engineering teams in the long run.

Safe vs ALL-IN Engineering Management

Engineering management often comes down to a choice: play it safe with steady progress or take bold risks for potential breakthroughs. Both approaches have their advantages, and it’s up to the leaders to find the right balance for their teams.

Deepen Your Expertise

Continuous Deployment in Practice

Modern software teams are evolving from Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) to Continuous Deployment (CD), where every validated code change is automatically released to production. This shift might seem daunting, but can enable faster feedback, quicker value for your users, and workflows that keep pace with your goals.

Next JS vs Gatsby JS – Which One To Choose in 2025?

If you’re trying to decide between Gatsby and Next.js for your next website, this article breaks it down into easy-to-follow details. See how they stack up in performance, data fetching, scalability, and even community support, and decide which one’s the right fit for your project.

🎧 Ep. 1. Five Key Lessons in Next.js Performance Optimization | Insights from Big Projects

Join me and Pagepro’s CTO, Jakub Dakowicz, for the very first episode of our new podcast, Frictionless Development! We’re kicking things off by sharing five lessons we’ve learned from optimizing large Next.js websites. Drawing on our experience in development, QA, and project management, we’ll give you practical tips to boost performance and streamline your Next.js workflows.

React US Summit 2024

React Summit US 2024 brought together developers from around the globe, as speakers shared insights on the latest React advancements, and workshops gave attendees a chance to learn more about the ecosystem.

Stop Losing Users: The Load-Balancing Fix Your Website Needs

Did you know nearly half of users leave a website if it takes more than two seconds to load? Load balancers are the unsung heroes of keeping your website fast, reliable, and available. Scalable load-balancing solutions and advanced tools like Application Delivery Controllers (ADCs) can improve performance, reduce outages, and keep users coming back.

How Available Is Your App, Really?

Traditional uptime metrics often ignore issues like slow page loads or broken payment gateways that frustrate users but don’t fully take a site offline. Prioritizing user experience and connecting it to business KPIs will let you make targeted reliability investments with better outcomes for both users and the business.

Increase Scalability

Uber’s Billion Trips Migration Setup with Zero Downtime

How do you migrate a system managing billions of trips with zero downtime? Uber’s move from on-premises to a hybrid cloud setup is a masterclass in scalability and resilience. Focusing on strategies like unified data stores, service-oriented architecture, and zero-downtime techniques, the company pushed the boundaries of what’s possible for large-scale migrations.

The Graph Database Arms Race: How Microsoft and Rivals Are Revolutionizing Cybersecurity

Microsoft is taking on multidomain cyber threats with its new graph-powered Security Exposure Management Platform (MSEM). MSEM helps security teams pinpoint vulnerabilities and strengthen defenses before attacks happen by mapping connections across devices, identities, and data. 

Introducing a New Experience For AWS Systems Manager

AWS Systems Manager just got a big upgrade, making it easier to manage resources across accounts, regions, and even other cloud providers. The new features include automated diagnostics and tools for troubleshooting unmanaged nodes.

Just Cool

Zoom 2.0 Relaunches as an AI-First Company without Video in Its Name

Zoom has rebranded as Zoom Communications Inc., signaling a bold shift to become an AI-first work platform. The company is evolving beyond video meetings, introducing tools like AI Companion 2.0 to automate tasks and potentially enable a four-day workweek.

Amazon To Invest Another $4 Billion In Anthropic, Openai’s Biggest Rival

Amazon is doubling down on AI with an additional $4 billion investment in Anthropic, the team behind AI assistant Claude. The collaboration leverages AWS for cloud services and training, aiming to drive advancements in generative AI using platforms such as Bedrock and Trainium chips.

Let’s Stay in Touch! 📨 

Do you have any comments about this newsletter issue or questions you want to ask? Drop me a message or book a meeting.