There are many benefits to having communities of practice, so long as the community continues to exist. In this episode, special guests Jon Turner and Neil Sorensen discuss what they've learned over their many years attending and facilitating the Utah Software Craftsmanship group ( http://utahsc.org/ ).

Will using simple tools help you keep your codebase simple? In this episode, your hosts try to draw a distinction between simplicity and ease, then examine how they apply to the tools we use to write code. Unfortunately, simplicity and complexity depend on what level of abstraction you're working at. Sometimes we choose to trade simplicity for easiness, or visa-versa. And maybe there are some simple tools that make your coding life both difficult and complex!

Programming languages are the tools we use to craft code. They have philosophies, environments, ecosystems, and idioms to consider. Picking which languages to use is an important choice for individuals and businesses. Although we all have likes and dislikes, perhaps sometimes we have to leave behind our code baggage to learn something new. But remember most of all: programming is fun!

Software architectures are generally described in broad strokes that make them generally applicable and easier to understand. But this is a lossy process. Whether or not an architecture is good or bad depends on context. So in this episode, Matt, Dave, and Allan share some examples of systems we've worked in to help illustrate architectural decisions.

Starting a new job can be a nerve-wracking experience. There's a lot to learn if you are going to be effective in your new position. Sometimes change is forced upon you, but there are reasons to voluntarily start over. It can be an important part of our personal or career journey.

Despite the near-universal agreement of the importance of software architecture, it is very difficult to define. In this episode, your hosts share what we've learned from holding the architect role (and title) at various companies. For us, the crux of it comes down to figuring out how to deliver technical value for changing business needs over time.

What does it mean to be a full-stack developer as opposed to front- or back-end? Is anyone really full-stack? Is it a reflection of who you are, or is it more about how your company chooses to operate? Whether or not you have a preference for the part of the stack you work in, there is value to expanding your understanding and collaboration.

Mistakes are inevitable. In this episode, your hosts share some of the lessons we've learned the hard way through the mistakes we've made. Our hope is that some of you may be able to avoid making these same mistakes. But if not, at least know you're not alone and we can all improve.

What do you need to know to be a successful software developer? No matter your path into writing software, there are some things you ought to learn. Unfortunately, formal education doesn't teach us all we need to know, and even worse: sometimes even teaches us the wrong things!

Humans communicate through stories. That includes the ones writing code. The folklore of your team teaches you about your history (the hows and whys that got you here) and your ambitions for the future. In this episode, Dave and Allan (sans Matt) discuss the storytelling element of teams.