From time to time, I'll come across discussions related to the best approach for teaching aspiring developers. And it never fails: there will always be those who recommend the driest possible introduction. Forget excitement and curiosity, as they see it. They don't factor into the equation. Wait, what??

When exactly did developers get it in their heads that to colors outside of the lines is an offense worthy of banishment? And who invented these lines in the first place? They don't exist. They never did.

I've come to learn that discipline is the key ingredient to every successful person I've ever met. It's obvious; we all know this. So why is it so hard to apply to ourselves?

We all have the tendency to reach for our pitchforks upon hearing information that doesn't line up with what we've decided to be true. How does this affect the coding tools and practices that we defend so vigorously?

In the previous Laracasts Snippet, we discussed social media and how it tends to have a draining effect on me. Let's continue that conversation today, but more from the point of view of solving the problem. What specifically am I doing to increase my mental/physical energy levels?

I've been noticing lately that I feel mentally drained at the end of most days. But strangely enough, it's not the code I write that causes this. No, instead it's the day-to-day social media interaction that drains me. Why again are we participating in platforms that actively encourage addiction and negativity? And why are we okay with checking our phones a hundred times a day?

Developers have come to dread interviews. What sort of silly, gotcha question that has nothing to do with building web apps whatsoever will I have to stress about this time? If I were hiring a new coder, I'd asking them an almost laughably simple question: "Is it okay to send an email from a controller? Explain why."

It's such a basic question, yet I guarantee the answer you are given will speak volumes about the type of developer you're interviewing.

In the development world, you'll frequently hear the phrase "you are not your code." At its core, this is very good advice, however, too often it is used as an excuse to publicly belittle your peers.

I noticed something this morning: the developers I most frequently disagree with on Twitter place code acronyms in their bio. SOLID, DDD, etc. On the flip side, the coders I most respect nearly 100% of the time never do. How come? Let's talk about what this might indicate about the type of developer you are.

I recently published a short video on what I refer to as "visual debt." Shortly after, the critical tweets began to roll in. "How dare you propose that all of these keywords and types and interfaces add noise," they declared. Well, let's talk about it...