Archive - Jurij's Workshop

The Fourth Evolution of MVP

Frank Robinson invented MVPs in 2001. Eric Ries redefined them in 2011. AI is redefining them again in 2025.

Aug 15 •

July 2025

Using Shared Packages in Firebase Monorepos

Firebase breaks with file:../shared deps. Use npm pack + tarball approach: preinstall script creates .tgz locally, gets included in deploy.

Jul 29 •

Build Apps Like LEGO Bricks

Use ports & adapters architecture to swap AI providers like LEGO bricks. Avoid vendor lock-in, optimize costs, test new models easily.

Jul 25 •

When "Polish Over Security" Costs Real Money

Client wanted to "polish features first, security later." Found exposed OpenAI API key in frontend code. Anyone could steal it and rack up unlimited…

Jul 22 •

Fidder Overengineering Made Me Pay

Reduced Fidder's maintenance costs $17/month → $1/month by fixing architectural mistakes, like expensive Firestore secutiry rules and unnecessary…

Jul 19 •

If You Throw Away Your MVP Code, It Wasn't an MVP

6-day "MVPs" are prototypes disguised as products. Real MVPs use foundation-first architecture for extension, not throwaway code.

Jul 13 •

When Optimization Culture Breaks Human Judgment (Digest)

A reading digest on how systems designed to optimize metrics are undermining the human capabilities that actually matter.

Jul 1 •

May 2025

I renamed (again) my newsletter (and why)

Changed "Self × Tech" to "Jurij's Workshop" because of etymology and cultural connections; here's the messy process

May 30 •

"It Works" Isn't Enough for Commercial Software

Vibe-coding excels for personal projects but creates dangerous technical debt in commercial products that require human-designed architecture and…

May 6 •

April 2025

How We Built a Zero-Cost CMS Portfolio That Actually Works

Using Next.js, Airtable, and Vercel's free tiers, we created a content-managed portfolio site with zero ongoing costs, hourly updates, custom image…

Apr 16 •

Simple E-Commerce Request Uncovered a Wholesale Business's True Need

What began as an e-commerce project revealed a deeper need: tracking products across the entire supply chain, not just processing orders

Apr 10 •

The Tiny App That Eliminated a Shipping Processing Bottleneck

A custom shipping app reduced package processing from 10 minutes to 60 seconds, eliminated errors by 80%, and paid for itself in 30 days—all for…

Apr 1 •

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