The Journal
Notes from the build.
Practical writing from a freelance web & app developer — cloud cost, AI products, digital-nomad field notes, and the engineering calls that decide whether a startup ships or stalls.
July 27, 2026 · 4 min
Three Internships in One Year — Bosch, Sirma, GyanGrove, and What Each Actually Taught Me
I did three software internships back to back in 2024 — Bosch, Sirma, and GyanGrove. Here's what each one was really like, what I actually learned, and how they led to my first full-time job.
July 24, 2026 · 4 min
From College Side Gig to Founding Engineer — How I Started Earning in My Second Year
How I went from a broke second-year college student to a part-time founding engineer at a US startup — earning real money, shipping real code, and learning what classrooms don't teach.
July 21, 2026 · 4 min
Quitting My Job to Become a Full-Time Freelance Developer
Why I left a stable full-time software engineer job to freelance — the real reasons, the fears, how I got my first clients, and what I'd tell anyone thinking about going freelance.
July 18, 2026 · 5 min
Best Places for Digital Nomads in 2026 — a Freelance Developer's Top Picks
A freelance developer's honest ranking of the best digital nomad destinations in 2026 — Da Nang and Bali in detail, plus Bangkok, with real notes on wifi, cost, cafés, coworking and community.
July 15, 2026 · 5 min
How I Work as a Digital Nomad Freelance Developer
My real working system as a digital nomad freelance web and app developer — how I find cafés and coworking spaces, structure my day across timezones, and ship client work from anywhere.
July 9, 2026 · 4 min
Supabase vs Firebase in 2026 — An Honest Comparison for Builders
Supabase vs Firebase in 2026 — Postgres vs NoSQL, pricing and lock-in, real-time, auth, and AI features — with a clear pick for each kind of project.
July 6, 2026 · 4 min
Building an AI Chatbot with OpenAI — Beyond the 20-Line Demo
What it actually takes to ship a production AI chatbot on the OpenAI API — streaming, RAG, tool calling, cost control, and the guardrails the tutorials skip.
July 2, 2026 · 4 min
Next.js vs React for Startups — Which Should You Actually Start With?
A no-hype breakdown of Next.js vs plain React for early-stage startups — SEO, speed to market, hiring, and cost — with a clear default and the cases where it flips.
June 28, 2026 · 4 min
How I Reduced AWS Costs by 40% (Without Breaking Production)
A practical, field-tested playbook for cutting an AWS bill by 40% — right-sizing, Savings Plans, storage tiering, and killing the idle spend nobody notices.