How to Evaluate Code Quality When You Cannot Read Code
A founder’s field guide for judging code quality without reading code: five outside-in signals, ten evidence questions, and what good looks like.
Better Software
Blog
Insights
Articles on product strategy, engineering principles, and building software that lasts.
SOC 2 Is Won in the Codebase
SOC 2 for startups is mostly decided before you hire a GRC tool. Learn what to build now, when to buy an audit, and how Type 1 can unblock deals.
Better Software
Vibe Coding Debt: Spot It Without Reading Code
A founder’s guide to vibe coding technical debt: six business symptoms, five audit questions, and a coached-AI operating model that keeps speed without compounding slop.
Better Software
Do You Actually Need a Technical Cofounder? Equity Math
Most advice tells you where to find a technical cofounder. The better question is whether you need one, what the equity really costs, and what else works.
Better Software
Why Good Products Stall: Month-One Decisions That Decide Scale
Most advice on why software projects fail blames process. For founders, the real risk is month-one engineering choices that quietly force a rewrite.
Better Software
You Have a Working Demo. A Product You Can Scale Is a Different Job
A working demo is not a working product. If you built an AI or no-code prototype, here is what has to change to make it durable, secure, and scalable.
Better Software
Scoping Version One: What a First Product Really Includes
MVP scope is two decisions, not one: what version one does, and which engineering choices you’re stuck with. A founder’s framework for deciding both.
Better Software
What Actually Makes Software HIPAA Compliant
HIPAA compliance is not a feature you add later. Here’s how it shapes your product architecture, what to decide on day one, and what you can defer.
Better Software
The Most Expensive Sentence in Software: Rewrite vs Refactor
When a team says a product needs a rewrite, founders need a decision framework, not jargon. Here’s the real cost model, the red flags, and what to ask next.
Better Software
Built to Pass Diligence: When Engineering Wins Trust
A founder-side guide to technical due diligence for startups: what reviewers open first, the five artifacts that matter, and how early engineering choices decide trust.
Better Software
Evaluating AI Feature Retention Potential
Evaluating AI feature retention requires identifying how the AI capabilities solve a user's core problem. Focus on objective metrics that link AI usage to user success within the product. Avoid common pitfalls of measuring only engagement with the AI itself.
Team
Underestimated Costs of Custom Software Development
Custom software costs extend beyond initial development. Founders frequently overlook essential components like long-term maintenance, operational costs, and the expense of future modifications. This oversight leads to significant budget and resource shortfalls.
Team
