Technical writer, open source documentation lead, and community builder. Sharing what I write, build, and learn in public.https://adiati.com/https://adiati.com/blog/how-mautic-pairs-promptless-with-human-review-to-catch-up-on-docs/https://adiati.com/blog/how-mautic-pairs-promptless-with-human-review-to-catch-up-on-docs/Mautic's documentation fell behind by entire release versions, until we paired Promptless, an AI tool to update docs, with human review to close the gap. I share how the workflow works, why human review still matters, and how much faster docs move now.Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/wanted-beginners-friendly-open-source-projects/https://adiati.com/blog/wanted-beginners-friendly-open-source-projects/Someone wanted to start contributing to open source but couldn't find good beginner-friendly issues on GitHub. An open call for JavaScript, TypeScript, React, or Next.js projects that welcome new contributors.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/ai-skeptical/https://adiati.com/blog/ai-skeptical/I speak three languages. Writing a blog post in a language other than my mother tongue could take me more than four hours. A tight deadline pushed me to try AI to help draft a post based on my ideas, and taught me to use it responsibly.Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/from-helping-out-to-taking-ownership-the-art-of-sticking-around/https://adiati.com/blog/from-helping-out-to-taking-ownership-the-art-of-sticking-around/Sticking with the same communities and doing the invisible work is what led me into leadership roles.Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/automated-open-source-portfolio/https://adiati.com/blog/automated-open-source-portfolio/A follow-up on my open source portfolio project. I started adding features specific to my own journey, like tracking my leadership roles and articles, until I realized those wouldn't make sense for someone just starting out. Why I split the project into a public template and my own personal workshop, and what's new in each.Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/open-source-engagement-whats-working-now/https://adiati.com/blog/open-source-engagement-whats-working-now/I've noticed the number of contributors decreasing on the open source projects I work with. A discussion post asking both contributors and maintainers what actually keeps people coming back.Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/beyond-hacktoberfest-building-a-true-open-source-journey/https://adiati.com/blog/beyond-hacktoberfest-building-a-true-open-source-journey/Hacktoberfest is only the start of an open source journey. Why creating your own opportunities in open source works better than hunting for 'good first issues,' and why sticking with one or two projects pays off more than chasing a PR count.Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/video-tutorials-contribution-for-hacktoberfest/https://adiati.com/blog/video-tutorials-contribution-for-hacktoberfest/Making my first video tutorial for Mautic's documentation meant getting past my fear of recording my own voice and screen. After five hours of retakes, I had an 11-minute video, and a good reason to make a second one right after.Wed, 22 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/giving-non-code-contributions-the-recognition-they-deserve/https://adiati.com/blog/giving-non-code-contributions-the-recognition-they-deserve/Documentation, testing, design, and translation all count. How Mautic built a system to formally recognize no-code work toward Hacktoberfest.Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/hacktoberfest-making-it-enjoyable-for-contributors-and-maintainers/https://adiati.com/blog/hacktoberfest-making-it-enjoyable-for-contributors-and-maintainers/Hacktoberfest rules, contribution etiquette, and a maintainer's plea for boundaries. Practical tips for both sides, based on maintaining 12 repositories across three organizations this year.Sat, 11 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-i-built-a-curated-automated-open-source-portfolio/https://adiati.com/blog/how-i-built-a-curated-automated-open-source-portfolio/How I vibe-coded a Node.js script and GitHub Action from my phone to track my contributions automatically, and the four filters that keep it honest.Sun, 05 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/goals-check-in-hows-your-progress-flowing/https://adiati.com/blog/goals-check-in-hows-your-progress-flowing/Virtual Coffee's Goals Check-In challenge with reflection questions to help you track progress on your January goals, plus how the community celebrated its 5th anniversary at their first online conference.Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/hello-2025-the-one-big-goal/https://adiati.com/blog/hello-2025-the-one-big-goal/After stepping back from pursuing a front-end developer role, I set my one big goal for 2025 — becoming a Technical Writer or Developer Advocate. I shared what led me to that decision, and my plan to get there.Sun, 26 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/thank-you-2024-the-challenges-and-achievements/https://adiati.com/blog/thank-you-2024-the-challenges-and-achievements/2024 swung between feeling triumphant and feeling completely lost. A look back at the year's wins and harder parts.Thu, 09 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/join-virtual-coffee-in-new-year-new-goal-setting-one-big-goal-and-achieving-it/https://adiati.com/blog/join-virtual-coffee-in-new-year-new-goal-setting-one-big-goal-and-achieving-it/Virtual Coffee's New Year, New Goal challenge exploring why setting one big goal for the year works better than having many, plus how to break yours into achievable steps.Mon, 30 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/monthly-challenge-creative-community-challenge/https://adiati.com/blog/monthly-challenge-creative-community-challenge/Virtual Coffee's Creative Community Challenge about taking a break from code to explore art, music, writing, or other creative hobbies, and why creative activities are good for developers.Sat, 30 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/open-source-is-for-everyone/https://adiati.com/blog/open-source-is-for-everyone/My first non-code Hacktoberfest contribution was updating Mautic's 'Communication Channels' page, including a mockup I made in Canva since I'd never used Figma. Why non-code work like documentation, content, and promotion matters just as much as code, and how projects can make open source accessible to people without a tech background.Tue, 19 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/hacktoberfest-2024-my-2nd-year-experience-as-a-maintainer/https://adiati.com/blog/hacktoberfest-2024-my-2nd-year-experience-as-a-maintainer/My second year maintaining open source projects during Hacktoberfest felt calmer in the beginning, until the same frustrations from the previous year came back. What I wish every contributor knew before opening a pull request.Sun, 03 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/hacktoberfest-2024-why-you-should-participate/https://adiati.com/blog/hacktoberfest-2024-why-you-should-participate/Virtual Coffee's Hacktoberfest Initiative 2024, covering why Hacktoberfest is worth joining, practical tips for getting started, and how the community supports contributors, maintainers, and mentors through the event.Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/monthly-challenge-welcoming-community/https://adiati.com/blog/monthly-challenge-welcoming-community/Virtual Coffee's Welcoming Community challenge on why a good first impression matters for any community, plus simple ways to help newcomers feel like they belong.Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/fill-in-issue-forms-and-pr-templates/https://adiati.com/blog/fill-in-issue-forms-and-pr-templates/As a maintainer, I spend a lot of time reminding contributors to fill out PR templates and issue forms completely. I share why they matter, and the small habits that make yours easier to be reviewed and merged faster.Thu, 06 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/building-bridges-not-walls-the-importance-of-documentation-in-open-source-projects/https://adiati.com/blog/building-bridges-not-walls-the-importance-of-documentation-in-open-source-projects/Documentation is the bridge between code and people. The three types every project needs, and how to write docs a global audience can actually use.Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/monthly-challenge-mid-year-check-in-recharge-and-refocus-for-an-amazing-second-half/https://adiati.com/blog/monthly-challenge-mid-year-check-in-recharge-and-refocus-for-an-amazing-second-half/Virtual Coffee's Mid-Year Check-In challenge focused on reviewing your January goals and updating what needs adjusting.Fri, 31 May 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/the-missing-piece-why-your-project-needs-a-maintainer-onboarding-process/https://adiati.com/blog/the-missing-piece-why-your-project-needs-a-maintainer-onboarding-process/Contributor onboarding gets all the attention. Why maintainers need the same guidelines, plus a graceful offboarding process for when they move on.Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/the-secret-recipe-to-getting-your-pull-requests-reviewed-and-merged-faster/https://adiati.com/blog/the-secret-recipe-to-getting-your-pull-requests-reviewed-and-merged-faster/Rejecting a PR because of something that could've been prevented has always been heartbreaking for me as a maintainer. I share the practical habits that get PRs reviewed and merged faster, from attaching the right issue to filling out the PR template.Tue, 28 May 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/collaborate-conquer-grow-mastering-the-art-of-issue-management-for-open-source-projects/https://adiati.com/blog/collaborate-conquer-grow-mastering-the-art-of-issue-management-for-open-source-projects/As a maintainer, I used to wonder whether to tackle an issue myself or hand it to a contributor. I share how I prioritize issues, and how I decide which ones to delegate and which to keep for the core team.Thu, 23 May 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/from-contributor-to-maintainer-my-journey-in-open-source/https://adiati.com/blog/from-contributor-to-maintainer-my-journey-in-open-source/My path from a closed first pull request during Hacktoberfest 2019 to becoming an OpenSauced maintainer six months in, writing our team's first maintainer guidelines, and helping build the Becoming a Maintainer course along the way.Mon, 20 May 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/join-virtual-coffee-in-the-get-job-ready-challenge/https://adiati.com/blog/join-virtual-coffee-in-the-get-job-ready-challenge/Virtual Coffee's Get Job Ready challenge is all about a month spent building a resume, cover letter, and elevator pitch, with resources to help you prepare.Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/join-virtual-coffee-in-the-month-of-learning-challenge/https://adiati.com/blog/join-virtual-coffee-in-the-month-of-learning-challenge/Virtual Coffee's Month of Learning challenge, where you pick something new to learn, track your progress with a learning journal, and stay accountable with the community.Wed, 31 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/open-source-project-ideas/https://adiati.com/blog/open-source-project-ideas/A discussion prompt asking what open source project you'd build if it had to be something people would actually use regularly.Wed, 24 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/join-virtual-coffee-in-new-year-new-goals/https://adiati.com/blog/join-virtual-coffee-in-new-year-new-goals/Virtual Coffee's New Year, New Goals challenge where you set your goals, then break them into achievable monthly steps using the SMART method.Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/devimpact2023-my-end-of-year-reflections/https://adiati.com/blog/devimpact2023-my-end-of-year-reflections/2023 was a year of firsts for me — becoming an open source maintainer and guesting on two podcasts, plus a handful of community features along the way. I look back at the year's wins, and the goals I'm carrying into the next one.Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-to-become-a-better-open-source-maintainer/https://adiati.com/blog/how-to-become-a-better-open-source-maintainer/Practical lessons from my first months as an open source maintainer, on clear communication and staying observant to spot friction points.Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-to-resolve-merge-conflicts-using-the-merge-editor-feature-on-vs-code/https://adiati.com/blog/how-to-resolve-merge-conflicts-using-the-merge-editor-feature-on-vs-code/VS Code has a built-in Merge Editor for resolving conflicts, and I didn't know about it for the longest time. I walk through enabling the feature and using it, from the first conflict to completing the merge.Wed, 22 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/building-your-brand-as-a-developer-through-open-source/https://adiati.com/blog/building-your-brand-as-a-developer-through-open-source/I used to think, "I'm a developer, not an influencer." That's why I was doubting whether I needed a personal brand at all. Five ways to build one through open source, without turning yourself into an influencer.Tue, 21 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/hacktoberfest-2023-first-experience-as-a-maintainer/https://adiati.com/blog/hacktoberfest-2023-first-experience-as-a-maintainer/First time as an open source maintainer, across Virtual Coffee, OpenSauced, and SheSharp during Hacktoberfest 2023, and what it taught me about giving feedback.Fri, 20 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/hacktoberfest23-the-5th-year-contributor/https://adiati.com/blog/hacktoberfest23-the-5th-year-contributor/This is the fifth year I've contributed to Hacktoberfest, where I made ten accepted pull requests, attempted my first code-related issue, and am still learning about reading a codebase.Thu, 19 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/ayus-hacktoberfest-2023-pledge/https://adiati.com/blog/ayus-hacktoberfest-2023-pledge/For my fifth Hacktoberfest, I'm keeping my goal modest at one accepted PR, and putting more focus this year on supporting beginners in open source through Virtual Coffee, OpenSauced, and SheSharp.Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/hacktoberfest-2023-lets-make-positive-impacts-learn-grow-together-in-open-source/https://adiati.com/blog/hacktoberfest-2023-lets-make-positive-impacts-learn-grow-together-in-open-source/Virtual Coffee's Hacktoberfest Initiative 2023, explaining what it is, how to complete it, and how the community supports maintainers, contributors, and mentors through the event.Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-important-is-a-code-of-conduct-in-an-open-source-project/https://adiati.com/blog/how-important-is-a-code-of-conduct-in-an-open-source-project/A discussion prompt on how essential a Code of Conduct really is in open source, and whether a project without one still counts as truly open source.Tue, 26 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/100daysofoss-recap-day-28-50/https://adiati.com/blog/100daysofoss-recap-day-28-50/Days 28 to 50 of my #100DaysOfOSS challenge, where I helped prepare Virtual Coffee's Preptember repository for Hacktoberfest, merged a few small pull requests, and attended my first-ever workshop.Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/open-source-and-git-glossary/https://adiati.com/blog/open-source-and-git-glossary/A glossary of common open source and Git terms — repo, fork, issue, PR, and more — explained simply for anyone just starting to contribute.Wed, 30 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/100daysofoss-recap-day-15-27/https://adiati.com/blog/100daysofoss-recap-day-15-27/Days 15 to 27 of my #100DaysOfOSS challenge, where I finally published a post that had sat in my drafts for almost a year, raised issues at OpenSauced and Virtual Coffee, and merged a few pull requests.Fri, 18 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-to-communicate-better-in-open-source/https://adiati.com/blog/how-to-communicate-better-in-open-source/Good communication in open source looks different depending on whether it happens async on GitHub and Slack, or live on a call. I share what makes each work, from avoiding assumptions in writing to respecting other people's time zones.Mon, 14 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/100daysofoss-recap-day-1-14/https://adiati.com/blog/100daysofoss-recap-day-1-14/Days 1 to 14 of my #100DaysOfOSS challenge, where I set my goals for the 100 days, merged four pull requests at Virtual Coffee while on vacation, and learned what it means to raise an issue without already having the solution.Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/building-portfolio-with-nextjs-add-navbar-footer-and-metadata/https://adiati.com/blog/building-portfolio-with-nextjs-add-navbar-footer-and-metadata/Continuing my build-in-public portfolio series, I set up a root layout for a shared navbar and footer, and use the Metadata API to define page metadata.Thu, 20 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/building-portfolio-with-nextjs-migrate-to-app-router/https://adiati.com/blog/building-portfolio-with-nextjs-migrate-to-app-router/Migrating my portfolio project from Next.js's Pages Router to the App Router after realizing I'd read the wrong docs. What I learned about server components and routing along the way.Wed, 19 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-to-install-pnpm-with-npm-on-windows-11/https://adiati.com/blog/how-to-install-pnpm-with-npm-on-windows-11/After installing pnpm with npm for a Virtual Coffee project, I ran into a 'pnpm is not recognized' error on Windows 11. I share the fix, in case newer pnpm versions don't solve it for you either.Wed, 12 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/building-portfolio-with-nextjs-add-pages/https://adiati.com/blog/building-portfolio-with-nextjs-add-pages/Adding pages to my portfolio project in Next.js, and realizing partway through that I'd been mixing up the Pages Router and the App Router.Tue, 11 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/building-portfolio-install-nextjs-and-tailwind-with-pnpm/https://adiati.com/blog/building-portfolio-install-nextjs-and-tailwind-with-pnpm/The first post in my build-in-public portfolio series, where I install Next.js and Tailwind with pnpm and walk through the config choices I made along the way.Mon, 10 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/which-package-managers/https://adiati.com/blog/which-package-managers/What's the real difference between npm, yarn, and pnpm, and which one do you use?Fri, 07 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/getting-back-to-coding-with-learning-and-building-in-public/https://adiati.com/blog/getting-back-to-coding-with-learning-and-building-in-public/Coming back to coding and writing after a long break for my mental health takes more than good intentions. I'm holding myself accountable by joining Virtual Coffee's Building in Public challenge, with realistic goals for the portfolio site I'm building with Next.js and Tailwind.Wed, 05 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/tips-from-a-shy-introvert-how-to-engage-and-get-more-involved-in-a-community/https://adiati.com/blog/tips-from-a-shy-introvert-how-to-engage-and-get-more-involved-in-a-community/Joining a new community and not knowing where to start is hard enough as it is. Being a shy introvert makes it harder. I share the method I use to ease in, from reading the Code of Conduct to slowly finding my place.Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/what-makes-you-stay-in-a-community/https://adiati.com/blog/what-makes-you-stay-in-a-community/What makes you stay in a community, keep showing up, and want to give back? I share the handful of things that do it for me, from feeling welcomed to simply being acknowledged for what I bring.Wed, 30 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/7-supportive-tech-communities-you-want-to-be-part-of/https://adiati.com/blog/7-supportive-tech-communities-you-want-to-be-part-of/Being self-taught can be a lonely journey, until you find the right community. Seven tech communities I recommend from my own experience as a member.Tue, 29 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/planning-and-tracking-projects-with-githubs-projects-tool/https://adiati.com/blog/planning-and-tracking-projects-with-githubs-projects-tool/Do you want a way to plan and track your project on GitHub? I wrote about setting up a Projects board, from creating it to managing tasks.Sat, 26 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/audio-media-accessibility-how-to-improve-audio-media-transcriptions/https://adiati.com/blog/audio-media-accessibility-how-to-improve-audio-media-transcriptions/There's more than one way to transcribe a podcast, and picking the wrong type can make it harder to read, not easier. I share what I learned fixing the Virtual Coffee podcast's transcripts, and the guidelines that came out of it.Wed, 23 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/i-learned-about-audio-media-accessibility-and-more-from-improving-tech-podcast-transcriptions/https://adiati.com/blog/i-learned-about-audio-media-accessibility-and-more-from-improving-tech-podcast-transcriptions/During Hacktoberfest 2021, I picked up an accessibility issue fixing podcast transcripts, and learned how much a few typos can change the whole meaning. This contribution taught me about accessibility, and an unexpected SEO bonus.Mon, 14 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/collective-nanowrimo-lets-write-together/https://adiati.com/blog/collective-nanowrimo-lets-write-together/Inspired by NaNoWriMo, Virtual Coffee once set a community goal of 50,000 words in a month, and we wrote 125,392. An invitation to write together again this November, with ideas to get started and ways to stay motivated.Wed, 09 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/mini-portfolio-bring-your-github-profile-to-the-next-level/https://adiati.com/blog/mini-portfolio-bring-your-github-profile-to-the-next-level/A friend's question about my GitHub profile made me realize it was overdue for an update. I share how I turned it into a mini portfolio, adding a custom banner and footer, and matching every detail to my brand.Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/what-i-learned-from-collaboration-in-building-an-e-commerce-product-page/https://adiati.com/blog/what-i-learned-from-collaboration-in-building-an-e-commerce-product-page/For Virtual Coffee's pairing challenge, I teamed up with another developer to build an e-commerce product page, and learned as much about communicating across time zones and cultures as I did about the code.Sat, 03 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-to-get-unstuck-in-coding-with-the-power-of-community/https://adiati.com/blog/how-to-get-unstuck-in-coding-with-the-power-of-community/Learning to code alone as a stay-at-home mom left me stuck more than once. What changed when I found community, and where to ask for help when Google runs out of answers.Sat, 27 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/failing-is-not-failure-what-i-learned-from-failed-interviews/https://adiati.com/blog/failing-is-not-failure-what-i-learned-from-failed-interviews/After failing yet another job interview, I took a break to figure out what I actually learned from it.Mon, 22 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/should-developers-put-themselves-out-there/https://adiati.com/blog/should-developers-put-themselves-out-there/Not every developer wants to write, create content, or speak on a podcast. So why are developers expected to put themselves out there? A discussion prompt on whether that expectation is fair.Thu, 05 May 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/turn-your-blog-post-into-a-virtual-talk/https://adiati.com/blog/turn-your-blog-post-into-a-virtual-talk/Public speaking terrifies me, but I turned one of my blog posts into a 10-minute lightning talk for Virtual Coffee anyway. What I learned about outlining, rehearsing (I recorded myself 12 times), and the technical side of speaking on video.Tue, 03 May 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/guide-to-asking-questions-about-code/https://adiati.com/blog/guide-to-asking-questions-about-code/As a newbie, I was too afraid to ask questions, worried I'd get mocked like some people on Stack Overflow. What changed my mind, plus the guide to asking good coding questions I helped put together for Virtual Coffee.Fri, 15 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/tech-is-for-everyone-dont-let-people-tell-you-otherwise/https://adiati.com/blog/tech-is-for-everyone-dont-let-people-tell-you-otherwise/My journey as a woman and a mom finding my way into coding, and the communities that made me believe I belong.Wed, 13 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/learn-accessibility/https://adiati.com/blog/learn-accessibility/I'm learning accessibility as I go, but I want to go deeper. What courses, resources, or people would you recommend?Tue, 22 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/nevertheless-ayu-coded-in-2022-and-learned-much-more/https://adiati.com/blog/nevertheless-ayu-coded-in-2022-and-learned-much-more/In 2021, a massive burnout followed by imposter syndrome nearly made me quit. A look back at how I recovered, and everything that followed, from becoming Virtual Coffee's Documentation Lead to finishing Hacktoberfest with eight contributions.Wed, 09 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-to-use-github-for-project-collaboration-based-on-agile-method/https://adiati.com/blog/how-to-use-github-for-project-collaboration-based-on-agile-method/What I learned about project collaboration from my time at The Collab Lab, turned into a guide for using GitHub the Agile way, from setting up issues to resolving conflicts.Fri, 04 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-to-fetch-a-contribution-branch-to-test-it-locally-as-an-open-source-maintainer/https://adiati.com/blog/how-to-fetch-a-contribution-branch-to-test-it-locally-as-an-open-source-maintainer/A follow-up to fetching a branch as a contributor, this time from the maintainer's side. I walk through fetching and testing a contributor's branch locally before merging.Thu, 24 Feb 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/git-how-to-fetch-a-branch-from-the-upstream-to-the-local-repo-in-5-steps/https://adiati.com/blog/git-how-to-fetch-a-branch-from-the-upstream-to-the-local-repo-in-5-steps/A teammate and I kept hitting "fatal: couldn't find remote ref" when trying to fetch a branch to test before merging, until we realized we needed to point our origin at the upstream repo. I break down how to do that in five steps.Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/my-2021-review-the-growing-pains/https://adiati.com/blog/my-2021-review-the-growing-pains/On the last night of 2021, I looked back on what people call growing pains, from a massive burnout that nearly made me quit to finding out how much I'd grown in a single year. Five lessons I'm taking into 2022, starting with the hardest one to accept.Fri, 31 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/what-i-learned-from-project-collaboration-with-the-collab-lab/https://adiati.com/blog/what-i-learned-from-project-collaboration-with-the-collab-lab/Eight weeks building a smart shopping list app with a team of four at The Collab Lab, using React and Firebase I'd never touched before. What I learned about pair programming, delegating tasks, and asking for help sooner rather than later.Wed, 01 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/emmet-abbreviation-for-jsx-in-vscode-is-unstable/https://adiati.com/blog/emmet-abbreviation-for-jsx-in-vscode-is-unstable/Emmet in VSCode started acting up, with abbreviations working unreliably in JSX files after an update. An open question for anyone who's hit the same issue.Thu, 25 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/chill-and-learn-how-to-begin-thinking-like-a-programmer/https://adiati.com/blog/chill-and-learn-how-to-begin-thinking-like-a-programmer/The first post in my new 'Chill & Learn' series, where I share notes from talks I enjoyed while relaxing on the couch. This one's from Andy Harris's talk on thinking like a programmer, and the one idea that reshaped how I think about code.Mon, 22 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/my-impression-of-polywork-as-a-web-developer-and-a-technical-blogger/https://adiati.com/blog/my-impression-of-polywork-as-a-web-developer-and-a-technical-blogger/I didn't do anything with my Polywork invite for months, until I finally spent two hours filling out my profile. What won me over as both a developer and a blogger, and the one small design choice I didn't expect to appreciate so much.Thu, 18 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/what-i-learned-from-hacktoberfest-2021/https://adiati.com/blog/what-i-learned-from-hacktoberfest-2021/The year before, I submitted just one pull request for Hacktoberfest, too intimidated by open source to aim higher. With a mentor through Virtual Coffee's Hacktoberfest Initiative this time, I submitted eight, and finally got comfortable with git along the way.Tue, 02 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/contributing-to-open-source-101/https://adiati.com/blog/contributing-to-open-source-101/Written with two days left in Hacktoberfest, a full walkthrough of contributing to an open source project, from forking the repo to opening your first pull request.Fri, 29 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/first-week-of-the-hacktoberfest-8-top-questions-around-git/https://adiati.com/blog/first-week-of-the-hacktoberfest-8-top-questions-around-git/One week into Hacktoberfest 2021, I'd already made plenty of mistakes and had a few panic attacks over it. The eight questions I asked and got answered around Git.Tue, 12 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/hashnode-bootcamp-iv-personal-thoughts-and-experience/https://adiati.com/blog/hashnode-bootcamp-iv-personal-thoughts-and-experience/This was my second Hashnode Bootcamp, and its writing prompts were the most challenging yet. They pushed me to think differently about generating ideas, and to get more consistent about how often I actually publish.Wed, 29 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/i-have-been-writing-a-blog-for-10-months-here-is-my-story/https://adiati.com/blog/i-have-been-writing-a-blog-for-10-months-here-is-my-story/Ten months of blogging, from three early articles no one read to a sustainable writing habit, and what actually kept me motivated to keep going.Tue, 28 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-to-make-changes-on-a-commit-in-a-pull-request-directly-on-githubs-website/https://adiati.com/blog/how-to-make-changes-on-a-commit-in-a-pull-request-directly-on-githubs-website/After missing something in a pull request, my first instinct was to panic and close it to start over. Then I learned that you can make changes directly on GitHub's website instead, without closing and reopening your PR.Sun, 26 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/why-ethics-in-contributing-to-open-source-matters/https://adiati.com/blog/why-ethics-in-contributing-to-open-source-matters/I labeled an issue as good-first-issue for newcomers to open source, and was surprised when people who clearly weren't beginners worked on it anyway. They were unaware that there are unwritten rules of contributing to open source.Mon, 20 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/building-habits-to-be-healthier-developers/https://adiati.com/blog/building-habits-to-be-healthier-developers/Healthy habits I built during a summer break to become a better-rested developer, from Pomodoro sessions to weekends off, and letting go of guilt around rest.Wed, 15 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/a-letter-for-you-future-me/https://adiati.com/blog/a-letter-for-you-future-me/A birthday letter to my future self about the journey so far, from losing my mom and taking a six-month break from learning to finding Virtual Coffee and writing again.Tue, 10 Aug 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/project-collaboration-and-pair-programming/https://adiati.com/blog/project-collaboration-and-pair-programming/My first time pair programming as a self-taught developer left me confused just observing, until being the driver helped me finally understand it. What I learned about team collaboration along the way.Tue, 03 Aug 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/methods-vs-computed-in-vue/https://adiati.com/blog/methods-vs-computed-in-vue/Learning Vue, I got curious about the difference between methods and computed properties. A question on which one to reach for and when.Fri, 25 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/lesson-learned-massive-burnout-in-learning-web-development/https://adiati.com/blog/lesson-learned-massive-burnout-in-learning-web-development/I hesitated to publish this one. The massive burnout that almost made me quit learning web development, what caused it, and how I got through it, down to celebrating a small win with a cute pen.Mon, 07 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/tips-for-writing-good-alt-text-in-html/https://adiati.com/blog/tips-for-writing-good-alt-text-in-html/Why we skip writing alt text, or write something too vague to be useful, and tips for writing it well instead.Sat, 22 May 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/core-react-concept-jsx/https://adiati.com/blog/core-react-concept-jsx/What JSX actually is and why it saves you from writing long vanilla JavaScript DOM code.Sat, 08 May 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/hashnode-bootcamp-iii-personal-experience/https://adiati.com/blog/hashnode-bootcamp-iii-personal-experience/My first technical blogging bootcamp, and the four articles that came out of it right after.Sat, 24 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-to-build-an-effective-developer-portfolio/https://adiati.com/blog/how-to-build-an-effective-developer-portfolio/What a developer portfolio is actually for, and why it matters beyond your resume, from the about section to the projects you choose to showcase.Fri, 23 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/the-reasons-why-i-blog-and-you-should-too/https://adiati.com/blog/the-reasons-why-i-blog-and-you-should-too/Imposter syndrome kept me from blogging for a long time, convinced my English wasn't good enough and everything worth saying had already been said. What finally got me writing, and six reasons I keep at it.Tue, 20 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/why-developers-need-to-build-personal-brand/https://adiati.com/blog/why-developers-need-to-build-personal-brand/I'd heard the term "personal brand" before but never understood what it meant. What it actually is and how to build one.Mon, 19 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/vite-with-react-template/https://adiati.com/blog/vite-with-react-template/While trying out TailwindCSS, I stumbled onto Vite as a no-bundler alternative to create-react-app. How much faster it actually was once I timed both installs.Tue, 06 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/10-free-and-affordable-resources-to-learn-frontend-web-development/https://adiati.com/blog/10-free-and-affordable-resources-to-learn-frontend-web-development/When it comes to learning to code, are you a reader, a watcher, or a bit of both? A roundup of free and affordable resources for each type, from video courses to game-based tutorials.Sat, 20 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/10-tips-for-new-self-taught-developers-in-learning-to-code/https://adiati.com/blog/10-tips-for-new-self-taught-developers-in-learning-to-code/Learning alone left me with no clear path, no mentorship, and no one to hold me accountable. Ten tips for new self-taught developers so you don't have to learn everything the hard way like I did.Sat, 13 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/choosetochallenge-stop-underrating-stay-at-home-moms/https://adiati.com/blog/choosetochallenge-stop-underrating-stay-at-home-moms/During a job interview, I was asked what I did during my "gap" from work, as if being a stay-at-home mom for a few years wasn't already a full-time job. Why that question, and the assumptions behind it, need to stop.Tue, 02 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/nevertheless-ayu-coded-in-2021-and-no-longer-alone/https://adiati.com/blog/nevertheless-ayu-coded-in-2021-and-no-longer-alone/A stay-at-home mom teaching myself to code with no one to ask questions, until I found Virtual Coffee. What changed in the six months after, from writing my first blog post to my first open source contribution.Tue, 02 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/why-i-use-and-recommend-hashnode/https://adiati.com/blog/why-i-use-and-recommend-hashnode/I found Hashnode through a tweet, a week into a NaNoWriMo writing challenge with Virtual Coffee. Why I've stuck with it since, from owning my own domain to how active its community is.Wed, 17 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/semantic-tags-in-html5-the-what-and-why/https://adiati.com/blog/semantic-tags-in-html5-the-what-and-why/I'll admit I haven't applied accessibility as much as I should in my own projects. What semantic HTML tags actually are, and why they matter for accessibility, cleaner code, and SEO.Tue, 09 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-to-create-a-responsive-navigation-bar-with-flexbox-and-media-queries/https://adiati.com/blog/how-to-create-a-responsive-navigation-bar-with-flexbox-and-media-queries/Putting Flexbox and media queries into practice by building a simple, responsive navigation bar that adjusts from a bigger screen down to mobile.Thu, 28 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-to-change-html-default-format-from-nunjucks-to-html5-in-vscode/https://adiati.com/blog/how-to-change-html-default-format-from-nunjucks-to-html5-in-vscode/The one solution I found online for this VSCode formatting bug wasn't quite right, and I nearly gave up and reinstalled VSCode over it. What actually fixed it instead.Sun, 24 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/css-flexbox-flex-direction/https://adiati.com/blog/css-flexbox-flex-direction/What flex-direction actually controls in Flexbox, and the four values you can set it to.Thu, 14 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/learning-to-learn-efficient-learning-personal-implementation-in-web-development/https://adiati.com/blog/learning-to-learn-efficient-learning-personal-implementation-in-web-development/After finishing the efficient learning course, I turned the lens on myself to review which of my own study habits as a self-taught developer and stay-at-home mom are actually working, and which still need work.Fri, 08 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/css-media-queries/https://adiati.com/blog/css-media-queries/What media queries actually are and how their syntax works.Thu, 07 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/learning-to-learn-efficient-learning-the-techniques/https://adiati.com/blog/learning-to-learn-efficient-learning-the-techniques/Turning the science and principles of learning into concrete practice, with techniques like the Pomodoro method and the Method of Loci for remembering things you'd otherwise forget.Wed, 06 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/learning-to-learn-efficient-learning-the-science/https://adiati.com/blog/learning-to-learn-efficient-learning-the-science/The research behind efficient learning, including why your brain needs both focus and diffuse mode, and why procrastination is more about managing emotions than managing time.Tue, 05 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/learning-to-learn-efficient-learning-the-pillars/https://adiati.com/blog/learning-to-learn-efficient-learning-the-pillars/The foundational pillars of efficient learning, like treating obstacles as a game and using the Feynman Technique to test whether you actually understand something.Mon, 04 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/learning-to-learn-efficient-learning-the-lies/https://adiati.com/blog/learning-to-learn-efficient-learning-the-lies/Common advice about learning turns out to be more myth than fact, including 'follow your passion' and the idea that 10,000 hours of practice guarantees mastery.Sun, 03 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/learning-to-learn-efficient-learning-the-principles/https://adiati.com/blog/learning-to-learn-efficient-learning-the-principles/Kicking off my efficient learning series with the mindset shifts that matter most — learning when to quit versus when to push through, and figuring out your own most productive hours in the day.Sat, 02 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/css-flexbox-align-items/https://adiati.com/blog/css-flexbox-align-items/How align-items controls the vertical position of items in a Flexbox container, and the five values it can take to get there.Sat, 26 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/self-reflection-my-letter-to-2020/https://adiati.com/blog/self-reflection-my-letter-to-2020/A gratitude letter to a genuinely rough year, for the people who covered a course membership I couldn't otherwise afford, and the first open source contribution and blogging habit that came out of it.Thu, 24 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/break-tasks-into-chunks-an-important-advice-i-wish-i-knew-sooner/https://adiati.com/blog/break-tasks-into-chunks-an-important-advice-i-wish-i-knew-sooner/For over a year, every project I started ended up unfinished. One piece of advice from a coworking session with fellow moms changed that, and I finished my next project in four hours.Sat, 19 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/css-flexbox-justify-content/https://adiati.com/blog/css-flexbox-justify-content/What justify-content in CSS flexbox is, and the six values you can choose from.Wed, 16 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/a-dip-into-css-flexbox/https://adiati.com/blog/a-dip-into-css-flexbox/The first post in a series on learning Flexbox, on what changes when you apply display: flex to an element instead of the default block or inline behavior.Sat, 12 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/setting-up-width-of-images-in-css/https://adiati.com/blog/setting-up-width-of-images-in-css/Why setting an image's width in percentage can blur it, and why max-width is the better property to reach for instead.Sun, 06 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/overcoming-burnout-in-programming-learning/https://adiati.com/blog/overcoming-burnout-in-programming-learning/I experienced burnout as a self-taught developer from comparing myself to others. Then, I built the habits that actually helped me push through it.Mon, 30 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/reactdomrender/https://adiati.com/blog/reactdomrender/What ReactDOM.render() actually does, and how to see it in action using plain CDN links instead of create-react-app.Sun, 29 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/when-should-you-start-to-write-a-technical-blog/https://adiati.com/blog/when-should-you-start-to-write-a-technical-blog/One night, my daughter couldn't sleep, so instead of learning, I published my first blog post. What finally pushed me to hit publish after holding back for so long.Mon, 23 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/contributing-to-an-open-source-by-a-first-timer-part-1/https://adiati.com/blog/contributing-to-an-open-source-by-a-first-timer-part-1/I'd only ever used git to push my own projects straight to my own main branch. I share what changed when I made my first open source contribution, working through forking, cloning, and committing, and where I deliberately stopped before the next step.Sat, 21 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/contributing-to-an-open-source-by-a-first-timer-part-2/https://adiati.com/blog/contributing-to-an-open-source-by-a-first-timer-part-2/Committing our changes wasn't the last step. I continue from my first open source contribution, syncing my fork with the upstream repo before finally pushing and opening my first pull request, and finding out it wasn't as scary as I'd imagined.Sat, 21 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/css-unit-em/https://adiati.com/blog/css-unit-em/My previous post explained why em can cause problems with font-size. I explore where it's still useful, using a simple example that shows margin and font-size don't scale the way you might expect.Mon, 16 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/finding-networks-and-communities/https://adiati.com/blog/finding-networks-and-communities/As a stay-home mom learning to code alone, meetups and conferences were out of reach, and I had no one to ask when I got stuck. I share how one burned-out tweet connected me with communities I'm still part of today, and what changed once I stopped feeling like an outsider.Mon, 09 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/css-units/https://adiati.com/blog/css-units/The difference between absolute and relative CSS units, and which one fits best depending on whether you're sizing text, spacing, or layout.Sun, 08 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-to-move-existing-and-store-future-local-mongodb-data-from-one-drive-to-another-hard-drive-windows-10/https://adiati.com/blog/how-to-move-existing-and-store-future-local-mongodb-data-from-one-drive-to-another-hard-drive-windows-10/After running out of space on drive C:, I moved my projects to drive D:, only to find MongoDB throwing shutdown errors with no Windows-specific fix online. I walk through the steps to move existing databases and store future ones in the new location.Sat, 18 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/move-mongodb-local-data-to-another-hard-drive-windows-10/https://adiati.com/blog/move-mongodb-local-data-to-another-hard-drive-windows-10/After moving my projects to drive D: to free up space on drive C: on my Windows machine, MongoDB stopped working correctly. With only Linux and macOS fixes online, I posted this as a discussion on dev.to, asking whether simply copying my existing data over to the new drive would fix it.Wed, 15 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/upgrading-pgadmin-4-for-postgresql-12-windows-10/https://adiati.com/blog/upgrading-pgadmin-4-for-postgresql-12-windows-10/The PostgreSQL 12 installer bundles an older version of pgAdmin 4. I walk through uninstalling just that component and installing the latest version in its place, without touching PostgreSQL itself.Mon, 13 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://adiati.com/blog/how-i-got-into-learn-to-code/https://adiati.com/blog/how-i-got-into-learn-to-code/A journey into web development that started with a photography hobby, ran through imposter syndrome and a personal loss, and found footing in the DEV community on Twitter.Sun, 12 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT