# Chemaclass > Personal website of Jose Maria Valera Reales (Chemaclass). Tech Lead, software engineer, and open source contributor sharing practical insights on software craftsmanship, TDD, leadership, Bitcoin, and AI. ## About Jose Maria Valera Reales is a Product Engineer at Kombo with 15+ years in software engineering and 5+ in leadership. He writes about software craftsmanship, testing, leadership, Bitcoin, and AI. The site is available in English and Spanish. ## Sections - [Blog](https://chemaclass.com/blog/): Articles on software development, testing, leadership, and team building - [Readings](https://chemaclass.com/readings/): Book summaries and reading notes across software, psychology, and philosophy - [Talks](https://chemaclass.com/talks/): Conference talks and workshops on testing, refactoring, and software craftsmanship - [Services](https://chemaclass.com/services/): Web development and team workshops - [CV](https://chemaclass.com/cv/): Professional experience and skills ## Series - Bitcoin Series: PGP, Cypherpunks, Programmable Money, Taxes, Fundamentals, How It Works - AI Series: Speed Not Quality, MCP Context, Team of Agents, Idealism vs Pragmatism, Inside .claude, Levels of AI Adoption, Skills Over Agents, Token Bill, Human Bottleneck, Non-Deterministic AI - Software Craftsmanship Series: Art of Testing, Mock or Not, TDD, TDD vs BDD, London vs Chicago, Test Private Methods, Pair Programming - Leadership & Teams Series: Tech Lead, Red vs Blue Work, Path to Seniority, Beauty of Leadership, Great Leadership, Everyone on Board, FSNP, Garage Door Open - Agile & XP Series: Extreme Teams, Agile with Non-Agile, Ignoring Scrum, Friday Deploys, What Kills Agility, Ship Show Ask ## Topics - Leadership & People: Growing as a leader, building great teams, and the human side of software - Mind & Knowledge: Philosophy, psychology, productivity, and the pursuit of understanding - Software Craft & Testing: TDD, clean code, refactoring, and design practices - Bitcoin & Economics: Sound money, Austrian economics, privacy, and Bitcoin technology - Programming Languages & Tools: PHP, Bash, Lisp, Symfony, Docker, Git - Speaking & Teaching: Conference talks, workshops, live coding ## Open Source - [bashunit](https://bashunit.typeddevs.com/): Testing framework for Bash scripts - [Phel](https://phel-lang.org): A Lisp that compiles to PHP ## Feeds - Atom (EN): https://chemaclass.com/atom.xml - Atom (ES): https://chemaclass.com/es/atom.xml - JSON Feed: https://chemaclass.com/feed.json - Sitemap: https://chemaclass.com/sitemap.xml - Full content (for AI agents): https://chemaclass.com/llms-full.txt - AI use policy: https://chemaclass.com/.well-known/ai.txt ## Content index ### Blog (75) - `2026-07-14` [Working With the Garage Door Open](https://chemaclass.com/blog/working-with-the-garage-door-open/index.md) Working in the open lets people help while the work is still shapeable. But an open door is passive. The real skill is pushing the right signal to the right room. - `2026-07-05` [Laissez Faire, Laissez Passer](https://chemaclass.com/blog/laissez-faire-laissez-passer/index.md) One old French phrase holds the whole case for free markets. Let people act, let goods pass. No planner knows what the market knows, and freedom, not control, should be the default. - `2026-06-26` [Cut the Token Bill on Both Ends](https://chemaclass.com/blog/cut-the-token-bill-on-both-ends/index.md) Two small tools that compound: Caveman shrinks what the agent says back, RTK shrinks what your terminal pipes in. More room in the same context window, same model, same prompts. - `2026-06-01` [The Eternal Return](https://chemaclass.com/blog/the-eternal-return/index.md) Nietzsche used eternal return as a test. Life uses it as a mirror. Patterns rhyme not to predict the future, but to reveal who you become under pressure. - `2026-05-19` [Skills Over Agents](https://chemaclass.com/blog/skills-over-agents/index.md) Why Claude Code skills beat specialized agents. On-demand context, not the model, decides quality. Build a skill library that travels with your code. - `2026-05-01` [The Levels of AI Adoption](https://chemaclass.com/blog/the-levels-of-ai-adoption/index.md) A six-level ladder of AI adoption, from copy-paste prompts to agentic teams and AI-native workflows. Where most companies stall, and how to climb. - `2026-04-17` [Inside the .claude Folder](https://chemaclass.com/blog/inside-the-claude-folder/index.md) A hands-on tour of Claude Code's project folder. What rules, skills, agents, hooks, and settings each do, and how they fit together. - `2026-04-05` [Building a Game in Two Days](https://chemaclass.com/blog/building-a-game-in-two-days/index.md) A casual Telegram message turned into a nine-level Lord of the Rings browser game. Every line of code written by an AI agent. Every creative decision made by a human who grew up on Middle-earth. - `2026-03-01` [Idealism vs Pragmatism](https://chemaclass.com/blog/idealism-vs-pragmatism/index.md) The tension between doing things right and getting things done shapes every decision in software and in life. TDD, pair programming, AI adoption: the best results come from holding both ends of the rope. - `2026-02-07` [Build Your Own Team of Agents](https://chemaclass.com/blog/build-your-own-team-of-agents/index.md) Stop using AI as a single assistant. Organize agents into specialized teams with roles, docs, and parallel execution for real leverage. - `2026-01-11` [MCP: Giving Your AI Agent the Right Context](https://chemaclass.com/blog/mcp-giving-your-ai-agent-the-right-context/index.md) MCP connects AI agents to your dev tools, databases, and APIs through a standard protocol. Give your agent the context it actually needs. - `2025-12-22` [How Bitcoin Works](https://chemaclass.com/blog/how-bitcoin-works/index.md) Transactions, blocks, mining, the UTXO model, and Lightning Network: how Bitcoin actually works under the hood, explained in plain terms. - `2025-11-21` [Bitcoin Fundamentals](https://chemaclass.com/blog/bitcoin-fundamentals/index.md) 21 million cap, no central authority, permissionless and censorship-resistant. Bitcoin is digital money you truly own. No bank required. - `2025-10-10` [AI Gives You Speed, Not Quality](https://chemaclass.com/blog/ai-gives-you-speed-not-quality/index.md) AI accelerates your output but doesn't ensure quality. You're responsible for every line you commit. Speed without direction is chaos. - `2025-09-15` [What Success Means to Me](https://chemaclass.com/blog/what-success-means-to-me/index.md) Success is waking up knowing that what you do makes the people around you, and yourself, happier. No complex formula. Just consistency over perfection, and building habits that align with what matters. - `2025-04-12` [Ship, Show, Ask](https://chemaclass.com/blog/ship-show-ask/index.md) Not every change needs the same review. Ship, Show, Ask matches the review process to the risk of the change, so teams keep shipping without losing quality or collaboration. - `2025-02-17` [Run Your LN Node on a Raspberry Pi](https://chemaclass.com/blog/run-your-ln-node/index.md) In this guide, I'll show you how to set up a fully custodial Lightning Network (LN) node using Alby Hub on a Raspberry Pi, giving you complete control over your node. Alby Hub offers a DIY free version for a self-custodial Lightning wallet, ensuring full ownership of your funds while being 100% open-source. - `2025-01-02` [Understanding Taxes](https://chemaclass.com/blog/understanding-taxes/index.md) Taxes are unavoidable. Whether it's your paycheck, morning coffee, or the house you just bought, taxes are everywhere. If you've ever wondered where your money goes after payday or why buying property comes with extra fees, this post is for you. - `2024-12-11` [The Cypherpunks](https://chemaclass.com/blog/the-cypherpunks/index.md) In the early '90s, with the internet on the rise, a group called the Cypherpunks emerged to defend digital privacy. They pushed for encryption and privacy tech, shaping our digital world with their vision and ideals. - `2024-11-17` [Verified Git Commits](https://chemaclass.com/blog/verified-git-commits/index.md) Sign your Git commits with GPG to prove they're really from you. Without signatures, anyone can fake commits using your email. It takes 5 minutes to set up and adds real trust to your codebase. - `2024-10-30` [bashunit](https://chemaclass.com/blog/bashunit/index.md) bashunit is a lightweight, easy-to-use testing framework for Bash, packed with handy features like parallel and snapshot testing, test doubles, data providers, and tons of built-in assertions. Backed by clear docs and an active community, it's become a favorite for reliable Bash testing. What started as a simple dev frustration has grown into an open-source tool that makes testing in Bash a lot easier and fun. - `2024-09-02` [People Skills](https://chemaclass.com/blog/people-skills/index.md) So, you're a software developer, and you've mastered coding languages, algorithms, and all the tech stuff. That's awesome! But here's the deal: technical skills alone won't get you as far as you might think. If you can't work well with others, it doesn't matter how great your code is, nobody will want to work with you. - `2024-08-01` [What Is Waterfall?](https://chemaclass.com/blog/what-is-waterfall/index.md) Waterfall is like following a straight path where you move from one step to the next in a defined order, like water flowing down a waterfall through different stages. The problem is that each step can take a lot of time and resources to complete. Plus, you don't get feedback until the entire stage is finished, which can lead to a lot of wasted time. This is especially tricky in software development, where things are always changing and evolving. - `2024-07-13` [Pretty Good Privacy](https://chemaclass.com/blog/pretty-good-privacy/index.md) PGP is an encryption program that ensures privacy and authentication for data communication. It is used for signing, encrypting, and decrypting texts, emails, files, directories, and whole disk partitions, enhancing the security of email communications. - `2024-07-06` [Programmable Money](https://chemaclass.com/blog/programmable-money/index.md) Bitcoin is often referred to as programmable money because it allows for the execution of programmable transactions through its scripting language, leveraging each bit for precision and functionality. - `2024-06-27` [Prisoner's Dilemma](https://chemaclass.com/blog/prisoners-dilemma/index.md) The Prisoner's Dilemma illustrates the complexities of strategic decision-making, where individuals must choose between cooperation and betrayal, often revealing insights into human behavior and the consequences of self-interest versus collective benefit. - `2024-05-30` [What Kills Agility?](https://chemaclass.com/blog/what-kills-agility/index.md) Why Agile, if you already do Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, or Waterfall? How we manage an organization defines its quality. Excellent management is crucial to avoid the Waterfall trap if we aim to build an Agile environment. But why would we want that? What's wrong with the way we already work? - `2024-04-02` [Learning Concurrency in Golang](https://chemaclass.com/blog/learning-concurrency-in-golang/index.md) I wanted to learn a new programming language, so after trying some, I ended up with Golang as one of my favorites for its simplicity and capabilities. It has features I haven’t used in years, like multithreading and concurrency. - `2024-03-28` [Effective Pair Programming](https://chemaclass.com/blog/effective-pair-programming/index.md) A practical guide to pair programming that works: roles, rotation, when to pair, common pitfalls, and how to make sessions productive. - `2024-02-25` [Deployments on Fridays](https://chemaclass.com/blog/deployments-on-fridays/index.md) I have heard multiple times, from various people, the idea of panic towards deploying on Fridays. How good is that idea of banning the day before weekend from delivering new value to our clients or customers? - `2023-12-30` [Great Engineering](https://chemaclass.com/blog/great-engineering/index.md) Coding is not just another job. In the right environment, writing software can be really fun and, even more, it can be your personal hobby as well! So... you might be focused on coding, coding and more coding to level up your own career skills. - `2023-11-25` [Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing](https://chemaclass.com/blog/forming-storming-norming-performing/index.md) Embarking on the path to high team performance involves understanding Tuckman's Model, a roadmap through the stages of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. In this blog post, we explore practical strategies for each stage, empowering leaders and team members to cultivate collaboration, manage conflicts, and achieve true synergy. - `2023-10-20` [How to Test Private Methods?](https://chemaclass.com/blog/how-to-test-private-methods/index.md) From time to time I have had to face this question: how to test private methods? I have put together in an article the techniques that I usually use. - `2023-10-11` [Unhealthy Working Environment](https://chemaclass.com/blog/unhealthy-working-environment/index.md) An unhealthy working environment can have various symptoms that negatively impact both the physical and mental well-being of employees. - `2023-09-30` [The Peter Principle](https://chemaclass.com/blog/the-peter-principle/index.md) The Peter principle states that a person who is competent at their job will earn a promotion to a position that requires different skills. If the promoted person lacks the skills required for the new role, they will be incompetent at the new level, and will not be promoted again. - `2023-08-02` [How Do You Get Everyone on Board?](https://chemaclass.com/blog/how-do-you-get-everyone-on-board/index.md) I was invited to the WeAreDevelopers World Congress to give a tech talk about my experience with Extreme Programming and the profound benefits of embracing change in your work and life. - `2023-07-05` [Never Ending Loop](https://chemaclass.com/blog/never-ending-loop/index.md) It is hard sometimes to get to bed with the mind blank because, more often than not, I think about my next reading, learning, talk, or what I will write this or next month. - `2023-06-08` [Learned Helplessness](https://chemaclass.com/blog/learned-helplessness/index.md) Learned helplessness is the behavior exhibited by a subject after enduring repeated aversive beyond their control. It was initially thought to be caused by the subject's acceptance of their powerlessness by discontinuing attempts to escape or avoid the aversive stimulus. - `2023-05-17` [Dedicated QA Teams in Software?](https://chemaclass.com/blog/dedicated-qa-teams/index.md) This will be controversial, but let's talk about the QA position. The hidden truth behind the lack of software quality and why this should concern you if you write software. - `2023-04-14` [Introducing a New Tech Stack](https://chemaclass.com/blog/introducing-a-new-tech-stack/index.md) To introduce a new tech stack for the entire team, it's important to bring \ - `2023-03-16` [Have You Always Been Like This?](https://chemaclass.com/blog/have-you-always-been-like-this/index.md) Have you always been like this? Constantly reading books, writing blog posts, public speaker in conferences and meet-ups, learning in your private time, etc...? The short answer is: no, and let me tell you how I ended up in this situation. - `2023-02-27` [Great Leadership](https://chemaclass.com/blog/great-leadership/index.md) As organizations grow, leaders must shift focus from customers to employees. Key principles for scaling leadership effectively. - `2023-01-09` [Interview About XP and Agile](https://chemaclass.com/blog/interview-about-xp-and-agile/index.md) My interview with devm.io regarding Agile and Extreme Programming. Agile is more about HOW you do certain things, rather than WHAT things you do. - `2022-12-06` [Ignoring Scrum to Get More Agile?](https://chemaclass.com/blog/ignoring-scrum-to-get-more-agile/index.md) People become slaves to systems that are supposed to help. Boring meetings are killing agile. Meetings require active participation from everyone. Otherwise, you might not be essential to that meeting, and rather use your time with something else. - `2022-11-11` [Working Agile with Non-Agile Teams](https://chemaclass.com/blog/working-agile-with-non-agile-teams/index.md) Let's assume you already know what the agile manifesto is. Let's consider that you apply most of the extreme programming values, principles, and practices. How can you work with other teams that aren't agile? - `2022-10-08` [Different Beliefs About Software Quality](https://chemaclass.com/blog/different-beliefs-about-software-quality/index.md) What to do when working on \ - `2022-09-25` [The Beauty of Leadership](https://chemaclass.com/blog/the-beauty-of-leadership/index.md) Leadership is action, not a title. It has nothing to do with management or hierarchy. What it really means and how anyone can lead. - `2022-08-22` [Understanding People](https://chemaclass.com/blog/understanding-people/index.md) One of the most complicated challenges for everyone is avoiding misunderstandings and being aware that other people don't think the same way as you do. - `2022-07-25` [The Project Management Triangle](https://chemaclass.com/blog/the-project-management-triangle/index.md) A triangle of time, quality and cost. it's an indicator that these three parameters are interconnected. You can fix one or two of them, but not three. - `2022-06-08` [The Path to Seniority in Software](https://chemaclass.com/blog/the-path-to-seniority-in-software/index.md) Real seniority goes beyond job titles. It's about impact, mentoring others, owning outcomes, and raising the bar for your entire team. - `2022-05-27` [Bikeshedding](https://chemaclass.com/blog/bikeshedding/index.md) Bikeshedding explains why teams waste time on trivial decisions while ignoring complex, important ones. Learn to recognize and avoid it. - `2022-04-02` [Dunbar Number](https://chemaclass.com/blog/dunbar-number/index.md) Dunbar's number is a suggested cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships. - `2022-02-26` [Update Your Team to Be More Extreme](https://chemaclass.com/blog/update-your-team-to-be-more-extreme/index.md) Our profession is constantly evolving; therefore, it demands a non-stop learning process. Embracing the change is not optional in our software industry. We need to create spaces to get out of our comfort zone. - `2022-01-24` [The Power of Authority and Obedience](https://chemaclass.com/blog/the-power-of-authority-and-obedience/index.md) Milgram was interested in researching how far people would go in obeying an instruction if it involved harming another person, and how easily people could be influenced into committing atrocities. For example, Germans in WWII. - `2021-11-20` [London vs Chicago](https://chemaclass.com/blog/london-vs-chicago/index.md) There are two known schools in TDD: the mockist school (aka Outside-in) and the classicist school (aka Inside-out). - `2021-10-21` [Red Work vs Blue Work](https://chemaclass.com/blog/red-work-blue-work/index.md) Blue Work and Red Work are concepts that David Marquet describes in his book 'Leadership is Language. Both require different mindsets and both have different languages. - `2021-09-25` [TDD vs BDD](https://chemaclass.com/blog/tdd-vs-bdd/index.md) These are two different techniques. The key to each of them is about the mindset and context of what you want to achieve. - `2021-08-01` [Test-Driven (Development)](https://chemaclass.com/blog/test-driven-development/index.md) TDD is a design practice, not just a testing technique. Writing tests first changes how you think about code and shape its structure. - `2021-07-01` [Responsibilities of a Tech Lead](https://chemaclass.com/blog/tech-lead/index.md) The Trident Career Model by Patrick Kua has three tracks. Each track represents where people spend most of their time or energy. - `2021-06-01` [Conformity Experiments](https://chemaclass.com/blog/conformity-experiments/index.md) To what extent do social forces alter people's opinions? Which aspect of the group influence is most important: the size of the majority, or the unanimity of opinion? - `2021-05-03` [Open-Source Software](https://chemaclass.com/blog/open-source-software/index.md) A practical guide to open-source software: its benefits, how to start contributing, and why sharing code accelerates your career growth. - `2021-04-01` [Pull Requests vs Pair Programming](https://chemaclass.com/blog/pull-request-vs-pair-prog/index.md) Let's talk about the benefits of Pull Requests and Pair Programming, and my thoughts on these after some years of experience with them. - `2021-03-01` [Embrace the Change](https://chemaclass.com/blog/embrace-the-change/index.md) The tale is a beautiful metaphor of the different attitudes that people adopt as part of their identity in life when they have to confront any change. - `2021-02-01` [Phel: The Lisp That Compiles to PHP](https://chemaclass.com/blog/phel-first-release/index.md) The new Functional Programming language build-in for PHP. - `2021-01-11` [To Mock or Not to Mock](https://chemaclass.com/blog/to-mock-or-not-to-mock/index.md) Mocking is useful, but 'what to mock' usually turns out to be a more complicated than expected if you don't treat this carefully. - `2020-12-01` [Sharing Your Git Patches](https://chemaclass.com/blog/sharing-git-patches/index.md) Discover another way of sharing suggestions with your development team. - `2020-11-10` [Never Use array_merge in a Loop](https://chemaclass.com/blog/array-merge-in-loop/index.md) Using array_merge inside a loop is a performance killer. The spread operator will help you to improve this by flatting the array. - `2020-10-13` [Typed Arrays in PHP](https://chemaclass.com/blog/typed-arrays-php/index.md) Argument unpacking, function variable argument list, and variadics function. - `2020-09-08` [The Process Itself Is the Goal](https://chemaclass.com/blog/the-process-itself-is-the-goal/index.md) No goal should be an achievement on its own, but the process itself that helps us to go in the direction of these goals. - `2020-08-17` [Testing Effectively Legacy Code](https://chemaclass.com/blog/testing-effectively-legacy-code/index.md) How to write characterization tests for legacy code to safely refactor without breaking existing behavior. - `2020-08-09` [Strict Types in PHP](https://chemaclass.com/blog/strict-types/index.md) Why declaring strict_types in PHP improves code readability and prevents silent type coercion bugs. - `2020-06-28` [The Art of Refactoring](https://chemaclass.com/blog/the-art-of-refactoring/index.md) If you see something, in the scope of your current task, that can be easily improved, improve it. And if you have any questions about it, ask. - `2020-06-06` [Final Classes in PHP | Java | Any](https://chemaclass.com/blog/final-classes/index.md) Clear contracts, isolated side effects, testability, low complexity and cognitive load, code fluidity, and confidence in yourself. - `2020-04-07` [The Art of Testing: Where Design Meets Quality](https://chemaclass.com/blog/the-art-of-testing/index.md) Why you should consider testing as part of your daily development habit and how it's directly linked to the software quality. - `2019-11-18` [How to Improve Your Tech-Talk (or Any Other Presentation)](https://chemaclass.com/blog/improve-your-tech-talk/index.md) We have found ourselves attending a meeting that felt like we were wasting our time with a monologue that is either hard to follow or doesn't seem so interesting as it could. Let's fix this. ### Readings (89) - `2026-06-21` [Meditations](https://chemaclass.com/readings/meditations/index.md) The private notebook of a Roman emperor who never meant for you to read it. Marcus Aurelius wrote these notes to remind himself how to stay sane while running an empire. Stoicism with the theory stripped out and only the practice left. - `2026-03-15` [The Art of Being Happy](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-art-of-being-happy/index.md) Schopenhauer's posthumous collection of 50 rules for practical happiness, built on the idea that avoiding suffering matters more than chasing pleasure. Surprisingly useful advice from philosophy's most famous pessimist. - `2026-02-04` [Notes from Underground](https://chemaclass.com/readings/notes-from-underground/index.md) A bitter, hyper-conscious man retreats from society to wrestle with free will, spite, and the stubborn irrationality of human nature. - `2026-01-17` [Broken Money](https://chemaclass.com/readings/broken-money/index.md) A deep dive into monetary history through a technological lens. Lyn Alden traces how innovations shaped money across centuries, examining commodity-based systems, modern fiat currencies, and emerging alternatives like Bitcoin. Essential reading for understanding why our financial system is failing and what we can do about it. - `2025-06-22` [Principles of Economics](https://chemaclass.com/readings/principles-of-economics/index.md) If you've ever scratched your head at the economy, wondered why prices keep rising, or questioned why money seems to lose value over time, Principles of Economics by Saifedean Ammous might blow your mind. It's not your typical dry economics book. Instead, it's a bold, no-nonsense guide to understanding how the world really works, through the lens of Austrian economics. Here's what stood out to me. - `2025-03-31` [The Road to Serfdom](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-road-to-serfdom/index.md) A quick and plain-English summary of Hayek's classic take on freedom, planning, and why good intentions can still go very wrong. - `2025-02-16` [Digital Minimalism](https://chemaclass.com/readings/digital-minimalism/index.md) In an era dominated by constant connectivity, the concept of digital minimalism emerges as a refreshing antidote. Coined by Cal Newport, this philosophy isn't about rejecting technology but rather about using it with greater intention and care. By implementing digital minimalism, individuals can reclaim focus, reduce anxiety, and cultivate deeper, more meaningful relationships. - `2025-02-09` [Criptoria](https://chemaclass.com/readings/criptoria/index.md) A story about the evolutionary process that gave birth to computers, networks, cybersecurity and digital money. From Greece to Bitcoin, Cryptoria narrates a selection of milestones that occurred before and after Alan Turing. The book showcases a broad collection of people, organizations, concepts and inventions that evidence the deep historical and cultural relationship between mathematics, cryptography, computer science and the struggle for individual sovereignty. Cryptoria is addressed to all people convinced that, beyond inherited or imposed ways, there are other forms of social and economic organization that can and should be explored. - `2025-01-18` [Bitcoin with Rigor](https://chemaclass.com/readings/bitcoin-with-rigor/index.md) Bitcoin with Rigor goes beyond a basic explanation of Bitcoin, offering a detailed analysis of how Bitcoin works. It breaks down its components clearly, helping readers understand both the parts and the system as a whole. This deep dive explores Bitcoin’s potential and risks, recognizing it as a decade-old monetary experiment that hasn’t yet stood the test of time like gold or silver. Despite this, its innovative design makes it a promising system for the present and future. - `2024-11-29` [Man's Search for Meaning](https://chemaclass.com/readings/mans-search-for-meaning/index.md) In Man's Search for Meaning, Frankl not only shares his harrowing experiences from the Holocaust but also presents a profound philosophy on the human condition. This book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, exploring how even in the darkest of times, individuals can find purpose and meaning. - `2024-08-02` [Bitcoin: A Work in Progress](https://chemaclass.com/readings/bitcoin-wip/index.md) With thousands of 'crypto' projects out there, they say Bitcoin is old and boring, but nothing could be further from the truth. This book will guide you through the latest developments in Bitcoin, as seen through the eyes of one of its many developers. - `2024-07-05` [Mastering Bitcoin](https://chemaclass.com/readings/mastering-bitcoin/index.md) This book covers everything from the basics to the most profound technical aspects of how Bitcoin works. It is an excellent guide through the complex world of Bitcoin, providing the knowledge you need to participate in the Internet of Money. - `2024-06-21` [The Genesis Book](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-genesis-book/index.md) Bitcoin did not appear out of nowhere. For decades prior to Satoshi Nakamoto’s invention, a diverse group of computer scientists, privacy activists, and heterodox economists tried to create a digital form of money that could operate independently of government control. The Genesis Book tells the story of the people and projects that inspired the invention of the world’s first successful peer-to-peer electronic cash system. - `2024-05-31` [The Phoenix Project](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-phoenix-project/index.md) This is a story about an impossible project in which the people around are constantly playing politics, busy fixing critical bugs and wasting constant efforts on quick patches instead of helping the business thrive. - `2024-04-17` [Radical Candor](https://chemaclass.com/readings/radical-candor/index.md) Radical Candor is a management philosophy developed by Kim Scott, a former Google leader. It's a crash course on how to be a great manager, focusing on being empathetic and results-oriented. The core idea is to create a stress-free environment where people feel safe to speak their minds, get their jobs done, and feel respected. - `2024-01-26` [The Lean Startup](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-lean-startup/index.md) Most startups fail. But many of those failures are preventable. The Lean Startup is a new approach being adopted across the globe, changing the way companies are built and new products are launched. - `2023-12-09` [Invincible](https://chemaclass.com/readings/invincible/index.md) Marcos Vazquez combines stoic philosophy with modern psychology to train your mind for clarity, determination, and discipline in the face of adversity. - `2023-11-07` [The Alchemist](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-alchemist/index.md) A classic novel about Santiago, a boy who embarks on a journey seeking treasure in Egypt, learning the true importance of self-improvement and what really matters in life. - `2023-10-31` [Crucial Conversations](https://chemaclass.com/readings/crucial-conversations/index.md) Crucial Conversations gives you the tools you need to step up to life's most difficult and important conversations, say what's on your mind, and achieve the positive resolutions you want. - `2023-09-20` [It's Your Ship](https://chemaclass.com/readings/its-your-ship/index.md) It's Your Ship is a leadership book written by D. Michael Abrashoff, a former commander of the USS Benfold, a guided missile destroyer. The book focuses on Abrashoff's experiences and the leadership principles he applied to transform the performance and culture of his ship. - `2023-08-13` [The Day of the Triffids](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-day-of-the-triffids/index.md) This book is fantastic and frightening, but entirely plausible. It doesn't just seem scientifically possible, but its characters are living people shaken out of the civilization they know into the horror of a world dominated by triffids. - `2023-07-10` [The Book Of Satoshi](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-book-of-satoshi/index.md) A compilation of Satoshi Nakamoto's emails, forum posts, and writings from 2008-2010 that detail Bitcoin's creation, design decisions, and the vision behind the protocol. - `2023-06-28` [Fahrenheit 451](https://chemaclass.com/readings/fahrenheit-451/index.md) Ray Bradbury's dystopian masterpiece about a fireman whose job is to burn books, until a chance encounter makes him question everything about his society's war on knowledge. - `2023-06-20` [The Blocksize War](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-blocksize-war/index.md) Jonathan Bier chronicles the Bitcoin blocksize war (2015-2017), exploring the key players, strategies, and ideological battles that shaped who controls Bitcoin's protocol. - `2023-05-31` [Agile Project Management](https://chemaclass.com/readings/agile-project-management/index.md) Projects that followed a Waterfall methodology tended to exceed their expenses in the first initiative over time, while the product delivered was below standard and difficult to use. That situation originated that a group of developers signed a brief, 68-word manifesto in 2001. - `2023-04-17` [Effective Remote Work](https://chemaclass.com/readings/effective-remote-work/index.md) An effective remote work environment is about treating everyone as remote, with everyone in mind having the same level, equality, and information. - `2023-03-19` [Accelerate](https://chemaclass.com/readings/accelerate/index.md) The Science of Lean Software and DevOps: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations - `2023-03-11` [21 Lessons](https://chemaclass.com/readings/21-lessons/index.md) Bitcoin as more than just money: a deep dive into economics, philosophy, and culture. Like Alice in Wonderland, exploring Bitcoin is full of surprises. - `2023-02-26` [Adapt or die](https://chemaclass.com/readings/adapt-or-die/index.md) Told through the story of one bold company (People First IT), Adapt or Die takes readers through the unparalleled business system known as The Algorithm of Success that has the potential to inspire, ignite, and affect change for all aspects of an organization. - `2023-01-29` [The infinite game](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-infinite-game/index.md) From the bestselling author of Start With Why and Leaders Eat Last, a bold framework for leadership in today's ever-changing world. - `2022-12-17` [Momo](https://chemaclass.com/readings/momo/index.md) Momo is a modern fairytale that shows the fight between good and evil in our contemporary society, focusing on the lack of time to care for other people. - `2022-11-28` [Recipes for Decoupling](https://chemaclass.com/readings/recipes-for-decoupling/index.md) What is coupling, and why is it bad? What is decoupling, and how to do it efficiently? This book is a compilation of strategies to decouple your domain code from those infrastructure details, so you can enjoy a healthier system in the long run. - `2022-10-29` [The Essential Drucker](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-essential-drucker/index.md) The Essential Drucker contains twenty-six selections on management in the organization, management and the individual, and management and society. It covers the basic principles and concerns of management and its problems, challenges, and opportunities, giving managers, executives, and professionals the tools to perform the tasks that the economy and society of tomorrow will demand of them. - `2022-09-30` [Dare to lead](https://chemaclass.com/readings/dare-to-lead/index.md) Leadership is not about titles, status and power over people. Leaders are people who hold themselves accountable for recognising the potential in people and ideas, and developing that potential. This is a book for everyone who is ready to choose courage over comfort, make a difference and lead. - `2022-08-21` [Continuous Discovery Habits](https://chemaclass.com/readings/continuous-discovery-habits/index.md) Continuous Discovery Habits (2021) explores how product managers and designers can keep making a positive impact on their customers’ lives. It explores an optimal decision-making process for product teams, so that they can continue to improve their offerings. - `2022-08-01` [The Great CEO Within](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-great-ceo-within/index.md) Learn how to efficiently scale your business from startup to corporation by implementing a system of accountability, effective problem-solving, and transparent feedback. - `2022-07-19` [The Starfish and the Spider](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-starfish-and-the-spider/index.md) If you cut off a spider's head, it dies; if you cut off a starfish's leg it grows a new one, and that leg can grow into an entirely new starfish. Traditional top-down organizations are like spiders, but now starfish organizations are changing the face of business and the world. - `2022-07-11` [Clean Craftsmanship](https://chemaclass.com/readings/clean-craftsmanship/index.md) Robert C. Martin covers the three pillars of software craftsmanship: TDD disciplines with practical examples, professional standards for teams, and the ethical responsibilities of programmers. - `2022-06-29` [Modern Software Engineering](https://chemaclass.com/readings/modern-software-engineering/index.md) This book presents software development as an engineering practice at every level. To master software engineering, we must become experts at learning and managing complexity. - `2022-05-10` [Bitcoin: Blockchain y su investigación](https://chemaclass.com/readings/bitcoin-la-tecnologia-blockchain-y-su-investigacion/index.md) How is created Bitcoin address? How does it work the creation of the private & public keys and how are they known as wallets? And many other interesting questions. - `2022-04-29` [Docker: SecDevOps](https://chemaclass.com/readings/docker-secdevops/index.md) A great book about Docker, from introduction to advanced concepts all covered by easy-to-follow examples. - `2022-03-31` [Team Topologies](https://chemaclass.com/readings/team-topologies/index.md) Team Topologies focuses on how to set up dynamic team structures and interaction modes that can help teams adapt quickly to new conditions, and achieve fast and safe software delivery. - `2022-02-27` [The Psychology of Money](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-psychology-of-money/index.md) There is no reason to risk what you have and need for what you don't have and don't need. Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness. - `2022-01-23` [Modern CTO](https://chemaclass.com/readings/modern-cto/index.md) In Modern CTO, Joel Beasley provides readers with an in-depth road map on how to successfully navigate the unexplored and jagged transition between these two roles. Drawing from personal experience, Joel gives a refreshing take on the challenges, lessons, and things to avoid on this journey. - `2022-01-16` [Leaders Eat Last](https://chemaclass.com/readings/leaders-eat-last/index.md) A company's biggest strength doesn't lie in its products or services. It always lies in its people, and in their ability to cooperate closely and rally behind the organization, especially during a crisis. - `2022-01-08` [Jonathan Livingston Seagull](https://chemaclass.com/readings/jonathan-livingston-seagull/index.md) A fable in novella form about a seagull who is trying to learn about life and flight, and a homily about self-perfection. - `2021-12-07` [The Five Dysfunctions of a Team](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-five-dysfunctions-of-a-team/index.md) This book is a leadership fable about a tech company that is struggling to get more customers. The C level is not working as a team, and they have a hard time coming to any agreements which result in negative morale. Until the new CEO, Catherine Petersen, joins the team, and she is able to recognize the problems and help the team overcome them by understanding the situation. - `2021-11-28` [Start with Why](https://chemaclass.com/readings/start-with-why/index.md) Start with Why asks (and answers) the questions: why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their success over and over? - `2021-10-22` [Leadership is Language](https://chemaclass.com/readings/leadership-is-language/index.md) In this book, the former submarine commander Captain L. David Marquet dives deep into one of the most investigated marine disasters, the sinking of the El Faro, and surfaces with new ideas on leadership and language. - `2021-09-20` [The Bitcoin Standard](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-bitcoin-standard/index.md) The Bitcoin Standard analyzes the historical context to the rise of Bitcoin, the economic properties that have allowed it to grow quickly, and its likely economic, political, and social implications. - `2021-09-12` [Turn the Ship Around!](https://chemaclass.com/readings/turn-the-ship-around/index.md) The book is about his leadership theories to how he implemented a fresh leadership model. Including the limitations of a hierarchical top-down model, why/how he failed to empower his team earlier in his career, and how the circumstances for Santa Fe were ideal for him to experiment with the new leader-leader approach. - `2021-08-08` [The Catcher in the Rye](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-catcher-in-the-rye/index.md) The novel is a deeper reflection of Salinger's own youth, his complicated relationship with growing up and the generational trauma affected by World War II. - `2021-07-10` [Lord of the Flies](https://chemaclass.com/readings/lord-of-the-flies/index.md) Labeled a parable, an allegory, a myth, a morality tale, a parody, a political treatise, even a vision of the apocalypse. It has established itself as a true classic. The book focuses on a group of British boys stranded on an uninhabited island, and their disastrous attempt to govern themselves. - `2021-06-27` [Become an Effective Software Engineering Manager](https://chemaclass.com/readings/effective-software-em/index.md) A great compilation of all topics that are important for management: 1:1s, performance reviews, hiring and laying off, workplace politics, remote work, and others. - `2021-05-28` [Peopleware](https://chemaclass.com/readings/peopleware/index.md) Software development is about people: when, how and where they can best work together. Not about programming languages or tools. Not about fast computers, networks or internet access. - `2021-04-19` [The Art of Leadership](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-art-of-leadership/index.md) Leadership practices are small things done repetitively over time. Managers tell you where you are, leaders tell you where you're going. - `2021-04-05` [97 Things Every Engineering Manager should know](https://chemaclass.com/readings/97-things-every-em-should-know/index.md) As a manager your work is to create clarity, clarity, and more clarity. - `2021-03-01` [Zombie Scrum Survival Guide](https://chemaclass.com/readings/zombie-scrum-survival-guide/index.md) Zombie Scrum Survival Guide reveals why Scrum runs aground and shows how to supercharge your Scrum outcomes, while having a lot more fun along the way. - `2021-02-22` [Agile Product Management with Scrum](https://chemaclass.com/readings/agile-product-management-with-scrum/index.md) Understanding the product owner’s role and envisioning the product. - `2021-01-31` [Stock market investing](https://chemaclass.com/readings/stock-market-for-beginners/index.md) Stock market basics & essentials. - `2021-01-22` [One up on wall street](https://chemaclass.com/readings/one-up-on-wall-street/index.md) America's most successful money manager tells how average investors can beat the pros by using what they know. According to Lynch, investment opportunities are everywhere. - `2021-01-16` [Who moved my cheese?](https://chemaclass.com/readings/who-moved-my-cheese/index.md) This book presents a tale inside the main story that consists of 4 characters: two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two little persons, Hem and Haw. - `2021-01-15` [Rich dad poor dad](https://chemaclass.com/readings/rich-dad-poor-dad/index.md) Explodes the myth that you need to earn a high income to become rich. - `2020-11-12` [Principles of package design](https://chemaclass.com/readings/packaging-design/index.md) Apply design principles to your classes, preparing them for reuse. You will use package design principles to create packages that are just right in terms of cohesion and coupling, and are user- and maintainer-friendly at the same time. - `2020-11-02` [Animal Farm](https://chemaclass.com/readings/animal-farm/index.md) Orwell's political allegory about a farmyard rebellion that descends into tyranny, exposing how power corrupts even the most idealistic revolutions. - `2020-10-10` [Object design style guide](https://chemaclass.com/readings/object-design-style-guide/index.md) Matthias Noback's practical guide to writing flexible, readable, and maintainable object-oriented code, with techniques applicable to any OO language from Python to PHP. - `2020-09-10` [Domain-Driven Design Distilled](https://chemaclass.com/readings/domain-driven-design-distilled/index.md) Domain-Driven Design Distilled brings DDD to life. Whether you're a developer, consultant, or customer, it will help you understand it, so you can benefit from its power. - `2020-08-16` [Advanced Web Application Architecture](https://chemaclass.com/readings/advance-web-application-architecture/index.md) The best guide that brings your coding and architecture skills a level up. All the modern PHP features combined with the elegance of a well designed modular design. - `2020-06-12` [Never split the difference](https://chemaclass.com/readings/never-split-the-difference/index.md) From policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, to becoming the FBI's lead international kidnapping negotiator to teaching negotiation at leading universities, Chris Voss has tested the techniques in 'Never Split the Difference' across the full spectrum of human endeavor and proved their effectiveness. - `2020-06-10` [Scrum](https://chemaclass.com/readings/scrum-the-art-of-doing-twice/index.md) Every organisation, whatever its size, constantly has to come to grips with delivering a product or service on time and on budget. Scrum shows you how. It explains how to define precisely what it is that you are seeking to achieve, how to set up the team to achieve it, and how to monitor progress until the project is successfully completed. - `2020-05-21` [7 languages in 7 weeks](https://chemaclass.com/readings/7-languages-in-7-weeks/index.md) A hands-on tour of Clojure, Haskell, Io, Prolog, Scala, Erlang, and Ruby. Learn how each language thinks differently and broaden your perspective on programming. - `2020-05-18` [The call of Cthulhu](https://chemaclass.com/readings/call-of-cthulhu/index.md) Lovecraft's foundational cosmic horror tale about the discovery of an ancient underwater entity whose awakening threatens all of humanity and sanity itself. - `2020-05-16` [The metamorphosis](https://chemaclass.com/readings/metamorphosis/index.md) Kafka's iconic novella about alienation and identity. Gregor Samsa wakes as a monstrous insect and must confront his family's revulsion and his own fading humanity. - `2020-05-13` [1984](https://chemaclass.com/readings/1984/index.md) One of Britain's most popular novels, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four is set in a society terrorised by a totalitarian ideology propagated by The Party. - `2020-04-03` [High Output Management](https://chemaclass.com/readings/high-output-management/index.md) Andy Grove's management classic from Intel, covering managerial leverage, meetings, decision-making, motivation, and how to maximize team output in technology organizations. - `2020-03-26` [The Manager Path](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-manager-path/index.md) Camille Fournier maps the career path from engineer to CTO, covering 1:1s, mentoring, team management, and the evolving responsibilities at each level of technical leadership. - `2020-03-12` [Clean Agile](https://chemaclass.com/readings/clean-agile/index.md) This book is about Agile. What it was, what it is, and what it will be. This is a back-to-basics talk that covers the history of Agile, what motivated it, and what has happened to it since. - `2020-03-05` [Extreme Programming Explained](https://chemaclass.com/readings/extreme-programming-explained/index.md) Extreme Programming (XP) is an agile software development framework that aims to produce higher quality software, and higher quality of life for the development team. XP is the most specific of the agile frameworks regarding appropriate engineering practices for software development. - `2020-02-20` [Symfony 5](https://chemaclass.com/readings/symfony-5/index.md) Fabien Potencier's official guide to building web applications with Symfony 5, covering the framework from scratch to production deployment. - `2019-11-12` [Atomic Habits](https://chemaclass.com/readings/atomic-habits/index.md) People think that when you want to change your life, you need to think big. James Clear has discovered another way. He knows that real change comes from the compound effect of hundreds of small decisions. He calls them atomic habits. - `2019-07-01` [Working Effectively with Legacy Code](https://chemaclass.com/readings/working-effectively-with-legacy-code/index.md) Michael Feathers presents practical techniques for adding tests to untested code, breaking dependencies, and safely refactoring large legacy systems without introducing bugs. - `2018-08-10` [The Art of War](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-art-of-war/index.md) The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise attributed to Sun Tzu, a high-ranking military general, strategist and tactician, and kindred to the Realpolitik of his time, termed in China as Legalism. - `2018-06-04` [Clean Architecture](https://chemaclass.com/readings/clean-architecture/index.md) Robert C. Martin's guide to SOLID principles, component design, and architectural boundaries that keep software systems flexible, testable, and maintainable over time. - `2017-03-20` [The Power of Habit](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-power-of-habits/index.md) Charles Duhigg explores the science behind habit formation, showing how habits work, why they exist, and practical strategies to transform them for personal and professional growth. - `2016-10-01` [The Pragmatic Programmer](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-pragmatic-programmer/index.md) Key takeaways from Hunt and Thomas's classic on pragmatic software development, including DRY principles, the right mindset, and how to choose and master your tools. - `2016-09-01` [Sprint](https://chemaclass.com/readings/sprint/index.md) Sprint offers a transformative formula for testing ideas that works whether you’re at a startup or a large organization. Within five days, you’ll move from idea to prototype to decision, saving you and your team countless hours and countless dollars. A must read for entrepreneurs of all stripes. - `2016-08-01` [The Clean Coder](https://chemaclass.com/readings/the-clean-coder/index.md) Robert C. Martin's guide to professional behavior in software development, covering time management, pressure handling, TDD practices, and what it truly means to be a software craftsman. - `2016-07-15` [97 Things Every Programmer Should Know](https://chemaclass.com/readings/97-things-every-programmer-should-know/index.md) Tap into the wisdom of experts to learn what every programmer should know, no matter what language you use. With the 97 short and extremely useful tips for programmers in this book, you'll expand your skills by adopting new approaches to old problems, learning appropriate best practices, and honing your craft through sound advice. - `2016-05-01` [Clean Code](https://chemaclass.com/readings/clean-code/index.md) Even bad code can function. But if code isn't clean, it can bring a development organization to its knees. Every year, countless hours and significant resources are lost because of poorly written code. But it doesn't have to be that way. ### Talks (6) - [bashunit](https://chemaclass.com/talks/bashunit/index.md) - [Gacela Project](https://chemaclass.com/talks/gacela/index.md) - [Hands-on Refactoring and TDD](https://chemaclass.com/talks/hands-on-refactoring-tdd/index.md) - [How to improve your tech talk](https://chemaclass.com/talks/how-to-improve-your-tech-talk/index.md) - [Phel Lang](https://chemaclass.com/talks/phel/index.md) - [Update your team to be more extreme](https://chemaclass.com/talks/update-your-team-to-be-more-extreme/index.md)