Third-Party or Custom Code? The Art of Software Decisions

Do you often find yourself struggling with deciding whether to use a third-party library or write custom code? In this talk, we'll dive into the challenges and benefits of both approaches and provide practical tips for making informed decisions. You'll learn how to weigh the pros and cons of each option, consider architectural decisions, and create better products and apps.

Transcript

1. The missing guide for deciding between
   3rd party and custom code
   @glnnrys
   

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2. @glnnrys
   

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3. @glnnrys
   

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4. Glenn Reyes
   
   
   @glnnrys
   

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5. Why do we love building apps?
   @glnnrys
   

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7. Open Source is
   
   
   💜
   @glnnrys
   

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8. Vincent van Gogh
   “Great things are done by a series
   of small things brought together.”
   @glnnrys
   

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9. @glnnrys
   

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10. What React framework?
    @glnnrys
    

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11. What React framework?
    Next.js
    Remix
    CRA 🫡
    None 🫠
    @glnnrys
    

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12. What date library?
    @glnnrys
    

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13. What date library?
    moment
    dayjs
    date-fns
    luxon
    @glnnrys
    

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15. Making decisions can be
    hard and time consuming
    @glnnrys
    

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17. Just pick the next
    from top to bottom
    @glnnrys
    

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23. Analysis Paralysis
    

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24. Decision fatigue
    Decision

    Quality
    Decision

    Quantity
    

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25. The Paradox of Choice
    🤩
    Amount of choices
    🫠
    Sweet spot
    

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26. The Paradox of Choice
    Selecting speakers for the conference
    🤩
    Amount of proposals
    🫠
    Sweet spot
    1000
    30
    0
    

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27. 🤩
    Amount of proposals
    🫠
    Sweet spot
    0 40
    30
    The Paradox of Choice
    Selecting speakers for the conference
    

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28. 🤩
    Amount of proposals
    🫠
    Sweet spot
    0 90
    30
    The Paradox of Choice
    Selecting speakers for the conference
    

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29. 👩💻👨💻
    @glnnrys
    

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30. In any case ...
    @glnnrys
    

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31. @glnnrys
    🤓 👩💻 👷
    @glnnrys
    

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32. @glnnrys
    🤓 👩💻 👷
    
    
    🐒 👩🎤 🔮 🥑 🍌
    @glnnrys
    

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33. Architectural Decisions
    @glnnrys
    

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34. Complexity Speed API
    Size Bugs Docs
    Time Environment License
    

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35. Analyzing Complexity
    @glnnrys
    

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36. // $(el).toggleClass(className)
    
    
    function toggleClass(el, className) {
    
    
    if (el.classList) {
    
    
    el.classList.toggle(className);
    
    
    } else {
    
    
    var classes = el.className.split(' ');
    
    
    var existingIndex = classes.indexOf(className);
    
    
    
    
    if (existingIndex >= 0)
    
    
    classes.splice(existingIndex, 1);
    
    
    else
    
    
    classes.push(className);
    
    
    
    
    el.className = classes.join(' ');
    
    
    }
    
    
    }
    youmightnotneedjquery.com
    @glnnrys
    

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37. // $(el).toggleClass(className)
    
    
    function toggleClass(el, className) {
    
    
    if (el.classList) {
    
    
    el.classList.toggle(className);
    
    
    } else {
    
    
    var classes = el.className.split(' ');
    
    
    var existingIndex = classes.indexOf(className);
    
    
    
    
    if (existingIndex >= 0)
    
    
    classes.splice(existingIndex, 1);
    
    
    else
    
    
    classes.push(className);
    
    
    
    
    el.className = classes.join(' ');
    
    
    }
    
    
    }
    } else {
    
    
    var classes = el.className.split(' ');
    
    
    var existingIndex = classes.indexOf(className);
    
    
    
    
    if (existingIndex >= 0)
    
    
    classes.splice(existingIndex, 1);
    
    
    else
    
    
    classes.push(className);
    
    
    
    
    el.className = classes.join(' ');
    
    
    }
    
    
    @glnnrys
    

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38. // $(el).toggleClass(className)
    
    
    function toggleClass(el, className) {
    
    
    if (el.classList) {
    
    
    el.classList.toggle(className);
    
    
    } else {
    
    
    var classes = el.className.split(' ');
    
    
    var existingIndex = classes.indexOf(className);
    
    
    
    
    if (existingIndex >= 0)
    
    
    classes.splice(existingIndex, 1);
    
    
    else
    
    
    classes.push(className);
    
    
    
    
    el.className = classes.join(' ');
    
    
    }
    
    
    }
    } else {
    
    
    var classes = el.className.split(' ');
    
    
    var existingIndex = classes.indexOf(className);
    
    
    
    
    if (existingIndex >= 0)
    
    
    classes.splice(existingIndex, 1);
    
    
    else
    
    
    classes.push(className);
    
    
    
    
    el.className = classes.join(' ');
    
    
    }
    
    
    🧐
    @glnnrys
    

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39. @glnnrys
    

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40. element.classList.toggle(className);
    @glnnrys
    

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41. @glnnrys
    New libraries
    
    
    every day
    

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42. Use what
    works best for you
    @glnnrys
    

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43. Support 🤝 Contribution
    @glnnrys
    

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44. @glnnrys
    

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45. People love solving problems
    @glnnrys
    

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46. How are problems solved
    
    
    in web development?
    @glnnrys
    

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47. Is it over-engineered?
    

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48. Confidence & Trust 😌
    @glnnrys
    

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49. The node_modules folder
    doesn’t byte you 🤗
    @glnnrys
    

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50. Let others know about your
    problem, ideas &
    improvements
    @glnnrys
    

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51. Dealing with
    popularity
    @glnnrys
    

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52. @glnnrys
    

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53. ⭐ GitHub Stars
    
    
    💎 Value
    🛠 Active maintenance
    
    
    🍃 Active community
    
    
    💻 Platforms
    @glnnrys
    

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54. Writing your own code 🖋
    @glnnrys
    

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55. Rolling our own code allows us to
    Tailor code to our exact needs
    @glnnrys
    

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56. Rolling our own code gives us
    full control
    @glnnrys
    

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57. With full control
    it's our responsibility to maintain
    and keep track of our code
    @glnnrys
    

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59. Where to
    draw the line?
    @glnnrys
    

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60. Value 💎
    
    
    vs
    
    
    Constraints 🔒
    

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61. Identify the sweet spot
    @glnnrys
    🤩
    🫠
    

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62. Identify the sweet spot
    @glnnrys
    🤩
    🫠
    

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63. Trust your Gut 😌
    @glnnrys
    

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64. Understand the
    importance
    @glnnrys
    

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65. Understand the
    risks and drawbacks
    @glnnrys
    

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66. Harm reduction
    @glnnrys
    

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67. Try to get the best outcome
    but reduce potential risks
    @glnnrys
    

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68. Decisions
    @glnnrys
    

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69. Good decisions
    @glnnrys
    

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70. Good decisions
    
    
    Clean decisions
    @glnnrys
    

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71. Good decisions
    
    
    Clean decisions
    
    
    Right decisions
    @glnnrys
    

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72. Good decisions
    
    
    Clean decisions
    
    
    Right decisions
    
    
    Smart decisions
    @glnnrys
    

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73. Good decisions
    
    
    Clean decisions
    
    
    Right decisions
    
    
    Smart decisions
    
    
    Reasonable decisions
    @glnnrys
    

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74. More code often means
    more possibilities for bugs
    @glnnrys
    

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75. Take risks and
    keep moving forward
    @glnnrys
    

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76. Simplicity is key
    @glnnrys
    

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77. Don't let new things
    
    
    intimidate you
    @glnnrys
    

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78. Always write
    the best code possible
    @glnnrys
    

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79. “ ”
    Kent C. Dodds
    We should be mindful of the fact that we
    don't really know what requirements will
    be placed upon our code in the future.
    @glnnrys
    

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80. Thank you!
    
    
    Glenn Reyes · @glnnrys
    

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