sayings of
Lauren Tan
a fan book · not official
Not her site. Not official. Not a bible she blessed. Curator notes are marked. Quotes are verbatim.
This is not Lauren Tan's site. She did not bless this book. It does not speak for her. It is a curated collection of her public sayings on coding with Cursor, bots, and agents.
Curator notes are quieter on the page. Quotes are hers, copied verbatim. Lowercase, cuts, and refusals stay as she wrote them.
Not her site. Not official. Not a bible she blessed. Curator notes are marked. Quotes are verbatim.
How I Use Cursor
Loops You Can Trust
pstack
Not her site. Not official. Not a bible she blessed. Curator notes are marked. Quotes are verbatim.
On X
Chronicle
How I Use Cursor
Verbatim cuts from the launch thread.
Agents are like new hires in a constant state of amnesia and idiocy. They don't remember what you tell them, and they never really learn anything new. But we can equip them with rules, skills, tools, and long term memory which can approximate that. They're capable yet stupid, and very teachable.
@poteto The post 1:1
Because when there is no rigor, agents will sycophantically do whatever it takes to write that code you asked for. And boy, can and will it write a lot of it. Naive parallelization just makes them write slop faster.
@poteto The post 1:2
How I Use Cursor · The post (cont.)
The goal is not maximal LOC, but the opposite: maximum impact with the least amount of code.
@poteto The post 1:3
The bottleneck with agents is verification.
@poteto The post 1:4
Trying to parallelize agents you don't trust yet is a huge waste of tokens and introduces more slop into your codebase.
@poteto The post 1:5
Loops You Can Trust
Verbatim cuts from the follow-up thread.
I never set out to build pstack, my personal set of skills for rigorous engineering with agents. I just started turning every recurring failure mode into a skill: reproduce the bug before touching the code, form several hypotheses and eliminate them, write the failing test first, inspect the blast radius outside the diff, compare alternatives before choosing one, and capture the real product before and after.
@poteto The post 1:1
"I fixed it" isn't good enough. Show me the failing test and the passing test. Show me the before and after video. Show me the trace, the heap snapshot, or the screenshot.
@poteto The post 1:2
Loops You Can Trust · The post (cont.)
If a script can do it deterministically, use the script. Agents are useful for the fuzzy parts: choosing hypotheses, interpreting evidence, and deciding when something needs human judgment.
@poteto The post 1:3
pstack
Quoted from github.com/cursor/plugins pstack.
there's a growing sense that ai writes too much slop code. i agree. i don't want to ship like a team of twenty slop artists. throughput without quality is not a goal i aspire to. if you want to go fast, go deep first.
@poteto Skill text 1:1
but personally, i don't believe in planning. the best spec is code.
@poteto Skill text 1:2
pstack · Skill text (cont.)
No is an acceptable answer. Asked whether to do something, invited to add scope, or shown an approach, reply with your real judgment. Decline, push back, or say "this doesn't earn its place" when true. A recommendation is a judgment, not a validation. Agreement is not the default, candor over sycophancy.
@poteto Skill text 1:3
The ask is the slow path. A throwaway probe usually answers faster, and it hands the human a result to react to instead of a decision to make.
@poteto Skill text 1:4
If a human developer would find the code exhausting to maintain, it is a bad solution. Be lazy. Stay simple.
@poteto Skill text 1:5
Agents report what they intended, not always what happened.
@poteto Skill text 1:6
On X
Tweets about pstack and poteto-mode.
really like this model! try it out as your main agent in cursor along with pstack skills
@poteto pstack on X 1:1
new pstack principle: https:// github.com/cursor/plugins /blob/main/pstack/skills/principle-build-the-lever/SKILL.md … this was actually a cool emergent behavior i noticed while tackling a really large refactor to @stylexjs . my agent using /poteto-mode started writing codemods and custom skills for its subagents as it tried parallelizing moving
@poteto pstack on X 1:2
On X · pstack on X (cont.)
this is why i made pstack use multi-model workflows. if you like opus (i think it’s a great manager of agents), you can use it to orchestrate all your other models for you in cursor
@poteto pstack on X 1:3
when you can trust your agents, you can ship so much more with confidence! try https:// cursor.com/marketplace/cu rsor/pstack … :)
@poteto pstack on X 1:4
new /setup-pstack skill in v0.8.0: now you can choose your own models the plugin autoupdates if you've installed it already
@poteto pstack on X 1:5
the thing about loops is that you need to build trust first. a low trust loop is just a waste of tokens. and if you don't apply engineering taste, the slop really compounds. but you can become a quality loop enjoyer too with pstack as a starting point: https:// github.com/cursor/plugins /tree/main/pstack …
@poteto pstack on X 1:6
so many exciting new models launching this week! so nice that you can use them all in @cursor_ai if you're feeling rich you can get an /arena (from pstack) across fable, sol, and grok 4.5 to work on your hardest hardest tasks
@poteto pstack on X 1:7
On X · pstack on X (cont.)
https:// cursor.com/marketplace/cu rsor/pstack … https:// github.com/cursor/plugins /tree/main/pstack …
@poteto pstack on X 1:8
install pstack and use https:// github.com/cursor/plugins /blob/main/pstack/skills/show-me-your-work/SKILL.md … thank me later
@poteto pstack on X 1:9
pstack now includes 2 skills i recommend everyone use or copy: /create-verification-skill https:// github.com/cursor/plugins /blob/main/pstack/skills/create-verification-skill/SKILL.md … /maintain-verification-skill https:// github.com/cursor/plugins /blob/main/pstack/skills/maintain-verification-skill/SKILL.md … if you don't already have one, /create-verification-skill creates a skill that teaches your agent how to run,
@poteto pstack on X 1:10
made a new /no-comments skill for fun, lmk what you think https:// github.com/cursor/plugins /blob/main/pstack/skills/no-comments/SKILL.md … it spawns a deranged guy called the Comment Sicko who gets a real thrill from deleting useless comments https:// github.com/cursor/plugins /blob/main/pstack/agents/comment-sicko.md …
@poteto pstack on X 1:11
On X · pstack on X (cont.)
excited to share more about my journey building pstack, shipping 2,000 PRs a month, and the client framework powering @bot tomorrow! see you there
@poteto pstack on X 1:12
the frontier has never been so affordable! try Grok 4.6 with pstack
@poteto pstack on X 1:13
my cto friend texted me: "your pstack is crazy. this is like god mode. your eng review discovered a subtle cross site scripting attack that i don't even think my team is aware of. i will make a bet that over 90% of new repos from today forward will use pstack.'"
@poteto pstack on X 1:14
this is a huge release! i shipped 1000 PRs last month and am on track to doubling that this month, all thanks to cloud agents. you can also launch cloud agents with Grok @Bot btw! here's how i'm so productive: • i built pstack ( https:// github.com/cursor/plugins /tree/main/pstack …), my personal set of
@poteto pstack on X 1:15
On X · pstack on X (cont.)
just shipped deeplinks for Grok @Bot on desktop (mobile coming soon)! try installing the X plugin: grokbot://app/v1/plugin/add?id=49086599 and pstack of course: grokbot://app/v1/plugin/add?id=9717366
@poteto pstack on X 1:16
if you're new to using pstack, don't forget to run /create-verification-skill! it creates a high quality verification skill for your apps, which is the most important part of creating an agent loop you can trust. you can also get grok @bot or a cursor automation to run
@poteto pstack on X 1:17
another good skill to run is /setup-pstack which lets you choose which models are used
@poteto pstack on X 1:18
try my Dr Eggbot (v0.1.0): https:// x.ai/bot/93gOz3op1U QdBdbekQFLK … he makes high quality bots for you! coding bots use pstack, non-coding ones have similar rigor
@poteto pstack on X 1:19
On X
Bots, cloud agents, Grok Bot, subagents.
finding a lot of value from teaching my agents to extract principles from my interventions over the course of many conversations, then encoding those principles in all my installed skills and knowledge graph. it’s like cloning myself
@poteto Agents 2:1
one nice thing about agents is that i can now get to use the best tool/language for the job even if i hate the syntax. i love typescript but i don't see why we need to use it for everything.
@poteto Agents 2:2
one of the principles my agents extracted from my codebase and looking at past conversations/interventions
@poteto Agents 2:3
On X · Agents (cont.)
cloud agents feature request: animated vtuber in the corner that narrates what its doing while it uses my app
@poteto Agents 2:4
just opensourced http:// github.com/poteto/brainma xxing … which i extracted from a bigger project building on top of this. its a very simple and effective set of skills to continually improve your agent's skills and record learnings
@poteto Agents 2:5
why manage agents yourself when a sufficiently smart scheduling agent can do that for you?
@poteto Agents 2:6
really excited about launching my side project! noodle is an OSS framework that lets your agents' skills run themselves. 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚠 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚙𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚝𝚘/𝚝𝚊𝚙/𝚗𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚕𝚎 or download via https:// github.com/poteto/noodle/ releases/tag/v0.1.0 … https:// poteto.github.io/noodle/
@poteto Agents 2:7
in the next version of noodle all you need to install and get a working noodle loop is to paste a prompt to your agent. it will learn from your past conversations to build a workflow thats tailored for your repo. try it: 𝙸𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝙽𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚎𝚝 𝚞𝚙 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜
@poteto Agents 2:8
On X · Agents (cont.)
and of course, please read the INSTALL.md yourself (or ask your agent to verify it's safe) before running!
@poteto Agents 2:9
a useful principle i have in noodle's repo is encoding lessons in structure. asking agents to remember to do something doesn't work reliably. it needs to be structural if possible - whether in code or through static lints/hooks
@poteto Agents 2:10
kicked off 3 https:// cursor.com/agents with different models grinding on the same plan before boarding. spent the entire flight playing pokopia instead
@poteto Agents 2:11
fire off some cloud agents touch some grass come back to finished PRs with videos
@poteto Agents 2:12
open sourced a skill i use all the time. it helps you understand architecture, but also helps agents too! i often tell agents to "use /how to understand how X works" which helps them fix root causes/propose refactors and not just symptoms: https:// github.com/poteto/how
@poteto Agents 2:13
made a lil clicker game i can play while my agents work
@poteto Agents 2:14
On X · Agents (cont.)
love this, it puts into words how i've evolved using agents
@poteto Agents 2:15
cursor agents help you go further and be more ambitious!
@poteto Agents 2:16
i use this all the time! super handy for firing off a bunch of agents in the cloud, with all the context from your thread
@poteto Agents 2:17
you can now use one of my favorite features! /multitask also lets you tell your agent which model specifically you want as your subagents - ideal for workflows where you do adversarial review, or prefer some models for planning and others for execution
@poteto Agents 2:18
i'm increasingly convinced that the value of orchestrating many agents in parallel comes from going deep, not broad. you want to go deeper on a single or a few problems, so you can maximize your chances of getting great results: - best of N style races to find the best solution
@poteto Agents 2:19
cursor cloud agents in Grind Mode are the best way to get your Night Shift (h/t @jamonholmgren ) done!
@poteto Agents 2:20
On X · Agents (cont.)
set your agents free build on top of the best harness, choose any frontier model, and let agents use a real computer in the cloud. you can just build incredibly ambitious things, and get videos of it all working. will share a cool example i've been cooking up soon
@poteto Agents 2:21
give an agent a fish and you feed him for a day teach an agent to fix ci and you feed him for a lifetime
@poteto Agents 2:22
what are some old best practices and commonly held beliefs about engineering that no longer hold true with agents? one example is rewrites: https:// joelonsoftware.com/2000/04/06/thi ngs-you-should-never-do-part-i/ …. it used to be that grumpy old programmers would berate you if you even thought about rewriting the app. but
@poteto Agents 2:23
btw a word of caution if you're price conscious: using multiple agents, especially frontier ones, use a lot of expensive tokens. i'm hopeful that future versions Composer can change that. fast, cheap, and great
@poteto Agents 2:24
i dont even write loops anymore my agents just read my mind while i phase shift into higher dimensions
@poteto Agents 2:25
On X · Agents (cont.)
i know volume isn't everything, but i'm just shocked at how productive i am with cursor and cloud agents. you can truly go exponential when you can trust what your agents are doing
@poteto Agents 2:26
if you like cloud agents wait till we send them to space
@poteto Agents 2:27
if you haven't already setup @cursor_ai cloud agents, i highly recommend it! these days my standard workflow is to have one local coordinator agent that spawns cloud subagents ( https:// cursor.com/docs/subagents #cloud-subagents …) to do all the work. the coordinator is in charge of managing everything and
@poteto Agents 2:28
everything i know about managing agents i learned from playing @factoriogame
@poteto Agents 2:29
Excited to be running a workshop on how I use Cursor to build @cursor_ai with Colin Matthews next Wednesday! https:// maven.com/p/e23d9c/how-c ursor-turned-ai-agents-into-better-engineers …
@poteto Agents 2:30
On X · Agents (cont.)
Extremely excited to share that we just launched Grok Bot! Bots do work on their own computers while you're at meetings, while you're having lunch, and while you sleep. I've been using Grok Bot to manage my calendar and ship code. My team of bots also help me with my personal
@poteto Agents 2:31
fun fact: because of Dune, my agents now merge their own PRs. i do code review now by looking at what they landed on main when i was away or asleep
@poteto Agents 2:32
worktrees are dead. cloud agents are the future. they've allowed me to massively orchestrate swarms of agents, all with their own computer. it's how i've been able to trust that my agents are actually doing what i want them to, because they can run their code, take videos and
@poteto Agents 2:33
one more thing: you can tell @bot to create and orchestrate cloud agents!
@poteto Agents 2:34
every time you intervene and correct your agent, you should think about how to eliminate it entirely. in order of value: 1. categorically eliminate the problem through better architecture or choice of data structures 2. turn it into a lint rule or test so CI catches it 3. turn
@poteto Agents 2:35
On X · Agents (cont.)
Much love to the Solid team and congrats on launching Solid 2! Cursor has largely completed this migration from Solid to React. We also have since converted all our scss and Tailwind to @stylexjs , in both Cursor and in @bot . The new agents window is 99% React, with a few
@poteto Agents 2:36
grok @bot is the most agi pilled agent yet!
@poteto Agents 2:37
let those worktrees go. cloud agents are the future
@poteto Agents 2:38
if your definition of coding is just the act of typing code, then yes, it's solved. agents can type code faster than anyone can. but i think most of us think of coding as the act of solving problems with code. in that definition, coding is definitely not solved. agents can
@poteto Agents 2:39
really happy that Grok @Bot is by far the smoothest agent desktop and mobile app out there. there's still more to improve, but our cpu and memory usage is highly efficient and Bot stays buttery smooth under any condition. this is despite our team moving extremely quickly and
@poteto Agents 2:40
On X · Agents (cont.)
did you know that you can run cursor cloud agents on your own machines? for example you can setup a mac mini (that you no longer need thanks to Grok @Bot ) as a worker, meaning you can verify your iOS apps in a simulator
@poteto Agents 2:41
On X
How she actually runs Cursor.
this week I'm looking at client performance issues, so if you have any feedback, traces, dumps or bad experiences using Cursor (including https:// cursor.com/glass), please DM or @ me!
@poteto Cursor 3:1
Cursor 3 is here! I've been working on this since day 2 of joining the team, working on performance issues. There's still a lot more to do, so please @ or DM me if you run into anything. Cursor 3 has become my daily driver, it's much more powerful than TUIs and the ability to
@poteto Cursor 3:2
On X · Cursor (cont.)
and it's a great time to try cursor with composer 2! double usage through end of the weekend. it's really good with ui and the speed is unmatched
@poteto Cursor 3:3
the best part about cursor is using all the models. many of my skills and automations specify specific models for specific types of tasks. for example in the how skill, opus synthesizes and explains while gpt does the code spelunking. models working together make incredible
@poteto Cursor 3:4
ngl one of the best hidden features of cursor 3
@poteto Cursor 3:5
use the best models for the task in cursor 3! try /multitask
@poteto Cursor 3:6
in the next version of Cursor 3, you can multitask with a horde of goblins
@poteto Cursor 3:7
you can literally fix anything with cursor debug mode and a way to control your app via CDP or equivalent
@poteto Cursor 3:8
On X · Cursor (cont.)
the rust port for react compiler is alive and well! @mvitousek and @zmofei are testing it on Meta's monorepo and fixing issues, and i will also be testing it on cursor's typescript monorepo and fixing anything we find. we will share more updates soon
@poteto Cursor 3:9
just set up an automation to find the top feedback for cursor and post it in our issues channel for automatic triage and fixing by Benny keep the feedback coming!
@poteto Cursor 3:10
with Cursor Router you no longer need to sell your organs to afford this
@poteto Cursor 3:11
solve conjectures and order popeyes on doordash with Cursor Router.
@poteto Cursor 3:12
shipped almost 1000 PRs this month with cursor
@poteto Cursor 3:13
cursor is the most fun place i've ever worked at! you might think "fun" is frivolous, but experiencing fun and joy in your work is self actualization and i wish that for everyone https:// x.com/poteto/status/ 2077644468615106995 …
@poteto Cursor 3:14
On X · Cursor (cont.)
I knew Cursor was special from the day I walked in. It’s been so much fun working alongside insanely ambitious and driven people. Excited for the future!
@poteto Cursor 3:15
On X
Verification, tests, traces, screenshots.
eg with projects like bun and react compiler being ported to rust: https:// x.com/trq212/status/ 2053559397654348159 … https:// github.com/facebook/react /pull/36173 … if you have a good enough test suite and verification process, you can certainly pull it off
@poteto Proof 4:1
On X
React compiler and related craft.
@thejameskyle Hi! Add a link to your #EmberConf slides please? https:// github.com/poteto/emberco nf-2016#how-to-build-a-compiler-by-james-kyle … <3
@poteto Compiler 5:1
fun little #typescript util to reassure the compiler that your string is actually a string literal key
@poteto Compiler 5:2
One data point to consider is with Relay Classic -> Relay Modern. We now even have a Rust compiler! But I'm not sure if we could've made that transition without first going with the manual approach. Maybe @en_JS has some thoughts here
@poteto Compiler 5:3
On X · Compiler (cont.)
I'm sorta back from a long twitter break! I've been spending my free time slowly getting through @thorstenball 's excellent "Writing A Compiler In Go" in Rust ( https:// github.com/poteto/monkers), and also started playing FFXIV again lol.
@poteto Compiler 5:4
release notes should be written like Apple events: A dramatically more powerful compiler. An all‑new packaging algorithm with ProPackager. The world’s blazingest client powered by graphql. A huge leap in build times. Introducing Blazing.js 13 Pro. Our most advanced client ever.
@poteto Compiler 5:5
The Relay team rewrote their compiler in Rust (previously JS), and it's finally being released!
@poteto Compiler 5:6
compiler-y projects seem rare while requiring knowledge that usually can only be had through experience contributing to one —! that got me thinking about compiling (heheh) a list of open source compilers needing contributors to intro more people to this area. do you know any?
@poteto Compiler 5:7
when i transitioned back to IC after about a year of management, i was feeling worried about ramping back up especially onto a project as intimidating as a compiler doing novel static analysis. but the past couple of months working with @en_JS , @_gsathya , and @zmofei \
@poteto Compiler 5:8
On X · Compiler (cont.)
Great post from my super smart colleague @_gsathya ! Don't feel pressured to understand everything though, you won't need to know it to be able to use the compiler
@poteto Compiler 5:9
React Compiler is a new build-time tool that automatically optimizes your react app. It works with plain JS and understands the rules of react, so you don't need to rewrite any code to use it. we've been testing it out at Meta, and it's already powering a few production surfaces.
@poteto Compiler 5:10
. @en_JS and @zmofei did a great talk on some of the results we've seen so far: https:// youtube.com/watch?v=qOQClO 3g8-Y … the compiler isn't open source yet, but we're making steady progress towards it. we'll share a status update at React Conf this year!
@poteto Compiler 5:11
there are 3 main usecases for useMemo/useCallback: 1. skipping expensive calculations (perf) 2. skipping rerendering of components (perf) 3. memoizing deps to another hook (correctness) React Compiler specifically aims to automatically do #2. you still need to memo #1
@poteto Compiler 5:12
On X · Compiler (cont.)
correction: #1 is also handled by the compiler "for free". if you use slowCalc() in a component it will get auto-memo'd. but slowCalc itself is not auto-memo'd because the compiler only optimizes components/hooks. you need to memo outside of react if you want to share across cmps
@poteto Compiler 5:13
React Compiler is not shipping in React 19—but it is coming to oss sooner than you expect. the fundamentals are good (imo) but getting it out sooner comes at a tradeoff of not being fully feature complete. lower your expectations for the release but raise them for when.
@poteto Compiler 5:14
without speed you lose the plot. you will find yourself spending time solving programming puzzles and appeasing the compiler, and not on what your app or game should do: be useful or fun to play
@poteto Compiler 5:15
fun fact: React Compiler also optimized this app!
@poteto Compiler 5:16
On X · Compiler (cont.)
if you're interested in learning more about how to actually use React Compiler in your apps, please come check out my talk at ReactConf later today! https:// conf.react.dev/talks/5
@poteto Compiler 5:17
React Compiler explained in 1 tweet: 1. It works on every platform that you can run React on 2. It enables you to completely forget about reactivity, and memoizes much more granularly than is possible by hand 3. No new APIs to learn, no rewrites, and incrementally adoptable
@poteto Compiler 5:18
docs: https:// react.dev/learn/react-co mpiler … working group: https:// github.com/reactwg/react- compiler …
@poteto Compiler 5:19
to be clear, the bundled plugin for the compiler includes inlined dependencies. react compiler code only makes up a small fraction of those lines. also, this number below includes our wip rust port, which is not in use yet.
@poteto Compiler 5:20
missed the news about React Compiler? this is a great summary from @t3dotgg !
@poteto Compiler 5:21
Don’t miss the next talk at ReactConf! @_gsathya and @zmofei are going to blow your minds in their compiler deep dive
@poteto Compiler 5:22
On X · Compiler (cont.)
if you're interested in trying out React Compiler on an Expo app, this is a great reference!
@poteto Compiler 5:23
if you’re interested in trying out React compiler in production, don’t forget to apply to join our working group!
@poteto Compiler 5:24
Just published a new version of the compiler eslint plugin https:// npmjs.com/package/eslint -plugin-react-compiler/v/0.0.0-experimental-53bb89e-20240515 … which fixes a typescript parsing issue and a misconfigured package.json (missing the `main` field, which meant that it wouldn't be installed correctly)
@poteto Compiler 5:25
also released a new version of the babel-plugin which fixes jsx text attributes with double quotes: thanks @en_JS ! https:// npmjs.com/package/babel- plugin-react-compiler/v/0.0.0-experimental-c23de8d-20240515 …
@poteto Compiler 5:26
in addition to understanding JavaScript semantics and the rules of React, the compiler team also understands தமிழ், 中文, 日本語, 한국어 and i think that’s pretty cool
@poteto Compiler 5:27
On X · Compiler (cont.)
i was really happy to share my story of how i found react in my keynote section. as someone who turned a hobby into a career, i feel a lot of empathy for folks who find react difficult. we still have a ways to go, but I hope the compiler gets us closer to making react easier
@poteto Compiler 5:28
Well actually, it’s only a compiler if it’s from the Nekbearde region of France. Otherwise it’s just a sparkling transformation pipeline from one high level language to another.
@poteto Compiler 5:29
should react compiler compile all your consts to let?
@poteto Compiler 5:30
when u dorks are done arguing about compiler terminology u don't understand, check out our talks at ReactConf
@poteto Compiler 5:31
just updated the React Compiler docs with a lot more info and tips on debugging!
@poteto Compiler 5:32
On X · Compiler (cont.)
the compiler does go to great lengths to preserve as much of the original code as it was written! while that keeps the output pretty readable, i feel like you shouldn't _need_ to read the compiled output in your day to day coding since it takes you out of your flow state https:// t.co/goOZWSTr4r
@poteto Compiler 5:33
this is why im so interested in exploring if we can show what the compiler does right in your editor. here's something i hacked together (not the official extension!) for my live demo that tells you what values are being depended on and what values depend on those deps
@poteto Compiler 5:34
turns out you were the compiler all along
@poteto Compiler 5:35
react compiler fixes this https:// x.com/PicoPaco17/sta /PicoPaco17/status/1793083282827198585 …
@poteto Compiler 5:36
if you really cannot upgrade to React 19 you can use our polyfill here: https:// github.com/reactwg/react- compiler/discussions/6 …. it’s not recommended of course, but this version will work with the React DevTools. (it’s the link to the gist at the top)
@poteto Compiler 5:37
On X · Compiler (cont.)
one thing im excited about with React Compiler is that it provides a strong foundation for future optimizations, not “just” auto memoization. the compiler has a sophisticated understanding of your code (check out http:// playground.react.dev) through all its passes
@poteto Compiler 5:38
have you tried out React Compiler yet? please reply with more details! also, if you want to try it out in prod, consider applying to join the working group: https:// github.com/reactwg/react- compiler/discussions/9 …
@poteto Compiler 5:39
rumor has it the code name for the next version of the compiler is react 5get
@poteto Compiler 5:40
this is huge, official support in Expo for React Compiler! trying out the experimental release is now a single flag away
@poteto Compiler 5:41
react compiler 어떻게 동작하는지 알고 싶다면 @yongsk0066 블로그를 읽어보세요~
@poteto Compiler 5:42
i should write a compiler that will take every expression in your js code and turn it into an npm library. having deps is a good thing, and disk space is infinite and free
@poteto Compiler 5:43
On X · Compiler (cont.)
if you've applied to join the compiler WG, please check your email for an invite to our discord channel if you were selected in this round. and if you haven't already, send me your github username so i can add you to the discussion repo!
@poteto Compiler 5:44
reminder to everyone who's installed react compiler to upgrade regularly and report issues! we've shipped a lot of bugfixes since the oss release (many thanks to bug reports from the oss community), and we now publish our experimental releases nightly too
@poteto Compiler 5:45
please give the React Compiler Beta a try and let us know if you have feedback! lots of stuff has been fixed since the first experimental release back in May, and it’s now officially supported on React 17 and 18 too.
@poteto Compiler 5:46
you might not know but runs React Compiler in prod! as far as i'm aware, bsky was the very first app outside of Meta to run the compiler in prod, a few days after React Conf 2024 (May). thanks to @mozzius and Dan for being early adopters!
@poteto Compiler 5:47
you can check out how we first enabled the compiler on in my talk https:// youtube.com/watch?v=lvhPq5 chokM …
@poteto Compiler 5:48
On X · Compiler (cont.)
the end state of react compiler is a chip inside your brain that lets you use the compiler to think
@poteto Compiler 5:49
i'm rewriting all of the React Compiler docs: https:// github.com/reactjs/react. dev/pull/7868 …. would love feedback from the community!
@poteto Compiler 5:50
new React Compiler docs have landed! thank you everyone for the feedback.
@poteto Compiler 5:51
the new Learn pages for React Compiler are now better organized, and have new sections on incremental adoption and debugging.
@poteto Compiler 5:52
it only took ~3 years for my first PR in react to ship! https:// github.com/facebook/react /pull/25229 … sorry if i broke anything
@poteto Compiler 5:53
Make something people want. … https://react-d ev-git-pr8105-fbopensource.vercel.app/reference/reac t-compiler/directives/use-nemo …
@poteto Compiler 5:54
Make something people want. … https://react-d ev-git-pr8105-fbopensource.vercel.app/reference/reac t-compiler/directives/use-nemo …
@poteto Compiler 5:55
welcome new react compiler users (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) lmk if u need help
@poteto Compiler 5:56
for those that want to follow along: https:// github.com/facebook/react /commits/pr-36173/ …
@poteto Compiler 5:57
On X · Compiler (cont.)
going through all the open compiler issues and PRs now with Fable and seeing if i can land more fixes for both TS and Rust!
@poteto Compiler 5:58
On X
Engineering lines that did not fit a tighter chapter.
Programming is no different from any other skill. To get good at it, you need to be persistent. http:// zenpencils.com/comic/40-calvi n-coolidge-never-give-up/ …
@poteto Other craft 6:1
Great way to end the week - having my first PR to Phoenix merged! https:// github.com/phoenixframewo rk/phoenix/pull/1693 … #myelixirstatus
@poteto Other craft 6:2
thank goodness for @github 's edit PR feature
@poteto Other craft 6:3
On X · Other craft (cont.)
"I am still learning" My first PR 5 years ago, trying to setup my personal blog - https:// github.com/jcftang/octopr ess-relatedposts/pull/2 … I was learning how to code then. I didn't know what I was doing. I still don't, sometimes. Learning is the fun part! http:// firstpr.me
@poteto Other craft 6:4
Programmers are problem solvers first. Computer problems are hard, people problems are harder. Learn why, starting with this thread. Then see: https:// youtube.com/watch?v=gRHyhb YlBfw … https:// code.joejag.com/2018/the-origi n-of-soft-skills.html … https:// x.com/terminalqueen/ status/1018105328397930496 …
@poteto Other craft 6:5
Thanks everyone for the responses it sounds like the best place to start is with "why" before "how." What does a pragmatic codebase with both OO and FP ideas in it look like? It depends what you optimize for (deleteability, perf, readability, etc). I'll cover that in future
@poteto Other craft 6:6
Fear driven decisions don't encourage me to explore outside of my comfort zone, learn new skills, or try new experiences. They undermine my ability to grow. Still, it's important to acknowledge those emotions and understand why. Sometimes it might be for a good reason.
@poteto Other craft 6:7
On X · Other craft (cont.)
I love this talk https:// youtube.com/watch?v=jGPrU1 5GuSw … by @skamille on being a multiplier. For the longest time, I believed that being a Staff & above engineer was all about incredible technical skills. The past couple of years working with incredibly smart people has changed my mindset.
@poteto Other craft 6:8
In the demo video, I called out that a third party dep was removed from the client bundle. But that's not the only thing to pay attention to. It's true that these types of "infra" dependencies don't make up a large % of your codebase to begin with.
@poteto Other craft 6:9
I had a lot of fun chatting with @davidguttman on the Junior to Senior podcast! We spoke about looking beyond code, technical and core skills, tailoring your hiring process, and more. Check it out!
@poteto Other craft 6:10
I have a bot at work that tells me whenever someone triggers a lint rule that I added (and ignores it). Our bot doesn't allow automated comments, so I usually jump in to ask if I can help with resolving it. I am the linter...
@poteto Other craft 6:11
On X · Other craft (cont.)
i'm sure there's a word in German that means "the joy of refactoring your code in a codebase you're a n00b in and all the tests still pass"
@poteto Other craft 6:12
near that codebase. but yet here was Dan — someone i admired as being both a strong engineer and brilliant communicator — reaching out to me. i was extremely flattered but torn because i thought i was too rusty to make such a move to a team where everyone was extremely strong. \
@poteto Other craft 6:13
never attribute to poor framework choice that which is adequately explained as skill issues
@poteto Other craft 6:14
i don’t think it’s controversial to say “you should learn knife skills if you want to get a job cooking food in a restaurant”. i studied finance in college not cs and i had to learn basic git before anything else so i could pull down code from github and play with it
@poteto Other craft 6:15
i think @t3dotgg ’s point that many are missing is that not knowing “knife skills” shows a lack of interest in the vocation of being a programmer and doesn’t look good in an interview. i do empathize with CS grads though. the bar to getting a tech job is getting higher and higher
@poteto Other craft 6:16
On X · Other craft (cont.)
@github PR pages are 500ing, time to push straight to main
@poteto Other craft 6:17
hot take: i think skills-lock.json is well intentioned but the wrong direction. skills should not be static. you should be constantly improving them and adapting them to your workflow. i have massively modified all the skills i have ever installed. many don't use skill-creator to
@poteto Other craft 6:18
instead of leetcode, companies should make you write a skill by hand and discuss the O(steps) and O(context)
@poteto Other craft 6:19
just added 2 new skills: /plan to create plans in the brain with your principles applied to it /review to review work done, against your principles
@poteto Other craft 6:20
codex is just so much faster and better at bugfixes. also noticed it's much more consistent/reliable at invoking skills
@poteto Other craft 6:21
On X · Other craft (cont.)
do i know anyone using https:// github.com/poteto/brainma xxing …? curious how well it has scaled for your codebase, and if you have any feedback. if you’re not familiar, it’s my attempt at https:// x.com/karpathy/statu s/2039805659525644595?s=46&t=HFNOJ7P2JmfjDfKskFwLUw … although this predated that post
@poteto Other craft 6:22
i made this skill! one cool thing is that it matches frontier models to the type of task. in the skill rewrite, i opted to use Opus for prose and evals. for our backend cold start improvements, Opus served as subplanners, while GPT rapidly hillclimbed on perf
@poteto Other craft 6:23
delete “we should” and “can we” from your vocab. build it and share a PR or prototype instead. you can just do things
@poteto Other craft 6:24
organic architecture good codebases have always had strong foundations and constraints. these files go here. this kind of code goes there. the codebase is held together either by catering to the lowest common denominator developer using conventional frameworks and languages, or
@poteto Other craft 6:25
on track to shipping ~2000 PRs this month thanks to @bot and @cursor_ai ! i'm coming for that #1 spot @shaoruu
@poteto Other craft 6:26
On X · Other craft (cont.)
don't forget to say good night to grok @bot
@poteto Other craft 6:27
did you know you can create sections to organize your @bot s? just right click on them and move them to a new section!
@poteto Other craft 6:28
What bugs have you seen in @bot ? We will fix them! 
@poteto Other craft 6:29
my dream of never attending another meeting might actually be solved by @bot
@poteto Other craft 6:30
gimme a few, my one @bot is struggling might need to make a team
@poteto Other craft 6:31
it's really easy to mirror all your repos into Origin! you can even ask @bot to do it for you
@poteto Other craft 6:32
The three virtues of using Grok @Bot well: • Laziness: The quality that makes you go to great effort to reduce overall energy expenditure. It makes you question "how can a bot do this instead of me?" • Impatience: Instead of asking "should we do this?", you use @bot to build
@poteto Other craft 6:33
On X · Other craft (cont.)
every team needs a gardener. someone quietly watching the stream of PRs flowing into your codebase, noticing the smells: the third isRecord this week, the lint suppressions creeping like ivy across your carefully planned garden. a steady hand tending the weeds that would engulf
@poteto Other craft 6:34
check https:// github.com/dmmulroy/anti- slop … out for some opinionated TS rules that help contain the slop!
@poteto Other craft 6:35
something i really love about working on @cursor_ai and @bot is that we just love to ship. i think it shows up across everything we do, like not building products and models that get in your way. we dogfood our own work obsessively and aim to be the number 1 power users of our
@poteto Other craft 6:36
what are you using grok @bot for this weekend?
@poteto Other craft 6:37
did you know grok @bot supports multiple languages? let me know if any of the translations are weird and what languages we should add next!
@poteto Other craft 6:38
if you say "poteto poteto poteto" on X you can summon me (or my bot). it's the poteto signal for emergencies. use it wisely
@poteto Other craft 6:39
On X · Other craft (cont.)
my number 1 tip for controlling your grok @bot usage is to avoid scheduled routines that run too frequently. for example, a 15 min routine runs almost 100 times a day, and every run consumes tokens. hourly or a few times a day is usually good enough. the length of the chat with
@poteto Other craft 6:40
alright my blog https:// no.lol is overdue for a total makeover. haven't touched it in years. give me your best ideas on what i should do with it and i'll get @bot to make it!
@poteto Other craft 6:41
5 new languages are coming to Grok @Bot in a future release! Arabic, Italian, Swedish, Russian, Turkish. also, if you chat with your bot in a right to left language, it should be much less broken now. lmk what we should add next!
@poteto Other craft 6:42
The Grok @Bot team has been cooking! Our Android app is almost ready. Pre-register for the release on the Google Play Store! https:// play.google.com/store/apps/det ails?id=ai.x.grok.bot …
@poteto Other craft 6:43
Give Grok @Bot it's own virtual credit card! You approve every request.
@poteto Other craft 6:44
Chronicle
Full month-by-month notes will fill in. This chapter is a stub so the book still has a chronicle door.
1377 public posts scraped. Craft verses are in On X. This chronicle will list the rest by month.
@poteto Months 1:1
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