Backend Engineering

Posts on backend engineering — the language-agnostic patterns and decisions that define a great backend. API design, caching, queues, observability, system design tradeoffs, and the lessons that apply whether you write Python, Go, or anything else.

JWT vs Session Cookies in 2026 — The Authentication Choice That Matters

Practical auth choice: sessions for first-party web (default), JWTs for cross-domain APIs / mobile, hybrid for the real world.

API Design in 2026 — Resource Naming, Errors, Pagination, and the Boring Discipline

Practical API design: REST conventions, error responses, cursor pagination, partial responses, idempotency keys, and what separates good from frustrating APIs.

Streaming Patterns in 2026 — SSE, WebSocket, gRPC, and HTTP Streaming

Practical streaming protocol selection: SSE for one-way, WebSocket for bidi, gRPC for typed RPC, NDJSON for JSON streams. Comparison and production patterns.

Server Actions vs Traditional APIs in 2026 — When Each Wins

Server Actions are great for first-party UIs. Traditional APIs win for third parties, multiple clients, and contracts. Honest comparison and patterns.

Multi-Tenancy Patterns in 2026 — Schema, Row, Database, and the Tradeoffs

Practical multi-tenancy: row-level (cheapest), schema-per-tenant (isolation), DB-per-tenant (compliance). RLS, query patterns, and operational realities.

Postgres as Everything in 2026 — Queue, Cache, Search, Vector, Analytics

Practical ‘just use Postgres’ patterns: queues with SKIP LOCKED, caching with UNLOGGED tables, FTS, pgvector, JSONB, time-series, and when to actually graduate.

gRPC in 2026 — Protobuf, Streaming, and the Production Patterns

gRPC working set: proto evolution, unary vs streaming RPCs, deadlines, retries, interceptors, observability, and connect-go for browser-friendly gRPC.

Database Migrations in 2026 — Zero-Downtime Patterns That Actually Work

Practical DB migrations: expand-contract, blue/green, pg_repack for big tables, schema deploys, and rollback strategies that work.

API Versioning in 2026 — Strategies That Don't Wreck Your Future

Practical API versioning: URL paths, headers, GraphQL deprecations, evolution rules, and how to keep clients happy across years of changes.

Distributed Transactions in 2026 — Sagas, 2PC, and What Actually Works

Practical distributed transactions: why 2PC rarely fits, sagas (orchestration vs choreography), outbox + CDC, idempotency, and the operational tradeoffs.