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The Cynical Developer

Cynical Developer

A UK based Technology and Software Developer Podcast that helps you to improve your development knowledge and career,
through explaining the latest and greatest in development technology and providing you with what you need to succeed as a developer.

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  • 22 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 6 min
  • English

Episodes 22

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  • S2 · E33
    Monday · 5 min

    AI Is Creating Two Kinds of Developers

    A quiet split is forming in software teams - not junior versus senior, but developers who’ve learned to work with AI and those who’ve decided not to. We look at what the divide really is, why it compounds, and why plenty of brilliant people are on the wrong side of it. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E32
    August 17 · 5 min

    Why Your Team Doesn’t Own Anything

    We dig into the gap between responsibility and ownership - why so many teams are accountable for outcomes they were never given the authority to control, and how “you own this” quietly becomes “you hold the pager”. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E31
    August 10 · 5 min

    Remote Work Didn’t Kill Productivity - Bad Management Did

    We take on the tidy story that remote work killed productivity. It didn’t - it removed the things that were hiding weak management. We look at the presence trap, what genuinely broke, and why the easy diagnosis pointed at the wrong people. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E30
    August 3 · 5 min

    The Real Cost of Context Switching

    We look at a cost that never shows up on any report: the wreckage an interruption leaves behind. Not the thirty-second question, but the twenty-minute rebuild, and why unpredictability, not volume, is what really destroys deep work. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E29
    July 27 · 6 min

    Why Promotions Rarely Go to the Best Engineers

    We pull apart a quiet truth most teams can see but rarely say: the strongest engineer often isn’t the one who gets promoted. We look at why visibility beats impact, why the best work leaves the least evidence, and what both sides can actually do about it. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E28
    July 20 · 6 min

    Psychological Safety Is Not Being Nice

    “Psychological safety” has quietly become a synonym for “being nice”, and in this episode we explain why that’s a problem. We look at what it really means, why the healthiest teams disagree more rather than less, why a quiet team isn’t necessarily a safe one, and what actually builds the kind of trust where bad news arrives early instead of late. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E27
    July 13 · 7 min

    Episode 27 - Performance Reviews Are Broken

    Why do performance reviews reward visibility over impact, and why do so many developers leave them feeling misunderstood? In this episode, James unpacks why performance reviews are quietly broken, and what that’s doing to teams. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E25
    June 29 · 7 min

    Episode 25 - What Managers Need to Stop Doing

    James takes aim at management practices that are hurting developer productivity and morale. What do managers need to stop doing? Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E23
    June 15 · 5 min

    Episode 23 - When AI Makes Your Codebase Worse

    AI can help write code, but it can also make your codebase worse. James explores the pitfalls of AI-generated code and how to avoid them. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E22
    June 8 · 5 min

    Episode 22 - The Ethics of AI in Software Teams

    As AI becomes embedded in software development, ethical questions arise. James discusses the moral considerations teams should be thinking about. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E21
    June 1 · 5 min

    Episode 21 - Why "No-Code" Keeps Failing

    No-code platforms promise to democratize development, but they keep falling short. James examines why no-code struggles to deliver on its promises. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E19
    May 18 · 6 min

    Episode 19 - Why AI Code Still Needs Senior Review

    AI can generate code quickly, but that code still needs experienced eyes. James explains why senior review remains critical. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E18
    May 11 · 6 min

    Episode 18 - Your LLM Is Not a Junior Developer

    LLMs are powerful tools, but they're not junior developers you can just hand tasks to. James discusses how to think about AI assistants correctly. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E16
    April 27 · 6 min

    Episode 16 - Observability Is Not Optional Anymore

    In modern systems, observability is essential. James discusses why you can't afford to skip proper monitoring and tracing. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

  • S2 · E15
    April 20 · 5 min

    Episode 15 - Why Your Cloud Bill Keeps Going Up

    Cloud costs spiral out of control for many organizations. James explores the common reasons and what you can do about it. Written by James Studdart. Voiced using an AI model of his voice.

Showing 1–20 of 22 episodes