Cathal Mac Donnacha
@cathalmacdonnacha.com
Principal Frontend Engineer @wpengine.
Follow along for frontend tips on React ⚛️ Testing 🧪 UI/UX 🖥.
My blog ✍️ http://cathalmacdonnacha.com
Follow along for frontend tips on React ⚛️ Testing 🧪 UI/UX 🖥.
My blog ✍️ http://cathalmacdonnacha.com
I tend to use pagination when users need shareable links or to give a sense of how much data is left (e.g. “page 3 of 10 in blue t-shirts”).
Use virtual scroll for endless browsing (e.g. social feeds).
📑 Pagination = easy to share & measure.
📜 Virtual scroll = easy to scroll.
#frontend #ux #webdev
Use virtual scroll for endless browsing (e.g. social feeds).
📑 Pagination = easy to share & measure.
📜 Virtual scroll = easy to scroll.
#frontend #ux #webdev
August 20, 2025 at 11:25 PM
When diving into a new codebase I find that tests serve as the best documentation.
#software #webdev #programming
#software #webdev #programming
July 27, 2025 at 7:49 PM
When diving into a new codebase I find that tests serve as the best documentation.
#software #webdev #programming
#software #webdev #programming
July 17, 2025 at 3:49 PM
June 18, 2025 at 9:15 AM
This is a real level headed take on AI and the perceived notion that it's going to completely take over software engineering roles:
youtu.be/mbEzhI3cmmo?...
youtu.be/mbEzhI3cmmo?...
The Truth About Software Development with Carl Brown | Better Offline
YouTube video by Better Offline
youtu.be
June 13, 2025 at 11:24 PM
This is a real level headed take on AI and the perceived notion that it's going to completely take over software engineering roles:
youtu.be/mbEzhI3cmmo?...
youtu.be/mbEzhI3cmmo?...
Reposted by Cathal Mac Donnacha
React Compiler RC is now available! We've added support for swc and are working towards a stable release react.dev/blog/2025/04...
React Compiler RC – React
The library for web and native user interfaces
react.dev
April 22, 2025 at 4:31 PM
React Compiler RC is now available! We've added support for swc and are working towards a stable release react.dev/blog/2025/04...
Before I begin any refactoring, I always have a look at the tests first to make sure they're up to scratch. This way I can be fairly confident that I won't break anything in the process.
Emphasis on "fairly". 😂
#software #programming #frontend
Emphasis on "fairly". 😂
#software #programming #frontend
April 3, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Before I begin any refactoring, I always have a look at the tests first to make sure they're up to scratch. This way I can be fairly confident that I won't break anything in the process.
Emphasis on "fairly". 😂
#software #programming #frontend
Emphasis on "fairly". 😂
#software #programming #frontend
"To persuade a few is better than to convince many."
This has always been my approach when introducing any new tools or patterns to wider teams.
#software #programming #frontend
This has always been my approach when introducing any new tools or patterns to wider teams.
#software #programming #frontend
April 2, 2025 at 9:46 PM
"To persuade a few is better than to convince many."
This has always been my approach when introducing any new tools or patterns to wider teams.
#software #programming #frontend
This has always been my approach when introducing any new tools or patterns to wider teams.
#software #programming #frontend
The first thing I do when I want to familiarize myself with a new area in a codebase is check out the tests.
Tests are a great form of documentation.
#frontend #software #programming
Tests are a great form of documentation.
#frontend #software #programming
April 2, 2025 at 9:42 PM
The first thing I do when I want to familiarize myself with a new area in a codebase is check out the tests.
Tests are a great form of documentation.
#frontend #software #programming
Tests are a great form of documentation.
#frontend #software #programming
Even though it's been out for years now, I feel like using React Query as an async state manager is a highly underrated and underused feature.
tkdodo.eu/blog/react-que…#reactjsj#frontendnd
tkdodo.eu/blog/react-que…#reactjsj#frontendnd
https://tkdodo.eu/blog/react-que…
March 31, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Even though it's been out for years now, I feel like using React Query as an async state manager is a highly underrated and underused feature.
tkdodo.eu/blog/react-que…#reactjsj#frontendnd
tkdodo.eu/blog/react-que…#reactjsj#frontendnd
It's important to have a healthy mindset towards feedback or setbacks. View them as opportunities to improve yourself. Focus on being constructive and solutions-focused rather than emotions-driven.
#software #programming
#software #programming
March 30, 2025 at 12:01 AM
It's important to have a healthy mindset towards feedback or setbacks. View them as opportunities to improve yourself. Focus on being constructive and solutions-focused rather than emotions-driven.
#software #programming
#software #programming
"Writing code in JavaScript feels like skydiving without a parachute"
a man in a suit and tie is sitting in a chair with his eyes closed and the word agreed written on his face .
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is sitting in a chair with his eyes closed and the word agreed written on his face .
media.tenor.com
March 28, 2025 at 5:21 PM
"Writing code in JavaScript feels like skydiving without a parachute"
Starting a "brag document" was one of the best things I did for my career. It saves you a ton of mental effort and scrambling when those performance reviews come around!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbkv...
#software #career
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbkv...
#software #career
The Easy Way To Document Your Accomplishments
YouTube video by A Life Engineered
www.youtube.com
March 28, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Starting a "brag document" was one of the best things I did for my career. It saves you a ton of mental effort and scrambling when those performance reviews come around!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbkv...
#software #career
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbkv...
#software #career
You Might Not Need an Effect – React
The library for web and native user interfaces
react.dev
March 27, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Sometimes I break production on purpose just so our users can appreciate how nice our error page is. 😁
#software #frontend #WebDevelopment
#software #frontend #WebDevelopment
March 27, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Sometimes I break production on purpose just so our users can appreciate how nice our error page is. 😁
#software #frontend #WebDevelopment
#software #frontend #WebDevelopment
Why it's important to clean up feature flags 👇
March 26, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Why it's important to clean up feature flags 👇
Why I don't like Snapshot Testing 👇
- Takes a lot of effort to understand if the failure is expected.
- Hard to evaluate if you're even testing your component correctly (compared to specific assertions).
- Often blindly updated without checking if it was a legitimate failure.
- Takes a lot of effort to understand if the failure is expected.
- Hard to evaluate if you're even testing your component correctly (compared to specific assertions).
- Often blindly updated without checking if it was a legitimate failure.
March 26, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Why I don't like Snapshot Testing 👇
- Takes a lot of effort to understand if the failure is expected.
- Hard to evaluate if you're even testing your component correctly (compared to specific assertions).
- Often blindly updated without checking if it was a legitimate failure.
- Takes a lot of effort to understand if the failure is expected.
- Hard to evaluate if you're even testing your component correctly (compared to specific assertions).
- Often blindly updated without checking if it was a legitimate failure.
"The Staff Engineer's Path" by @whereistanya.bsky.social is a great book for anyone new to technical leadership.
January 5, 2025 at 11:33 PM
"The Staff Engineer's Path" by @whereistanya.bsky.social is a great book for anyone new to technical leadership.
There's no point looking back, because we're not going that way.
January 4, 2025 at 11:54 PM
There's no point looking back, because we're not going that way.
❌ Avoid storing derived state like totals, filters, or counts in useState.
✅ Calculate derived values directly in render from the existing state or props.
Simple, clean, and avoids bugs caused by syncing issues!
Learn more here: react.dev/learn/you-mi...
✅ Calculate derived values directly in render from the existing state or props.
Simple, clean, and avoids bugs caused by syncing issues!
Learn more here: react.dev/learn/you-mi...
December 28, 2024 at 10:15 AM
❌ Avoid storing derived state like totals, filters, or counts in useState.
✅ Calculate derived values directly in render from the existing state or props.
Simple, clean, and avoids bugs caused by syncing issues!
Learn more here: react.dev/learn/you-mi...
✅ Calculate derived values directly in render from the existing state or props.
Simple, clean, and avoids bugs caused by syncing issues!
Learn more here: react.dev/learn/you-mi...
Reposted by Cathal Mac Donnacha
Claude 3.5 Sonnet, directly in VS Code.
Available to everyone today with GitHub Copilot Free. Learn more: aka.ms/copilot-free
Available to everyone today with GitHub Copilot Free. Learn more: aka.ms/copilot-free
December 27, 2024 at 4:00 PM
Claude 3.5 Sonnet, directly in VS Code.
Available to everyone today with GitHub Copilot Free. Learn more: aka.ms/copilot-free
Available to everyone today with GitHub Copilot Free. Learn more: aka.ms/copilot-free