John Van Wagenen
@jtvanwage.bsky.social
Husband. Father. Member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Software Engineer. Leader.
I once scoffed at TypeScript.
I was wrong.
Now I see people scoffing at AI—and I know how this story ends.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/08/dont...
I was wrong.
Now I see people scoffing at AI—and I know how this story ends.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/08/dont...
Don't Make the Same Tech Mistake I Did
A blog about software engineering and leadership.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com
August 28, 2025 at 3:33 AM
I once scoffed at TypeScript.
I was wrong.
Now I see people scoffing at AI—and I know how this story ends.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/08/dont...
I was wrong.
Now I see people scoffing at AI—and I know how this story ends.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/08/dont...
I've been talking with people about vector databases a bit of late. Here's a quick write-up taking a high level look at them: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/07/beyo...
Beyond Keywords: How Vector Databases Give AI a Superpower
A blog about software engineering and leadership.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com
July 10, 2025 at 9:36 PM
I've been talking with people about vector databases a bit of late. Here's a quick write-up taking a high level look at them: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/07/beyo...
If AI gives you garbage, it's the AI's fault, right?
Some thoughts on our responsibilities with AI: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/06/on-a...
Some thoughts on our responsibilities with AI: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/06/on-a...
On Abdication
A blog about software engineering and leadership.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com
June 30, 2025 at 7:42 PM
If AI gives you garbage, it's the AI's fault, right?
Some thoughts on our responsibilities with AI: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/06/on-a...
Some thoughts on our responsibilities with AI: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/06/on-a...
What is Gen AI? And what tools are there in that space? Some more thoughts in AI: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/06/unlo...
Unlocking AI's Potential: A Guide to Generative AI for Product Innovation
A blog about software engineering and leadership.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com
June 22, 2025 at 3:14 AM
What is Gen AI? And what tools are there in that space? Some more thoughts in AI: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/06/unlo...
Just scribbling down some thoughts on model sizes: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/06/when...
When Size Matters
A blog about software engineering and leadership.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com
June 12, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Just scribbling down some thoughts on model sizes: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/06/when...
Want to get started vibe coding but not sure how to get started? Here are some things to know before you start writing your prompts: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/06/igni...
Ignite the Vibe: What You Need to Know Before You Go
A blog about software engineering and leadership.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com
June 3, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Want to get started vibe coding but not sure how to get started? Here are some things to know before you start writing your prompts: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/06/igni...
Want to get going with using an MCP but not sure how? Here's a quick walkthrough on a realistic use case: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/natu...
Natural Language DB Queries - Powered by MCP
A blog about software engineering and leadership.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com
May 21, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Want to get going with using an MCP but not sure how? Here's a quick walkthrough on a realistic use case: vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/natu...
One great thing about MCP is it lowers the barrier to entry for agentic AI. What used to require glue code now just requires a little config. Here's one example:
youtu.be/Dj7_qUEs_Xo
youtu.be/Dj7_qUEs_Xo
Natural Language DB Queries
YouTube video by John Van Wagenen
youtu.be
May 19, 2025 at 3:50 PM
One great thing about MCP is it lowers the barrier to entry for agentic AI. What used to require glue code now just requires a little config. Here's one example:
youtu.be/Dj7_qUEs_Xo
youtu.be/Dj7_qUEs_Xo
What is MCP and Why Should You Care?
Some more thoughts on one of the hottest topics in AI right now. MCP is reshaping AI and I'm excited about where this will go.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/what...
Some more thoughts on one of the hottest topics in AI right now. MCP is reshaping AI and I'm excited about where this will go.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/what...
What is MCP and Why Should You Care?
A blog about software engineering and leadership.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com
May 14, 2025 at 11:54 PM
What is MCP and Why Should You Care?
Some more thoughts on one of the hottest topics in AI right now. MCP is reshaping AI and I'm excited about where this will go.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/what...
Some more thoughts on one of the hottest topics in AI right now. MCP is reshaping AI and I'm excited about where this will go.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/what...
What are AI agents and why should you care? Here are a few, quick thoughts about it.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/what...
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/what...
What Is an AI Agent and Why Should You Care?
A blog about software engineering and leadership.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com
May 9, 2025 at 1:39 AM
What are AI agents and why should you care? Here are a few, quick thoughts about it.
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/what...
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/what...
I wrote some thoughts on everyday LLM use. Have a look! Lemme know what you think!
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/simp...
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/simp...
https://vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/simple…
May 3, 2025 at 9:26 PM
I wrote some thoughts on everyday LLM use. Have a look! Lemme know what you think!
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/simp...
vdubinatorcoder.blogspot.com/2025/05/simp...
FOMU is greater than FOMO
(Fear Of Messing Up > Fear Of Missing Out)
I heard that this morning and, yeah, I can feel that. Recently started changing that.
(Fear Of Messing Up > Fear Of Missing Out)
I heard that this morning and, yeah, I can feel that. Recently started changing that.
April 21, 2025 at 12:13 PM
FOMU is greater than FOMO
(Fear Of Messing Up > Fear Of Missing Out)
I heard that this morning and, yeah, I can feel that. Recently started changing that.
(Fear Of Messing Up > Fear Of Missing Out)
I heard that this morning and, yeah, I can feel that. Recently started changing that.
March 26, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Plan meetings with the least privileged persons in mind.
January 13, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Plan meetings with the least privileged persons in mind.
You gotta discern what's valuable and what's noise.
January 8, 2025 at 11:49 PM
You gotta discern what's valuable and what's noise.
Focus increases impact.
January 7, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Focus increases impact.
Do the simple thing.
January 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Do the simple thing.
These shifts in thinking are so simple yet have such a large impact on the quality of your leadership. Great thoughts from Kelly!
Here are 5 things I’ve stopped doing as a leader (that have made me better at my job):
1. Focusing on outputs over outcomes. It's easy to celebrate shipping code or launching a new feature, but the real win is the impact on users and the business. I've learned to ask, What did this actually change?
1. Focusing on outputs over outcomes. It's easy to celebrate shipping code or launching a new feature, but the real win is the impact on users and the business. I've learned to ask, What did this actually change?
January 4, 2025 at 6:47 AM
These shifts in thinking are so simple yet have such a large impact on the quality of your leadership. Great thoughts from Kelly!
“Mistakes should be examined, learned from, and discarded; not dwelled upon and stored.”
– Tim Fargo
– Tim Fargo
December 23, 2024 at 8:44 PM
“Mistakes should be examined, learned from, and discarded; not dwelled upon and stored.”
– Tim Fargo
– Tim Fargo
“Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know.” —Christopher Robin (Winnie the Pooh)
December 20, 2024 at 5:26 PM
“Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know.” —Christopher Robin (Winnie the Pooh)
"A team is a reflection of its leader."
-Sunday Adelaja
-Sunday Adelaja
December 19, 2024 at 6:02 PM
"A team is a reflection of its leader."
-Sunday Adelaja
-Sunday Adelaja
"The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one who gets the people to do the greatest things." —Ronald Reagan
December 18, 2024 at 5:48 PM
"The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one who gets the people to do the greatest things." —Ronald Reagan
If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
December 17, 2024 at 4:23 PM
If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Delegate (transitive verb)
1. To authorize and send (another person) as one's representative.
2. To commit or entrust to another.
1. To authorize and send (another person) as one's representative.
2. To commit or entrust to another.
December 16, 2024 at 5:44 PM
Delegate (transitive verb)
1. To authorize and send (another person) as one's representative.
2. To commit or entrust to another.
1. To authorize and send (another person) as one's representative.
2. To commit or entrust to another.
Impactful leaders see the positive in anything that happens.
December 13, 2024 at 7:26 PM
Impactful leaders see the positive in anything that happens.