Mike Bifulco
@mikebifulco.com
CTO and co-founder @ Craftwork (YC S23)
💌 Tiny Improvements for devs and founders: mikebifulco.com/newsletter
Co-founder APIs You Won't Hate
Former Google / Stripe / Microsoft
Talking UX, react, rails, ☕ espresso, 🚴♂️ cycling
🪿 UNGOVERNABLE mf
💌 Tiny Improvements for devs and founders: mikebifulco.com/newsletter
Co-founder APIs You Won't Hate
Former Google / Stripe / Microsoft
Talking UX, react, rails, ☕ espresso, 🚴♂️ cycling
🪿 UNGOVERNABLE mf
Pinned
Mike Bifulco
@mikebifulco.com
· Aug 5
My first product launch failed - and it would have been _so easy_ to avoid.
In the end, smpl was acquired, but it could have had a dramatically different trajectory.
Headed to 💌 Tiny Improvements readers' inboxes later this morning 👇
In the end, smpl was acquired, but it could have had a dramatically different trajectory.
Headed to 💌 Tiny Improvements readers' inboxes later this morning 👇
You've spent your whole career skipping straight to code... it's time to stop.
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/n...
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/n...
The next great engineering skill is not coding | Mike Bifulco
You have likely ignored it your entire career. That stops now - it's time to hone your writing skills.
mikebifulco.com
October 23, 2025 at 9:56 PM
You've spent your whole career skipping straight to code... it's time to stop.
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/n...
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/n...
Been thinking about Dieter Rams a whole lot lately. His 10 rules for design are no-brainers for anyone building... anything?
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/d...
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/d...
Dieter Rams 10 Principles of Design | Mike Bifulco
Good design is good design, no matter what you're building.
mikebifulco.com
September 23, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Been thinking about Dieter Rams a whole lot lately. His 10 rules for design are no-brainers for anyone building... anything?
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/d...
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/d...
So: counting clicks isn't a good measure of a design. But what is?
The answer, unsurprisingly, is "it depends". But you should be able to pick goals and measurements that _are_ good indicators of how well your feature is working.
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/b...
The answer, unsurprisingly, is "it depends". But you should be able to pick goals and measurements that _are_ good indicators of how well your feature is working.
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/b...
Beyond Click Counts: Finding the Right Signals for Good Design | Mike Bifulco
Click counts are noise. Real design success is measured in signals that show whether people actually achieved what they came to do.
mikebifulco.com
September 3, 2025 at 10:47 PM
So: counting clicks isn't a good measure of a design. But what is?
The answer, unsurprisingly, is "it depends". But you should be able to pick goals and measurements that _are_ good indicators of how well your feature is working.
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/b...
The answer, unsurprisingly, is "it depends". But you should be able to pick goals and measurements that _are_ good indicators of how well your feature is working.
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/b...
"Too many clicks" isn’t your problem.
It's a signal that your design isn't getting the job done. Clarity, confidence, and cognitive load are the real culprits.
It's a signal that your design isn't getting the job done. Clarity, confidence, and cognitive load are the real culprits.
August 26, 2025 at 7:36 PM
"Too many clicks" isn’t your problem.
It's a signal that your design isn't getting the job done. Clarity, confidence, and cognitive load are the real culprits.
It's a signal that your design isn't getting the job done. Clarity, confidence, and cognitive load are the real culprits.
I've had exactly 1 experience with Notion's new offline mode, and I'm ready to turn it off forever.
August 22, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I've had exactly 1 experience with Notion's new offline mode, and I'm ready to turn it off forever.
I've been going down some statistics rabbit holes lately - I never took stats in school, and have always found it a bit counterintuitive.
August 19, 2025 at 3:48 PM
I've been going down some statistics rabbit holes lately - I never took stats in school, and have always found it a bit counterintuitive.
Reposted by Mike Bifulco
Slack changes its API rate limits, another sign that the web is becoming more closed off due to LLMs. Ktor is giving you even more reasons to use it, all that and more in this issue of the @apisyouwonthate.com newsletter.
apisyouwonthate.com/newsletter/a...
apisyouwonthate.com/newsletter/a...
About Slack's new rate limits...
As APIs become the sneaky backbone of LLM-driven workflows, Slack's update to their API rate limits may be an interesting sign of changing tides.
apisyouwonthate.com
August 5, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Slack changes its API rate limits, another sign that the web is becoming more closed off due to LLMs. Ktor is giving you even more reasons to use it, all that and more in this issue of the @apisyouwonthate.com newsletter.
apisyouwonthate.com/newsletter/a...
apisyouwonthate.com/newsletter/a...
My first product launch failed - and it would have been _so easy_ to avoid.
In the end, smpl was acquired, but it could have had a dramatically different trajectory.
Headed to 💌 Tiny Improvements readers' inboxes later this morning 👇
In the end, smpl was acquired, but it could have had a dramatically different trajectory.
Headed to 💌 Tiny Improvements readers' inboxes later this morning 👇
August 5, 2025 at 12:33 PM
My first product launch failed - and it would have been _so easy_ to avoid.
In the end, smpl was acquired, but it could have had a dramatically different trajectory.
Headed to 💌 Tiny Improvements readers' inboxes later this morning 👇
In the end, smpl was acquired, but it could have had a dramatically different trajectory.
Headed to 💌 Tiny Improvements readers' inboxes later this morning 👇
Hello, @clt-urbanists.bsky.social 😍
“Air pollution fell substantially as Paris restricted car traffic and made way for parks, people-streets and bike-lanes.”
Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability & quality of life.
Common sense.
Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.
Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability & quality of life.
Common sense.
Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.
Paris said au revoir to cars. Air pollution maps reveal a dramatic change.
Air pollution fell substantially as the city restricted car traffic and made way for parks and bike lanes.
www.washingtonpost.com
July 29, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Hello, @clt-urbanists.bsky.social 😍
Reposted by Mike Bifulco
bUt WhAt aBoUT cHiNA
NEW – Analysis: China’s clean-energy exports in 2024 alone will cut overseas CO2 by 1% | @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/V7BVSsL
Read here: buff.ly/V7BVSsL
July 22, 2025 at 8:51 AM
bUt WhAt aBoUT cHiNA
Heavyweight: An Art Project About Lawyer Vibes
I am so hopeful that @mattcameron.bsky.social will talk about this incredible work of art on @openargs.bsky.social
This has 🪿BECOME UNGOVERNABLE 🪿 written all over it!
kendraalbert.com/2025/07/21/l...
I am so hopeful that @mattcameron.bsky.social will talk about this incredible work of art on @openargs.bsky.social
This has 🪿BECOME UNGOVERNABLE 🪿 written all over it!
kendraalbert.com/2025/07/21/l...
Heavyweight: An Art Project About Lawyer Vibes
Sometimes, you don’t need a lawyer, you just need to look like you have one.
kendraalbert.com
July 21, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Heavyweight: An Art Project About Lawyer Vibes
I am so hopeful that @mattcameron.bsky.social will talk about this incredible work of art on @openargs.bsky.social
This has 🪿BECOME UNGOVERNABLE 🪿 written all over it!
kendraalbert.com/2025/07/21/l...
I am so hopeful that @mattcameron.bsky.social will talk about this incredible work of art on @openargs.bsky.social
This has 🪿BECOME UNGOVERNABLE 🪿 written all over it!
kendraalbert.com/2025/07/21/l...
Where are the expo experts at?
I'm working on upgrading Craftwork's app to Expo 53, and am considering using expo-maps (alpha) for a fairly basic map feature.
Anyone have experience with that? Curious to know how much this is used in production apps right now.
docs.expo.dev/versions/lat...
I'm working on upgrading Craftwork's app to Expo 53, and am considering using expo-maps (alpha) for a fairly basic map feature.
Anyone have experience with that? Curious to know how much this is used in production apps right now.
docs.expo.dev/versions/lat...
Maps
A library that provides access to Google Maps on Android and Apple Maps on iOS.
docs.expo.dev
July 16, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Where are the expo experts at?
I'm working on upgrading Craftwork's app to Expo 53, and am considering using expo-maps (alpha) for a fairly basic map feature.
Anyone have experience with that? Curious to know how much this is used in production apps right now.
docs.expo.dev/versions/lat...
I'm working on upgrading Craftwork's app to Expo 53, and am considering using expo-maps (alpha) for a fairly basic map feature.
Anyone have experience with that? Curious to know how much this is used in production apps right now.
docs.expo.dev/versions/lat...
I cannot believe we're debating the value of investing in education.
I've been stewing over this one for the past few days.
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/p...
I've been stewing over this one for the past few days.
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/p...
Beyond ✨Shiny✨ Degrees: World-changing innovations from unexpected places | Mike Bifulco
Public investments in education and research are a no-brainer, and these examples of game-changing innovations that came from "low value" fields of study tell you why.
mikebifulco.com
July 15, 2025 at 3:19 PM
I cannot believe we're debating the value of investing in education.
I've been stewing over this one for the past few days.
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/p...
I've been stewing over this one for the past few days.
mikebifulco.com/newsletter/p...
Something about detailed, compute-based stats analysis of baseball really makes me sad about the way people watch sports
July 10, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Something about detailed, compute-based stats analysis of baseball really makes me sad about the way people watch sports
I feel confident in saying that Craftwork is the only paint company in the world that serves up our very own llms.txt
craftwork.com/llms.txt
craftwork.com/llms.txt
craftwork.com
July 8, 2025 at 8:57 PM
I feel confident in saying that Craftwork is the only paint company in the world that serves up our very own llms.txt
craftwork.com/llms.txt
craftwork.com/llms.txt
American EVs are so disappointing. Rather than quick, efficient, and nimble, we're selling gargantuan hulking nightmares.
July 5, 2025 at 5:54 PM
American EVs are so disappointing. Rather than quick, efficient, and nimble, we're selling gargantuan hulking nightmares.
Every month, when I am reconciling expenses, I am so grateful Adobe didn't buy Figma.
July 2, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Every month, when I am reconciling expenses, I am so grateful Adobe didn't buy Figma.
Reposted by Mike Bifulco
Teams that plan for data access and caching from the start build faster, more reliable APIs than those who bolt it on in a panic later.
apisyouwonthate.com/newsletter/d...
apisyouwonthate.com/newsletter/d...
Caching, up-front
Teams that plan for data access and caching from the start build faster, more reliable APIs than those who bolt it on in a panic later.
apisyouwonthate.com
July 1, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Teams that plan for data access and caching from the start build faster, more reliable APIs than those who bolt it on in a panic later.
apisyouwonthate.com/newsletter/d...
apisyouwonthate.com/newsletter/d...
If you're ever feeling like you understand how colorspace works, spend a few minutes playing with the sliders on oklch.com and get back to us 👁️👃👁️
OKLCH Color Picker & Converter
OKLCH is a new way to encode colors (like hex, RGBA, or HSL)
oklch.com
June 30, 2025 at 5:27 PM
If you're ever feeling like you understand how colorspace works, spend a few minutes playing with the sliders on oklch.com and get back to us 👁️👃👁️
We launched a major overhaul of craftwork.com today - a reflection of the care and quality we aim for in all of our work.
Our designers and engineers put a whole lot of love into this site, and I'm so excited to see it finally come to life!
Our designers and engineers put a whole lot of love into this site, and I'm so excited to see it finally come to life!
Craftwork - Paint your home the right way | Craftwork
Charlotte’s trusted painting company for homes and businesses. Interior painting, exterior finishes, and cabinet refinishing done right—get a free quote from Craftwork today.
craftwork.com
June 25, 2025 at 8:58 PM
We launched a major overhaul of craftwork.com today - a reflection of the care and quality we aim for in all of our work.
Our designers and engineers put a whole lot of love into this site, and I'm so excited to see it finally come to life!
Our designers and engineers put a whole lot of love into this site, and I'm so excited to see it finally come to life!
💌 What everyone gets wrong about vibe coding:
Vibe coding tools will happily try something five different ways, and persevere energetically in times when even the most seasoned engineers might decide to move on to something else.
However: don't mistake their speed and relentlessness for expertise.
Vibe coding tools will happily try something five different ways, and persevere energetically in times when even the most seasoned engineers might decide to move on to something else.
However: don't mistake their speed and relentlessness for expertise.
June 24, 2025 at 6:06 PM
💌 What everyone gets wrong about vibe coding:
Vibe coding tools will happily try something five different ways, and persevere energetically in times when even the most seasoned engineers might decide to move on to something else.
However: don't mistake their speed and relentlessness for expertise.
Vibe coding tools will happily try something five different ways, and persevere energetically in times when even the most seasoned engineers might decide to move on to something else.
However: don't mistake their speed and relentlessness for expertise.
It finally happened: Figma doesn't want me to scroll any further right on the page where I make cover images for Tiny Improvements.
Row 2, here we come 😂
Row 2, here we come 😂
June 24, 2025 at 2:30 PM
It finally happened: Figma doesn't want me to scroll any further right on the page where I make cover images for Tiny Improvements.
Row 2, here we come 😂
Row 2, here we come 😂
Oh god, what's he on about this time
June 24, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Oh god, what's he on about this time