Fred Pope https://www.fredpope.com/blog Builder and investor in Colorado. Exploring the connections between software, business, and economics. Writing to think. en-us fred@fredpope.com (Fred Pope) fred@fredpope.com (Fred Pope) Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.fredpope.com/blog/ai/ai-always-takes-the-shortest-path The AI Always Takes the Shortest Path. That's the Problem. https://www.fredpope.com/blog/ai/ai-always-takes-the-shortest-path A field report from the frontlines of AI-assisted development at scale — why language models optimize locally, how that corrupts architecture over time, and what I am doing about it. Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT fred@fredpope.com (Fred Pope) aiarchitecturesoftware-engineeringcode-qualityscaling https://www.fredpope.com/blog/ai/building-persistent-memory Building a Persistent Memory https://www.fredpope.com/blog/ai/building-persistent-memory How I built an agent memory system that learns what matters and knows when to forget. Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT fred@fredpope.com (Fred Pope) aiagentsarchitecturememoryknowledge-graph https://www.fredpope.com/blog/architecture/apis-as-business-language Embracing APIs as the Language of the Business with Robust Source Control Integration https://www.fredpope.com/blog/architecture/apis-as-business-language Learn how treating APIs as a fundamental business language, combined with robust source control, can transform your organization through lessons from Amazon. Tue, 07 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT fred@fredpope.com (Fred Pope) architectureapimicroservicessource-controlbusiness-strategy https://www.fredpope.com/blog/architecture/design-patterns-in-action-agent-workflow Design Patterns in Action: Building an Intelligent Agent Workflow https://www.fredpope.com/blog/architecture/design-patterns-in-action-agent-workflow A practical exploration of how classic software design patterns come together to create a flexible, human-in-the-loop agent workflow that monitors websites and automates social media posts. Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT fred@fredpope.com (Fred Pope) architecturedesign-patternsautomationaiagents https://www.fredpope.com/blog/architecture/splitting-the-monolith Splitting the Monolith: Critical Patterns for Microservices Migration https://www.fredpope.com/blog/architecture/splitting-the-monolith Explore essential patterns and strategies for migrating from a monolithic architecture to microservices, including the Strangler Fig Pattern, Parallel Run Pattern, and Feature Toggle Pattern. Mon, 29 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT fred@fredpope.com (Fred Pope) architecturemicroservicessystem-designevent-sourcingmigration https://www.fredpope.com/blog/architecture/time-travel-for-your-data Time Travel for Your Data: Unlocking the Power of Event Sourcing https://www.fredpope.com/blog/architecture/time-travel-for-your-data Explore how Event Sourcing enables time travel through your data, providing powerful debugging capabilities and unlocking new possibilities with AI integration. Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT fred@fredpope.com (Fred Pope) architectureevent-sourcingsystem-designdata https://www.fredpope.com/blog/development/beyond-the-code-unsung-skills Beyond the Code: The Unsung Skills of a Senior Developer https://www.fredpope.com/blog/development/beyond-the-code-unsung-skills Writing code is just one piece of the puzzle. The true craft of software engineering lies in change logs, ADRs, post-deployment cleanup, test maintenance, and disaster recovery strategies that distinguish senior developers. Tue, 09 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT fred@fredpope.com (Fred Pope) developmentsenior-developerbest-practicesarchitecturetestingdeployment https://www.fredpope.com/blog/development/building-self-driving-entities Building the Self-Driving Entity https://www.fredpope.com/blog/development/building-self-driving-entities A practical blueprint for agentic systems that act, learn, and adapt - going beyond assistants that answer to entities that operate. Fri, 05 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT fred@fredpope.com (Fred Pope) aiagentsarchitectureautomationengineering https://www.fredpope.com/blog/development/parable-of-the-mislabeled-granary The Parable of the Mislabeled Granary https://www.fredpope.com/blog/development/parable-of-the-mislabeled-granary A parable about the true cost of naming things incorrectly. When you name something 'Stripe Payment Intent Id,' you create a contract. Break that contract, and you break trust with every system and developer who relies on that name meaning what it says. Sat, 08 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT fred@fredpope.com (Fred Pope) developmentarchitecturenamingtechnical-debtclean-code