Principles
These are the ideas that guide how I approach building. They’re not rules—they’re defaults I reach for when the situation doesn’t demand otherwise.
Why I built the Simpleflo utilities
I love working on problems at the frontier—where the path isn’t fully mapped, the technology is still emerging, and the right answer isn’t obvious yet. That ambiguity is what makes the work interesting.
How I build
Speed and safety aren’t opposites.
Moving fast matters. Ship a working version, then improve iteratively. But shipping fast doesn’t mean skipping the obvious—the first version should still be a Minimum Lovable Product, not a rough draft. The goal is to build systems where guardrails are part of the architecture, so velocity doesn’t require cutting corners where it matters. When safety is designed in, you can move faster with more confidence.
Start simple, add complexity when it’s earned.
Most systems become complicated one decision at a time. I tend to start with fewer options and simpler defaults, then add depth when real usage shows it’s needed. That said, tools should also support power users—advanced configuration, developer overrides—when the product calls for it. The principle is about sequencing, not prohibition.
Security is the baseline.
Security isn’t a “later” setting. Access should be least-privilege by default, with elevation that’s explicit and temporary when possible.
Safety is architecture, not afterthought.
If something is unsafe by default, it tends to stay unsafe in practice. I prefer grounded, inspectable outputs over confident guesses—though the right balance depends on what you’re building.
Cohesion reduces mental load.
If three pages disagree about what they are, the user pays the tax. Repeat patterns, use the same words for the same concepts, and make the next step predictable.
Remove wiring work.
If users have to repeatedly re-explain context or re-wire integrations, the system is failing them. Setup should fade into the background so attention stays on the work.
Earn trust through craft, not hype.
Trust should come from the experience: workflows that feel smooth, answers you can verify, decisions you can defend.