
Latest
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AI-generated abandonware is hollowing out open source
When everyone can build, the scarce resource becomes maintainers.
Editor’s picks
What is a staff engineer? Technical leaders who aren’t managers
Staff engineers are technical leaders who have deep domain knowledge, walking the line between tech and the business.

New York • September 8 & 9, 2027
Loved LDX3 New York? Pre-sale tickets for 2027 are now available.
Essential reading
On our StaffPlus playlist
How to master the four Staff archetypes and elevate your impact
While the specifics of the job can vary widely, Will Larson has famously categorized the Staff+ experience into four archetypes: Tech Lead, Architect, Solver, and the Right Hand.
Understanding the role as a Staff engineer
How to define, develop and deliver in your role on the technical track.
How to balance technical direction and leadership work
But as is often the case in business, priorities constantly shift and where you focus your efforts will too. So how do you strike the right balance between working on the technical direction of the business and those tasks that require you to put your leadership hat on?
Start with an exit in mind: How to be effective by being selfish as a staff engineer
Staff engineers often get overwhelmed by long-term ownership of critical projects. This talk explores how to avoid burnout by starting every project with an exit strategy—whether transferring ownership, pausing or bootstrapping a team.


The festival for modern engineering leadership
New York • September 15 & 16, 2026
More for Staff engineers
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Need-to-know tactics for managing up successfully
Managing up can be difficult – even more so when you have a distant leader. Here’s how to make the best out of the situation.
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How to push back when execs are all-in on AI
When AI is seemingly everywhere, how can you make sure your org takes thoughtful steps?
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Who is going to fill the engineering leadership vacuum?
As the tech industry continues its assault on middle management, staff engineers are being asked to step up.
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A smarter way to evaluate LLM applications
LLM evaluations are the ultimate quality gate for your product.
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What the end of Section 174 means for software developer hiring
New US law brings in significant tax changes, which could change the face of hiring.
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Vibe coding, hype cycles, and why AI isn’t the 10x answer
How has AI impacted some of the cultural and technical aspects of software engineering?
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Vibe coding brought back my love for programming
When so much of the media is steeped in anti-vibe coding rhetoric, it can be easy to forget the joy found in programming this way.
Videos for Staff engineers
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Tackling tech debt
Learn practical strategies from a seasoned CTO on managing tech debt effectively – when to embrace it, how to prioritize it, and turning it into growth.
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Exploring the (testing) pyramid – An expedition towards more accessibility
Explore how applying the testing pyramid to accessibility can streamline development. Learn methods to lower costs, speed feedback, and enhance both product quality and inclusivity.
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Scaling your ML platform to enable the industrialisation of AI and ML development
Delve into the essentials of scaling ML platforms to industrialize AI development, with insights on prioritizing tools and requirements for efficient, large-scale model deployment.
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Mentorship & Sponsorship
Uncover the impact of mentorship and sponsorship in building technical leadership, and learn practical ways to uplift and create opportunities for diverse tech communities.
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Breaking barriers: Embracing neurodiversity in tech
Discover the importance of neurodiversity in tech, with actionable strategies to foster inclusivity and empower colleagues with hidden disabilities for a more supportive workplace.
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From hurdles to highways: Crafting a collaborative experimentation ecosystem at GetYourGuide
Discover how GetYourGuide transformed its experimentation platform, navigating challenges to build a streamlined, collaborative, and innovative ecosystem for efficient testing and creativity.
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Feeling the squeeze? GreenOps offers a sustainable solution for busy engineering teams
Discover how GreenOps empowers engineering teams to integrate sustainability into their workflows, building on FinOps and DevOps principles for efficiency and environmental impact.
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Are we doing this right? Findings from the state of feature management and experimentation report 2024
Explore key findings from the 2024 State of Feature Management and Experimentation report, including trends, the engineering-product gap, and balancing optimization with safety.
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Think faster, talk smarter: Matt Abrahams in conversation
Watch the newest edition of Bookmarked where Suzan Bond was joined by Matt Abrahams to discuss think faster, talk smarter.
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50 shades of PR dark matter
In this short and fun talk (yes it’ll be fun!) – Avishag Sahar laments about the top blockers of PRs, but cheer up – because I’ll also provide insights into how to unblock them.
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Leading through AI-powered complexity: Balancing business priorities, innovation and resources
João Freiras discusses how leaders are automating through complexity and finding the right balance between the pressure to innovate, business priorities, resources, and the promise of AI business value.
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Stress free onboarding as a Staff+ engineer
What can you do to create an efficient onboarding process for yourself stepping into a Staff+ role?


