In this episode of Maintainable, Robby speaks with Joe Masilotti, an independent consultant who helps Rails teams ship mobile apps using Hotwire Native.

Joe shares his perspective on what makes software maintainable—especially for consultants who need to onboard quickly. He explains why setup scripts often add unnecessary complexity, and how he evaluates a project’s maintainability by how quickly he can go from clone to coding.

Robby and Joe also discuss how hybrid mobile development can offer faster delivery, fewer bugs, and better long-term flexibility—especially when teams reuse their existing Rails web views. Joe explains how Hotwire Native allows teams to incrementally introduce native features without rewriting their entire app.

Whether you’re maintaining a mobile shell built two years ago or just starting to explore native development, Joe offers actionable advice on setting expectations, scoping client work, and navigating modern mobile tech stacks.

⏱️ Episode Highlights

[00:01:17] Onboarding as a Measure of Maintainability
Joe shares how quickly he can spin up a Rails app often reflects how maintainable it is.

[00:05:12] Being a Good Guest in Someone Else’s Codebase
Joe outlines his ideal onboarding checklist and how he adapts to unfamiliar environments.

[00:08:00] Setting Communication and Collaboration Expectations
The three questions Joe asks every client to understand how their team works.

[00:13:02] Offering Opinions—Only Where Invited
Why Joe stays scoped to the work he’s hired for, even when tempted to fix more.

[00:14:15] When Technical Debt Enters the Conversation
Joe explains how debt discussions usually emerge after version one is shipped.

[00:15:33] Who Should Read Hotwire Native for Rails Developers
Joe describes the type of developer his book is written for and what it covers.

[00:18:01] Choosing Native vs. Hybrid for Your Rails App
A framework comparison based on your current frontend architecture.

[00:20:00] Introducing the Hotwire Native Mindset
Why logic belongs on the server and the client should stay thin.

[00:21:00] Bridge Components: How Rails, iOS, and Android Connect
Joe walks through how native and web technologies pass data between layers.

[00:24:00] Why Even a Web View-Based App is Worth Shipping
The practical benefits of discoverability, push notifications, and native APIs.

[00:28:01] Replacing Unmaintainable Apps with Hotwire Native
Joe describes how hybrid rewrites often reduce mobile code by 90%.

[00:31:33] Letting Go of Feature Parity
Why most clients end up cutting features they originally wanted to preserve.

[00:32:18] Scoping and Estimating Project-Based Work
How Joe uses repeatable patterns to price fixed-fee consulting engagements.

[00:35:15] Using AI to Translate Between Tech Stacks
Joe shares how he leverages LLMs to explore unfamiliar languages like Kotlin.

[00:42:26] Long-Term Maintainability and When to Touch the Code
Why some apps don’t need changes for years—and that’s okay.

[00:43:43] Why Hybrid Apps Are Easier to Replace
Joe explains why hybrid apps are often more disposable and less risky than monolithic web apps.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

Follow Joe on X (formerly Twitter) and visit masilotti.com to learn more.

Thanks to Our Sponsor!

Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.

It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.

Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time!

Use the code maintainable to get a 10% discount for your first year. Check them out!

Subscribe to Maintainable on:

Or search "Maintainable" wherever you stream your podcasts.

Keep up to date with the Maintainable Podcast by joining the newsletter.

It's a Small World After All