Software Engineering Radio - the podcast for professional software developers SE Radio 675: Brian Demers on Observability into the Toolchain
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Jul 1, 2025 Brian Demers, a Developer Advocate at Gradle and a Java Champion, shares insights on the crucial role of observability in the software development toolchain. He discusses how understanding build times and compiler warnings can enhance productivity and developer experience. The conversation dives into the challenges of flaky tests and the need for rapid feedback loops. Additionally, Demers highlights the impact of AI on code complexity and decision-making, emphasizing that treating toolchains like production systems is vital for successful software delivery.
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Build Tools as Production Systems
- Treat build tools with the same observability as production systems due to their complexity.
- If your build system fails, deploying to production is impossible, showing their critical role.
Early Detection of Flaky Tests
- Identify flaky tests early to prevent wasted developer time chasing unrelated problems.
- Awareness of such tests helps prioritize real issues and focus efforts effectively.
Impact of Feedback Cycle Time
- Long developer feedback cycles drastically reduce productivity and flow.
- Faster feedback loops directly increase how much productive work developers can accomplish daily.