Small tools and experiments
Utils
Most of these start as a minor annoyance. If the same step keeps coming back, I give it a name, an interface, and just enough structure for somebody else to use it.
Selected evidence
Turns repeated terminal work into a command or small interface before the workaround becomes team folklore.
Uses quick prototypes to test the awkward part of an idea before committing to a larger build.
Promotes a utility into shared tooling only after the same problem shows up often enough to deserve maintenance.
- One-time cleanup
- Shell script
- Repeated task
- Small CLI
- Shared workflow
- Team utility
- Wrong idea
- Delete it
Why these exist
A surprising amount of engineering time disappears into tiny repeated steps. I usually automate those before I have a grand plan for them.
When one sticks
The useful ones survive because somebody reaches for them again. That is usually the first sign that a script needs clearer inputs, safer defaults, or a real place in the stack.
The cutoff
Not every experiment needs a roadmap. Some answer the question, save an hour, and stop there. I keep the ones that continue removing work.