guides
The new project setup checklist: safe, contained, scale-ready, cheap
A new project setup checklist for 2026: own AWS account, private repo, keyless deploys, gated production, budget alerts and agent rules, in minutes not days.
aws
The AWS Free Tier in 2026, explained for new projects
The AWS Free Tier changed in 2026: credits instead of free hours, a six-month Free plan, and a catch for anyone using Organizations. Here is what it means.
launching
Why most side projects never ship (and how to fix the first hour)
Side projects never ship because setup happens at peak enthusiasm and lowest patience. Make the first hour produce a real URL and the odds change completely.
ai-agents
Guardrails for AI coding agents: keep them out of production
Prompts don't stop an eager agent. Structural AI coding agent guardrails do: no prod credentials locally, separate accounts, CI-only deploys, branch protection.
ai-agents
CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md: the rules file every AI-built project needs
What CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md are, what belongs in them, what to leave out, and a short example you can copy for a project with dev, prod and GitHub deploys.
aws
How to avoid a surprise AWS bill on a new project
Where surprise AWS bills come from on small projects, and the six habits that keep an empty project at $0: idle-free services, one account each, budget alerts.
aws
Why dev and prod should never share an AWS account
Separate dev and prod environments by AWS account, not by naming convention. What goes wrong when they share, and when to add the second account.
github
Keyless deploys: GitHub Actions to AWS with OIDC
Set up GitHub Actions OIDC with AWS so deploys use short-lived credentials instead of stored access keys. Trust policy, workflow, and the mistakes to avoid.
launching
Speed of iteration is the only advantage a new project has
Speed of iteration is the one advantage a new project has over incumbents. What it really means, what slows it down, and how to get the loop under an hour.
aws
Why AWS is a great place to start a new project
AWS charges nothing while your project is an idea, scales without a rewrite, and never runs out of room. The catch is setup, and that part you can automate.
github
Why use GitHub for a new project, even a solo one
GitHub is more than a backup. A private repo gives your project a home, free deploys, keyless access to AWS and a place for AI agents to read the rules.
aws
Why every project should get its own AWS account
One AWS account per project keeps mistakes, bills and limits contained. Here's why tags don't cut it, and how AWS Organizations makes extra accounts free.