Links

Over the course of building applications and exploring new technologies, I’ve relied on a number of people, tools, and websites that have shaped my thinking and helped me solve problems. This page is a small curated collection of those influences.

Developer Blogs & Thought Leaders

• Nick Chapsas – .NET and C# expert sharing deep dives, architecture insights, and practical patterns.

• Kristijan Kralj – developer focused on .NET, web development, and real-world coding advice.

• Anton Dev – insights and tutorials on modern C#, clean architecture, and productivity tips.

• Julio Casal – blog posts exploring coding best practices, frameworks, and development workflows.

• Milan Jovanović – content on .NET, system design, and practical programming experiences.

Tools & Software

• VS Code – lightweight, versatile code editor.

• Visual Studio – full-featured IDE for .NET and C# development.

• JetBrains Rider – cross-platform .NET IDE. My current IDE of choice

• Google AntiGravity – Game changing AI IDE with agentic coding and debugging.

• SQL Server Management Studio – manage SQL Server databases.

• DBeaver – universal database management tool.

• Sparx Enterprise Architect – modeling and design for UML and system architecture.

• Docker Desktop – container runtime for development.

• Rancher Desktop – container management for Kubernetes and Docker.

• Open Lens – Kubernetes IDE for monitoring and management.

• Postman – API development, testing, and collaboration tool.

• LINQPad – interactive C# scratchpad for queries, experiments, and testing code snippets.

• Notepad++ – lightweight text editor for coding and quick edits.

• Fork – Git client for version control and repository management.

Websites & Resources

• Refactoring.Guru – C# Design Patterns – clear explanations of design patterns with examples in C#.

• ThoughtWorks – insights, reports, and thought leadership on software development and architecture.

• Google Gemini – AI.

• ChatGPT – AI assistant for coding and experimentation.

• JWT.io – tools and documentation for JSON Web Tokens (JWT) used in authentication.

• RoundTheCode – .NET Tutorials – practical .NET and C# tutorials for real-world development.

• Microsoft Learn – official documentation and tutorials for Microsoft technologies, including .NET.

• Roadmap.sh – developer career paths and technology roadmaps for learning and growth.

Books

• Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, John Vlissides)
  • The classic “Gang of Four” book introducing core design patterns.
  • Essential for understanding object-oriented design and reusable solutions.

• The Pragmatic Programmer (Andy Hunt & Dave Thomas)
  • Practical lessons for every stage of your career.
  • Teaches adaptability, curiosity, and continuous learning.

• Clean Architecture (Robert C. Martin)
  • Principles for designing maintainable, scalable, and testable software.
  • Focuses on separation of concerns, independence of frameworks, and system longevity.

• Head First Design Patterns (Eric Freeman & Elisabeth Robson)
  • A fun and visual way to learn design patterns.
  • You'll finally understand how patterns actually work in real projects.

• Head First Software Architecture (Raju Gandhi, Mark Richards, Neal Ford)
  • A friendly, hands-on guide to thinking like an architect.
  • Great for developers who want to move into architecture.

• Building Evolutionary Architectures (Neal Ford, Rebecca Parsons, Patrick Kua)
  • Learn how to design systems that can adapt and grow over time.
  • Change is constant — this book teaches you how to handle it.

• Enterprise Architecture Patterns (Martin Fowler)
  • Understand how to structure and connect large systems.
  • Perfect for enterprise or long-term, large-scale projects.

• Designing Data-Intensive Applications (Martin Kleppmann)
  • A must-read for modern system design.
  • Explains databases, scaling, and data processing in clear language.

• Domain-Driven Design (Eric Evans)
  • Learn to model complex business logic with simplicity.
  • It will change how you talk to both devs and business people.

• Building Microservices (Sam Newman)
  • A complete guide to creating distributed systems.
  • Full of real-world trade-offs and practical lessons.

• Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture (Martin Fowler)
  • Classic reference for solving common design problems.
  • Once you read it, you'll start seeing these patterns everywhere.

This is not an exhaustive list, but a representation of what has helped me think more clearly, code more effectively, and stay inspired. I hope these links are useful to others exploring similar technologies.