Today, we’re diving deep into Semaphore’s architecture with Radosław Woźniak, Software Architect at Semaphore. He’s here to break down the inner workings of our CI/CD platform — from its 30+ microservices to how a simple git push triggers a series of interactions across Semaphore’s infrastructure. Whether you’re a contributor looking to understand the system or just curious about how Semaphore handles complex workflows, this episode is packed with valuable insights. Like this episode? Be sure to...
Jun 03, 2025•24 min•Season 1Ep. 134
In this episode of Semaphore Uncut, Darko Fabijan welcomes Marcelo Calbucci—engineer, startup founder, and author of The PR FAQ Book . Marcelo shares insights from his time at Amazon, where he encountered a decision-making framework that changed how he thinks about product development: the PR FAQ. What starts as an internal press release quickly becomes a strategic tool to align teams, evaluate product ideas, and make better decisions—before writing a single line of code. Like this episode? Be s...
May 20, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 133
In today's episode of Technical Tips, we’re joined by Semaphore engineer Lucas Pinheiro. He’s here to share insights on self-hosting agents — including the challenges our engineering team has faced and the solutions we've implemented to manage agents reliably at scale. Whether you're working with self-hosted systems or navigating cloud-specific hurdles, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways. Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the podcast player of your choice and...
May 06, 2025•23 min•Season 1Ep. 132
In this episode of Semaphore Uncut , Patrick Debois—Generative AI and DevOps specialist —joins Darko Fabijan to share his perspective on how AI intersects with DevOps, DevSecOps, and infrastructure as code. Patrick discusses everything from generative tooling to failure handling, and what makes this era of automation both exciting and risky. Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the podcast player of your choice and share it with your friends . 🎙️ This podcast is powered by...
Apr 22, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 131
In this episode of Technical Tips, Tommy shares 10 expert tips to keep your CI pipeline fast and efficient. Learn how to improve performance, reduce errors, and ship quality software faster! Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the podcast player of your choice and share it with your friends . 🎙️ This podcast is powered by Semaphore! 🚀 Show Semaphore Some Love ❤️ ⭐ Star us on GitHub: https://github.com/semaphoreio/semaphore 🚀 Join us on discord: https://discord.com/invit...
Apr 08, 2025•17 min•Season 1Ep. 130
In this episode of Semaphore Uncut , Ken Kocienda, co-founder and CTO of InFactory, joins Darko Fabijan to discuss how his company is building AI systems that are both useful and dependable. Ken, a veteran software engineer known for his work on Safari, iPhone auto-correct, and Apple’s UI innovations, shares his insights on how AI can move from a black-box guessing machine to a fully transparent and enterprise-ready system. Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the podcast p...
Mar 18, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 129
In this episode of Technical Tips, Tommy breaks down flaky tests—those unpredictable tests that pass sometimes and fail other times. Learn how to spot, manage, and fix them to keep your CI/CD pipeline reliable! Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the podcast player of your choice and share it with your friends . 🎙️ This podcast is powered by Semaphore! 🚀 🐱 Show Semaphore Some Love! Semaphore is no...
Mar 04, 2025•9 min•Season 1Ep. 128
A cornerstone of API development, OpenAPI offers a standardized format to define, design, and document APIs. Born out as open-source and embraced by tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and IBM, OpenAPI isn’t just a specification—it’s a shift toward interoperability, transparency, and developer empowerment. In this article, Lorna Mitchell, a leading voice in API tooling and VP of Developer Experience at Redocly, sheds light on best practices, pitfalls, and how teams fully harness OpenAPI’s potent...
Feb 18, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 127
In this episode of Technical Tips, Tommy tackles slow CI/CD pipelines with 8 tips to speed them up. Save time, cut costs, and boost your feedback loop. Tune in to supercharge your workflow! Want to explore CI? Check out Semaphore—going open-source soon! https://semaphoreci.com/blog/semaphore-is-going-open-source Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the podcast player of your choice and share it with y...
Feb 04, 2025•8 min•Season 1Ep. 126
Cloud adoption has outpaced the development of corresponding expertise in cloud operations, leading to a significant skills gap across the industry. In this regard, many organizations have had to abandon cloud initiatives because they lacked the necessary in-house expertise to manage them. As a result, critical projects are delayed, and costs and operational risks increase. Recognizing this gap, Cory O’Daniel co-founded MassDriver, a platform designed to simplify cloud infrastructure management ...
Jan 23, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 125
In this new Technical Tips episode, Tommy explores Continuous Integration, Deployment, and Delivery—three practices with the same goal: making software development faster and more reliable. Tune in as he explains the key differences and clears up the confusion! Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the podcast player of your choice and share it with your friends ....
Jan 07, 2025•9 min•Season 1Ep. 124
In this episode, Tembo.io Head of Education Floor Drees explains the need for a more collaborative and sustainable approach to open-source development. She will help us explore the current state of the Postgres ecosystem and the broader open-source community to point out the critical issues that need to be addressed to ensure the future of these vital technologies. Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on...
Dec 17, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 123
In this episode of Technical Tips, Tommy breaks down smoke testing—a fast way to catch major software flaws early. Learn how it fits into your CI/CD pipeline, with tips, examples, and practical advice to get started. Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the podcast player of your choice and share it with your friends ....
Dec 03, 2024•12 min•Season 1Ep. 122
Web applications are increasingly transforming browsers into the primary interface for our digital lives. As we rely more on web applications for everything from work to entertainment, the responsiveness of these applications becomes paramount. Rich Harris, a former journalist and the mind behind Svelte, shares his insights into web development technologies and trends. Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ revie...
Nov 20, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 121
In this new episode of Technical Tips, Tommy explains how Continuous Integration (CI) helps developers merge code changes frequently, with automated builds and fast feedback loops. Learn how CI keeps your main branch stable and ready for faster releases, all while making your coding life easier. Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the podcast player of your choice and share it with your friends ....
Nov 05, 2024•11 min•Season 1Ep. 120
Open-source software is the building materials of the vast majority of digital technology as we know it. Anyone can access and contribute to it, which is great for flexibility and cost, but also means there's a risk of hidden flaws. In this episode, Kubernetes Co-founder and Stacklok’s CEO Craig McLuckie shares his tools to check the quality and security of open-source software production. Working together as a community, we can make open-source software safer and more reliable for everyone. Lis...
Oct 23, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 119
We are continuing our series of episodes - Technical Tips - to give you bite-sized advice on the best practices of software engineering so your coding life is easier and more efficient. In this episode, Tommy breaks down the essential question: What makes a good test? While there is no single answer, he explores six key principles that can guide you toward writing tests that add the most value to your software development process. Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphor...
Oct 08, 2024•6 min•Season 1Ep. 118
In terms of creativity, diversity, and evolution pace, generative AI seems boundless. However, its enterprise implementation remains significantly limited. Businesses are uncertain about making the right choices around AI and struggle to familiarize themselves with the potential of this technology amid cutting through the fragmented offerings from major tech companies. In this episode, Arun Gupta, VP and GM for Open Ecosystem at Intel, tells us about the company’s contributions to the open-sourc...
Sep 25, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 117
We are continuing our series of episodes - Technical Tips - to give you bite-sized advice on the best practices of software engineering so your coding life is easier and more efficient. In this episode, Olga explores the best ways to deploy microservices, covering options like single vs. multiple machines, containers, orchestrators like Kubernetes, and serverless functions. She provides insights to help you choose the right deployment strategy for your software architecture. Listen to the full e...
Sep 10, 2024•6 min•Season 1Ep. 116
As organizations increasingly rely on cloud technologies, open-source software, and explore the potential of AI, the importance of robust security practices has never been greater. Still, each of these technologies has its own distinct domain, and it is easy to overlook best practices. In this episode, ControlPlane CEO Andrew Martin helps us connect the dots between securing these critical technologies to build more secure, resilient systems. Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on ...
Aug 27, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 115
We are continuing our series of episodes - Technical Tips - to give you bite-sized advice on the best practices of software engineering so your coding life is easier and more efficient. In this episode, Olga discusses canary deployment, explaining its benefits like real-world feedback and no-downtime upgrades, planning tips, user migration strategies, and potential downsides, comparing it to blue-green deployments. Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like th...
Aug 13, 2024•8 min•Season 1Ep. 114
Flaky tests—those intermittent failures that undermine confidence in test suites—are a persistent thorn in the side of development teams. As software complexity grows, so does the challenge of ensuring test reliability. In this episode, Srivishnu Ayyagari, a senior product manager at LambdaTest, offers valuable insights into the root causes of flaky tests and strategies to overcome them. Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sure to leave...
Jul 30, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 113
We are continuing our series of episodes - Technical Tips - to give you bite-sized advice on the best practices of software engineering so your coding life is easier and more efficient. In this episode, Tommy will discuss LocalAI as an Open-Source replacement for the OpenAI API, covering its cost-effectiveness, privacy benefits, customizable models, features, setup, and live demos with Chatbot-UI. Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sur...
Jul 16, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 112
Testing remains a critical yet often misunderstood and undervalued component of software development. What's more, as artificial intelligence threatens to reshape the role of testers, questions of job security and demonstrating value become increasingly pressing. From the struggle for recognition and early involvement in the development process to the delicate balance between automation and human insight, testers navigate a minefield of technical and organizational hurdles. Michael Larsen, a vet...
Jul 02, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 111
We are continuing our series of episodes - Technical Tips - to give you bite-sized advice on the best practices of software engineering so your coding life is easier and more efficient. In this episode, Tommy will discuss how replacing ChatGPT or Bard with open-source models enhances privacy and enables their use with sensitive or proprietary data. Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the podcast play...
Jun 18, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 110
The rise of microservices, cloud platforms, containerization, and distributed systems has made computer systems incredibly powerful, but also increasingly intricate. Ensuring high availability in these complex environments requires innovative solutions. Enter Coroot, an open-source observability tool designed to simplify monitoring and prevent chaos in production. Coroot co-founders Peter Zaitsev and Nikolay Sivko shed light on their vision: empowering engineers to manage this complexity, mainta...
Jun 04, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 109
We are continuing our series of episodes - Technical Tips - to give you bite-sized advice on the best practices of software engineering so your coding life is easier and more efficient. Today, Olga will explain what a CI/CD pipeline is, how to set one up, and the benefits it brings to your software development process. Let’s dive in! Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the podcast player of your choi...
May 21, 2024•6 min•Season 1Ep. 108
Forget fancy titles and complex frameworks. The secret to an organization’s success might lie in a surprisingly simple act: two people moving a couch. This seemingly mundane task, according to Gene Kim (Author, Researcher, and Multiple award-winning CTO), holds profound lessons about communication, problem-solving, and creating a frictionless work environment. Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the ...
May 07, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 107
We are continuing our series of episodes - Technical Tips - to give you bite-sized advice on the best practices of software engineering so your coding life is easier and more efficient. Today, we'll learn how to apply TDD (Test-Driven Development) to Large Language Models (LLMs) powered applications. Tommy, our technical writer, will be guiding us through today's topic. Listen to the full episode or read the transcript on the Semaphore blog . Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ revi...
Apr 23, 2024•12 min•Season 1Ep. 106
By challenging assumptions and embracing experimentation, individuals and teams can unlock fresh ideas. To this end, collaboration fueled by diverse perspectives further strengthens this innovation cycle. In this episode, Kelsey Hightower shares his experiences, from challenging the status quo in large organizations to embracing the collaborative spirit of open-source communities. Discover how Kelsey's contributions to Puppet and his role in the development of Kubernetes shaped the landscape of ...
Apr 09, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 105
