James Ebentier

Recent Blog Posts

How Automated Scans Saved Me From Disaster

How Automated Scans Saved Me From Disaster

Published At: July 11, 2024

Learn how automated scans saved me from an SEO disaster after converting my site to a new platform. I'll walk you through the process of how I found the issues, what they were, and how I resolved them.

The First Deployment and Cut-Over

The First Deployment and Cut-Over

Published At: July 08, 2024

The process and challenges of deploying a Ruby on Rails application to Heroku and transitioning a domain with zero downtime, using Terraform for infrastructure automation.

Converting a Site from React to Rails + Tailwind Quickly and Efficiently

Converting a Site from React to Rails + Tailwind Quickly and Efficiently

Published At: July 05, 2024

After getting a Rails base template configured and ready to go, the next step is to convert all the existing functionality of the application from the old React app to the new Rails app. This is the process I used to do that quickly and efficiently, as well as some of the lessons I learned along the way.

My Rails Starter Template

My Rails Starter Template

Published At: July 02, 2024

The first step of any Rails project is getting the started template up and running. This is what my template looks like.

How to Decide What is Necessary

How to Decide What is Necessary

Published At: June 28, 2024

One of the hardest parts of a project is deciding what not to do. Learn with me as I navigate this process while converting my site from a Single Page Application to a full-stack application.

The Downsides of Single Page Apps

The Downsides of Single Page Apps

Published At: June 19, 2024

Learn with me why single page apps are not always the best choice for your web application.

Why Is Automated Testing Important?

Why Is Automated Testing Important?

Published At: June 17, 2024

Automated testing is a critical part of the software development process. Learn why even as a solo developer, you should be writing tests for your code.

Hosting Your Personal Site On AWS S3

Hosting Your Personal Site On AWS S3

Published At: June 13, 2024

Now that we know we want to host our personal site on AWS S3, we need to set up the bucket and the website. We'll also need to set up the bucket policy to allow the website to be publicly accessible. And a couple other things to make sure the website is secure. Let's dive in!

Hosting a Personal Site on the Cheap

Hosting a Personal Site on the Cheap

Published At: June 06, 2024

Most software engineers want to host their own personal website. A site that has their resume, social handles, something that distinguishes them from others, and possibly even a blog. Personal websites have become quite the norm for developers these days, but where is the best place to start? This blog post series will be walking through the creation and hosting of my very own personal site (jamesebentier.com) from ideation, to management.