Toptal Blog

The Toptal Blog is the top hub for developers, designers, management consultants, executives, and entrepreneurs, featuring key technology updates, tutorials, freelancer resources, and management insights.

Toptal core team members share their experience, expertise, and perspectives on the Toptal Edge Blog

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Microsoft’s Power BI is one of the most popular software solutions used to perform social network analysis. Here’s how to create custom Power BI visuals in R for compelling and flexible results.

14-minute readContinue Reading

Bharat Garg

Bharat is a data scientist and developer who specializes in designing and developing interactive reports and tools to facilitate decision-making. He has worked with small startups and large corporations, such as Comcast, MetLife, UnitedHealth Group/Optum, and Jefferson Health. One of Bharat’s projects delivered $6 million in revenue, and another delivered $10 million in savings.

Life in Motion: A Guide to Animating Mobile Data Visualizations

Animation can make data more comprehensible, engaging, and useful, especially on mobile. When animating data visualizations, designers should use motion design principles—and avoid common pitfalls.

10-minute readContinue Reading

Daniel Nisttahuz

Daniel is a senior product designer with expertise in UI/UX, mobile, and motion design. Previously, he was the Principal Product Designer for the animation platform LottieFiles. His background as both a designer and an engineer gives him a unique perspective on technology and creativity.

Design Sprints: Fostering Creativity Through Constraints

How can creativity thrive in an environment of rules and set processes? The creative constraints introduced by design sprints can help product managers find the midpoint between structure and chaos.

9-minute readContinue Reading

Daniel Hatton

Daniel is an innovation and product manager with seven years of experience at PwC, and a track record of working creatively and entrepreneurially to bring ideas to life and generate new value streams.

Harness the Power of WordPress Hooks: Actions and Filters Explained

WordPress developers might be tempted to customize this popular website builder directly, but that approach creates ongoing maintenance headaches. Fortunately, there’s a clean way to extend functionality: via WordPress hooks, actions, and filters.

11-minute readContinue Reading

Tahir Shahzad

Tahir is a full-stack web developer specializing in WordPress and AI. He has been featured as a speaker at several WordPress Meetups and WordCamps.

Communicating With Investors: Best Practices for Startups

Investors aren’t patrons—they’re business partners, and startups should treat them as such. Regular updates and the occasional call for advice go a long way toward optimizing the relationship.

8-minute readContinue Reading

Christopher Holloway

Christopher is an award-winning journalist covering how technology transforms sectors like banking, manufacturing, and healthcare. Based in Latin America, he previously worked at AmericaEconomia, La Tercera, and Netmedia. He is a Senior Writer for Technology at Toptal.

Refining Your Middle-market Merger Strategy: From Acquisition to Integration

The M&A failure rate runs as high as 90%, and middle-market companies tend to fare worse than larger ones due to more limited resources. Here’s how to ensure that your next acquisition succeeds.

12-minute readContinue Reading

Michael J. McDonald

Michael is an award-winning journalist who has worked at Bloomberg News and Thomson Financial. He is the Senior Writer for Toptal’s Management Consulting Blog.

Code Writing Code: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Modern Metaprogramming

Metaprogramming is a technique in which software programs write and modify other software programs, including themselves. Learn how metaprogramming can be used to optimize and organize your code.

16-minute readContinue Reading

Will Beddow

Will is a full-stack developer with a portfolio that spans a diverse range of industries and technologies. His recent work includes machine learning applications, fintech systems design, cloud orchestration programs, and large corporate software systems. Will is the CTO of a fintech company that builds AI tools for the private equity industry.

Using Agile Spreadsheets for Discovery Estimation

Estimation tools abound but none is as flexible and accessible as the humble Agile spreadsheet. Here’s why you should consider customizing your own to calculate discovery estimates.

11-minute readContinue Reading

Mauricio Silva

Mauricio is a seasoned project manager who specializes in software and infrastructure projects. During his 30-year career, he has led complex IT projects at multinational companies including IBM and Kyndryl.

NFTs for Designers: An Introduction

The global NFT market relies on designers to support artists, Web3 platforms and marketplaces, and major global brands. Toptal designer Gabor Molnar offers insights from his experience breaking into this emerging field.

10-minute readContinue Reading

Gabor Molnar

Gabor is a 3D generalist and designer in the fast-paced world of crypto and NFTs. He is a creator of the NFT collection Omnimorphs and a consultant for other NFT brands. He is also a product designer with a background in business economics, user experience design, user interface design, and branding.