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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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.

12-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.

Redefining Retirement: The Benefits of Freelancing After 60

Modern freelancing is easier and more rewarding than older workers may think. Toptal’s chief economist breaks down the advantages of freelancing in semiretirement.

6-minute readContinue Reading

Erik Stettler

Erik is a co-founder of a global venture capital fund that has invested in 50 startups (raising more than $500 million) and has realized six exits. He serves as Toptal’s Chief Economist and holds an MBA from Harvard.

Efficiency at Scale: A Tale of AWS Cost Optimization

Understanding total spend is a common challenge for cloud users, especially on projects with complex pricing models. This article explores the top AWS cost optimizations that will help you scale your platform effectively.

11-minute readContinue Reading

Rudolf Eremyan

Rudolf is a data scientist who has architected big data processing infrastructures on AWS and implemented data engineering solutions for Fortune 500 companies, including Disneyland Hong Kong and Philip Morris. He was invited to participate in NASA’s 2021 International Space Apps Challenge as a speaker and judge.

Designing GitHub’s Octoverse: A Data Visualization Case Study

Designer Gemma Busquets shares how she created a responsive website and 20+ engaging charts and graphs for the software development platform’s annual report.

10-minute readContinue Reading

Gemma Busquets

Gemma is a designer and creative director with over 15 years of experience in UX, data visualization, and branding. She has taught data visualization for 7+ years at the university level and has directed a master’s degree program on the subject. Gemma’s portfolio includes collaborations with GitHub, Coca-Cola, Nike, Visa, and Seat.

Crucial Considerations for Aspiring Fintech UX Designers

Designing fintech products requires more than great UX/UI skills—you need to understand finance too. Here’s what designers need to know to get started.

10-minute readContinue Reading

Gints Ziverts

Gints is a fintech product designer with deep financial expertise and a decade of experience designing websites, trading platforms, dashboards, and mobile apps for fintech companies, banks, forex, and crypto trading companies around the world.

What Is Agile? A Philosophy That Develops Through Practice

Agile’s flexibility is attractive, but its lack of specificity leads teams to misinterpret its applications. Agile expert Umar Ali explains how he helps teams prioritize values over practices.

10-minute readContinue Reading

Umar Ali

Umar is a project manager, Agile coach, and Scrum master who specializes in leading Agile transformations for organizations and teams. He leverages Agile ways of working to improve software quality and push for process and cultural improvements that allow self-organizing teams—remote, on-site, and offshore—to flourish.

4 Bold Predictions About the Metaverse and Business

The so-called “future of the internet” isn’t here yet, but it’s coming soon. Here’s how to start preparing your company for impending metaverse growth.

9-minute readContinue Reading

Laurence Brothers

Laurence is Toptal’s Senior Writer for Technology and Software. A former analyst at Google and ITA Software, and researcher at Bell Communications Research and Verizon Laboratories, he now writes about how AI, VR, cloud computing, and software impact business and the future of work. Laurence has five patents for AI and internet applications.