Notes on software and the ideas behind it

Find the meaning
behind the code.

I’m Fred Yang. I write about software—how it works, why it behaves the way it does, and the ideas that make code easier to reason about.

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Working notes / 2026

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Architecture, reactivity, and the hidden relationships that shape frontend systems.

field note

Angular Signals: The First True Reactivity Primitive

I want to explain why Angular Signals matter, without diving too deep into technical details. Let’s start by clarifying what reactivity means and why Signals are the first real primitive for Angular.
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angular

Think in Events: A Better Mental Model for NgRx Store

Many developers find @ngrx/store harder than expected, even though its individual APIs are not especially complicated. The challenge is understanding why NgRx Store separates publishers from handlers and how that separation should influence the...
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field note

You don't need NgRx, well almost.

While NgRx is a powerful state management library, I have seen countless projects misuse or overuse it, leading to unnecessary complexity, wasted time, and frustration.
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angular

Do I Need to Unsubscribe from an Observable in Angular?

One of the most common questions among Angular developers is: “Do I need to unsubscribe from my Observable?” The short answer is “It depends.” Not all Observables require manual unsubscription, but failing to unsubscribe...
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keyboard

QMK/VIA - The Soul of Mechanical Keyboards

Mechanical keyboards are loved for their tactile feedback, satisfying “tok” sound, and endless customization options. However, for me, the true magic lies not just in the hardware but in the software, particularly when it...
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