Building in Public

Updates

Every win, every lesson, every experiment documented. The process is the product.

Jan 8, 2026

Bathala: Personal PC to Home Server Migration Complete

Major infrastructure milestone: all services migrated from personal PC to dedicated Bathala home server. Full containerised stack now running on proper server hardware—Stax, Genkaw, n8n automation, email, and web terminal all operational. Better uptime, proper separation of concerns, and the foundation for true 24/7 service availability. One step closer to infrastructure independence.

InfrastructureBathalaMigrationHome ServerDockerSelf-Hosted

Dec 31, 2025

Stax: Analytics Cards Production Hardened

Complete hardening pass on analytics cards. Added useReducedMotion (WCAG 2.3.3), useMemo for derived values, safeNumber guards against NaN/Infinity. Improved skeletons to match actual layout (prevents CLS). Fixed Recharts tooltip contrast and disabled ugly default hover. Cards hardened: spending-over-time-chart, trend-card, trends-section, period-comparison. All now 9.5-10/10 quality.

StaxAccessibilityPerformancePolishWCAG

Dec 31, 2025

Stax: Analytics Component Library

Major modularity refactor creating shared analytics utilities. New safeNumber() for NaN guards, getStatus() with presets (health, savings, runway, ratio) for unified 5-tier color system. Created StatCard, AnimatedProgressBar, AnimatedListItem components. Added aria-hidden to 60+ decorative icons. Eliminated ~200 lines of duplicate code across 25 analytics cards.

StaxArchitectureComponentsAccessibilityRefactoring

Dec 31, 2025

Stax: Customizable Analytics Dashboard

Implemented hybrid analytics interface with collapsible sections and card customizer. 4 collapsible sections with localStorage persistence. 3 intent-based presets: Quick Glance (10 cards), Weekly Review (17 cards), Full Analysis (35 cards). Users can show/hide individual cards. All preferences persist across sessions. Hero section (5 core KPIs) always visible.

StaxUXCustomizationAnalyticsFeature

Dec 30, 2025

Sulat: Self-Hosted Email System Operational

Complete email infrastructure for genkaw.com now live. Mailcow (18 Docker containers) with Cloudflare Email Routing for inbound, Resend SMTP relay for outbound. No port forwarding required. Fixed Mailcow quirks: SOGo auth (password hash bug), quota storage (bytes not MB), sender-dependent relay (relayhosts vs transports tables). 4 mailboxes, SOGo webmail, Let's Encrypt SSL.

SulatEmailMailcowInfrastructureSelf-HostedProduction

Dec 30, 2025

Beggars Sect: Training System Complete

Completed comprehensive training system with 11 challenges across 4 difficulty tiers, sparring matches with mastery breakdown, and performance tracking. Added challenge/sparring result UI with visual feedback showing bonuses earned. Best performance tracking (fastest win, most damage, longest combo). 148 tests, build clean, lint clean.

Beggars SectTrainingCombatUI/UXPolish

Dec 30, 2025

Stax: Dashboard Overview Redesign

Complete dashboard overhaul. Replaced abstract KPI cards with actionable layout: BalanceCard hero (greeting + net balance + income/expenses), RecentTransactions list (8 items), and HealthScoreCard sidebar. New traffic-light color system for financial health (green→teal→amber→orange→red). Shared getHealthGradient() utility for consistent theming across components.

StaxDashboardUXDesignHealth Score

Dec 30, 2025

Stax: Docker Build 10x Faster

Added .dockerignore files reducing build context from 7.52MB to 15.59KB (99.8% reduction). Introduced Docker Compose profiles for selective builds: --profile web for frontend, --profile api for backend. Build times dropped from ~90s to ~30s. ADR-006 documented in architecture.

StaxDockerPerformanceDevExInfrastructure

Dec 30, 2025

Stax: Documentation Gap Audit

Systematic documentation audit identified and fixed 8 gaps across 10 files. Updated all READMEs with Docker profiles, added health gradient system to CODE-DNA, created ADR-006 for Docker optimization, removed dead links, updated session history. All docs now current.

StaxDocumentationQualityMaintenance

Dec 29, 2025

Stax: Full Visual Overhaul

Complete UI transformation to match Genkaw aesthetic. Dark-first theme with true black (#000) background, glassmorphism cards (backdrop-blur, translucent bg), extralight typography (font-weight 200), blue→purple gradients. All 9 dashboard pages restyled with gradient icon boxes, generous spacing (space-y-10), and scroll reveal animations. 150+ lines of new CSS utilities added.

StaxDesignUI/UXDark ModeGlassmorphism

Dec 29, 2025

Stax: AI Coach Now Fully Functional

Fixed all AI Coach blockers. Added LLM provider selector (Ollama active, Claude coming soon). Fixed SSE streaming in Next.js API proxy—responses now stream in real-time instead of 30-second timeout. Fixed EntitlementService constructor, enabled AI Chat for FREE tier (20 messages/month), and forwarded X-Session-Id header for chat session persistence.

StaxAIOllamaSSEStreamingBugfix

Dec 29, 2025

Stax: Transactions Page Refresh

Major UX improvements for transactions. Added year picker to analytics (2024 data now visible). Implemented infinite scroll as default mode (max 500 items for performance). Added DELETE /all endpoint with confirmation and 'Clear All' button. Better loading states with IntersectionObserver for auto-loading.

StaxUXInfinite ScrollAnalyticsFeature

Dec 29, 2025

Genkaw: Stax Case Study Redesign

Complete visual overhaul of the Stax case study page on genkaw.com. Matched the Stax landing page aesthetic: dark theme (#0a0a0f background), blue/purple gradient accents, glassmorphism cards. Forced dark mode on project pages with theme toggle hiding. Fixed grid tile height consistency.

GenkawDesignDark ModeStaxVisual Refresh

Dec 29, 2025

Stax: Industry Leader Architecture Complete

Completed Phase 3 Industry Leader differentiation. 11/11 enterprise-grade features: CQRS read models, full event sourcing with snapshots, TypeScript + Python SDK generation, webhook circuit breakers (Stripe-style signing), GraphQL federation, Redis caching with stampede protection, Row-Level Security on all user tables, dead letter queue, DAST scanning (ZAP + Schemathesis), automated feature flag rollback, and behavioral snapshot testing. Architecturally aligned with Netflix, Stripe, and Google patterns.

StaxArchitectureEnterpriseCQRSEvent SourcingSecurity

Dec 29, 2025

Stax: AI Coach with Local LLM

AI Coach feature now live with Ollama integration. LLM provider selector in UI, SSE streaming fixed in API proxy, real-time chat responses. GPU-accelerated local inference with llama3.1:8b—free AI features for all users. 20 chat messages/month on FREE tier, 5 financial insights/month. Claude API integration coming next.

StaxAIOllamaLLMFeatureProduction

Dec 29, 2025

Stax: Production Launch Ready

Fixed all production-blocking issues. Same-origin API proxy eliminates CORS. Timezone-naive datetime handling for PostgreSQL. Empty state handling for new users. Row-Level Security migrations corrected. 6 database migrations applied, 379 frontend tests passing. Registration → Login → Dashboard flow operational at stax.genkaw.com.

StaxProductionLaunchBugfixTesting

Dec 29, 2025

Genkaw: Case Study Component Library

Major architectural overhaul implementing professional component patterns. Created reusable case study components (HeroSection, FeaturesSection, TechStackSection, etc.), extracted content to TypeScript data files, added 6 ADRs documenting decisions. Stax page reduced from 556 to 143 lines. Added accessibility improvements (aria-current, skip-to-content), scroll progress indicator, and contact form.

GenkawArchitectureComponentsAccessibilityADR

Dec 29, 2025

Beggars Sect: Complete Visual Redesign

Full visual overhaul of beggars-sect.genkaw.com to match Genkaw aesthetic. Added ScrollReveal animations, ink wash gradients, chi flow SVG effects, corner bracket decorations. Created 2 new sections (Characters, Progression). Extralight typography, red accent colors, floating mist effects. 1,704 lines added across 21 files.

Beggars SectDesignUI/UXAnimationsVisual Refresh

Dec 29, 2025

Beggars Sect: Permanent Dark Mode

The Beggars Sect showcase page on genkaw.com now permanently displays in dark mode. Theme toggle hidden on this route. The ink-and-blood aesthetic requires darkness—light mode would break the visual identity. Consistent with the Stax page dark mode implementation.

GenkawBeggars SectDark ModeUX

Dec 28, 2025

Stax: True Vertical-Slice Architecture

Completed full migration to vertical-slice architecture. Deleted 3 facade directories (app/application/, app/domain/, app/services/), updated 60+ imports across 40 files. Each feature now owns its domain, application, and infrastructure layers. 1,741 tests passing. 71% reduction in direct ORM access (28→8 session.exec calls). Event-driven cache invalidation and budget monitoring now automated.

StaxArchitectureVertical SliceRefactoring

Dec 27, 2025

Stax: Frontend Security & API Hardening

Production-ready frontend complete. P0 security: in-memory token storage (XSS protection), automatic refresh, session expiry warnings. P1 safety: 500-item bulk limits, idempotency headers (Stripe-style). Fixed API prefix/envelope issues. Added error boundaries at feature level. Complete API layer: billing, gamification, budgets modules. 95% code quality score, 0 magic numbers.

StaxSecurityFrontendAPIHardening

Dec 27, 2025

Stax: Critical Security Fixes Complete

Week 1 hardening complete. F1: XP exploit closed with idempotency keys—no more infinite XP from spam-categorizing. F2: Event handlers now idempotent. F5: Ownership checks on all advice endpoints. New observability: outbox pending depth, handler failures, circuit breaker metrics. Health endpoint now shows outbox/DLQ/circuit status. 715 tests passing.

StaxSecurityIdempotencyObservabilityHardening

Dec 26, 2025

Stax: Clean Architecture Use Cases

Implemented Application Layer Blueprint. Transaction, Budget, and Category CRUD now use proper use cases with Unit of Work pattern. Repositories use flush() not commit()—UoW owns transaction boundaries. 4 CQRS query handlers added. XP exploit fixed at architecture level (Law #12: verify category actually changed). 714 tests passing.

StaxArchitectureClean ArchitectureUse CasesCQRS

Dec 23, 2025

Stax: Infrastructure Freeze Enforcement

Locked down the Stax infrastructure layer with formal policy documentation and automated enforcement. CI gates now run tripwire tests on every commit—if critical functionality gets removed, the build fails. CODEOWNERS protection requires review for infrastructure changes. The foundation is stable enough to focus purely on feature development.

StaxInfrastructureCI/CDPolicyFROZEN

Dec 23, 2025

Stax: 92% Infrastructure Confidence

Completed exhaustive testing of the Stax infrastructure layer—data storage, message queues, error recovery, logging. 71 new tests covering 16 failure scenarios (database disconnects, queue failures, etc.). Closure statement: if it breaks in production, it's either an external service failure or an unknown unknown—not a missing test.

StaxTestingInfrastructureQualityClosure

Dec 23, 2025

Stax: Production Operability Complete

Completed Phase 7: Production Operability for Stax. Health dashboards provide at-a-glance system status. Automated alerts trigger before users notice problems. Five incident runbooks document step-by-step fixes for common issues. Chaos tests verify recovery from intentional failures. The gap between 'side project' and 'production software' is now closed.

StaxSREObservabilityProductionMonitoring

Dec 23, 2025

Stax: Domain Layer Frozen at v1.0.0

The Stax domain layer (core business logic—XP calculation, transaction categorization, budget rules) is now frozen at v1.0.0. Established a 'constitution' with 8 invariants the system must always maintain. Fixed edge cases including backdated transaction XP gaming. 658 tests passing, quality score improved from 78/100 to 91/100. Features can now be built on a stable foundation.

StaxDomainProductionArchitectureFROZEN

Dec 23, 2025

Stax: Configuration Centralization

Extracted all hardcoded values from the Stax codebase into configuration files. Gamification (XP formulas, tier boundaries), health scores (weights), and budget validation rules are now documented and testable. 274 new tests verify behavioral equivalence. Cleaner code, easier modification, no magic numbers.

StaxDomainArchitectureTestingConfig

Dec 23, 2025

Stax: Architecture Self-Audit

Created a 10-point scorecard to audit Stax against Domain-Driven Design principles. Initial score: 72/100. Strengths: zero database code in business logic, clean event system. Gaps: time handling needs improvement, event systems should be consolidated. Four-phase improvement plan created. You can't improve what you don't measure.

StaxDDDArchitectureAnalysisDomain

Dec 23, 2025

Stax: Architecture Decision Records Added

Added Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) to Stax—documents explaining WHY technical choices were made, not just what was built. ADR-007: Event system unification rationale. ADR-008: Aggregate + Decider pattern selection. Future developers (or future sessions) now have documented reasoning for architectural decisions.

StaxArchitectureADRDocumentation

Dec 23, 2025

Documentation Protocol: Optimized for AI

Established a new documentation format optimized for AI-assisted development. Tables instead of paragraphs, TL;DR at the top of every section, bullet points over prose. Claude AI can now parse project context in seconds rather than scanning walls of text. Applied across all projects. Counterintuitive but measurably effective.

DocumentationAIEfficiencyStandards

Dec 23, 2025

SYSTEM-DNA: 56 Engineering Principles

Expanded SYSTEM-DNA to 56 principles organized into 8 categories: Foundation, Quality, Architecture, Data, Security, Operations, Integration, and Meta. Each principle includes definition, rationale, implementation checklist, and anti-patterns. Every project inherits these standards. Consistency across multiple codebases from a single source of truth.

EngineeringStandardsSYSTEM-DNAQuality

Dec 22, 2025

CODE-DNA: Enforceable Audit Standards

Evolved CODE-DNA from documentation into an enforceable audit system. Every documented pattern becomes a requirement with compliance scoring and violation tracking. Best practices are only useful if actually followed—now there's a system to verify adherence and prioritize fixes.

EngineeringDocumentationStandardsQualityAudit

Dec 21, 2025

FinPlanner Becomes Stax: The Financial Warrior

Rebranded from FinPlanner to Stax with a new 'Financial Warrior' identity. The platform gamifies budgeting with XP, levels, and achievements—the name should reflect that energy. New emerald color scheme, updated URLs and branding. Same dual-database architecture, now with an identity that matches the product vision.

StaxRebrandIdentityFinancial WarriorLaunch

Dec 21, 2025

Stax: 10-Phase Infrastructure Sprint Complete

Completed a 10-phase infrastructure initiative for Stax. Added: structured logging, health checks, graceful shutdown, 70+ metrics, caching, circuit breakers for dependency failures, background task processing, and feature flags. 658 tests passing (91/100 score). The platform now meets enterprise reliability standards.

StaxInfrastructureEnterpriseProduction

Dec 21, 2025

Stax: Documentation Restructure

Reorganized 87 Stax documentation files into a coherent structure. Created ARCHITECTURE.md with system diagrams. Created API.md documenting all 89 endpoints. Consolidated scattered session logs. Fixed code patterns to match documented standards. Documentation now matches implementation.

StaxDocumentationArchitectureQuality

Dec 21, 2025

Genkaw: Animation Polish Pass

Visual refresh across genkaw.com. Added entrance animations, hover effects with subtle lifts and glows, pulsing indicators on active projects. Replaced text-based architecture diagrams with interactive visual versions. Micro-interactions throughout reward exploration. The difference between functional and polished.

Web DevelopmentDesignAnimationsUXPolish

Dec 21, 2025

Genkaw: 8 Quality Upgrades Complete

Comprehensive quality pass on genkaw.com. SEO: 100/100 Lighthouse score, auto-generated sitemap, structured data. PWA: installable on mobile with offline support. Security: A+ rating. Accessibility: 100/100. Performance: 99/100. Analytics added. Production quality for a portfolio platform.

Web DevelopmentSEOPWASecurityInfrastructure

Dec 20, 2025

SYSTEM-DNA v2.0: Engineering Operating System

Built SYSTEM-DNA v2.0—an 8-part document governing software development. Covers: Principles, Research, Design, Development, Lifecycle, Maintenance, Operations, and Improvement. Each project extends these universal rules with project-specific additions. The codification of 'good' that separates amateur from professional.

EngineeringDocumentationStandardsFoundation

Dec 18, 2025

Stax: Gamification System Live

Major Stax release: full gamification is now live. Users earn XP for healthy financial habits, progress through 50 levels, and unlock 28 achievements. The Financial Warrior dashboard displays progress. Security hardening includes password hashing, rate limiting, and security headers. Dual-database architecture (PostgreSQL + DuckDB) achieves 5.6× faster analytics.

StaxGamificationSecurityFull-StackProduction

Dec 10, 2025

Beggars Sect: AI Combat System Polish

Polished the AI system controlling enemy combat behavior in The Beggars Sect. Extracted all settings to a single configuration file. Added comprehensive documentation. Result: 5-10% performance improvement, zero breaking changes for 15+ existing enemies. Functional and clean.

Game DevelopmentAI SystemsDocumentationPerformance

Dec 10, 2025

Beggars Sect: Enterprise-Grade Codebase

Completed major code cleanup for The Beggars Sect. Centralized all game balance values into one configuration file. Created reusable utilities, eliminating 60-79% of duplicated code. Built a UI design system. Professional-grade code organization—the same standards used in commercial software.

Game DevelopmentArchitectureRefactoring

Dec 8, 2025

Beggars Sect: Testing and Performance

Built production infrastructure for The Beggars Sect: 36 unit tests covering core systems, 20-37% faster combat through caching, error handling that auto-recovers from 70% of crashes. Fixed 10 critical bugs. From 'it works' to 'it's reliable.'

Game DevelopmentTestingPerformanceProduction

Dec 7, 2025

Beggars Sect: Progression System

Built the character progression system: 8 chi aspects to master (skill tree equivalent), training grounds for practice sparring, mastery points from victories, 6 starter techniques tied to chosen philosophy. Player choices shape abilities.

Game DevelopmentProgressionSystemsTraining

Dec 7, 2025

Beggars Sect: Demo Polish Complete

Completed demo polish for The Beggars Sect. Story flows smoothly with proper pacing, combat targeting is clearer, save system works reliably. Playable demo ready to share. Core systems proven, ready for Chapter 1 content.

Game DevelopmentUXPolish

Dec 6, 2025

Genkaw: Homepage Redesign

Redesigned genkaw.com from a wall of text to a navigable hub. Preview cards for each project, only 3 recent updates shown, cleaner About section. Better visual hierarchy—visitors scan quickly and dive deeper where interested. Sometimes less content means better communication.

Web DevelopmentUXDesign

Dec 6, 2025

Beggars Sect: Save System

Built the save/load system: 3 manual save slots plus auto-save. Saves trigger at important moments (choices, combat, chapter transitions). Released v0.2.0. Essential RPG feature complete.

Game DevelopmentSave SystemRelease

Dec 6, 2025

Beggars Sect: Story System

Built the complete story engine: narration, dialogue, player choices, exploration. Created a 7-scene Prologue (~20-25 minutes of gameplay). Story and combat integrate seamlessly—make choices, fight battles, continue the story.

Game DevelopmentStory SystemNarrative

Dec 6, 2025

Beggars Sect: Combat System

Built the Active Time Battle combat system: speed determines turn order, 15+ techniques with combo potential, AI enemies with distinct personalities and boss phases. Chi management, stance switching, combat log. The game is now playable.

Game DevelopmentCombat SystemATB

Dec 6, 2025

Beggars Sect: First Playable Build

Built the core engine: character system with 11 enemy types and 3 bosses, save/load functionality, title screen and menus. Published v0.1.0—the first runnable version. Design docs became working code.

Game DevelopmentTypeScriptRelease

Dec 6, 2025

Automation Hub: Database Upgrade

Upgraded the n8n automation hub from SQLite to PostgreSQL 16 for better performance and reliability. Added Ollama for local AI model execution. Automated backup scripts. Security hardening with network isolation. Enterprise-grade automation foundation.

InfrastructurePostgreSQLn8nSecurity

Dec 5, 2025

Genkaw: Dark Mode and RSS

Added quality-of-life features to genkaw.com. Dark mode toggle cycles between light/dark/system. RSS feed for update subscriptions. Smooth page transitions. Social sharing images. Self-hosted fonts for faster loading. The small features that make a site feel complete.

Web DevelopmentPerformanceUX

Dec 5, 2025

Genkaw: Design System Documented

Created a formal styling guide documenting the Japanese minimalist aesthetic. Spacing rules, color palette, typography, divider styles—applied consistently across all pages. A design system keeps the site cohesive as it grows.

Design SystemJapanese AestheticDocumentation

Dec 5, 2025

Genkaw: Project Navigation

Added a Projects dropdown to navigation for quick access to project showcase pages. Built dedicated pages for each experiment with progress trackers and dev logs. Building in public means making the work visible—not buried in posts.

Web DevelopmentNavigationBuilding in Public

Dec 5, 2025

Genkaw: SEO and Error Pages

Added Open Graph meta tags for proper social media previews. New minimalist favicon. Custom 404 error page matching the Japanese aesthetic. Details that make a platform feel professional.

Web DevelopmentSEOPolish

Dec 5, 2025

Beggars Sect: Showcase Website

Launched a dedicated showcase website at beggars-sect.genkaw.com. Documents the story, combat system, chi cultivation mechanics, and development progress. The game has its own web presence.

Game DevelopmentWeb DevelopmentLaunch

Dec 5, 2025

Beggars Sect: Branching Narrative Design

Designed the branching narrative structure: 3 philosophical paths (Blade, Stream, Shadow), 3 possible endings (Destroyer, Reformer, Wanderer), 15,000+ lines of planning documentation. Every playthrough differs based on player choices.

Game DevelopmentStory DesignNon-Linear

Dec 5, 2025

Beggars Sect: 10,000+ Lines of Lore

Massive world-building session: original chi cultivation system with 8 aspects, 12 martial arts sects, complete history timeline, deep character profiles. Core innovation: Inverse Chi—drawing power from emptiness. When you build a world, stories write themselves.

Game DevelopmentWorld-BuildingLore

Dec 5, 2025

Beggars Sect: MVP Scoping

After 2,000+ lines of design docs, scoped down to a 12-week MVP. Created planning documents, designed the feedback system, built a dev log page. Building in public forces realistic planning.

Game DevelopmentPlanningBuilding in Public

Dec 4, 2025

Genkaw: Data-Driven Architecture

Restructured genkaw.com with a data-driven architecture. All content in one file, reusable components, trivial to add new sections. A platform designed to evolve with every new project.

Web DevelopmentArchitectureIteration

Dec 4, 2025

New Project: The Beggars Sect

Started The Beggars Sect—a CLI RPG about martial arts and chi cultivation. Design-first approach: complete documentation before code. Professional software practices applied to game development. Part of the Martial Arts Haven universe.

Game DevelopmentAIDesign

Dec 4, 2025

Bathala: Secure Remote Terminal

Launched bathala.genkaw.com—a secure web terminal for remote homelab access. Cloudflare Tunnel (no exposed ports), web-based terminal (no SSH client needed), 2FA authentication. Server management from any device, anywhere. Named after the Filipino supreme deity.

InfrastructureSecurityHomelab

Dec 4, 2025

Strategic Mission: Financial Independence

Defined the strategic mission behind all projects: building toward financial independence through automation and AI capabilities. Not random learning—systematic capability building. Claude AI + n8n as the core power duo. Every project serves this larger goal.

StrategyVisionAutomation

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