Blog // Notes from the field
Ideas, real cases and guides on AI and automation.
What I'm building, what I've learned, and what you can apply today in your business. Published slowly, without the noise.
How to Compile LaTeX to PDF via API — FormaTeX Guide
Easily compile LaTeX to PDF with FormaTeX's REST API. This guide offers cURL, Python, and JavaScript examples for seamless CI/CD integration.
Compile LaTeX to PDF with FormaTeX MCP in Claude Code and Cursor
Connect FormaTeX MCP with Claude Code and Cursor to enable your AI agent to seamlessly write, check, and compile LaTeX documents to PDF.
Automate PDF Generation in CI/CD with GitHub Actions & FormaTeX
Automate LaTeX PDF generation in CI/CD with FormaTeX and GitHub Actions. Say goodbye to large TeX distributions and streamline your workflow today!
Building an AI-Powered PDF Generator: Claude API + FormaTeX LaTeX
Discover how to create a robust AI PDF generator using Claude API and FormaTeX, featuring practical examples like invoices and certificates.
SaaS Invoice Generator with LaTeX and FormaTeX API: Complete Tutorial
Learn how to build a production-ready SaaS invoice generator using LaTeX and the FormaTeX API in Node.js. No TeX Live required — covers template setup, dynamic data injection, bulk async generation, webhooks, and caching for scale.
Next.js 15 App Router: Best Practices for Production Applications
Master Next.js 15 App Router for production: Server vs Client Components, advanced data fetching, caching with unstable_cache, parallel routes, error boundaries, metadata API for SEO, and deployment to Vercel. Written by Elhassane Mehdioui.
Building a Real-Time Dashboard with React, Node.js, and Socket.io
Learn how to build a production-ready real-time dashboard using React, Node.js, and Socket.io. This tutorial covers WebSocket vs polling, live chart updates with Recharts, WebSocket authentication, and scaling with the Redis adapter.
Laravel API Authentication with Sanctum: Complete SPA and Mobile Guide
Learn how to implement Laravel Sanctum for both SPA cookie-based authentication and mobile token auth. Covers Sanctum vs Passport, CORS setup, token expiry, refresh patterns, and PHPUnit testing in one complete guide.
Spring Boot REST API: Building Production-Ready Microservices with Java
Learn how to build production-ready Spring Boot microservices in 2026. This tutorial covers Spring Initializr, JPA entities, service layers, REST controllers, global exception handling, OpenAPI docs, JUnit 5 testing, and Docker deployment — with real code examples.
Building a RAG Chatbot with Claude API, Supabase pgvector, and Next.js
Learn how to build a production-grade RAG chatbot using Claude API, Supabase pgvector for semantic search, and Next.js with the Vercel AI SDK. Covers embeddings, context injection, streaming, long-context handling, and evaluation strategies.
Docker Compose for Full Stack Developers: React + Laravel + MySQL
Learn how to containerise a full stack application with Docker Compose, combining React (Vite), Laravel (php-fpm + nginx), and MySQL. Covers hot reload volumes, environment variables, health checks, and multi-stage Dockerfiles for production.
TypeScript Best Practices for Large-Scale React Applications in 2026
Discover the TypeScript patterns and techniques that keep large React codebases maintainable in 2026. From strict mode and utility types to Zod validation and generic components, this guide covers everything you need to scale confidently.
Building a Custom AI Chatbot with Claude API and Next.js App Router (2026 Guide)
A hands-on guide to building a production-ready AI chatbot using Anthropic's Claude API and Next.js App Router. Covers streaming with the Vercel AI SDK, system prompts, conversation history, tool use, rate limiting, prompt caching, and Vercel deployment.
MySQL vs MongoDB in 2026: How to Choose the Right Database
MySQL or MongoDB? In 2026, the choice is more nuanced than ever. This guide breaks down the relational vs document model debate, covering transactions, flexible schemas, ORMs in Laravel and Node.js, hybrid strategies, and migration paths to help you decide.
CI/CD for Next.js with GitHub Actions: Testing, Preview, and Production Deployment
Learn how to build a complete CI/CD pipeline for Next.js using GitHub Actions in 2026. This guide covers workflow YAML, caching, Vitest testing, type checking, preview deploys with Vercel CLI, secrets management, branch protection, and production deployments.
JWT Authentication in Node.js and Express: Complete Security Guide
Learn how to implement secure JWT authentication in Node.js and Express. This complete guide covers signing tokens, access vs refresh tokens, httpOnly cookies, protected route middleware, token revocation, and the most critical security pitfalls to avoid in 2026.
Core Web Vitals Optimisation for React and Next.js: Practical Guide 2026
Master Core Web Vitals in 2026 with this practical guide for React and Next.js developers. Learn how to optimise LCP, INP, and CLS using Server Components, next/image, font strategies, code splitting, and Vercel Analytics to ship faster, higher-ranking web apps.
Building a Multi-Tenant SaaS with Laravel: Architecture and Implementation
Learn how to build a production-ready multi-tenant SaaS with Laravel and React. This guide covers separate vs shared DB strategies, tenant middleware, Sanctum auth, Stripe Cashier billing, feature flags, and onboarding flows with real code examples.
AI Workflow Automation with n8n and Claude: Practical Business Examples
Learn how to build powerful AI-driven business workflows using n8n and the Claude API. From lead qualification to email drafting and content summarisation, this hands-on guide covers real automation examples, cost comparisons, and self-hosting tips for 2026.
Spring Boot + React Full Stack: Complete Development and Deployment Guide
A hands-on guide to building and deploying a production-ready full stack application with Spring Boot, JPA, Spring Security JWT, and React. Covers project structure, CORS, Bean Validation, Docker Compose, and VPS deployment — everything you need in 2026.
REST API Design Best Practices: The Complete Guide for 2026
Master REST API design in 2026 with this complete guide covering resource naming, HTTP methods, status codes, versioning, pagination, filtering, error formats, authentication, OpenAPI documentation, and rate limiting.
Building a RAG Knowledge Base with Supabase pgvector and OpenAI Embeddings
Learn how to build a production-ready RAG knowledge base using Supabase pgvector and OpenAI embeddings. This tutorial covers document chunking, semantic search, context construction, and cost optimisation with Node.js/TypeScript examples.
Master Advanced Laravel Eloquent
Unlock advanced Laravel Eloquent techniques: master relationships, eager loading, scopes, and performance tips with practical examples to optimize your queries.
Deploying Next.js to Azure App Service: Step-by-Step Guide 2026
Master the art of deploying Next.js on Azure App Service with our 2026 guide. Learn setup, CI/CD, custom domains, SSL, and more for seamless performance.
Building an E-Commerce Store with Next.js 15 and Stripe
Learn how to build a production-ready e-commerce store using Next.js 15 App Router and Stripe in 2026. This tutorial covers product catalogues, Stripe Checkout, webhooks, order management, Zustand cart state, optimistic updates, and SEO for product pages.
Using Claude AI for Code Review: My Daily Developer Workflow
How I integrated Claude AI into my daily code review workflow — from Claude Code CLI setup and PR reviews to GitHub Actions automation and prompting strategies for bug detection. A practical guide by a full stack developer who replaced hours of manual review with AI-assisted precision.
React Query vs Redux Toolkit in 2026: Which Should You Use?
In 2026, discover how React Query and Redux Toolkit address different state management needs. Learn when to choose each for optimal performance and efficiency.
Full Stack Developer Roadmap 2026: Skills, Tools, and Career Path
A comprehensive guide to becoming a full stack developer in 2026 — covering front-end, back-end, databases, DevOps, AI integration, portfolio advice, salary expectations, and the freelance vs employment decision. Written by Elhassane Mehdioui.
Node.js Performance Optimisation: 10 Techniques for Faster APIs in 2026
Unlock the full potential of your Node.js APIs with 10 battle-tested performance techniques — from profiling with clinic.js and avoiding event loop blocking, to Redis caching, worker threads, HTTP/2, and load testing with k6.
Integrating LLMs into Your Web App: A Practical Guide for Full Stack Developers
A hands-on 2026 guide for full stack developers covering Claude, GPT-4, and Gemini API integration — streaming, tool use, structured JSON output, prompt engineering, context caching, error handling, and token monitoring with TypeScript examples.
n8n, Make, and Zapier in 2026: Which Supports AI Agents Best?
Discover which platform—n8n, Make, or Zapier—truly excels in AI agent support for automation in 2026 based on real-world workflow experiences.
B2B Companies Boost Lead Qualification with AI Chatbots 24/7
Discover how AI chatbots can enhance lead qualification for B2B companies, driving high-quality leads with quick implementation and measurable results.
GoHighLevel's 2026 AI Update: Key Changes and Automation Tips
Discover GoHighLevel's transformative 2026 AI update, featuring advanced automation tools and multilingual capabilities. Learn which features to prioritize now!
Build an AI Knowledge Base for Your Business with RAG Explained
Leverage Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) to supercharge your AI's query responses and drive business success with a robust knowledge base.