Geek Spike

When learning a new technology, I like to start with a “canonical example spike”. A spike is a XP term for trying something new in a short burst to get a better idea how long a full implementation is going to take. When trying a new framework (or Ajax library), I look first for an example application that demonstrates common uses cases from your target application.

At work, we have a PhoneBook application that we used when we were first learning .NET. At the time, it was an actual intranet application. Even after we started building other applications, we would often go back and try something new with the PhoneBook example first. Over time, it became our best-practices reference application.

So, when it came time to lean YUI, the first thing we did is reach for the PhoneBook use case and have at it. It took some time to do, but it’s much easier to learn a new technology in the comfort of a well-known application.

And, of course, starting with a throw-away example gives you a chance to make all the mistakes up front. :) I think that’s what I like best about software development: You only have to get it right the last time!