I have been building user interfaces for quite some time now. And I am really passionate about my craft.

As UI engineers, we build the most prominent piece of any software product—because, to users, the interface is the product. Hence, the quality of our work has an almost visceral connection with the perceived quality of what gets into the hands of users.

We translate design into code through a rather nuanced process. Between design comps and implementation, there are a number of things that can derail the product’s quality. It requires us to have a design-driven mindset for every line of code we write.

I believe UI engineering—just like any software domain—has a set of basic principles and practices that go beyond the specific tools and frameworks that we use everyday in our work. Some of them are fairly obvious, others are maybe more subtle.

The Layout is journey into the principles, mindset, and practices that I believe shape the craft of building user interfaces. I sincerely hope you enjoy it!