A builder's notes on shipping software, ranking pages, and figuring out the rest — by Kent Gigger.https://kentgigger.com/https://kentgigger.com/posts/claude-code-effort-parameter/https://kentgigger.com/posts/claude-code-effort-parameter/The effort parameter controls how hard Claude thinks, how many tools it calls, and how long responses take. Here's when to use low, medium, high, and max.Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/how-to-be-cool/https://kentgigger.com/posts/how-to-be-cool/A dad's guide to coolness after being stumped by my son's question. Real talk on authentic swagger without the try-hard vibes. Sometimes, less is more.Thu, 19 Feb 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/i-audited-my-astro-blog/https://kentgigger.com/posts/i-audited-my-astro-blog/I audited my Astro blog after months of neglect. Broken headings, invalid structured data, dead affiliate links, accessibility failures. Every fix.Sun, 15 Feb 2026 17:13:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/claude-code-updated-workflow/https://kentgigger.com/posts/claude-code-updated-workflow/My full Claude Code workflow for 2026. Knowledge base system, custom slash commands, cross-project task tracking, background tasks, MCPs, subagents, and coding from my phone.Sun, 15 Feb 2026 01:05:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/line-breaks-in-markdown/https://kentgigger.com/posts/line-breaks-in-markdown/Four ways to add a line break in markdown without creating a new paragraph. Backslash, double space, HTML, and when to use each one.Sat, 14 Feb 2026 17:00:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/claude-code-escape-escape-shortcut/https://kentgigger.com/posts/claude-code-escape-escape-shortcut/Most Claude Code users waste context sending correction messages. There's a built-in way to rewind your conversation, undo file changes, and retry from any point.Sat, 14 Feb 2026 16:00:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/claude-code-conversation-history/https://kentgigger.com/posts/claude-code-conversation-history/Claude Code saves every conversation locally in ~/.claude/history.jsonl. Here's how to find old sessions, resume them, export them, and build a custom /history command.Sat, 14 Feb 2026 14:23:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/claude-code-thinking-triggers/https://kentgigger.com/posts/claude-code-thinking-triggers/The magic words that unlock deeper reasoning in Claude Code, updated for Opus 4.6's adaptive thinking and the new effort parameter.Sat, 14 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/claude-code-hash-memory-shortcut/https://kentgigger.com/posts/claude-code-hash-memory-shortcut/Use the # shortcut in Claude Code to save persistent instructions that load automatically every session. Build up project context over time instead of repeating yourself.Thu, 04 Dec 2025 14:12:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/osint-cyber-security/https://kentgigger.com/posts/osint-cyber-security/Learn how Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) works in cyber security, key collection techniques, essential tools like Maltego and Shodan, and how to protect yourself from publicly available information being used against you.Sun, 02 Nov 2025 15:00:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/make-life-harder-on-purpose/https://kentgigger.com/posts/make-life-harder-on-purpose/Why boycotts, friction, and inconvenience might be the best things for our mental health and attention spans in an age of instant gratification.Sun, 02 Nov 2025 14:50:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/ai-agents-jquery-moment/https://kentgigger.com/posts/ai-agents-jquery-moment/Building AI agents in 2025 feels exactly like the browser wars - fragmented, painful integrations everywhere. MCP might be the jQuery moment we need.Fri, 31 Oct 2025 13:33:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/why-dev-work-boring-how-to-fix/https://kentgigger.com/posts/why-dev-work-boring-how-to-fix/Software development gets boring when you just check boxes. Learn how chasing everyday technical challenges creates the tension that makes dev work exciting again.Tue, 28 Oct 2025 14:00:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/seo-alone-building-a-site-progress-03/https://kentgigger.com/posts/seo-alone-building-a-site-progress-03/July-September 2025 SEO experiment update. I said monthly updates, then life happened. Real backlinks appeared, Google's still being Google, and I'm hoarding analytics tools like they're going out of style.Fri, 24 Oct 2025 14:50:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/headless-cms-essentials/https://kentgigger.com/posts/headless-cms-essentials/Headless CMS separates content from presentation for ultimate flexibility. Real stories from enterprise DDOS attacks, WordPress disasters, and why I chose Astro for this site.Fri, 24 Oct 2025 14:30:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/how-to-password-protect-your-website-with-htaccess-file/https://kentgigger.com/posts/how-to-password-protect-your-website-with-htaccess-file/Learn how to use htaccess file and htpasswd file to password protect any web page or directory with step-by-step instructions, security best practices, and troubleshooting tips for 2025.Wed, 22 Oct 2025 23:45:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/tech-chaos-and-wild-stories-from-july/https://kentgigger.com/posts/tech-chaos-and-wild-stories-from-july/Google dismantled Windsurf for $2.4B, and AI cheating tools are now VC-funded. Silicon Valley officially became the Wild West in July 2025Sat, 02 Aug 2025 06:07:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/building-with-ai-systems/https://kentgigger.com/posts/building-with-ai-systems/From babysitting AI agents to scaling automated development my journey building self-improving AI code systems with Claude.Sat, 19 Jul 2025 00:21:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/will-ai-replace-engineering-jobs/https://kentgigger.com/posts/will-ai-replace-engineering-jobs/Will AI replace engineering jobs? Explore how AI transforms roles, creates opportunities, and why engineers remain essential.Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/build-yourself-to-fit-your-real-life/https://kentgigger.com/posts/build-yourself-to-fit-your-real-life/How to build yourself through proven strategies for growth, confidence, and authentic personal developmentTue, 08 Jul 2025 23:20:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/your-brain-on-ai-study-update/https://kentgigger.com/posts/your-brain-on-ai-study-update/To AI or Not to AI - That's the Real QuestionTue, 08 Jul 2025 13:50:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/your-brain-on-ai/https://kentgigger.com/posts/your-brain-on-ai/Don't outsource the most valuable skill you have.Tue, 08 Jul 2025 12:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/setting-and-building-a-product-strategy-for-all-product-managers/https://kentgigger.com/posts/setting-and-building-a-product-strategy-for-all-product-managers/Product strategy isn't just setting goals. Here's my 5-step framework to build strategy that actually guides your team.Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:01:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/seo-alone-building-a-site-progress-01/https://kentgigger.com/posts/seo-alone-building-a-site-progress-01/May 2025 SEO experiment update. Perfect Lighthouse scores, Google's selective indexing mystery, and unexpected keyword rankings. Join the journey!Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/seo-alone-building-a-site-progress-02/https://kentgigger.com/posts/seo-alone-building-a-site-progress-02/June 2025 SEO experiment update. Another month gone by. Join the journey!Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/tech-chaos-and-wild-stories-from-june/https://kentgigger.com/posts/tech-chaos-and-wild-stories-from-june/From $29B Meta fundraising to mind-reading robots, 42 insane tech moments from June that made my SEO experiment look adorably quaint.Tue, 01 Jul 2025 13:07:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/why-ai-tools-are-making-software-engineers-less-capable/https://kentgigger.com/posts/why-ai-tools-are-making-software-engineers-less-capable/A developer's candid take on AI tools in software engineering—balancing productivity gains with the critical thinking skills that make engineers truly valuable in tech.Sat, 28 Jun 2025 14:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/what-qualities-make-a-great-engineering-leader/https://kentgigger.com/posts/what-qualities-make-a-great-engineering-leader/Being a leader isn't about having all the answers, or being able to answer every question on your own. It's about taking the time to truly be accessible and available to your team members. Be someone who truly helps those around you.Sat, 28 Jun 2025 14:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/learning-to-fly-a-helicopter-the-beginning-of-the-adventure/https://kentgigger.com/posts/learning-to-fly-a-helicopter-the-beginning-of-the-adventure/Learning how to fly helicopters takes time, patience and a few basic requirements.Sat, 28 Jun 2025 14:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/remembering-my-dad/https://kentgigger.com/posts/remembering-my-dad/How do you put a father to rest? How do you say goodbye to someone who meant so much to you? Where do you start when there's so much to say?Sat, 28 Jun 2025 14:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/spending-quality-time-with-family/https://kentgigger.com/posts/spending-quality-time-with-family/Life hits hard, but family makes it easier. Connect with loved ones to create meaningful memories - time together is an investment that always pays off tenfold.Sat, 28 Jun 2025 14:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/make-google-products-work-with-your-work-email/https://kentgigger.com/posts/make-google-products-work-with-your-work-email/Connect any email address to Google services in minutes. Avoid the 'Unable to add users' error when sharing Google Analytics, Data Studio, or Tag Manager with co-worker who don't have Google accounts.Sat, 28 Jun 2025 14:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/why-does-the-trailing-slash-matter-a-short-history/https://kentgigger.com/posts/why-does-the-trailing-slash-matter-a-short-history/The trailing slash started as technical necessity, now it's about consistency and SEO. Pick one style, redirect the other, and use it sitewide. Don't stress over the absurdity.Sat, 28 Jun 2025 14:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/ai-is-the-death-of-outbound/https://kentgigger.com/posts/ai-is-the-death-of-outbound/AI was supposed to supercharge outbound. Instead, it's killing it. Here's why hyper-personalization creates spam fatigue & what replaces it.Thu, 29 May 2025 12:50:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/can-seo-alone-build-an-audience-in-the-age-of-ai/https://kentgigger.com/posts/can-seo-alone-build-an-audience-in-the-age-of-ai/SEO vs. AI: Can a blog grow without social media? Follow my year-long experiment where keyword strategy meets blind optimism and occasional despair.Wed, 28 May 2025 12:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/how-to-actually-get-things-done-in-tech/https://kentgigger.com/posts/how-to-actually-get-things-done-in-tech/True success? Make decision-makers happy, then walk away.Thu, 15 May 2025 07:08:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/canonical-url/https://kentgigger.com/posts/canonical-url/A canonical page is the representative of a group of duplicate pages from one domain. Google needs to pick know which of the duplicate pages it should send traffic to.Thu, 15 May 2025 03:53:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/dont-bench-your-idea/https://kentgigger.com/posts/dont-bench-your-idea/Don't hold back! Your unique voice matters, even in crowded spaces.Wed, 16 Apr 2025 07:19:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/seeing-through-my-little-ones-eyes/https://kentgigger.com/posts/seeing-through-my-little-ones-eyes/A father reflects on how his toddler's wonder-filled exploration reveals life's overlooked details.Tue, 15 Apr 2025 23:30:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/side-project-purgatory/https://kentgigger.com/posts/side-project-purgatory/Chasing new coding projects while the almost-finished ones gather digital dust, despite knowing they deserve to ship.Sat, 12 Apr 2025 14:50:00 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/career-lesson-ive-learned/https://kentgigger.com/posts/career-lesson-ive-learned/Life is hard enough with out knowing what company you should be working with and how to get what you need out of your career.Fri, 11 Apr 2025 19:35:20 GMThttps://kentgigger.com/posts/how-to-create-a-dynamic-sitemap-with-nextjs/https://kentgigger.com/posts/how-to-create-a-dynamic-sitemap-with-nextjs/Boost your SEO with dynamic sitemaps! Like having a scout in the dugout, they guide search engines to all your content. Don't leave indexing to chance - automate it!Fri, 28 Mar 2025 15:35:20 GMT