The Build Log

Real-world notes for founders navigating the messy road from idea to launched product.

Jan 5, 20268 min read

The AI Agent Backend Checklist: 7 Infrastructure Requirements Your Chatbot Didn't Need

Chatbots are stateless. Agents accumulate state, make decisions, and run for minutes. Here are the 7 backend requirements that make or break production agents.

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When NOT to Use AI Agents: A Decision Framework Before You Waste $50K

AI Development

Jan 3, 202611 min read

When NOT to Use AI Agents: A Decision Framework Before You Waste $50K

90-95% of AI initiatives fail. Most teams build AI agents when they need simpler solutions. Here's how to know if you're about to waste money on the wrong approach.

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Why Real-Time Matters for AI Agents: Building Responsive Agent UX with Convex

AI Development

Dec 28, 20257 min read

Why Real-Time Matters for AI Agents: Building Responsive Agent UX with Convex

AI agents take 5-30 seconds to respond. Users hate waiting. Real-time state sync with Convex transforms that experience from frustrating to engaging.

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The Right Way to Add AI to Your Next.js App: Agents vs Workflows Decision Framework

AI Development

Dec 24, 20257 min read

The Right Way to Add AI to Your Next.js App: Agents vs Workflows Decision Framework

Most Next.js apps don't need AI agents. They need workflows. Here's how to know which one you're actually building and the architecture patterns that work.

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Mastra vs LangChain.js: Why TypeScript-Native Agent Frameworks Ship Faster

AI Development

Dec 20, 20258 min read

Mastra vs LangChain.js: Why TypeScript-Native Agent Frameworks Ship Faster

Mastra hit 150K weekly downloads in under a year. LangChain.js has the ecosystem. Here's what actually matters when choosing a TypeScript AI agent framework for production.

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PydanticAI + Temporal: Building Durable AI Agents That Survive Crashes

AI Development

Dec 16, 20257 min read

PydanticAI + Temporal: Building Durable AI Agents That Survive Crashes

Most AI agents crash and lose state. PydanticAI's Temporal integration changes that. Here's how to build production agents that survive failures and recover gracefully.

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5 AI Agent Frameworks Benchmarked: Why PydanticAI Leads in Performance

AI Development

Dec 12, 202512 min read

5 AI Agent Frameworks Benchmarked: Why PydanticAI Leads in Performance

We benchmarked LangChain, CrewAI, AutoGen, Mastra, and PydanticAI across performance, reliability, and developer experience. PydanticAI v1 wins on type safety, Temporal integration, and production durability. Here's the data.

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Why Your First 3 Months of AI Video Generation Will Cost 3x Your Budget

AI Development

Dec 8, 202512 min read

Why Your First 3 Months of AI Video Generation Will Cost 3x Your Budget

AI video generation has a brutal learning curve hidden behind slick demos. Iteration costs, quality expectations, and regeneration rates destroy budgets. Here's what realistic AI video budgeting actually looks like.

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LangChain vs CrewAI vs AutoGen: The Non-Technical Founder's Decision Framework

AI Development

Dec 4, 202511 min read

LangChain vs CrewAI vs AutoGen: The Non-Technical Founder's Decision Framework

LangChain 1.0 launched October 2025. CrewAI costs $99-120K annually. AutoGen is transitioning to Microsoft's framework in Q1 2026. Here's how non-technical founders should actually choose between AI agent frameworks.

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