How I Ship Features 10x Faster Than Most Developers (And Why Speed Is My Only Competitive Advantage)

Source: Dev.to

The systems, tools, and mindset that let a cleaner building between shifts outpace VC‑backed startups

The Unfair Advantage of Having No Time

• Remember what I was doing
• Get back into flow
• Make progress
• Document for next session
• Context‑switch back to cleaning (or sleep)

This should be impossible. Starting and stopping constantly should destroy productivity.
Instead, it forced me to develop systems that make me faster than people who code uninterrupted.

System 1: Ruthless Modularity

Instead of: “Build user authentication system” (four hours)

I do:

• Each piece works independently.
• Each piece is tested.
• Each piece is committed to Git.

If I get called away mid‑session, I haven’t lost progress.

Most developers write monolithic features. If they get interrupted, they lose context and have to start over.
I write atomic features. Every thirty minutes, something ships.

System 2: Document Everything Immediately

Current status (Dec 14, 11:30 PM)

Next session

• Test webhook handler with Stripe CLI (20 min)
• Add error handling for failed payments (10 min)

Blockers

• Need to fund payment‑processor test account (waiting for paycheck)

System 3: Tools That Multiply Effectiveness

• Work immediately (no complex setup)
• Great documentation (no guessing)
• Actively maintained (no abandoned projects)
• Deploy in seconds (no waiting)

My stack

System 4: Code for Future Me

Rules

• Variable names are descriptive, not clever
• Functions do one thing (no giant god functions)
• Comments explain why, not what
• Every edge case has a test
• No “I’ll refactor this later” (later never comes)

Example of bad vs. good code

// Bad (clever)
const p = await db.q('usr').w({id: uid}).s();

// Good (obvious)
const user = await database
  .query('users')
  .where({ id: userId })
  .single();

The second version is longer, but I understand it at 3 AM, after two weeks away from the codebase, and even when I’m half‑asleep on a break.

System 5: Ship Before Perfect

Example features (in order of perceived importance)

I built the “must‑have” features first. Everything else can wait.

Most developers gold‑plate: they add features nobody asked for, optimize code nobody runs, and design for scale they don’t have.

I ship fast, learn fast, iterate fast. Version 1 doesn’t need to be complete; it just needs to exist.

System 6: Constraints as Features

System 7: Parallel Progress

Example from last week

If I’d kept banging my head against webhooks, I’d have wasted ~40 min. Instead, I made progress on two fronts.

Task hierarchy I keep active

1. Main task – what I’m focused on
2. Backup task – if I get stuck on the main task
3. Brain‑dead task – for when I’m exhausted

This keeps me moving forward at all times.

System 8: Learning Just Enough

Example workflow

1. Read all of Supabase’s real‑time docs
2. Watch tutorials on WebSockets
3. Learn about pub/sub architectures

What I actually did

• Googled “supabase realtime example”
• Copied working code
• Modified it for my use case
• Tested it
• Shipped it

Total time: 20 min

If I’d “learned properly,” it would have taken three hours. The difference: I can always go deeper later, but I need to ship now.

Learn on demand → Ship fast → Deepen knowledge when you have time.

System 9: No Meetings, No Distractions

• Read documentation
• Search Stack Overflow
• Ask ChatGPT / Claude
• Post on Twitter (get answers in minutes)

All asynchronous, all on my schedule. The loneliness can be hard, but the productivity is unmatched.

System 10: Build in Public

• Builds an audience before launch
• Gets early feedback
• Creates accountability buddies
• Documents the journey

All upside, zero cost.

The Actual Workflow (Hour by Hour)

That’s the system that lets a night‑shift cleaner ship faster than many VC‑backed startups.

Get Built

Typical workflow

• Usually 3‑4 complete features per night
• Commit after each feature
• Push everything before sleep

Schedule

• 6:00 AM – Sleep
• 1:00 PM – Wake up, check notifications, plan the next session

The Results

Diaspora AI (flight‑booking platform)

• Full‑stack Next.js application
• AI‑powered flight search
• Dual payment processing (two different APIs)
• WhatsApp booking bot
• Admin dashboard with analytics
• Visa‑requirement guides for 17 countries
• Email notifications
• Mobile‑responsive UI
• Profit tracking & financial systems
• Complete documentation

Ask Me Anon (anonymous messaging)

• Full‑stack Next.js web app
• React Native iOS app
• Real‑time messaging
• User authentication
• App Store submission
• Built in 5 hours

Nelson Data Services (for a friend)

• Data‑bundle purchasing platform
• Mobile‑money integration
• Automated fulfillment
• Built in one week

flyabroadpartners.co.uk (for my dad)

• Travel‑agency website
• Custom design
• Working contact form
• SEO optimisation
• Built in two weeks

Four production applications in nine months.

Why Speed Matters More Than Anything

In startups, speed is everything.

The Trade‑offs

What I sacrifice

• Code quality: Works, but not always elegant.
• Testing: Critical paths only; not exhaustive.
• Documentation: Comments & commit messages, no formal docs.
• Scale: Built for current needs, not for millions of users.
• Team collaboration: Optimised for solo work.

What I gain

• Shipping speed: ~10× faster than traditional development.
• Learning speed: Encounter problems fast, solve them fast.
• Market validation: Real users, real feedback, real data.
• Competitive advantage: Move before competitors react.
• Focus: No distractions, just building.

For a solo founder with no funding trying to compete against billion‑dollar companies?
I’ll take that trade every time.

For Developers Who Want to Move Faster

• You don’t need a “cleaning‑job” schedule to use these systems.
• Modularise everything.
• Document obsessively.
• Choose “boring” technology (stable, well‑known).
• Ship before perfect.
• Build in public.
• Remove distractions.
• Have backup tasks ready.

The Real Secret

Want to know the actual secret to shipping fast?

(Answer forthcoming…)

Closing Thought

The most common question I get is: “How do you find time to code while working full‑time?”

Current Projects

• Diaspora AI (flight booking) – launching Jan 1 2025; early access live at diasporaai.dev – try it out and tell me what you think.
• Ask Me Anon (anonymous messaging) – live now at askmeanon.com – try it out and tell me what you think.

Follow the Journey

• Instagram: @travis_moore07
• Portfolio: travisdevelops.com

Travis Moore (Angelo Asante)

Self‑taught Developer • Professional Cleaner & Speed Demon • Plymouth, UK