Den Odell
I’m a developer who believes great software is built at the intersection of engineering and empathy. Technical excellence matters, but only in service of how things feel to the people using them. I write about it here, and sometimes in books. That’s the thread running through 25 years of building for hundreds of millions of people.
Podcast. May 2026
Trusted by teams at Canva, Nike, Volvo Cars, AKQA, and more.
New book
Performance Engineering in Practice
The practical guide to building software systems that are fast by
default. Covers web, backend, mobile, and desktop.
Published by Manning, 2026 · Early access available now
Memorial Day sale. 50% off until May 25th. Only $27.99
More from Den
Monthly notes on engineering, writing, and the craft of building software. No fluff.