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David Heinemeier Hansson

What David Heinemeier Hansson thinks about infrastructure

@dhh · 747 positions · 10 changes of mind · On ppll ↗

Creator of Ruby on Rails, CTO of 37signals, and creator of Omarchy.

David Heinemeier Hansson did not write this page.

We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.

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Only David Heinemeier Hansson on infrastructure. See everyone on infrastructure

8 dated positions, 2021 to 2026, in their own words. Our reading of what David Heinemeier Hansson has said — not written or endorsed by them.

  1. Our readingThe arcane config files and error messages that kept Linux off the desktop are exactly what make it the right operating system for agents.

    Linux

    Their wordsLinux conquered everything else. All the AI infrastructure that everyone runs off, it's all running on Linux. All the systems, all the servers, everything is Linux. So it was kind of a curiosity that the desktop and the personal computers we were using really hadn't been captured, but clearly it was just waiting for this moment. Linux spent the time from '91 to now waiting for agents to fully flourish as an end user operating system.

    ↗DHH: Future of Programming, AI, Agentic Engineering, Vibe Coding & Linux | Lex Fridman Podcast #501youtube.com 32nd of 41 in this recording

  2. 15 months earlier

  3. Our readingAmerican administrations have the power to disconnect any individual or foreign government from digital infrastructure provided by American Big Tech

    governmentAmerica

    Their wordsall American administrations have the power to disconnect any individual, company, or foreign government from digital infrastructure provided by American Big Tech

    ↗Denmark gets more serious about digital sovereigntyworld.hey.com 1st of 2 in this piece

  5. Our readingEurope is hopelessly dependent on American Big Tech for digital infrastructure

    EuropeAmerica

    Their wordsThe continent is hopelessly dependent on American Big Tech for even the most basic of digital infrastructure

    ↗Denmark gets more serious about digital sovereigntyworld.hey.com 2nd of 2 in this piece

  6. 8 months earlier

  7. Our readingLeaving the cloud for owned hardware cut 37signals' annual infrastructure bill from $3.2M to $1.3M without growing the operations team.

    the cloud

    Their wordsFor 2024, we've brought the cloud bill down from the original $3.2 million/year run rate to $1.3 million. That's a saving of almost two million dollars per year for our setup!

    ↗Our cloud-exit savings will now top ten million over five yearsworld.hey.com

  8. 9 months earlier

  9. Our readingMost applications do not need complex infrastructure

    Their wordsBut for the other 99.99% of us? It's a siren song to model our infrastructure in their image

    ↗Keeping the lights on while leaving the cloudworld.hey.com

  10. 10 months earlier

  11. Our readingCloud has its place, but most SaaS businesses should own their infrastructure

    SaaS

    Their wordsMost SaaS business of our size and above should be owning their infrastructure rather than renting it

    ↗Five values guiding our cloud exitworld.hey.com

  12. 14 months earlier

  13. Our readingMost SaaS businesses of our size and above should own their infrastructure rather than rent it

    SaaShiringmanagement

    Their wordsBut hiring managers is hard! Much harder than hiring individual contributors who can be evaluated in large part on the strength of their individual work.

    ↗It's harder hiring managersworld.hey.com

  14. 10 months earlier

  15. Our readingApple's 30% tax on developers is unfair

    Apple

    Their wordsHow is it fair that billion-dollar companies that use thousands of times more of Apple's App Store infrastructure get away with paying $99/year, while a mid-sized software company making $10m/year has to pay $3m?

    ↗Testimony before the Arizona House of Representativesworld.hey.com 1st of 2 in this piece