Liam Barr

Bytes

Practical notes that capture a fix, a shortcut, or a spark of clarity.

All Bytes(7)Workflow(4)Sanity(2)Code(1)
Workflow25 June 2026

Don't build ahead

YAGNI: You Aren't Gonna Need It.

The best code might be the code you didn't write.

Don't add flexibility, abstractions, or features just in case. Complexity you add today is complexity you maintain forever.

workflow, decision-making, discipline
Sanity15 June 2026

Style Sanity Studio with Data Attributes

Use Sanity’s data attributes for small CSS overrides instead of relying on generated class names.

sanity.overrides.css
[data-testid='field-groups'] + [data-testid^='field-'] {
  margin-top: -1rem;
}
workflow
Workflow8 Jan 2026

Borrowed clarity

Late-night coffee steals from tomorrow.

Coffee at night feels productive, but it’s a loan with interest. You finish tonight by dulling tomorrow’s best thinking. Choose which day gets the good brain.

decision-making, discipline
Workflow2 Nov 2025

Friction kills momentum

Only add a tool if it pays rent weekly.

Shiny tools feel helpful until they slow you down. Did it save time, sharpen focus, or ship work? Keep it. If not, archive it and try again later.

workflow, decision-making
Sanity23 Oct 2025

Cleaner Sanity Studio

Sanity ships with features most projects don’t need. Add this to the config:

sanity.config.ts
announcements: { enabled: false },
scheduledPublishing: { enabled: false },
tasks: { enabled: false },
releases: { enabled: false },
document: { comments: { enabled: false } },
workflow
Code10 Sept 2025

Dodging Dark Mode in Emails

Don't use pure black or white.

Pure black + pure white = instant inversion.

  • #fffffe instead of #ffffff
  • #000001 instead of #000000
html, email, dark-mode, design-integrity
Workflow13 Aug 2025

Follow the Data Attributes

Data attributes are breadcrumbs.

When digging through a huge open-source repo, inspect the DOM for data-* attributes (like data-testid or data-test). They’re often breadcrumbs from the UI straight to the relevant component in the codebase.

testing, debugging, workflow, github
Liam Barr

Learning from

Cover of Cognitive Decline Expert: The Disease That Starts in Your 30s but Kills You in Your 70s

Cognitive Decline Expert: The Disease That Starts in Your 30s but Kills You in Your 70s

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett • 2h 5m

Socials

  • LinkedIn
  • Behance
  • Substack
  • Instagram

Offsets

  • 403 trees planted
  • 113.85kg ocean waste cleared
  • 102.06kg CO₂ captured

I acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters on which we work and create. I pay my respects to Indigenous Elders past, present and emerging. I respectfully recognise that sovereignty was never ceded. "Australia" always was and always will be, Aboriginal land.

© 2026 Liam Barr. All rights reserved.

  • Privacy
  • Sustainability

Pages open

Cover of Maktub

Maktub

by Paulo Coelho