Shows
Code and the Coding Coders who Code itEpisode 61 - Ernesto TagwerkerRails upgrades don’t have to feel like crossing a minefield. We sit down with Ernesto, founder and CTO of FastRuby and Ombu Labs, to unpack a pragmatic path from legacy Rails to Rails 8.1 and how AI can accelerate the work without sacrificing quality. From Ruby 4.0 landing over the holidays to a near-release of RubyCritic 5.0, we dig into the tools, the traps, and the test-suite realities that make or break an upgrade.Ernesto walks us through a free AI-powered upgrade roadmap that analyzes your repo, dependencies, and code to chart a step-by-step plan—covering everything from Rails 2.3 onwa...
2026-01-2758 min
Code with Jason298 - AI-Assisted Rails Upgrades with Ernesto TagwerkerIn this episode I talk with Ernesto Tagwerker about using AI for Rails upgrades, AI as an unblocking tool rather than just a speeder-upper, and the dangers of AI-generated "speculative code" that adds liability without value.Links:FastRuby.ioOmbuLabs
2026-01-0246 min
IndieRailsErnesto Tagwerker - OmbuLabs on AIAfter more than two years, Ernesto Tagwerker returns to IndieRails to chat about the changing industry landscape and running an agency in the age of AI. Ernesto is the founder of OmbuLabs, makers of FastRuby.io, and maintainers of many open source projects in Ruby and Rails. We talk about upgrading Rails apps with the help of LLMs, their fixed-cost maintenance service Bonsai, new AI-related offerings (from assessments to greenfield buildouts), and championing DX (developer experience).Mentioned in the EpisodeStanford research on dev productivity w/ AI tooling (video)The Automated RoadmapBonsai Service
2025-12-091h 31
Tech Talks Daily3477: The Intersection of AI, DX, and Technical Debt. Every software team, no matter its size or sophistication, has wrestled with the same quiet threat, technical debt. But what if the issue isn't just messy code or outdated frameworks, but something more human? That's the question Ernesto Tagwerker, Founder and CEO of OmbuLabs.ai, has been asking as he works at the intersection of AI, developer experience, and legacy modernization. In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, Ernesto joins me from Philadelphia to unpack why technical debt is so misunderstood and why the term has drifted far from Ward Cunningham's original metaphor. He argues t...
2025-11-0627 min
Rails BusinessErnesto TagwerkerIn this episode, the hosts are joined by Ernesto Tagwerker, founder of Ombuabs and FastRuby.io, a company specializing in Ruby on Rails upgrades as well as AI solutions. Topics covered include:- Rails Upgrades- Technical Debt- Developer Onboarding and more!Chapters00:00 Introduction to Ernesto Tagwerker00:21 Ernesto's Developer Origin Story01:10 Discovering and Embracing Rails02:19 Building a Business Around Rails02:51 Challenges and Solutions in Rails Upgrades03:40 Client Needs and Service Offerings06:18 Content Creation and Misconceptions07:33 Best Practices for R...
2025-07-0335 min
Code with Jason189 - Sin City Ruby Speaker Ernesto TagwerkerOn today's episode, Ernesto Tagwerker returns for a conversation that touches on my upcoming Sin City Ruby conference (March 21-22 2024, in Las Vegas), addressing technical debt, particularly at small companies, defining technical debt, test coverage metrics, code metrics, the meaning of code quality, and "good enough" software.Ernesto Tagwerker on Mastodon.socialFast Ruby.ioRuby.socialSin City Ruby
2023-07-1058 min
IndieRailsErnesto Tagwerker - Building an agency & productized servicesIn this episode, Ernesto shares his journey from freelancing to building an agency, managing a remote and international team, creating productized services, and technical sales and marketing.Find ErnestoTwitterMastodonMore about OmbuLabsOmbuLabsFastRuby.ioUpgrade JSTune ReportMentioned in the PodBrennan Dunn RoadmappingBureau of DigitalDonutKnow Your TeamNate BerkopecKent Beck tweetChatGPTGitHub Copilot
2023-06-0245 min
Creative Agency Success ShowProductizing Services for Agency Growth with Ernesto Tagwerker“The idea of productizing a service is creating a category for something that you do really well and marketing it as it is.” - Ernesto TagwerkerThe finer details of this episode:Productizing services and scaling businesses Remote company culture: Benefits, team retreats, and working across time zonesNiching down and pricing strategies for productized servicesQualifying leads for product type servicesEpisode resources:Summit CPA website – summitcpa.netEmail us with questions or if you’d like to be a guest on the show – vcpasuccessshow@anderscpa.comOmbuLabs :: The Lean Software Boutique
2023-05-1534 min
The Jason and Bart ShowErnesto Tagwerker - Scaling a Software Agency: The Power of Productized Services and Profitable Growth StrategiesIn this episode, We had the pleasure of speaking with Ernesto Tagwerker, founder and CTO of Ombulabs, about scaling a software agency and the benefits of productized services. We discussed the importance of paying off technical debt and how Ombulabs focuses on upgrading JavaScript, React JS, Node JS, Rails, and Ruby to help clients maintain their software. We also explored how to maintain consistent quality and delivery for productized services while avoiding technical laziness, and the role of project management in ensuring that deadlines are met. Additionally, we touched on the challenges of pitching to public companies and the...
2023-04-1438 min
Rubber Duck Dev ShowWhat Happens After RubyCritic with Ernesto Tagwerker | Rubber Duck Dev Show 67In this episode of the Rubber Duck Dev Show, we discuss what happens after you run RubyCritic and see all the code recommendations.
FastRuby.io
RubyCritic Gem
Skunk Gem
2022-12-011h 05
Code with Jason165 - Upgrading Rails with Ernesto TagwerkerThis week Ernesto Tagwerker returns for a discussion of his work upgrading Rails apps with FastRuby, the benefits of exercise and getting outside, and the ins and outs of productized services. Ernesto Tagwerker on TwitterOmbuLabs BlogJobs at OmbuLabsFastRuby.io30 x 500 AcademyUpgradejs.com
2022-11-2352 minCode and the Coding Coders who Code itEpisode 10 - Ernesto TagwerkerMy friend and fellow Philadelphian, Ernesto Tagwerker joins the show to talk about his companies new offering, Tune. We also talk about some of Ernestos open source projects, how his team balances educating the community on how do upgrade while also making it their main business, and strategies to onboard juniors.Links:@etagwerker on twitter@etagwerker on GithubFastRuby.ioOmbu Labs TuneRails autoscale gem Complete Guide to Rails Performance Skunk gem RubyCriticFirst Ruby FriendsRuby for All PodcastPhilly.rbSend us some love.JudoscaleAutoscaling that actually works. Take control of your...
2022-09-0655 min
Rubber Duck Dev ShowCode Quality With Ernesto Tagwerker | Rubber Duck Dev Show 55In this episode, we discuss code quality, and how the RubyCritic & Skunk ruby gems can help.
Skunk Gem
RubyCritic Gem
FastRuby.io
2022-08-181h 03
ONE OF 8 BILLIONErnesto Tagwerker: The Precious Value of TimeSummaryAs a husband, father, and the founder of software boutique, OmbuLabs, Ernesto Tagwerker has many demands on his time. Fortunately, his experiences growing up in Buenos Aires, traveling, and starting his own businesses have taught him to value his time and to use it wisely.GuestErnesto TagwerkerHighlightsErnesto Tagwerker grew up in Buenos Aires in a time before the internet, with limited access to computers. Still, he felt an early spark to pursue computer programming as a career.Soon after college Ernesto started an agency with some college friends...
2022-05-2539 min
Remote RubyLive from RubyConf 2021! [00:00:28] The panelists introduce themselves.[00:01:37] We hear what everyone is most excited about being at RubyConf and the talks they are most excited about going to.[00:04:11] Jason Swett shares how he prepped for the workshops, and Nick and Emily tell us about their talks. [00:08:13] Jemma asks the panelists why they come to conferences and what brings them here.[00:11:12] Everyone here is a podcaster, so we find out why they do these podcasts.[00:15:11] The panelists share w...
2021-11-2450 min
The Ruby on Rails PodcastEpisode 390: Code Quality with Ernesto TagwerkerErnesto Tagwerker is the Founder of OmbuLabs, the Ruby on Rails development shop behind FastRuby.io. He comes back to the podcast to talk about code quality: what it is, what it is perceived to be and what its like to maintain a few Ruby code quality gems, including ruby-critic and skunk.
Show Notes & Links:
OmbuLabs :: The Lean Software Boutique
FastRuby.io
309: Upgrading Rails & Skunk for Scoring with Ernesto Tagwerker
rails_stats
rubycritic
skunk
metric_fu
Eight Dimensions of Quality
The Code Quality Challenge - Tuple.app
Sponsored By:
Honeybadger
Honeybadger...
2021-11-0331 min
Computer Science: Just the Useful BitsWith Ernesto Tagwerker: Learning Programming, Business and ManagementErnesto and I talk about how he learned software development, but also some business and management in his competitive public university in Argentina. We talk group projects, learning well and trying things that failed.
2021-03-0857 min
Code with Jason082 - Code Quality with Ernesto Tagwerker, Founder at FastRuby.ioIn this episode I talk with Ernesto Tagwerker, founder of FastRuby.io, about the topic of code quality. We discuss what code quality means as well as some tools that can assist with giving code quality proper attention.Links:FastRuby.ioErnesto Tagwerker on TwitterRuboCopReekSkunk
2021-02-0943 min
Remote Ruby🎉 Episode 100!! Upgrading Rails with Ernesto Tagwerker [00:05:18] Ernesto gives us an introduction of who he is and what he does.[00:10:43] Ernesto talks about the last RailsConf in Minneapolis when they were all together. Andrew talks about wanting to upgrade a Rails App and how he came across Ernesto’s FastRuby that had great content, which is why he asked him to be on the show today. [00:12:39] We learn about FastRuby.io from Ernesto. He also talks about the kinds of things you need to think about before you upgrade Rails and what to do if your Tes...
2020-10-3045 min
Legacy Code RocksSkunkScore with Ernesto TagwerkerImagine if there were a tool to help you measure your code’s complexity, coverage, and smells, blend it all together and present you with an average score assessing your technical debt. SkunkScore is precisely such a tool. Today we talk with Ernesto Tagwerker, founder of Ombu Labs and fastruby.io—and the developer of the SkunkScore—about software maintenance and how to use SkunkScore to identify the most problematic parts of your code and guide you through your refactoring adventure. Mentioned in this episode: Ernesto on Twitter at https://twitter.com/etagwerker Ernesto...
2020-07-2747 min
Ruby on Rails Podcast309: Upgrading Rails & Skunk for Scoring with Ernesto TagwerkerErnesto Tagwerker is the Founder of Ombu Labs, a small software development company dedicated to building lean code and reducing tech debt. He and Brittany enthusiastically discuss blockers in upgrading Rails, tech debt and Ernesto's future plans for his code scoring library, Skunk.
2020-03-1228 minThe Ruby on Rails PodcastEpisode 309: 309: Upgrading Rails & Skunk for Scoring with Ernesto TagwerkerErnesto Tagwerker is the Founder of Ombu Labs, a small software development company dedicated to building lean code and reducing tech debt. He and Brittany enthusiastically discuss blockers in upgrading Rails, tech debt and Ernesto's future plans for his code scoring library, Skunk.
Links for this episode:Ombu Labs - The Lean Software BoutiqueFast Ruby - Ruby on Rails Upgrades by Ombu Labsfastruby / skunk | A StinkScore Calculator for Ruby Code Ernesto Tagwerker (@etagwerker) | TwitterEpisode Music by Kevin MacLeodEpisode Introduction and Outro by Michael Springer
2020-03-1228 min
MaintainableErnesto Tagwerker: Tracking Technical Debt With Metrics (aka Stink Score)In the latest episode of Maintainable, we're joined by Ernesto Tagwerker, Founder and CTO of OmbuLabs. This isn't just another podcast episode; it's a deep dive into the world of technical debt and Ruby on Rails.Ernesto starts by demystifying technical debt – it's more than just a buzzword; it's a real challenge that can turn your project into a Tar Pit. And, believe it or not, there are actual tools to measure this. We explore these tools and how they can help identify technical debt and communicate the progress of tackling it.Then, we get in...
2020-02-1746 min
Code with Jason020 - Rails Upgrades with Ernesto TagwerkerErnesto is back and this time we're talking upgrading Rails, speaking at conferences, how to find freelancing clients, and how to assess code quality.Ernesto Tagwerker on TwitterErnesto Tagwerker on GitHubOmbu LabsFast RubyErnesto Tagwerker's Blog Posts at Fast Ruby
2019-10-221h 00
Remote RubyJoined by Ernesto Tagwerker Ombu LabsFast RubyErnesto on Twitter Chris Oliver X/Twitter Andrew Mason X/Twitter Jason Charnes X/Twitter
2019-07-2653 min
Code with Jason008 - Maintaining Large Rails Applications with Ernesto TagwerkerIn this episode, Ernesto Tagwerker and I discuss how we approach working on large Rails applications, methods for writing useful tests in a large application setting, and we extend an invitation to join us for some Nashville hot chicken in August at Southeast Ruby.Ernesto Tagwerker on TwitterErnesto Tagwerker on GitHubOmbu LabsFast RubyComponent Based Rails ApplicationsTrailblazerSoutheast Ruby Conference
2019-06-2551 min
The Get Paid Podcast: The Stark Reality of Entrepreneurship and Being Your Own BossErnesto Tagwerker: the Lean Software Boutique (GPP15)Thinking about hiring a developer to build an app for your business? Make sure you know exactly what you DON’T need before you start shelling out piles of money.
Ernesto Tagwerker is the owner of OmbuLabs, a software boutique that uses the Lean Startup methodology to create web apps for their clients. Just because you have an idea for an app doesn’t mean that’s where you should start. Listen to Ernesto share the biggest things people get wrong when they hire a development team and why you should apply some Lean Startup practic...
2015-09-0956 min