Rico Kahler
I build foundational tools and systems for the modern web. My passion lies in untangling complex, low-level engineering problems and architecting elegant, large-scale systems with a deep focus on performance and computational efficiency.
The Ceiling and the Abyss: A Theory of Computable Automation
December 20, 2025
Is AGI inevitable, or is there a "ceiling" to artificial intelligence? This article explores Universal Computable Automation (UCA)—a theory proposing that while AI execution is infinite, human judgment remains non-computable. Discover why the Turing limit, the Anthropic Principle, and simulation theory suggest a future where humans define the constraints, not the machines. A pragmatic look at why believing in human irreducibility is essential for navigating the AI era.
How to PROMPT
December 5, 2025
A practical guide to prompt engineering for teams working with AI. Learn why commanding language outperforms questions, how to define business logic explicitly, and when to edit your prompt vs. iterate in the chat. Includes real-world examples for business analysts and data engineers.
Understanding JavaScript as an Open Standard
June 29, 2023
Want to know why there's a new JavaScript framework every week? It's not all that bad actually.
Core web vitals vs React.memo
April 13, 2022
'Performance' is a loaded word in the frontend/React world and hard to know exactly what people mean. This article explains the difference between web performance and re-render performance.
Reverting back to a document-based web with PDFs
January 18, 2022
On Sunday, January 16th, I made wordlepdf.com, a remake of Wordle… expect it uses PDFs.
A critical look at React Hooks
January 12, 2022
Here's my thoughts on the good as well as the bad of React Hooks
React Conf 2021
January 4, 2022
I watched all of React Conf 2021. Here's everything you should know.
Did React become a framework?
December 23, 2021
React has been focusing more and more on server-related features prompting familiar the question: Is React a framework or a library?