[throwawayx50223]

I probably fit the description of a dark matter developer. I don't have any public github repos and don't feel comfortable blogging. I do read a lot of blogs to keep me up to date with the current trends and try to get some in depth knowledge. A lot of the new trends are basically old stuff with a catchy name, so my primary focus is finding out what makes it different or better.

It's fun to test new technologies, but I can't in good conscience recommend them to companies that don't have the resources to actually be at the bleeding edge. Too many people look at the shiny new tech and don't consider the cost of using it.

My primary motivation is creating a good product. I get things done by managing a healthy mix of known technology with a sprinkle of new things so that the magpie developers can see something shiny. In my experience the new shiny things should be kept to a minimum until you either grow so big that your lost opportunities are insignificant, or you have several teams able to cover the bets in case s*t hits the fan.

Unless your startup is mostly technology (like a new database), you are probably better off using "boring" technology and focus on making your product stand out. Try to find a few dark matter developers who knows how to balance.