Ever felt like an imposter during meetings?

After 10+ years as a developer, I realized something: We don't struggle
with syntax. We struggle with mental models.

So I started creating one for every concept that confused me:

🕰️ GIT = TIME TRAVEL

• Commits = snapshots in time
• Branches = parallel timelines
• Merge = combining timelines
• Rebase = rewriting history

Once I saw it this way, commands became obvious:

• git checkout = travel to a point in time
• git branch = create a new timeline
• git merge = bring timelines together

📦 DOCKER = SHIPPING CONTAINERS

• Standardized (same everywhere)
• Isolated (doesn't affect neighbors)
• Portable (move anywhere)

Why containers are lighter than VMs:

• VM = entire house (full OS, heavy)
• Container = apartment (shared building infrastructure, light)

📹 KAFKA = DVR RECORDING

• You can replay messages anytime
• Not just live streaming
• Consumer lag = how far behind live you are

vs RabbitMQ = 📬 Mailbox (message disappears after reading)

🌡️ KUBERNETES = THERMOSTAT

• You set desired temperature (desired state)
• Thermostat automatically adjusts (auto-scaling)
• Doesn't matter if AC breaks, thermostat finds another way

🎫 SESSIONS vs JWT

• Session = Library card (you show it, they look you up in their system)
• JWT = Festival wristband (contains all info, no lookup needed)

🍽️ BACKEND LAYERS = RESTAURANT

• Controller = Waiter (takes order, brings food)
• Service = Chef (prepares the meal)
• Repository = Pantry (stores ingredients)

🧠 REDIS vs POSTGRESQL🗄️

• Redis = Your brain (fast, temporary memory)
• PostgreSQL = Filing cabinet (persistent, organized)

These stick. Commands you forget. Mental models last your entire career.

💬 Curious about those conversations, DM me?

What concept confuses YOU most 👇
Drop it below and I'll try to
find the right mental model for it.