Irving-Swift

My notes, but shared.

This site is just a collection of tip-bits by James Irving-Swift, partly to share knowledge, but honestly, it is just more about having a point of reference that isn't a scrapbook on my desk! If it can help anyone else, that would be an added bonus.

Browse the notes

WordPress development on a laptop screenLatest · PHP2shell Was the Final Straw: Why I Moved From WordPress to AstroTwo dice, one white and one redRolling the Dice: What I’ve Been Working On Over the Last Six MonthsA travel agency counter in Bergen, around 1950AI in Hospitality: Reimagining the Future of Travel Booking

All notes

10 notes since October 2024, newest first: setups, scripts, fixes and the odd opinion.

  1. · Wordpress, OpinionsPHP2shell Was the Final Straw: Why I Moved From WordPress to AstroOne of our WordPress sites was compromised, I restored it from a backup and decided I was done. Why I've moved to Astro and Markdown, and why I don't think I need a CMS or Yoast anymore.
  2. Rolling the Dice: What I’ve Been Working On Over the Last Six MonthsLeaving Amenitiz, trying developer-led tech recruitment, and the Expo projects that followed — CPOURNOUS, 11310.com, VegVisits and a stealth game.
  3. AI in Hospitality: Reimagining the Future of Travel BookingWill AI assistants replace OTAs and direct-booking websites? Why the hospitality industry should start preparing for an API-first future.
  4. · DevelopmentImplementing Magic Link Authentication with Auth.js and Deep Linking in an Expo Hybrid AppHow I made Auth.js magic-link sign-in work across both the web and an Expo hybrid app using a second verification token and a deep link.
  5. · Development, OpinionsMy Current Developer Tool Setup 2024/2025The editors, terminals, CLI tools, browsers and utilities in my day-to-day developer setup — and the ones I've moved away from.
  6. · DevelopmentSetup your Mac with AnsibleHow I use an Ansible playbook to configure a brand-new MacBook in under an hour — perfect for a fresh start or disaster recovery.
  7. · DevelopmentRunning Expo in WSL2Why scanning the Expo Go QR code fails when your project runs in WSL2, and the one-flag fix I wire into package.json.
  8. · OpinionsMy Personal Journey Through Operating Systems: From Acorn to macOSFrom RISC OS on an Acorn to Red Hat, Ubuntu, Windows with WSL2, the Steam Deck and macOS — my journey through operating systems and where I've landed.
  9. · WordpressMy get started WordPress scriptThe bash script I use to spin up a new WordPress site on my server — wp-cli install, Apache vhost and a Let's Encrypt certificate in one go.
  10. · WordpressThe WordPress Plugins I Use and WhyThe key WordPress plugins I rely on for performance, security, SEO and email — with the pros and cons of each.

About me

A developer, team lead and now CTO, living in Andalucía. When I'm not at a keyboard, I'm usually doing one of these.

More about me

James Irving-Swift in sunglasses and a cap
James Irving-SwiftCTO at VegVisits, in AndalucíaI've worked in software companies of every size, from a team of three to FTSE and NASDAQ-listed firms, including Tripadvisor and Amenitiz.
Two players on an indoor padel court
SportTennis or padel, every dayFind a sport you love and exercising is never a chore. Everything stands still for Arsenal matches and for Formula 1.
A silver 1990s Alfa Romeo Spider with its roof down
Petrol headAlfa Spider, Goodwood RevivalNew and classic alike: I love the sound of a cold start and an exhaust that pops as you shift. Most years you can find me at the Goodwood Revival.
A stage of synthesisers, pianos and a mixing desk under warm light
MusicPiano, guitar and bassPiano first, then guitar and most recently bass. I play with a group that decides which song we can butcher next.