Solve 1.5 Problems a Week

78 Solutions is a mindset for deliberate practice in software — choosing the right challenges, solving them well, and building momentum without burning out.

About 78 Solutions

Choose the Right Problems

Some problems aren’t worth solving. This method helps you spot the ones that matter — the ones with long-term payoff and deep learning.

Solve Them Well

Write, test, improve. Then do it again. You’ll build skill through repetition and code reuse, turning your codebase — and your career — into a perpetual training ground.

Stand on Your Own Shoulders

Every solution is a seed. Let your past solutions guide (or help solve) your future problems, and let your systems evolve with you over time.

How It Works

Each week, you choose 1.5 problems to solve. Perhaps you will choose one problem worth solving and one small improvement to your toolkit. Or perhaps you will solve three problems over two weeks. The goal isn’t just to ship — it’s to learn while you build, and to build things worth keeping.

1. Frame the Right Question

Define a problem clearly and tie it to a bigger purpose. Even small problems can unlock big growth if chosen wisely.

2. Solve It Deliberately

Work with focus, using habits that sharpen your thinking — like writing tests, reflecting on what’s hard, or reusing past solutions.

3. Log, Reuse, Repeat

Document your progress. Save what works. Each solution becomes a tool in your belt — for next week, next project, or your future self.

Latest Resources

Recent articles and submissions from contributors — or technically, just one (for now). Want to publish something on 78solutions.com? Visit the contributors page to learn how.

Recent Articles

Launch!

Greg Hluska pushed fitnesstracker.ca live three hours ago and is full of nervous energy, so he's taking the time to reflect on the experience of building that site and the experience of launching. Fundamentally, launch is an amazing feeling but it is when the real work begins.

Blog – June 2025

Stand on your own shoulders

Publishing void (n) - A state of existence that occurs roughly one month after launch when you realize that you have nothing to say so start repeating things you have already said. The void lasts for about two months and if publishers survive (meaning, repeat themselves) they enter the publishing glut stage where nothing gets published because nothing is as good as anything else. What does any of that have to do with that article? Read on to find out.

Blog – June 2025

Recent Links

Rust compiler performance survey 2025

If you’ve ever felt like the Rust compiler is a bit too slow for comfort, you’re not alone. Compiler performance is a known issue in the Rust ecosystem, and the Rust team is actively working to improve it. They've launched the 2025 Rust Compiler Performance Survey to gather feedback from developers like you. The survey is short, anonymous, and a great way to influence future improvements.

Selfish Reasons For Building Accessible UIs

This article by Nolan Lawson asks whether moral and ethical arguments in favour of accessibility are working. Since data seems to indicate that they are not, Lawson makes some selfish arguments in favour of building more accessible user interfaces.