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Why I started writing again

A place of my own to think out loud about software, language models and the tools I build at night.

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Hélder Gonçalves

Software engineer · Barcelos, Portugal

I'm Hélder. I build software — and, more and more, software with language models inside it: agents, MCP servers, and automation that saves real people real work.

By day I work at Bitsapiens on systems that connect people, data and AI. The rest of the time I build my own things: an MCP server that reads the macOS Stocks app, a bridge to steer Claude Code from a Garmin bike computer, a bot that turns community chat into a product backlog. Almost all of it open source.

I prefer small frequent deliveries to big plans. This is where I write down what I learn along the way — no ceremony, no newsletter, no cookies.

Write to me

Specifications

RoleSoftware engineer
LocationBarcelos, Portugal
CompanyBitsapiens
ToolingTypeScript · Python · Astro · Docker · Postgres · MCP
Coding sincewhenever there was a keyboard nearby

More about this site

This site is an operating system. On a phone it behaves like an iPhone, on a computer like a Mac — windows you can drag, a Dock that magnifies, a Control Centre that genuinely works. It is built with Astro, HTML and CSS, with hand-written JavaScript and zero frameworks. Everything you read is plain HTML underneath: it works without JavaScript and search engines read it just the same.

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One email when there is something new. Nothing else, and you can leave whenever.

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Why I started writing again

A place of my own to think out loud about software, language models and the tools I build at night.

For years, everything I learned ended up in places that are not mine: Slack messages nobody reads twice, pull request comments, threads that quietly disappear. This is my attempt to fix that.

What you will find here

Short notes on what I am building. A lot of software with language models inside it — agents, MCP servers, automation — but also the boring parts: deploys, containers, the bug that took three days and turned out to be an environment variable.

I write first for myself six months from now, when I no longer remember how I solved the thing. If it helps someone else, even better.

How it works

No newsletter, no popup, no cookies, no trackers. There is an RSS feed and that is it. I publish when there is something worth saying — there is no schedule.

Almost everything I mention is open source on GitHub. If you disagree with something, write to me: the address is on the home page, and I answer anything that comes with context.

metawriting

Disagree, or want to keep the conversation going? Write to me.

Comments

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    Hélder usually replies the same day

    Today

    Hello! This is me in automatic mode. Ask away — or write to me properly by email.

    Canned answers. For a real conversation, email me.

    Opens your email app

    Projects

    Things I built because I needed them. Almost all of it open source.

    Stocks app MCP

    Claude reading my portfolio

    An MCP server that reads the local database of the macOS Stocks app and hands portfolios and quotes to any model. No paid API, no scraping: the data was already on disk.

    MCPSwiftmacOS

    Garmin → Claude Code

    Driving the laptop from a bike

    A bridge that turns a Garmin bike computer into a remote control for Claude Code: I fire off tasks and read the result on the handlebar screen. It started as a joke and kept working.

    GarminTypeScriptAgents

    Chat → backlog

    Community turned into product

    A bot that reads a community chat, works out which messages are real requests and writes clean issues with context and priority. Less "someone mentioned this on Discord once".

    LLMPythonAutomation

    This site

    An operating system in 60 KB

    What you are looking at. Astro for the content, hand-written JavaScript for the windows, the Dock, the gestures and the phone inside the phone. No React, no animation library, no tracking.

    AstroCSSNo frameworks

    [email protected] — zsh Type "help" to see what this does.
    helder ~ %

    Appearance

    Light, dark, or whatever your system asks for.

    Wallpaper

    Pick the scenery. It is remembered on this device.

    Language

    Changes the whole site, writing included.

    Motion

    Turn the transitions off if you prefer the site still.

    Sign In

    About this system

    helderOSVersion 1.0
    Astro4.16 · static
    JavaScript0 frameworks
    Back to factory settings, then reload.

    An iPhone inside the site

    Stocks

    Watchlist

    • AAPL
    • MSFT
    • NVDA
    • GOOGL
    • AMZN
    • TSLA
    • BTC-USD
    • ^GSPC
    • EURUSD=X

    Portfolio

    • VWCE
    • SXR8
    • MSFT

    Live quotes, like the Stocks app. The list is yours: add and remove symbols, and it stays on this device.

    Pick a symbol from the list.

    Who has signed in, most recent first.